I don't sew clothing.
Sure, I've made accessories: hats, mitts, scarves, etc,
and I've made the occasional robe and kimono,
but fitted clothing, from a pattern? Not so much.
My girls wear lots of handmade clothes,
but that's due to the talents of my mother.
She is a clothes sewing phenom.
But, this Halloween, I decided to sew Little e's
costume. She wanted to be Merida from Brave,
which means a gown sewn from an honest to
goodness pattern in a non-cotton fabric.
Last year, I sewed a "dress" for Sweet G's costume,
but that was a drape, stitch, cut, and pray type deal.
There was no pattern, no need for symmetry, and
a belt to hide many a sewing sin.
Weeping angels are not known for their tailoring, so I had
a bit of artistic (and constructive) license.
What is it about sewing clothing that I find so frightening?
Is it the details? The knowledge that little things are
huge and that everything counts that makes me sweat.
Or is it my complete lack of experience, which brings a
constant refrain of: "I'd do this differently next time" ?
There is something tremendously powerful about making
clothes. The gratification of making something that can
clothe a body is instantaneous.
Every time that Little e tries on her dress, I think
"Oh, look at that!" in equal parts pride and panic.
My mantra of the week has been "It's only a costume."
Followed by "Breathe and let go". The gathers on the
sleeves don't have to be perfect, the facing doesn't
need to be gorgeous, the zipper just needs to work.
In the end, I think the only way I will make a truce
with apparel sewing is to either do it more (so that
learning curve can do its thing) or never do it again.
It's just not a middle of the road thing.