The Why and How

Years ago when my mother was trying to teach me how to sew in the ifinite wisdom of a fifteen year old I told her that sewing was a dying art and I wasn't going to ressurect it. It was absolutly something I was never going to need or want to do...ever! Then I had kids. My first project was a Halloween costume for my first little girl who was just 8 mo. old (a cute little bunny rabbit). I went to the store and had to have help purchasing supplies because I didn't even know they had all that written down on the back of the pattern. When I got home with two weeks to go until Halloween and no money left for a store bought costume I sat down at my old hand-me-down sewing machine and cried. I realized I didn't even know where to start. Luckily I am surrounded by incredible and talented people who are willing to help and love me even when I am ridiculous. My Aunt came over and walked me through the pattern step by step. Thank you Jennie! After that my ambition was purely for Halloween, nobody knows if costumes are a little lacking. I've always bought clothes and then tried to alter them to get the look I wanted (it didn't always work out well) but now with two little girls only 13 mo. apart I started to do some designing for matchy fourth of July outfits which I farmed out to Grandma who did a spectacular job. Finally when my oldest daughter was 4 yrs. old I called up a good friend (the Home-Ec/4-H queen, Cheryl) and begged her to teach me how to sew a shirt. It took her all day to help me :). With confidence still shaky but growing I branched out...Jammies! After my third little girl my mom made them all the cutest twirlly skirts ever, they wore them everywhere and then if you can believe it they started to grow out of them! What was I going to do? My mom is wonder woman and busy, busy, busy so I couln't ask her to make more and oh no! family pictures were comming up! We were all supposed to wear yellow...we didn't own anything yellow. What is a girl to do? With one week before pictures (June 2008), freaking out but a little excited I went for it and my very own twirlly skirts were born! And they were fabulous! I had so much fun that I even sewed a skirt for my niece to match. And what is a cute outfit without a cute bow and braclet to match? From there things have just taken off and my mom just laughs. I still have difficulty with patterns so I just make my own.