repair and diy log

a little catch-up on what i've done so far since dec 20 or so. it's not much, but it's a start!

sewed up four large holes along the seams of a pair of old leggings that i now use as pajama bottoms. this was super challenging for me. my needle kept losing the thread, and i repeatedly underestimated how much thread i needed and had to knot off and start again halfway through on several holes. when i properly estimated the thread length, i found it hard to manage it without it getting tangled. it took me a long time, but i did it and the repairs have held fine over the past couple of weeks.
darned a hole in the toe of a sock. it's ugly, but invisible and not uncomfortable. i got more comfortable working with a needle and thread: knotting, estimating the right amount of thread to use, stitching more confidently, worrying less about "doing it right" while also trying to "do it right," lol.
got out my unused green hello kitty sewing machine (janome) that i bought a dozen or so years ago for $99 or something like that and got it working again. i had run into issues with thread bunching and tangling that i couldn't work out before despite my best solo efforts. i think i must have had the bobbin in backward. i started everything over, following the manual step-by-step and sewed a couple of trial seems. all good!

what's next

my mastodon friends have voted for me to make some pillowcases, so that's my next sewing project. now i need to:

find the pattern i want to work with
find and acquire the fabric i want to use (there's a possibility of repurposing old sheets, but tbd)
allocate time for taking the first steps. get a sense of how quick or slow it will be.
finish them up and sleep on them!
choose my next project.

evaluate issues with function on each unit
consult online resources - ifixit, etc.
is any of this something i might be able to do myself?
if not, is any of it something i might be able to do with support - e.g., a fixit clinic?
if so, find a fixit clinic, put on the calendar, and attend.
if not, is either unit worth having repaired by pros?
if not, then what?