My Nemesis

Dave's mom is in town, and since she sews, and I "sew," a friend of hers thought it would be fun to gave her a dress pattern for us to make while she is here.

Fun.

(And if by "sew," you mean collect a bunch of fun fabric, but don't do anything with it? Then, yeah. I sew.)

(Point of interest: no one who calls themselves my "friend" would ever give me a pattern and actually expect me to complete the pattern. Cut it out? Can do. Pin pieces together? Yup. Get past step 4? Um, notsomuch, no.)

So, anyways, The "Friend" likes to sew clothes. Claudia (MIL) sews quilts and home dec stuff. Me too. (Okay, in a past life, but still!) So to have a pattern to make a dress for Mookie? And be expected to finish it? In a week or less? Ummmm, I don't mean to sound ungracious, but eh???? I was filled with hesitation, to say the least.

Plus, Claudia also has a fancy-schmancy sewing machine. It is the stuff of sewing machine envy. And lust. And other deadly sins. (Tink, don't even click on the link, okay? Save yourself!!) Me? I've got a ghetto Brother machine that was a garage sale find 10 years ago. Mine doesn't zig or zag. Or make button holes. Or pretty much anything other than sew a straight stitch. But that's all I ever need from it, so it works for me. Claudia, however, is used to 756 stitches, a drop-in bobbin, a button to cut the fabric, a butler to iron the seams, etc. When she bellied up to my dinosewer, (did you catch that? dino-sewer? Dinosaur? Hah! Late night is my time to shine, folks. Mmm-hmm) (where was I?) Oh, right. When she sat down to finish the receiving blankets I bought the fabric for way way way back in February, she faced a great sewing challenge. I tried to encourage her telling her how impressed I was that she was using such an antiquated thing, and she dug way down deep into the bowels of her sewing prowess and came up with skills she didn't even know she had! She did a fabulous job finishing the receiving blankets, so now Mookie is allowed to pee or poo on a variety of blankets!

Hopes inflated, we journeyed to Joanns to find fabric that would make a cute little pinafore and pantaloons for Mookie. Here's the pattern, by the way:

Adorable, no? My nemesis? Yes.We found a cute navy with teeny daisies for the dress, and a yellow with something-or-other for the pantaloons. Together they will look very cute. Right now? The fabrics look VERY daunting and intimidating.

We've been working on this since Wednesday (it's now Saturday), and we're on Step 4. We're stuck on something about skirt back extensions. It's a two-steps-forward-three-steps-back kind of project. My unsewer seam ripper has threatened to melt from too much activity. I've burned through one spool of thread already (most of which is now in tiny little bits in a pile next to the machine). The cats have decided it will make nice bedding once Mama gives up. :o)

I'll let you know if when we get it finished.