First Sewing Project - Tissue Pouch

I have been playing with my sewing machine and having masses of fun seeing what all the stitches are and how they work.  I now know how to adjust tension and change presser feet and all that good stuff.  And, of course, I now feel like a genius!

I was trying to think of something completely simple to try as a first project, since I don't know anyone here who can help me learn all of this.  Of course, my mother and grandmother are both fantastic sewers, but neither lives less than 4 hours away.

I have had this nasty cold that leaves me needing tissues every 4 seconds for the past week or so and my bag is covered with the little bits of tissue that come off when I fold the new ones and put them in my purse.  So I decided to make a little tissue holder to protect them! (Yes, obvious I know, but I'm pleased with my self anyway.)

I started with a piece of fabric my mom sent me to learn with and cleaned up the edges with my rotary cutter. (Best tool ever!)  I pinned a 1/4 hem on the long sides and then ironed it down, so it would stay.

It looked like this:

Yes, I know I should iron first.  My iron was being grumpy about those last few wrinkles.

Then I hemmed the rest of the way around and it looked like this:

And I ironed it again to make sure those last wrinkles were gone.  Also, I learned something important while doing this: the pins I use with awesome tops that are hard to lose in my rug are also NOT iron resistant.  I did absolutely melt one ot my iron and spent 20 minutes figuring out what to do about that. Yup, sometimes I'm an idiot.

Then I took the easy, no measure method and folded some tissues the way I usually do, put them on top, and folded the fabric around them the way I would want it to close.  I had not really intended to put a closure on this, so I didn't do the smart thing and mark the velcro and sew around it at this point. I think that would have been the right method.  Probably?

I folded and pinned the bottom sides to form the pouch and sewed them on.  I did not manage straight seams, but I'm giving myself a break here as it's my first real project.  I swear I can sew straight seams by hand! Really.

Then I had a really cute pouch:

At this point, I just folded it over to where I would want it to bend and ironed it down.  Then I decided I should add velcro so it doesn't come open in my bag.  I have this sticky-backed velcro and I was just going to depend on the sticky, but decided to see if I could sew around it.  It was, um, well not very neat.  I guess you can't really see the messy, uneven sewing around velcro on the finished product.

But look! Tissue pouch for my purse. :)

And closed:

I feel so accomplished!  It's my first real sewing project all on my own.  I didn't even have to call Mom and ask for advice.  My seams aren't straight and there's a point where I had the tension wrong and the thread bunched, but I don't care.  I made something all on my own!

And that's all my happy project news for the day.  More to come soon!

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