Friday, January 13

new things

Most of you probably know that my mom is a super talented seamstress.  And while I've made a few things, they've mostly contained straight lines.  And no pattern.  But I told Dustin that this was going to be the year that I learn to sew some form of clothing.

So I found the easiest pattern I could.  Patterns are supposed to make everything easier, did you know that?  It took me almost 3 hours to make a dress - 1 to cut everything out, 2ish to sew everything together.  For a first attempt, I'm totally happy.  But these are the things I forgot/learned:
  • It turns out that all those years I spent watching my mom, I was just watching her hands.  I wasn't actually paying any attention to what she was doing
  • I forgot to keep the fabric folded, therefore doubling my cutting time
  • I was totally intimidated by piecing/interfacing a neck together, and since I didn't pay attention and doubled all my torso pieces (only needed one of each), I decided to skip the neck and just line the torso - this is actually better, in my opinion
  • I saw all those triangles on the pattern, but couldn't remember if they meant to cut in or out...so I skipped them...turns out they're for lining pieces up together.  And you cut them out.  Always.
  • I didn't cut nearly enough ticks in the neckline/arm holes, so while it worked out, the dress doesn't look really good unless I iron it.  Pfft.
  • I had no idea how to baste the skirt to gather it, and after reading my 60yr old sewing machine manual, I totally fixed my tension problem!  It was super simple, I should be embarrassed that I didn't figure it out myself
  • I'm still not so great with the straight lines.
So here it is.  I told my mom that it was very Sound of Music.  There was a pause and she ventured a guess...You're making it out of curtains?  Nope.  Out of a sheet, though!  I didn't think a first attempt warranted an actual fabric purchase.  And these colors are perfectly P.  Recycling/upcycling at its finest.


It's too big.  Better than too small.  Maybe I'll take up the sides.  But it twirls very nicely.
As for other new things, we got a new table!  Ever since Baby A took over a booster, one of us (Dustin or myself) has been using a folding chair for meals.  But I found this table, along with 6 chairs and a leaf.  Whew.  We all fit now.

4 comments:

mirandagail said...

you did a very nice job!! I had to teach myself to sew too!! and I used to watch my Grandma all the time, but apparently didn't REALLY watch.

Jenny said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jenny said...

Wow!!! The dress is beautiful and so very P! And even though this may not mean a lot coming from a non-sewer, but I am thoroughly impressed!!!

Andrea said...

This is a sheet?! You did such a nice job. Serene thought it looked like a Rapunzel dress (don't let Sienna see it). Sooo cute!