I should really know better--whenever there's a "really simple" pattern I want to make up, it's never "really simple". Today it was New Look 6735, a pattern I made before for the short sleeved shirt, which was also a disaster but I took the sleeves off and called it a "vest". I thought the entire pattern can't be that bad...after all, it's an SPR "best pattern of 2008". I attempted to make the cardigan early this afternoon. I got through the sleeves and the band but from then on it was a comedy of errors. I hadn't cut the cardigan as long as the pattern asked for, because I didn't have enough fabric. I thought it would be ok, but it's a little too short. And overall it's a bit dowdy looking. I tried to make it longer by adding a band on the bottom, but I messed that up and now I'm out of that fabric. And it still would have looked dowdy. Other folks reviewed it on SPR and theirs looked fine. It's times like these that I really question my capabilities as a seamstress and why I even sew. Why not just buy garments at the store and save the time and effort??
Finally I backed away from the sewing machine and went for a walk. It was a beautiful fall day, not cold yet, but not really warm. While I walked I practiced the introduction to the class I'm teaching on Wednesday. I have a series of classes that I continually tweak, but this class on Wednesday is brand new and is in the format of a game show. I have ppts with questions and a choice of answers (a b c d style). The participants each get an "iclicker" which is a remote where they can select their answer. I then display the aggregate responses (how many answered a, how many answered b, etc) and then chat about what the right answer is. It should be fun and will mark my first experience as game show host. Since I've never taught a class quite like that before so I felt I needed to practice the intro. I also walked up to CVS and bought candy as "parting gifts" for the class.
In the shower I thought more about the cardigan--originally I thought that the cardigan is a wadder, but now I might turn it into a bolero style jacket. or one that ties in the front. Hmmm... maybe this garment can be saved!! I guess that's what I've been trying to do more of this year--keep working on the "disaster" until it's something I'd actually wear. There are a few cases (um, Star Trek dress, anyone?) where I think it really is a dead horse.
And of course I will continue to sew--to make the things and tailor the clothes that I can't find in the stores. I just can't assume any project is "simple". And sometimes I need to step away from the machine.
Well, my own overriding philosophy on sewing is that it's got to be fun, challenging, perfectly fitting, and/ or unique or I won't sew it. I have actually not bought much the last few years because I already have so much! Good move to step away from the machine for a bit. You seem to have a great track record for coming back to the UFO's, and just as impressive a track record for making an undesirable garment pretty dang cute.
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, I KNOW what you mean. That last purple knit top I made...it is now in pieces on my sewing table. It WAS too big and so annoying to wear that I suddenly took it apart one night and re-cut the pieces. I now need to sew it up again. It seems lately nothing I make (except those slips) is ever truly finished.
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