Yes, dear ones, I have been sewing. Of course! Yesterday saw a trip to Joann’s and a purchase of, me shits ye not, two dollars and seventy-one cents (that’s including tax) which I promptly returned home to make these beauties (Kwik Sew 3208, my pattern review here):
No, I am not drunk. I am naturally red-cheeked and shiny.
Mrrroww! The one on the left will eviscerate you, ten seconds flat. Note my favorite shirt ever, nerdily recon’d from a man’s XL to a titsy girlie tee.
My online penpal M. writes the following in response to my rants from the other day:
“The litany of peeves on your sewing blog at the moment really touched a nerve with me. How has it happened that ‘you could [or should!] SELL these!’ has become the highest compliment people think they can offer someone who sews? I know the comment is usually very well intended, but most people I know who make things for themselves and their friends do it in order to avoid buying and selling. I was nodding vigorously the whole time I was reading that entry.
I find that it’s often in regards to sewing that I just have to practice tuning people out. Last year, for a special occasion, I had made each of my little nieces a fairly elaborate dress (smocking, beading, embroidery–the works), and when they showed these dresses to a woman they knew (a stranger to me), she sniffed a little and said, ‘What did you do, spend three months on these?’ (Um, yes.) I was kind of surprised by the undertone of disdain because what’s it to her?
[snip]So, yes, I completely understand your list of sewing-related grievances, and I’d add this one too: I can’t stand it when people assume that anything that involves the operation of a sewing machine will be fun and interesting to me. Just because it is easy to hem something, alter something, repair something or make some basic item doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m chomping on the bit to do it. I always feel so guilty when I say no to a sewing favour, but I also don’t want to keep the person waiting for months while I work up the motivation to do it. Gotta be realistic.”
Thanks, M.