As part of my 30 before 30 I made a goal to sew a dress this year. Funny thing is, I can’t sew. Technically speaking I can. I’ve sewn buttons on shirts, sewn together holes in pockets. And once I made a hotsling with great assistance {read: I sat and watched while my friend made it for me}. But I can’t actually sew. I’ve never owned a sewing machine and the last time I made something on my own I was 12. Sewing my own dress is sounding more and more brilliant.

Earlier this year my friend Rachel gave me her old Singer. Tuesday morning I took the plunge and fired the bad mama up.

Oh, you thought when I said old I meant old as in from the last decade. Or even from the last 4 decades.  No, no my friends, this machine is a classic. And while it isn’t fancy, I actually quite love it.

It took me a while to figure out how to properly thread it. And after nearly an hour of doing what I thought seemed right, I had to call Rachel to come show me how it is really done:

I did a few practice runs to try it out. And you know what I learned? I can’t sew a straight line. Awesome.

But, I won’t let a little thing like straight lines hold me back. I’m pressing on! I’m taking the Windhamettes on an adventure to Hobby Lobby later today to buy pins and then I’m going to start on my first home ec project: sewing an apron. Rock on.

Visit Alicia at Alicia’s Homemaking for more Try New Adventures.