Significant Stitches

This past spring, Scott got a great deal on some new khaki shorts from Eddie Bauer.  The only problem was that they were 1.5 inches too long.  I called the tailor to find out how much they would cost to hem.  I was expecting that it would be kind of pricey given my recent experience with a junior bridesmaid dress, but I was surprised to hear that the hemming would cost $20!  $20?!!!  That is more than the cost of the shorts.  My "great deal" was no longer looking so great.

I have been interested in learning to sew for a long time. Sewing is on my top secret life list of things I really want to do or learn and places I want to go, but these personal dreams seem absolutely impossible while the kids consume practically every minute of every day. Heartbreaking, but true.  How can one pursue dreams when constantly interrupted for snacks, questions, random requests, bickering, etc.  Even in the ten minutes I've typed these two paragraphs, Caroline and Ben have soaked the kitchen floor with water and poured hand soap on the floor.  I don't really know what they are doing, but I know that for every minute I type, it will take me at least 2.5 minutes per minute to clean up and require one load of laundry.  I am not exaggerating here.  They have just emptied the towel drawer. Sigh. Can't they just read a book?

Getting back to my sewing fantasy...In my ideal parenting reality, I would be able to pick a pattern, maybe even a Halloween costume, out of those pattern books at Jo Ann's Fabric store, while my children would sit patiently by my side.  Then we would quietly, politely,and pleasantly enjoy selecting fabric and notions together, while all the old ladies (who, I should add, are the only other people at Jo Ann's that seem to be buying fabric, except for the professional seamstress purchasing curtain material) smile at me, giving me that knowing nod that says, "Golly, what a beautiful and perfectly behaved family you have there. Well done."  Then, after soaking in all those positive feedback glances and nods, we'd come home and I would work un-interrupted for hours, and whip together whatever garment they had selected before dinner while everyone played nicely together.     

In order to make this dream a reality, I called the best seamstress I know who would give me lessons for completely free:  MOM.  Mom to the rescue again!  She agreed to my invitation to come to a "Sewing Camp" held at my house in June after school ended.  I promised to let her play with the grandchildren as much as she wanted (see how generous I am?) and she would walk me through sewing an apron from a Simplicity pattern step-by-step AND teach me how to hem shorts (those khaki shorts from Eddie Bauer).  

We had to start at the very, very beginning.  Unlike most other people (even Scott), I never had any kind of home economics class in high school.  I think it conflicted with my chemistry lab.  While I have some memories of watching my mom sew my Halloween costumes, mostly I only remember racing her metal weights down the hallway. I really had no idea where to start.  

After three full days of lessons and a whole lot of ironing (who knew there would be so much ironing in sewing???), check out the hem on these shorts -- see how straight the line is?  I hemmed them! The shorts are wrinkly because Scott actually wears the shorts!  I didn't ruin them -- even when I had to cut material off the bottom of the shorts!

And, look how well the aprons turned out!  Caroline and Abby picked out their own fabrics and trims, and their selections perfectly reflect their personalities right now.  The girls have absolutely no interest in wearing the aprons now that they are finished, but that is beside the point.

The sewing "experience" was nowhere,  I mean nowhere, as idyllic as I imagined.  The "easy sew" aprons and hemming took three full days to complete because lessons were crammed in between the regular amount of interruptions and parental duties.  But, even so, I can claim concrete and substantial progress towards a life goal; however, pedestrian it may be.  As the last month of summer vacation continues, I will be clinging dearly onto this little glimmer of hope for more future progress.