Jessica over at kusine.com is hosting a pattern giveaway, and all you have to do to enter is comment on this post and tell everyone what your first machined sewing project was. I’m posting my “reply” here, however, because the sundress pattern is quite fetching but I already have too many unsewn patterns in my stash and I don’t want to dilute the pool of contestants.
So yeah, that first project. Are you ready for this? A pillowcase. Woo. Heck, does it even count? Three straight lines. No closures. To my credit (?), it was a pillowcase for a very large pillow. 30″x 30″ I think. And I was at some age that was measured in single digits. In retrospect, I’m pretty sure it was more my aunt’s attempt to keep me busy and quiet for a brief period of time than it was her burning desire to teach me a new skill.
That bright red pillow cover was also the last thing I sewed for a good 10 years. My mom made a good portion of my childhood clothing, and all of my Halloween costumes, but never taught me to sew. (She did teach me a blanket stitch early on, as well as cross-stitch. Mom is an avid embellisher.) My seventh grade home-ec class taught only cooking. My closest friends (and roommates) during my first two years of art school were fashion majors, and so it was in college that I bought myself an inexpensive machine and taught myself bad habits how to sew. My first project-from-a-published-pattern was a hooded, ankle-length cape, which I still have. I did a good job, if I do say so myself, and it’s sturdy and toasty warm. However, I selected a completely inappropriate fabric. I went with fleece, to which has adhered every fallen leaf and cat hair EVER.
It’s been many years since that first Brother came home with me from The Rag Shop, and while I’m confident in the area of relatively simple dresses and have cobbled together many Halloween costumes, I still have much to learn. I’ve yet to sew pin tucks. I’ve never tackled ruffles. The one boned bodice I made was not a particularly good fit. I should really, really take a class and make myself a good pair of custom-fitted pants. And unlearn some improvised shortcuts while I’m at it.
The World of Wink 