making nice with my sewing machine

My sewing machine and I squabble sometimes, but it's never Janome's fault that many patterns are sized for girls with rectangular bodies (when you find one, let her know I've made a skirt that should fit her) and that I never measure twice and cut once.
But sometimes I make friends with Janome again, and we work out our differences and make pretty things.  I've learned it's best if I stick with plain shapes, like rectangles, squares, and the occasional buttonhole.  This time, though, I managed some gussets, of which I'm quite proud.  I'd write you a tutorial if I had made it in a way that was logical and could be recreated, but any directions I give you are liable to get your sleeve sewn to your bag (almost happened) and leave you ripping out seams every fifteen minutes (did happen).  Instead, I'm sharing only the finished product, with adjustable straps inspired by this tutorial spotted on pinterest and a little bit of pattern mixing.

{straps button on at two different lengths}

{fully lined}

{gussets!}

{altogether+overstuffed bookshelf}

I've gotten a lot of blurry shots lately.  I think I need to get a tripod.  I really want a DSLR camera and a class on using it well, but that doesn't seem likely to happen in the near future.  Still, if I find a great price on at least the camera, well, I'll figure out the class.  In the meantime, I'll keep waiting and hoping for sunny days, which are getting more common now that winter's over.


It's a whatever Wednesday on Momma Hen's Coop, so there's a button in this post.  You should look at this table she rescued and prettified with paint.  It's also a plus that she's from Kentucky.