My First Sewing Kit

I bought a really nice shirt last week from Old Navy. I nice grey shirt that “attracts” according to a friend. I wanted to wear it again this morning, so I pulled it out of the dryer (yeah, that’s where I store my clothes), noticed it was still wrinkly (I think it’s supposed to be), and ironed it. I go to put it on a little while later… and a button is missing. I used a few choice words against my washing machine and dryer. I’ve been meaning to get a sewing kit from Walmart for weeks now (since my previous sewing kit, my mother, was leaving). So I put the shirt on, and headed out to Walmart. Walked in the back with my shirt on while missing a button. Grab a kit, and go to the checkout lanes. While the lady at the checkout was trying to tell me the correct way to fix a button, I noticed the kit was only like a $1.25 or something. The following comes in a small plastic box: a ruler, 4 spools of thread, a paper spool with 7 colors of thread, a thimble, 2 eye needles, three regular needles, the needle threader, several buttons, and a small pair of scissors. All this… for a $1.25. I mean, can you imagine how much work went into putting this little packet together… how can this be soo cheap in a world where things cost so much?

Anyway… I got my button sewed on. Oh, and it was the extra button, because apparently, there was a piece of the old button stuck in the thread that was still on the shirt, so I am guessing it disintegrated in the washing machine. I’m not sure on my sewing skills, but we shall see if it holds up. I have been wanting to learn to sew, and to use the sewing machine I have. However, using that needle for 10 to 15 minutes (hey, it was my first button, go easy on me) was really killing my hands and wrists… I dread my future carpal tunnel or other repetitive wrist syndrome. I really need to try the cross-stitching thing, as I hear it is good for that stuff… anyone got anything to get me started?