Ready, Set, Sew..or..."To Hope is to Risk Frustration"

It's been a goal of mine this year to develop some more sewing skills. (Really, this has been a goal for countless years, but now I am unemployed and in the same state as my sewing machine!)

So, when I saw the blowout sales going on this week at Hancock Fabrics, I took it as a sign to get moving. I bought 3 patterns and some fabric. Pattern sewing is all new to me--I've had my own machine for ten years but always just guessed or made it up as I went along. (Sew, remove pants/top, try on project, adjust things, repeat)

The first project I will attempt is a jacket which I am making out of twill. I was so excited after buying the fabric last night that I couldn't wait to wake up in the morning!

This afternoon I am trying to understand the instructions and pin down tissue paper shapes to the fabric, and I am already frustrated. This is not nearly as straightforward as I'd imagined. There are vocabulary, symbols, and encrypted diagrams. My patience began running thin after pinning and repositioning tissue paper shapes 2, 3, or 4 times! I like short projects that can be easily comprehended, and preferably finished with one big gulp of motivation and a couple hours. This is not that way, but I will persist, and try not to cut corners and fudge things like I'm wont to do.