Final Reflection

My favorite project that I completed was definitely my mini over-the-shoulder bag. I love the process and outcome of this project so much. I have so many reasons why this project is my favorite. I love that I was able to take an old sheet that was never used and turn it into something useful. My favorite detail of this project is the strap. The detailing on the strap is so pretty, but it's also very subtle. This project was fairly easy and beginner-friendly. It helped me to become more comfortable with my sewing machine and let me mess around with it a little bit. I switched around the settings and the thread while doing this project. I learned that the thread is very easily broken when using a sewing machine. I also learned what the different nobs and buttons on my sewing machine mean. Overall, I really love this product and the process to make it. 

By taking this independent study, I learned a lot of things, and it has changed the way I think about clothes and sewing. One of the things I didn't realize before I started this was just how much sewing costs. I always knew that the sewing machine would cost a lot, but I didn't realize just how much the fabric, needles, pins, and thread would cost. Though they are cheap on their own, to make a project and having to buy all of the materials, it adds up quickly. I've developed an appreciation for things that are hand-sewn because I now have an idea of how much work and time are put into them. I now think that a hand-sewn gift is a very, very thoughtful gift because of the time, material, and work it takes to make them.

Personally, in my experience, the best part about this independent study was being able to create. I was able to think of things that I wanted or things that I wish existed, and was able to make them my own and bring them to life with my own touch. My favorite part about learning how to sew is being able to recreate the clothes I want, but don't have the money to buy. I like that I can make my existing clothes my own or into something new. The hardest part about this, though, was time management and skill. I look at other people's sewing projects and compare mine to theris but the difference is that they have been sewing a lot longer than I have, so they have more skill and practice compared to me. Time management was also hard because I had to fit all my other academic work into my week, along with a new project. Going into this, I was planning on a new project every week, but with a lot of trial and error and realizing just how ambitious this idea was for someone beginning sewing for the first time, who also has other things to juggle throughout their week. I tried to keep up the best I could, but there would be weeks when my project just didn't work out, and I had to restart, or weeks when my sewing machine would break, and I would have to take time to fix it. But overall, I really enjoyed this independent study so far.