i {heart} ironing -seriously, i do

Today is the continuing story of my Bible Cover.

From yesterday:

Guess what I'm working on?  My very own Bible Cover!  I found the directions to make my own pattern and let me tell you that was *the* hardest part so far. 

There was much "wailing and gnashing of teeth" if you know what I mean.  I typically don't enjoy measuring and I have learned that sewing is *all about measuring*. 

There are a lot of fractions. (1/4" seam anyone?)

There is measuring

There is actual math.

But I *still* love it!

Look how it looks so far!

Today:

I changed the pattern up a little because I wanted to use lots of little patches of my fabric (see I am actually using it and reading my own posts Amy...heh-heh)

After I sewed the patches together I knew I needed to do something with the seams, (thanks to my mama and my sweet sister-in-law who are coaching me) but I wasn't sure if I was supposed to press them flat open or to one side.

I put an emergency "seam pressing" call into my mom, but she wasn't home so I went online to try and figure it out.

Did you know there is actually *controversy* in the quilting world over which way to press a seam?

 

Well anyway I eventually decided to press the seam out flat, (which mom later confirmed) but you know, I had no idea how to do that (remember the "softie cellulite" problem?) 

To give you an idea about how much ironing I do....when I went to get the ironing board out my *FIVE* year old son said, "What's that mama?"

oh the shame.

So back to doing research and guess what I found?  A seam-pressing tutorial!  Pretty neat.  So I followed her directions exactly and I have to say that my seams are quite beautiful.  Wanna see?

I don't mean to brag, but can you believe how flat they are??  My seam pressing teacher, Mrs. Debbie,  said the seam should be so flat it becomes part of the fabric and guess what hubby said when I showed him?

"They're so flat they look like the same piece of fabric."

I was abnormally pleased with this.

I discovered two things when I was ironing those seams.

One is I really need a new ironing board cover if I'm going to keep sewing, because there is *a lot* of ironing involved and I have to look at that board for a looooonnnng time and the one I have is ug-a-leee.

Maybe I should sew some scripture patches on it so I can be hiding the word in my heart while I'm ironing?

The second thing I learned is that ironing is kind of relaxing.  Isn't that crazy? 

I guess part of it has to do with the fact that you're staring lovingly at some beautiful fabric and thinking about the neat project that you're going to make, but also there's just something about the repetitiveness of  it that is soothing.

It reminds me of a quote that my mom sent me that I have just fallen in love with:

"It is a token of healthy and gentle characteristics when women of high thoughts and accomplishments love to sew; especially as they are never more at home with their own hearts than while so occupied."
-Nathaniel Hawthorne

Hope you're having a great day!

God's peace and sweet grace to you,

♥ Melissa~
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"She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in homemaking."
-Proverbs 31:19 (the message)