That’s right, y’all – I have a new hobby. Sewing! I took my first sewing class from The Sewing Studio here in Atlanta, where we made pillows. The class taught us all the basics – cutting fabric to the right size, sewing seams, reinforcing stitches, etc. to create a beautiful, handmade product.

I’m beyond pumped to learn this new skill and am planning on taking several other classes to learn more. I definitely feel there is infinite value in knowing how to sew. Beyond hemming pants and sewing buttons, I’m hoping to make custom gifts, home decor, and maybe even clothes!

My wonderful mother provided me with a sewing machine – so nice and thoughtful – although maybe she’s secretly hoping I’ll make all the family their holiday gifts this year? Haha!!

The large pillow pictured below is actually a pillow sham, which is what we made in our first class. Pillow shams are great because they allow you to change designs for seasons and holidays easily and without having to purchase a new pillow. I did have to make my own insert, but it was extra practice so it was no problem!

I whipped the smaller pillow up in no time and it makes a lovely addition to my living room set. The sewing machine I have, the Brother CS 6000i, is very easy to use and I also turned to YouTube videos for refreshers on winding the bobbin and threading the needle. Practice makes perfect!

After the success of my first two pillows, I felt brave enough to make some as a gift for my friend Lindsey. Her 5-month old girl, Adeline, has the cutest nursery and I thought a set of pillows would be a nice addition. I picked out some fabric for three pillows:

The finished products took me about 2 hours total and that includes having to wind the bobbin on my own for the first time! The bottom pillow is about 18 inches, medium one is 14 inches, and the small one is 10 inches. The medium one is two-sided: polka dots on one side and a beige/white floral pattern on the other.

I was so excited to have made a custom present for my wonderful friend who is also a very talented designer – I was even more excited to see how she placed them in Addie’s nursery:

All in all, I’m very happy with the finished products and am looking forward to making more new things. This skill is part of my larger initiatives to buy less, make my own things, and be more self-sufficient. So far, so good!

What about you? Is sewing a skill you have, or want to have?