Sewing...the next logical step.

I have this fantasy of living a simple 1950's housewife-type of existence. I want to be June Cleaver. I want to be a domestic goddess! I want a closet full of homemade aprons and stilettos to match every one of them. So far, I've mastered the cooking and baking. I coupon to save money. I garden to bring in fresh produce. I home-school my girls. I cater and decorate cakes for more income. The next logical step in my plan was learning to sew. I mentioned this to my mother-in-law (who quilts) that I wanted to learn to sew and she gave me her old sewing machine. The one SHE learned to sew on! Oh my goodness!

I gave this simple little sewing machine a cozy spot in my dining room. She looks happy there, don't you think?

My mother-in-law showed me how to thread the machine and the bobbin. Sew easy! Bwahaha, see what I did there?! SEW easy!! Okay, I practiced cutting up an old button-down shirt and sewing it back together into a dress for my 2 year old. I broke the needle when I hit a button and had to go out and buy a replacement. But while I was at Hancock Fabrics, I picked up a cute pattern for a toddler dress. One day...I will learn to make a dress from a pattern.

Meanwhile, the button-down dress came out alright. Not a total train wreck as I expected my first ever sewing attempt to be. My 2 year old told me she hated it and made me take it off. Well, thanks a lot! Sheesh! It wasn't THAT bad!

Later that day, I tackled the curtains in my guest bathroom. And by "curtains" I mean that piece of un-hemmed fabric folded over the curtain rod that I keep forgetting to give my mother-in-law to sew. It's been, ohh, I don't know...3 years?? I hemmed bottom and top (leaving room for the rod) and VOILA....curtains!!

So, I have two sewing projects under my belt. Naturally, that means I have enough experience with my machine that I think I'm capable of sewing an actual dress from a pattern. Bwahahaha haha ha ha.

Here goes (thanks Mommy for teaching me what that sewing jargon meant...I know how to baste a turkey but didn't know you could baste a stitch)! The pattern and fabrics I have collected for this project:

I am cutting out the pattern for a size 4 even though my daughter is only 2...she's gigantic for her age, or seems to be, at least.

 

 Next was pinning the pattern to my fabric and cutting it out.

 

My machine is threaded and ready to go!

First was sewing the seam on the bodice and then the shoulder straps.

Then the apron.

Once that was done, I did the band and skirt. Then all the components were complete and just needed to be sewn together!

And PRESTO! A dress! From a pattern!! I sewed it!!

 

Woohoo!! It was pretty easy actually! I just followed the instructions, made a few calls to my mom when I was totally confused...she helped me figure out I was missing a part of the pattern...and June LOVES the dress. She told me it was beautiful so THAT boosted my confidence a lot! 

I'm LOVING this sewing stuff. It's right up my alley. I love lists and organization and step-by-step directions. And I love instant gratification! It's amazing that in one afternoon, I went from having 3 yards of scrap fabric on my table, to having a dress for my daughter! I'll definitely be doing more projects and I'll be sure to post them for those interested in learning to sew!