Two months of terrifying research paid off!

Hello my lovelies! Winter sads have been absolutely kicking the shit out of me, but I am slowly climbing out of it and that is progress! <º (•̀ᴗ•́) º>

ANYWAY.

I bought myself a Real Grown-Up Sewing Machine! It's a Janome 725S, and I'm a little worried that I've bought myself something fancier than I need, but it's so satisfying to use. It has a needle threader! It has options for feet! It is big enough to straight up kill a man with should the need arise! I'm still getting used to the speed and how easy it is to thread, so it's slow progress, but: exciting! It honestly blows my mind how quickly the fabric feeds through, how neat the stitches are, and how it's quieter than the tiny baby Hobbycraft machine I've been using so please picture me swooning over this machine.

I have some like, actual bought patterns to work through, which I'm looking forward to. I've realised that if I actually put the effort in I could probably make an actual outfit. Wasn't thinking of that when I bought them, but it's a happy thing anyway! For the record and that sweet sweet public accountability: one of these patterns is for a pair of trousers and I need to take a crack at it! I've been big on visible mending this year, which I don't remember if I mentioned here – the downside of writing drafts and then forgetting to post them! Sashiko is visually cool and very sturdy, and actually motivates me to do my mending, so I've been leaning into that where I can. It's just that at the point where I'm eight patches deep on my work trousers and having to replace where the patches have worn through, maybe I should accept that I need new trousers. Can I live my best elasticated waistband life? WE SHALL SEE.

I can't think of what other crafting adventures I've been having, because see also: the winter sads. But I've confirmed what I always thought, which is that patchwork is hard and forestofglory is a very hard-working wizard who puts so much effort into being good at her quilting. Going to unpick my tiny patchwork tonight and try again, I guess wish me luck with that one!

So yes, fun with machinery! Feeling like a wizard! Gonna keep practicing, and also delight in finally finding a kaomoji that expresses the right degree of determination. <º (•̀ᴗ•́) º>