I Begin Sewing Again

I haven’t sewed much for awhile, but I was feeling so badly of late about Katya’s thin, scratchy pillowcase that today I got a bee in my proverbial bonnet, and made her a new one.

Katya chose this fabric the first year we had her–so a little over two years ago. For some reason, we were at a larger Jo-Ann Fabric’s, and while riding past the quilting cottons, Katya saw this one and seized it eagerly.  Since at that point she rarely showed enthusiasm for anything but rocking, breezes, and food, she was indulged, and a length of fabric duly purchased. It just took this long to get around to cutting into it.

Katya chose the red ribbon. She chose well. She was so excited to have a new pillowcase– she was gently trying to take it from the sewing machine before it was quite done, and wanted to run up and put it on her pillow. She seemed touched that I’d made her a new one. Perhaps she remembered wanting it. Then Katya wanted a sewing lesson. She was quite willing, until we got to the “pin the pieces together” step. Apparently she’s developed a new fear of pins? So it never got beyond the cutting out stage, but oh well.

Sewing a pillowcase felt so good, that I sat right down and sewed up a hot water bottle cover. We’ve been needing one for ages. Katya is always getting ear-infections, and it’s difficult to keep a hand towel wrapped around a bottle.   A year or two ago, my group violin teacher (Thanks, Mrs. D!) put some unused articles of clothing up for grabs, and I scored a chenille sweatshirt, 100% cotton.  I thought I’d take it in to fit me, but that didn’t work so well, and so it sat.  Just this week, I looked at it and thought that I *really* needed to give it to the Goodwill, or something. But then I thought, “no, I might use it for something” And now I have.

I turned it inside out and traced generously around the bottle.  It’s roomy, but that’s fine.  I incorporated the finished edge, and the side seam.  I cut a wedge shape from the opening side, starting at the top and tapering to below the cord opening, so that the fabric would “sit” better when scrunched.  I used a scrap of bias tape leftover from a jumper for Katya for the casing, and the cord is from mum’s stash.  So it was a really inexpensive project to do, and best of all, required no math!

Katya was excited about this, too, and ran and wanted the hot-water bottle filled up to try the cover out.

And then she stuck it inside her new pillowcase, and cuddled with mum.

It felt good to sew again.