I can just....

I think it all the time.  I can just... and then I am off with broad sweeps in my imagination and no respect paid to the minor details.

Today I thought, I can just make a table cloth for the side table in the study by hemming that piece of fabric that I got for a very reasonable price from my friend eBay.  The fabric is lovely and, while I don't normally go for patterns, I went for this.  One reason it was so spectacular inexpensive is because it is a second, the pattern has printed over the selvedge.  I trimmed the selvedge (apparently it shrinks at a different rate to the rest of the fabric) as best as I could with the pattern overlaying part of it.  However the piece is big enough that I can always cut away the hem and re-do it.  I may have to anyway, as I am not sure that the thread matches the fabric - but that's another story.

As I was aware that there may be issues with the hems I decided to do a single hem and I handstitched (bear will not countenance me using the machine) very close to the fold so I got a good, crisp edge.  The stitching was not to a high standard, but anyone coming in and checking the hem on the table cloth is likely to be mocked.

Then I thought I can just mitre the corners.  I'm not showing any pictures of the mess I made of that.  Regardless, this is how it turned out.

However while I was sewing this I realised that I didn't have a decent pincushion.  I threw out the effort from the sewing class, but I thought confidently I can just make a pincushion out of a tie.  Except the ties aren't really suitable.  The one I unpicked was just too thin and silky, it would have been ripped to pieces by repeated use.  So I used some of the rag denim waiting to be turned into the rag rug.  As for stuffing, I thought I can just use some of the filling from the pillows that have been on the top shelf in father's room for over ten years.  I used a long pole to knock them down because there was no way I could get to them and opened one up.  The filling was extremely well packed.  I really had to tug and tease to get the stuffing in a fit state to fill the pincushion.  Finally I had this.

I thought I can just put a button in the middle so that it looks all puffy and professional.  I couldn't.  I think I put too much stuffing in so that trying to sew a button each side didn't pull it in and I didn't think the soft cotton thread was strong enough to wrap around and bind it.  However it will be ideal for holding pins and needles during a project.

Tonight I think I can just sit back and relax.