Starting the Year Off Right

So I decided I'd better get started with my goals of becoming little Susie Homemaker...

I actually started this project last summer, while I was at Strathcona Park Lodge.
I was inspired by my unique and creative friend Taryn, who seemed to think people can do anything they put their minds to. We worked in the kitchen together, and so we had many opportunities to talk about everything, and anything. I discovered in her a really amazing person who exudes joy and contentment with herself and life in general...an intriguing characteristic, to someone such as myself who has difficulty with that. In other ways we were very similar, so I found myself wondering why I couldn't adpot her positive thinking and open mindedness.
Taryn was very encouraging to me, especially when it came to trying new things (since she was vegan and gluten-free, this really applied to the area of food as well!) She is a very creative person, who draws, paints, sews, weaves (on a loom she built), and did all manner of craftsy artsy things. Not only that, she drew me into her sphere of creativity too.
Inspired by her confidence and you-can-do-it attitude, Taryn somehow made me believe that I too, can make things and try out different creative venues.
So I made moccasins, Thai Fisherman pants (picture below), got dreads, ate vegan food, went for long walks/hikes/drives all by myself, and discussed ideas and views I'd previously taken for granted.

My "Hippie Pants"

It was exciting, exhilarating, and freeing.
After completing my pants on her sewing machine, I was feeling pretty good about my creative abilities, and so when I saw a sling bag that belonged to my friend Barb, I asked myself, "Why can't I make that?". I examined it, and determined it wouldn't be "that hard". After all, it was only 2 pieces.
I traced it, cut out my homemade pattern, bought fabric in the discount bin at the fabric store, and dove in.
In my enthusiasm, I may not have thought it all out properly...

When I pinned it all together, somehow it didn't fit. Instead of a large sack-like shape, I had a bag with two weird pouches on either side. Confused and frustrated, I pinned, and re-pinned, sewed, picked out stitches, and re-sewed...and picked-out stitches again.

By now, hours had gone by. I was tired, and fed up with this first solo sewing adventure.
I guessed that by tracing the bag for my pattern, I had created a curved edge where there should have been a straight edge, and I didn't have the patience or will to figure out how to correct it. I also didn't have enough fabric to cut out a new one, so I felt that I had wasted a lot of time, money, and energy. Project: FAILED.

I didn't touch the thing again...until today.

Today I resolved to get started on my crafting resolution. The bag had to be conquered. It represented my mental block concerning my confidence in my own creative abilities. "I can't" had to become, "I can...if I try hard enough".
Resisting my natural tendency to avoid anything I'm "not good at", I dragged out the pieces, ironed them, and worked out what needed fixing. I decided the bag needed panels on either side to fill in the 'blanks' that I had made by curving the fabric, so that the bottom would fit in naturally, instead of becoming tight in the middle and creating those loose pouches.

Long story short, I made a pattern for the panel, and it worked!
Encouraged by this victory, I hauled the sewing machine upstairs and set to work with renewed energy. With my dear mother's help in getting the machine's cooperation, I was soon whittling away at the project.
By 8:30 tonight, I was proudly displaying my completed sling bag (it even has pockets on the inside), and even though its far from perfect, I'm really pleased with it. While sewing might never be my strength, I have proven to myself that that doesn't have to stop me.
Its a good feeling.
I don't know why this pic is upside down and I can't get it to change! Anyway, you'll be able to see a little bit of the seams if you click on it.