A Couple of Sewing Fails

It is my dream to one day sew a dress.  And I will wear that homemade dress to some fancy event, like a wedding or Christmas party or the like.  Maybe just around my house on a lazy Sunday.  Who knows?

Earlier this year, around prom season, I was looking around the internet at different "Make Your Own Prom Dress" competitions and was floored at the talent these young gals had (like this one...you go, girl!).    I have a sneaking suspicion that if I tried to sew my own prom dress in high school, it would have turned out something like this (if I was lucky):

I'm slowly working my way up to this dream.  First, I made my little sis a nightgown that looked more like a muumuu.  My next "sew my own clothes" project was a peasant tank top.  I got the free pattern from SewMamaSew.com, and rushed through it because I really like instant gratification.  The outcome was fairly instant, but not so much gratifying...

What's so wrong with this one, you ask?  Wait for it...

Boom.  Side view.  Makes me look like I'm 7 months pregnant.  Yikes.

I took a little vacation from sewing my own clothes.  Until a couple of weeks ago.  I figured, "What's the harm in whipping up a quick pair of pajama shorts?"  After all, we all had to sew a pair of pajama shorts in 8th grade Home Ec.  And those turned out okay...if you have an asymmetrical butt.  So, I followed an old pattern that Grandma Alice gave me, and went with size medium.

Two thumbs down.

Balloon shorts.  A good breeze and I would've been up in the clouds.  And it has twisted elastic in the waistband.  My husband got a good laugh out of them, though, so not all was lost.  I did try to take them in a bit, which helped slightly.  But pajamas are all about comfort, right?  

Speaking of comfort...

Dear Santa Claus, please swing by Walgreens and pick me up a Forever Lazy and I will be Forever Grateful.  Love, Ree

Homemade Gift for an Artist Extraordinaire

I am still hard at work on my first real quilt.  I'm currently in the phase where I'm machine quilting my "quilt sandwich" (quilt top + batting + back fabric).  I am so excited for the end result, but that probably is still a ways away.  So, in the mean time, I thought I'd share with you a homemade gift from last Christmas.

My brother Adam is a crazy-gifted artist.  He always kind of dabbled in it, but who knew he would get this good??  I'm very proud of him.  Here's an example of his progression:

"Great Aunt Sophie" in Junior High (1st place in Old Settlers Art Show---hey hey!)

To this....

"Green Lady"....at least that's what I call her....sometime last year

I know...crazy good.  Since my bro has blossomed in his artistic ability, I wanted to give him a Christmas gift that would feed into that creativity.  I wanted to make him something so that he could make something...you know, like a chain of creativity.  Hence, the artists' tool roll:

I think he liked it!  Such a cool thing to watch someone open a gift that you made for them.  

I'm always looking forward to Adam's next artistic creation.  Although, Great Aunt Sophie will always hold a special place in my heart.  She's been hanging proudly in my family's basement for a long time now.  She's kind of like a member of the Mackey family.

There are few things as rewarding as creating something for someone else.  Remember when you were a kid and you colored a picture for your mom?  So much love on both sides.  There you were, beaming proudly as you hand your mom a multi-colored crayon etching of her.  And there was your mom, looking at it as if there was nothing more perfect in all the world...even if it was the tenth one you've given her that day.  What a feeling.  All that said, consider making something for someone.  And if you don't consider yourself "crafty" or artistic, simply do something kind for someone you love.  There.

Since this post is mostly pictures, why not throw in one more for the road?

Hillsboro is special.  Ree & Adam circa 1991