Landlocked Mermaid

With all this extra time we have, it seems only right to dedicate some of it to crafting. For Christmas, I was gifted a delightful Make Your Own Mermaid felt kit by Groves Ltd - thank you Emma. I found myself with a free day and decided to have a go. The kit All the pieces were pre-cut and everything I needed had been provided. The best kind of craft project - the ones which do not rely on my cutting ability. The instructions were nice and simple, easy to follow. The only hiccough I really had was knowing how much thread I needed to use. It came with bundles of five threads and advised using two with the metal needle for detail but did not specify with the plastic needle and pre-punched holes. Inevitably, I tried both. Two threads worked fine throughout. 6. Sew on the hair. (Guess who forgot to take a photo!) I have to admit, I gave up on the plastic needle in the end. It kept bending and was difficult to punch through the existing hole. I ...

I am not very good at sewing. When doing one of those "easy" make your own bear kits, I managed to miss a section of the spine and give the poor thing spina bifida. I want to change this. As part of living better for the planet, I want to be able to make and fix rather than buy and throw. I so need to know how to sew. I already have a few projects in mind which demand more skill than I possess, so I thought I would start on something easy yet useful. Napkins. I have finally stopped threatening to make napkins and actually made some! I can sew a button back on and I can gracelessly sew up holes; but neither of these things use a sewing machine which is where my skill is sorely lacking. I hated textiles during school. Between The Grinch and the health and safety worksheets, I was terrified of sewing my hands into the machine. And our projects were nothing useful - a pencil case, a cube, and I don't think I ever finished my last project because I cert...