Yes Mom I Can Sew

I just don't sew very well. I learned that you can't turn the side to the back without the zipper sticking out like a tail. So apparently there's a reason a seamstress uses a pattern.

I'll spare you all the photos, but here's a litany of lousy stiching projects that started with my jr. high school cheerleading outfit in strechy-polyester and mis-matched thread, and ended last week with shimmery skirt fabric and a lop-sided zipper. My disgraces include:

• A red and white polka dot mid-drift peasant top in 7th grade with uneven puffy sleeves.
• Infant t-shirts that were too scratchy for the baby to wear.
• A little red-riding hood in velvet that didn't quite fit Kaelynn's head.
• A blue bunny suit for Billy that he wore, dripping sweat, off the plane to surpise his sister.
• Elastic baby dresses with poorly pulled gathers, and ill fitting straps.
• And numerous snap-up baby onesies that the little ones were too young to protest.
  

But in the last few weeks, motivated by a group of women sewing at work, I've tried again and had success at last, in creating a skirt, that fit, with a zipper, that worked. I'm the one with a hand-drawn face. http://sososewing.wordpress.com

Of course it wasn't all success. See my second try below. The upholstery fabric was a bit stiff. And that pocket you see? I gave up after several tries to attach it inside out. But progress is being made, nonetheless. I wore the skirt to work, and it didn't even fall apart until the end of the day - a side seam split. Note to self "must double-stich next time."