100 Sewing Things I'm Grateful for...

In no particular order...

1. The online community who share the passion for sewing and "get it" without making fun of the hobby that I enjoy. 
2. The generous online community who share sewing tips. 
3. Basting tape. It makes sewing invisible zippers so easy.
4. A good invisible zipper foot. It is so worth every penny. (Don't waste your money on those plastic ones.)
5. A tall table designated for cutting. (Easy on the knees and the back.) 
6. Nancy Zieman and her show Sewing with Nancy.  
7. Free Saturday afternoons when I have a chance to watch It's Sew Easy episodes.  
8. Self-threading hand needles.  
9. The self-threading feature on my sewing machine. 
10. Vogue 1325, the best pants pattern that I have found.  
11. Mama R's help. I don't know how I would ever manage to pin up my own pant legs without her assistance.  
12. Sandra Betzina's Fast Fit was a great resource for fixing my pants fitting issues  
13. A good pair of fabric shears. (Worth their weight in gold.)  
    
14. A good lock for fabric shears. (For those of us without a guy who knows the difference between fabric and paper scissors.)
15. A good pair of pinking shears. (Ikea sells these but I wouldn't recommend them if you plan to use them on fabric.  Spend the money for a good pair, you might be surprised how much you'll use them.)
16. Northwest Fabrics.
17. Silk organza pressing clothes
18. Pressing hams.
19. A good iron.  
20. Eye glasses. I wouldn't be sewing without them!  
21. A back-up pair of glasses for those days when I can't find my glasses.  
22. Oh my!  How did I wait this long to mention my Janome sewing machine?  
23. A back-up sewing machine.  
24. Self-threading over-lock machines. I don't own one but it is nice to know that someone invented one. One day... 
25. A Jean-a-ma-Jig! Oh the sewing machine needles that I could have saved pre-jean-a-ma-jig days.  
26. Vintage McCall's 7870, my favourite Va-va-va-voom skirt.  
27. Natural fibres.  
28. Free trade fabric.
29. People who sew with a social conscience. 
30. Wednesday morning laughter thanks to Anne over at Pretty Grievances.  
31. The seam ripper.  
32. Learning opportunities.  
33. Sewing a garment that has proper length sleeves
34. The challenge.  
35. A walking foot.  
36. Treadle Sewing Machines.  Everyone should sewing on one of these, at least once.  
37. Seeing smiles after I sewed something for someone.  
38. A reliable sewing machine repair person and shop.  
39. Tools for cleaning the sewing machine.    
40. Good tunes to sew to.  
41. Vintage sewing patterns.  
42. Seeing that the younger generation are showing an interest and taking up sewing!  
43. Finding references to sewing in literature.  
44. A good panties pattern. Butterick 6031.  
45. Finding old favourite patterns in my current size over at etsy or ebay.   
46. Sewing for Mama R. She is always thankful and never has made me feel taken advantage of--love you Mom!
47. Time well spent.    
48. Sewing magazines for inspiration.  
49. Silk organza for underlining.  
50. French seams.
51. Pin tucking feet.
52. Sewing while standing.  
53. A sewing machine with a start/stop button that makes sewing standing up possible.  
54. Clippers built in sewing machines. I'm so spoiled!  
55. Wrist pin-cushions. Best birthday present ever.  
56. A fabric stash.  
57. Stash-busting.  
58. Designer sewing patterns.
59. Well-written instructions.
60. Over-sized snaps.
61. Fabric shopping in a real store where I can touch and inspect the fabric in person. 
62. Sewing with silk noir.  
63. Hand-stitching in the the backyard, in the summer-time, when the sun is out and the mosquitos are not.   
64. Automatic buttonholer.
65. The Vogue Sewing Book.
66. Reader's Digest Sewing Book.
67. Pattern Magic Sewing Books
68. Oversized tweezers (for those of us without self-threading sergers). 
69. Pattern Review and those who take the time to review patterns.   
70. Port. Yes, there is a need port in the sewing room (it goes hand-in-hand with the seam ripper). 
71. A curved ruler.  
72. Tailor's chalk in a variety of colours.
73. The honour of sewing my niece's graduation dress.  
74. McNally Robinson Booksellers' great selection of sewing reference books.  
75. Extra bobbins.  
76. Cotton sateen.  
77. Vintage buttons.  
78. Lace trim.
79. Lace fabric.  
80. Bias tape maker
81. Lock stitch on my sewing machine (especially handy when it comes to sewing zippers).  
82. Couture Sewing:  The Couture Cardigan Jacket book and DVD by Claire Shaeffer.  
83. The great feeling of accomplishment after I finish a sewing project.  
84. Bloggers who challenge and encourage me to sew something that is considered outside of my comfort zone. Yup, I'm a fan of Jungle January festivities.  
85. Using scraps to make something.
86. The sharing ideas and sewing stories.  
87. Fabric shopping in Toronto, some of my most treasured pieces come from back-in-the-day fabric shopping excursions.  
88. Feathers!  
89. Wool and cashmere suiting fabric.  
90. A well-drafted pattern.
91. Sewing children's clothing and those little awww moments.  
92. The internet for finding great tips on pre shrinking you fabrics.  
93. A clothing rack to dry fabric and me-made clothing on.  
94. A steamer.  
95. Those moments when children share with me the things that they have sewn. My gosh, I love that!  
96. Home decor fabrics when they are not used for home decor.  
97. Silk thread.  
98. That moment of accomplishment when a mending project is complete.  
99. Refashion projects that work.  
100. The perfect fit!