My mom got me my first sewing machine when I was 16. It was a portable Singer and eventually, a perfect fit for me. But without any YouTube videos at the time to offer quick sewing tips and life hacks for my journey ahead,  I was left to discover the best routes to successful completion of my projects on my own. Though I felt a level of excitement in the exploration and welcomed the challenge, it would take several mistakes and a whole lot of blood, sweat and tears (literally!) before I discovered the joy of sewing. From my initially intimidating machine to the additional tools i discovered to assist along the way,  i slowly but surely made the designs in my head a tangible reality.