"I was thinking about my first project and how far I've come with my sewing. I was 19 years old when I took my first sewing class at Jacksonville State University. Sewing was not remotely related to my major, but I had an internal desire to create and signed up for a basic clothing construction class. I had wanted to sew since I was a little girl and was elated at the prospect of unleashing my creativity.

"Many of us call college the "lean" years. I seldom had extra money for a potato, much less fabric. I remember getting just enough fabric for the project and praying it wouldn't go over budget. The project was a classic button down shirt, topstitched with precision on a Bernina 830 (a machine in the school's sewing lab). Every seam was carefully constructed and finished with an overlock stitch on the serger. An edgestitch foot was used to topstitch around the edges. Wearing the shirt was a huge highlight, especially when someone found out that I made it (what a self-esteem booster!). I keep the shirt in my closet and occasionally slip it on to remember the excitement of my first class and what I learned from a basic shirt. I'm so thankful that my school had Bernina machines because I know the superior machine contributed to my success and promoted my love of sewing."

I was around 11 years old, still in 4-H, and still remember going fabric shopping for "kettle cloth." I'm still not sure where "kettle" comes from, but it's a woven cotton fabric that's easy to work with and presses well. I made this on the sewing my parents bought in 1965 - a Riccar that came free with the purchase of a $79 sewing cabinet. It went forward and backward - straight stitch only - no zigzag - and it's what I sewed on until I was 12 or 13. All of my seam allowances are straight stitched 1/4" from the raw edge, then hand-overcast - miles and miles of hand-sewing, that took forever! Now I zip right along on my BERNINA and Overlock Foot #2, or - better yet - use my serger to trim and overcast at the same time. But I did a good job, even with so much hand-sewing, and won a purple ribbon at the county fair :)

What was your first project? I've been asking some of my friends, and will be posting some of their stories over the next few weeks.

Here's a simple but sophisticated-looking rice therapy bag from the Sew, Mama, Sew! Blog, which includes a great photo tutorial. This is a great project for a beginner - if you can sew a reasonably straight line you can make this. TIP: Use Edgestitch Foot #10 or Piping Foot #38 for stitching the edges of the hook-and-loop tape; they're both easy to guide right along the edge of the tape for a neat finish. Also a nice gift for teachers, coaches, sitters, etc. There's even a gift/instruction tag PDF to download.

The smart, well-prepared folks have already done their gift shopping, and are smugly putting labels on their already wrapped and beribboned gifts. (And, of course, they dropped off stacks of cards at the Post Office right after Halloween.) The rest of us are frantically writing our lists, trying to remember what we gave the twins last year, wondering if we can regift those watermelon scented candles, and wishing the days were 36 hours long for the next four weeks!

While you're out shopping this weekend, braving the crowds at the mall, pick up a little something extra to drop off at your local BERNINA store for Toys for Tots. (Click here for a list of participating stores.) BERNINA of America, Inc. is an official sponsor this year. For those of us who do our shopping online (my office is so much less crowded than the mall!), donations can be made online.

I won't be joining you at the malls, but you might see me at my local thrift stores. While I haven't taken the Homemade Pledge, nearly all of my gifts will be things I've made or bought from local or online artists and crafters, or items I've recycled/repurposed. Over the next few weeks I'll be posting and linking to some simple, quick-to-sew projects, like the card at right. Just trace two circles, cut them out, place cheery fabric on the wrong side and stitch it in place. Then use crayons and markers to draw a branch and ornament hooks; better yet, glue snippets from your shrubs in place and use real hooks.