I just wanted to use my sewing machine.

I think I am cursed when it comes to sewing. Every time I try to use my sewing machine-we're talking 4 or 5 times over the past couple years I've had it-SOMETHING is or goes wrong. My latest problem is children who think bobbins are great fun to swipe and play with and break and lose.

This was the problem the last time I attempted a sewing project. So, I went to the store and bought a little kit with bobbins in it. I should've been set for tonight. I cannot find the kit. Anywhere. Did I imagine my trip to the then brand new Michaels store which had the same crappy service it did in the old building? Was I only dreaming that I studied all the bobbin options carefully before choosing the little kit with the most stuff for the best price? Or has the kit been officially sucked into the black hole that is my house?

Tonight I wanted to try to make one of those handy rice heating pouch thingies. Armed with fabric, rice, and some encouragement from Boxy I was raring to go. It should've been simple. My big worry should've been sewing over a rice grain (thanks again for that tip Box!). Instead I was back in the same awful WHERE IS A DAMN BOBBIN?!?! hell I had been in before.

I did not give up then. I was determined. I would have a picture of my little rice pouch to proudly show off in the morning, I had to! So we moved onto handsewing. Yeah, I suck at handsewing. I always always always tangle up the thread at some point and make a general mess of things. Where to go from there? I would sew/bind it with YARN! GENIUS! I can work a yarn needle people. Yarn is my friend. I may hate sewing in ends but I am proficient at it! I found some yarn, one of metal yarn needles and folded and pinned one side of the pouch. Things were looking good. I COULD do this! My new yarn binding of the rice pouch would be a hit. It would take off, showing up in blogs everywhere!

Yeah, right.

So the fabric is a little thick to be pierced by a yarn needle and it took me about fifteen minutes to do a couple stitches and suddenly I was out of beer. I certainly wasn't in the mood to pop open a bottle of champagne and the one beer I had consumed was definitely not enough to numb the pain of my fingers and thumb where I was pushing on that damn dull needle. Or to soothe my wounded crafty pride.

Everything is now packed up into the handy rubbermaid box I have decided to organize my sewing stuff in. If I do find that elusive kit I will promptly add it to the box so I know RIGHT where all sewing related things are. It's not like yarn and crochet hooks and knitting needles that need an entire corner of the house, right?

I will now soothe myself by continuing to work on a felted bag. Knitting in the round. Easy, soothing, and purposeful. Something I can DO! Unlike sewing.