fish eyes

high fashion fabrics, houston's wonderful fabric store, has become my second home. the ladies who work there love me, and i could give you very specific directions to any type of fabric you could ask about. well, that is now at least.

back when i was still a complete beginner, i tried to sneak around the store hoping not to let on that i had no idea what i was looking at, even worse what i was looking for! i knew that a gathered skirt would be a simple enough place to start (inspired by a favorite skirt of mine), and selected a cute cotton called fish eyes.

luckily we were in the midst of nutcracker, and i had a number of talented seamstresses on hand for the next month. i learned from one of our great dressers how to make a pattern from my existing skirt. a little wrapping paper, pins, and careful cutting left me with the bones of my first skirt, and a pattern piece for replications. i was taught how to gather, attach a waistband, make a button hole, and make a nice hem with bias tape.

for my first go, i think it went rather well.

first post

today marks my 2 month anniversary with my sewing machine. actually, it has turned me into a sewing machine and in no time at all.

the morning of my 'golden birthday,' i remember how terrified i was as i carefully tore the canvas wrapping off max's gift to me revealing a singer box. in that moment i knew that i would either fail miserably or become completely obsessed with my new sewing machine.

it took me almost a week to take it out of the box. now it has a permanent home on my dining room table, and my sunroom has turned into the cutting room.

i cautiously chose my first project, a simple skirt. with the assistance of hb wardrobe i drafted a pattern and went on to make skirts for me and soon my friends.

next up, i faced a dress pattern for the first time. then a second, then a third.

then i made a dress with no pattern at all!

i may have become a hermit lady over the last few months, but the sewing machine has been a wonderful creative outlet (and a distraction when needed). sewing is a challenging and time-consuming hobby, yet incredibly rewarding, and i'm so glad that it likes me back. i am finding it even more satisfying than baking--the things i'm making last longer than a batch of labor-intensive sugar cookies for sure!

i can't wait to show what i've created.