Sipping + Sewing? Sure!

It seems the only way to get me to a sewing class is to do it at a local brewery. On Tuesday, I packed up my Brother and hauled it to Odyssey Beerwerks to attend my first sewing class. I got the machine years ago to help me hem and repair, but I never really got past that. Frankly, I just wanted to figure out if I was even doing it right.

Other than the thought of delicious Odyssey brews, this line in the event details drew me in, "*Yes, it's for beginners...even if you don't know how to turn on your machine." And they weren't joking. Marsha Gus from Marma Designs and Sewing School walked each of us through each step of the process. From turning the machine on and winding the bobbin, to speed settings and guiding the fabric through as we sewed.

We sewed a square, pivoting around the corners for a clean turn. We hemmed a practice pant leg. The main project was a booze bag for bottles or crowlers. I liked the professional touches, like mitering the corners to add dimension and shape.

It was a bring your own machine affair, so the individual guidance with our specific machine was helpful. She was there to answer general questions about the machine too.

What I learned in an hour and a half and two brews later...

• When something is wrong, re-thread the machine. I actually had to do this once!
• Cheap thread breaks.
• The button with the weird little bent needle icon is backstitching.
• What the hell backstitching is.
• The ruler in the kit may actually be a sewing gauge.
• An iron is key for crisp hems.
• Sewing isn't for the impatient, but beer helps.

And, I don't think I did half bad.