THIS I will not sew!

Friends, I must be honest.  There are certain things I will not sew for myself and for very good reasons.  I bet you're the same.

Underwear for example.  True, I've sewn a few boxers back in the day, but I have SO much underwear at present, having hit the mother lode at the Salvation Army a few months back when I stumbled upon a dozen pair of unused Jockey boxer briefs and a few gently worn Calvins, that I won't need new underwear for the next thirty years.  And by then who knows what I'll be wearing.

My hunch is that most of you women don't make your own lingerie.  Unless you're Sigrid of Sigrid Sewing Projects of course.  I chose not to post pictures of The Amazing Sigrid in the intimidatingly sophisticated unmentionables she has stitched up for herself --  I believe the Dutch are more modest than us Look, Ma, no pants! Americans (or am I projecting?) -- but rest assured if you check Sigrid out (her blog I mean) you'll see some amazing work.  (You'll find links to her Pattern Review postings there too).

Meanwhile, if Gertie is to believed (and disbelieve her at your own risk), we're going to be seeing our favorite home seamstress from Queens corseted up like Gina Lollabrigida in Trapeze very soon.  Most women would just pick up an old rubber Playtex at Goodwill and hope for the best.  But not Gertie.

Anyway, some other things I'll never sew:

Gloves.  I pick these up from a favorite seller at the flea market who sells them for $2-3 a pair -- vintage and usually dead stock.  I bought the black ones yesterday; the others are from previous outings.







You never know when you might be invited to a wedding, funeral, or ship christening.  I like kidskin but nylon works too.

Now here's something else I thought I'd never sew: bags.  But just look what I purchased online yesterday in a moment of holiday-inspired delirium:





(The second pattern is McCall's 8705.)

I have never sewn a bag unless you count a sewing machine cover which is kind of the same thing when you think about it.  This was back when I was first getting started and was trying to keep it simple.   I still use the cover, which is more than I can say for the Kenmore sewing machine under it.



I think some of these bags would make great gifts for my mother, Michael's mother, Prachee (my SIL), and who knows, maybe even Cathy if she's nice to me.

Never say never, huh?

Friends, in closing, is there anything you simply won't sew?   If so, where do you draw the line and why?  Is it purely economics -- you pay 59 cents at the dollar store for your Hanes Her Way factory seconds, plus you don't like sewing elastic leg bands?  Is it simply beyond your skill level to sew your own "waspie" (ask Gertie about that one)?

Have you ever sewn a handbag and was the result something so hideous you'll only carry it inside your regular handbag in case of rain -- after dark?

How many tote bags can you make with four yards of faux python?

Jump in -- I'll catch you!