Last Christmas Santa brought me a sewing machine.

My inner DIY spirit was elated! The whole world of fabric possibilities had just opened up to me like an oyster revealing a pearl!

The only problem was…I had no idea how to sew.

My Mom is a professional seamstress. She had a successful window treatment business,  she made most of my dance costumes, and she’s currently busy sewing up a storm creating a custom wardrobe for my brand new niece (the first grandchild). :) She’s really good.

Which is exactly why I never had to learn to sew at all!

Clearly, “Santa” thought it was time I learned a few things for myself (and time I stopped shipping fabrics home to NC so that “he” could make them into something fabulous and send them back to me in NYC). Also, my new last name is Pfaff – so there’s that.

So, where do you start when you’ve never run a powerful machine like this before?  You start with straight lines!

Now, I know what you are thinking…BORING! We want pleats, ruffles, and scallops, window treatments, Halloween costumes, and aprons! Unfortunately, this is not a D.I.Why? and therefore, we proceed with straight lines.

The good news is that there is a lot that can be created with straight-line sewing (a new term I just coined).

For instance:

• Pillows
• Table Runners
• Placemats
• Curtain panels
• Dish towels
• Coasters

Here are a few of the ideas I can’t wait to get started on for my apartment:

This Greek Key Curtain Panel is classy and EASY! Just get some ribbon and sew (or fabric glue – if you don’t have a sewing machine) along the edges to attach it to the white panel. White panels are inexpensive at IKEA and H&M Home!

How about these dishtowels?! This one was especially exciting to me, because the only skill required is straight-line-sewing. The ladies at The Purl Bee opened my eyes to not only using my sewing machine to create – but also to embellish! How sweet are these? – and so inexpensive and easy too!

Last but not least, I’m dying to make some precious pillows! I love that sewing along three sides of square, stuffing a pillow in, and sewing it shut makes a fluffy square of happiness (am I overselling?)! I love the ribbon detail and the piping (that skill is a ways off) on the pink pillow above. It is so classy, and yet so easy to recreate!

These are just a few of the hundreds of sewing projects swimming around in my head!

So much to create…so little square footage to fill – ugh.

Maybe next year, Santa will bring me a 2 bedroom apartment for Christmas?! I’ve been REALLY good. :)