One Month Later

On the evening of April 15th I embarked upon a journey to find a hobby that would be an escape, hopefully finding some personal growth in the process. I gave myself a goal and a deadline and dove in headfirst.

Let's review:

"The Goal: Some cool, comfortable summer clothes – two pairs of gaucho pants, one pair of linen pants that convert to capris, an a-line skirt, and a trumpet skirt

The Deadline: May 18^th (yikes, just over a month!), so they’re ready for my honeymoon in Belize!!

The Equipment: My grandma’s crazy, scary, computerized sewing machine that I don’t actually know how to work...do I smell a problem already?

In My Corner: Mom. I grew up sewing with her, but it’s all somehow much more frightening when she’s over 500 miles away. I hope she’s ready for all the desperate phone calls that are sure to come!"

And where am I now?

Trips to Hancock Fabrics: 6. Okay, so I'm really bad about getting everything I need in one trip - even with a list. And if I'm honest, that store is a little like a drug to me. As soon as I walk out the door I'm dreaming of my next trip back...and hoping that there will be more than two employees working or less than 4 customers in the store.

Frantic Calls to Mom: Oh, too many to count. They did, however, get fewer and farther between as time went. The number of times I came across the problem at 11 o'clock at night probably had something to do with that.

Moments of Panic, Depression, Utter Frustration: Um, do I have to admit? I suppose for personal growth, it's best to be honest with myself. I'm going to average it out to about 12, but only because I bundled that one tragic night into one "moment".

Moments of Utter Confusion: Now that's an easy one: just one. I'd have to say the moment was constant from the day I started, but I can feel the pressure letting up and see little glints of light at the end of the tunnel. Perhaps I'm starting to understand?

Broken Needles: One. I broke my first needle yesterday when my presser foot fell off (oops)...after the machine kept making some awful grinding, crunchy noise and telling me to "stop for safety", after I couldn't get the bobbin to thread correctly. Rough night, but I learned a LOT.

Finished Products: Two pairs of gaucho pants, one pair of linen pants that will convert into capris once I buy the presser foot to do button holes, and two linen skirts. Also to my name I have: one travel document organizer thing, one pair of pull on capris, and a pair of bermuda shorts (yes, those last two happened in the past two days). Nothing is perfect, but everything is wearable in public, fits well, and is a finished product that, most importantly, I am proud of.

Next on the Docket: A break. My wedding is a week from Sunday and then I'm spending a week in Belize. I'm sure I'll be contemplating my next project, but until then, go out and try something new. Who knows, you might discover part of yourself you never knew was there.