Singer Sewing Machine Sings

The not-so-sweet sound of my Singer Sewing Machine played throughout the house. The needle beating against my newly purchased fabric was not a noise I was fond of—but each stitch was one thread closer to the joy of a new project completed. It was never my intention to begin sewing, but the art school girl in me needed to take on a new hobby amid quarantine. What I believed was going to be a “one and done” deal turned into a new love. Reaching into the depths of her closet, my mother handed me her original Singer Machine with years-old thread and bobbin. In the pursuit to take on a beginner project, we searched:

“How to Sew A Tote Bag”

My first tote bag was created with an old pair of ombre denim jeans. One broken needle and six hours later—I had sewn my first bag. Maybe it was the over-achiever in me, but I wanted to keep going. I wanted the perfect fabric patterns and a variety of thread and bobbin colors.

I was always a “tote bag girl” and wanted to create fully lined bags that could be used every day. Scrolling through Etsy on the “One yard cotton fabric” category, I purchased five different patterns for $39.66. I soon came to learn that you get the best bang for your buck if you source at a local fabric store, but I was clueless. My original cotton tote bag was unlined, thin, and flimsy. Nonetheless, the green checkered floral fabric looked lovely and my sewing was straight. I soon drafted my own sewing guidelines. Quoting from my notes app:

1 yard = 2 bags

14 in. cut for 4 straps / 7 in. cut for 2 straps

Straps cut from the 36 in. side

Cut panels on the 44 in. side

Leave 2 in. space on perimeter from the edges

Bags by A was my new name.

Spending all my free time sewing, I began including lining, stitching in custom labels, and adding extra fabric to the straps for durability. After giving bags away to my family members, I listed eight bags on the selling app Depop. As people began to purchase my listings and leave 5-star reviews, it fueled my new interest in sewing.

I definitely would have learned to sew other things, but the bags really had the ball rolling. We all may know the feeling of being satisfied with your creation, but to be appreciated by others is the cherry on top of the cake. Since this project emerged during quarantine, my mother wanted to include her sewing skills in each package we sent out. There was always leftover fabric but never enough to make anything with it—for every tote bag, she made a free matching face mask that was included as a freebie. This project was not only a newly discovered hobby but a way to have a positive impact during the pandemic.

Ironically one of the biggest upgrades in my tote bag sewing journey involved scissors.

Somewhere along the way, I made the switch from the classic straight edge scissors to my beloved pinking shears. To prevent fraying, I always cut the edges on the inside of the bag with pinking scissors. Although it was mainly for the durability of the fabric, the ruffled edge look was something I considered my personal touch. Beginning to even cut my labels with the scissors, it was always the finishing touch to the aesthetic of my bags. While I did have to slow down my production due to school, it still continues to be a hobby that brings me joy. From sourcing fabric to backstitching the last thread, I will forever listen to my sewing machine sing.