i'm a little seamstress- short and stout...

I've been researching different books and patterns since my grandmother told me about the sewing machine I would be inheriting from her. When I was little, mom was always sewing- I remember her calling me into the kitchen, pins held between her lips and a measuring tape in one hand. I'm pretty sure there were a number of Easter dresses that she made for me, along with other dresses, skirts, etc. One Halloween, she turned me into a mouse and I wore the sweatsuit around for years- ears, tail, and paw-shaped mittens with little pink pads on the palms.

Anyway, I'm remembering the art of sewing very fondly and recall mom teaching me on her machine when I was pretty young. She'd let me run lines up and down scraps of fabric while she prepared dinner. I remember the power of the foot pedal- that with the slightest pressure from my small foot, the machine would lunge into a frenzy of stitches, pulling the fabric forward more powerfully than I had expected.

It's now that I am falling in love with patterns and fabrics- and wishing so badly to get started on a new project. I ordered a new book from Amazon- and here are some samples that someone has made from the book:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sukithreads/524849662/in/pool-lottajansdottersimplesewing/

Here are some of the photos I found:

I think the trickiest part is going to be finding fabric. If you run across anything or have clothes you're throwing away- let me peruse them first! I'm going to go to Hobby Lobby and see what they have- but L-town doesn't have a great selection of fabric....not that I've found, at least.

If you have ideas, let me know. Otherwise, stay tuned- hopefully soon, I'll be on my way in the sewing world!