Sewing Class

Emery's Ninjago Bag

Saya's Tulip Bag

LCCC offers several Life Development classes each semester.  They sent an email campus wide looking for instructors to additional classes.  Clint talked me into teaching a sewing class.  I wasn't sure they would want me, I have no formal sewing experience, everything I know I learned from my mom or I taught myself.  They said yes, and it was such a fun, challenging, learning, growing experience for me.
I taught a 6 week course of Basic Sewing.  I wanted everyone to have a finished product at the end of 6 weeks, but I also wanted them to feel like they accomplished something each week.  I was able to teach them skills that they could use beyond this project.  I gave them several practical applications for each technique and brought in examples for them to see.  We made a large tote bag.  I decided to make my own bags along with my students (but out of class, on my own time).  I've finished two of my three, and I have to get Chani's done before we go to Idaho....in a week and a half. 
Week 1: We started with the very basics.  Filling a bobbin, threading the machine, learning different stitches, how to cut fabric, different fabric options and what they are good for, and everyone made a small drawstring bag.  One thing that was hard for me was helping with lots of different machines (we had some really old ones with no instruction manuals and others had new ones that were so fancy they didn't even need a foot pedal).
Week 2: This was a challenge for everyone.  We made our own quilted fabric.  The students were really frustrated with sewing straight lines, but it was a really good exercise for them, lots of practice in sewing straight lines.
Week 3: Bias Tape.  We used this method, and it's a good one.  I didn't require my students to buy a bias tape maker, but if you're going to make bias tape, it's worth every penny.  It is cheaper in the store.  There's just something about perfectly matching bias tape.  My favorite fabric to use is a stripe, I told my students more than once, stripy bias tape makes me happy!
Week 4: Cutting out our pattern and bindings.  We cut the pieces of the pattern out of our quilted fabric.  For the interior pockets, we used our bias tape like a seam binding, and applied it to cover the raw edges.  This takes a lot of practice.  We watched a couple of really good youtube tutorials.
Week 5: We made appliques (and I used my friend Sara's tutorial, thanks again, Sara!).  We also learned how to apply bias tape with a "no swearing" method.  It's also a good one.  I also taught them about ruffles, even though we didn't put ruffles on anything in this class.
Week 6: Everyone finished their bags.  They turned out so cute.  No one noticed that they hadn't sewn perfectly straight lines.  No one remembered that their bias tape wasn't exactly 2 inches wide in every spot.  It was so satisfying for them, and for me.  I didn't get pictures of each bag, but here are the ones I did get.

The picture doesn't do this bag justice.  The birds are so bright and the background is gray.  I loved the fabric so much I bought enough to make myself a new ironing board cover.  It makes me happy, and it's a fun reminder of my class. 

The girl that made this bag had to miss two classes (the first and last) but still managed to finish her bag on her own.  I love the stripes, I think they turned out so cute!

This cute baby diaper bag turned out adorable.  The pockets were done in a different way than I taught, which I love, because the girls all took the main pattern and altered it to fit exactly what they had in mind.  LOVE!

This was a very challenging applique, but the girl who picked it was determined to get it on her bag.  She did and I think it turned out great!  This student also missed a class, and it didn't even phase her.

My sweet friend Carla made this bag.  Mostly she just took the class to support me, and I'm so glad she did.  It was fun to have a familiar face.  She made her bag a bit smaller than the original pattern, and I love it.  I'm thinking I might have to make a Carla Bag for church!

I have two more bags I'm hoping to get pictures of in the next day or two.  When I do, I will put them up too,