She's crafty

Or at least I want to be. I used to be all kinds of crafty when I was younger... I made throw pillows and cross-stitched little ornaments for my family as gifts. I made play sets out of random household items for my dolls and stuffed toys... Anyone play with Mapletown toys? I made them furniture out of things like empty thread spools and fabric scraps. Yes, yes, y'all, I was quite the cool kid.

Last weekend Boyfriend helped me drag my grandma's sewing machine up from my basement... it has been sitting down there for several years, following 10-15 years of collecting dust in hers. Sad, I know. It's a Kenmore from the late 1970s, I think (I'll have to ask my mom to be sure), and its nice and sturdy. Boyfriend cleaned and oiled it, getting it running again - well, he did break the needle in the process, but other than that, I'm golden.

Love the retro flair of this li'l work space

Honestly, though, I'm glad for the delay because I'm so intimidated by this! I asked for basic sewing stuff last Christmas, thinking that would be the impetus to get back into it, but all of it just sat in the basement alongside the machine. In classic Jessi fashion, I don't know where to start. I suffer from analysis paralysis. Where do I buy a replacement needle for the machine? How do I know what kind to get? I don't know what half the dials and switches on the machine mean and I'm sure the user's manual is long gone. I'm not even sure if I remember how to use this thing... Should I take a class? Surf YouTube for how-to videos? Wander around a fabric store until a store clerk takes pity on me and asks if I need help? I know that this will probably be a learn-by-doing situation and I just need to start with something... but I still get hung up by all the details and the anxiety of not knowing how to do it all. right. now.

Oooh, what delish organization, me oh my....

I stalk all of the DIY-ers across the interwebs, such as the amazing Maegan, wishing I was as talented and just knew how to make cool stuff. I dream of making things from hair accessories to shopping bags to {more} throw pillows to aprons to cosmetic bags to dance shoe bags to full out dance costumes. I think a DIY-er lives inside me, too, but she doesn't know how to find her way back to the surface. Maaaaybe I should stop being a spaz, take the first step and just make one of the projects I admire, yes??

And baby step numero uno should probably be replacing the sewing machine needle. Then get on the ball with some easy projects for my family's Christmas gifts... 'cause t-minus 10 days 'til the big day!

Any tips? Suggestions? Tough love, stop-being-a-spaz comments?

{Images via We Heart It}

xoxo
J