My first garment

I've been terrified of tackling clothes.  So far, I've made bags, nightgowns, and aprons, and several messes, but my small shoulders and short waist have scared the crap out of me.  I don't know how to alter patterns, I barely can sew a straight line.

But then I did it!

I was inspired by Spool Sewing's class on KwikSew pattern 3691.  I wanted to take it up there, but it would've been $70 by train, and probably more by car, plus the cost of class and materials.  Instead I spent $11 on the pattern and my mom gave me the fabric.  Can't beat it.  The fabric is Tina Givens for Westminster, and I'd say it's a few years old, because neither of us knew who it belonged to, it just was there.

I always look like a dork in pictures.  It doesn't help that we have an overhead dining room light that I use in the sewing room, and Nick used my phone to take the picture.  Eight megapixels and you'd think it'd make me look somewhat decent!

I made a few alterations--I sewed down the facings as well as understitching, things like that--but really didn't have a whole lot of hiccups along the way.  At one point my machine was misthreaded but that's my deal, not the pattern's.  I'm really pleased with how it came out.  I plan on wearing it with a cardigan and jeans for Casual Friday, but I can see it with my sailor shorts this summer.  If it ever becomes summer.  The Mid-Atlantic region is a harsh mistress.  (It was 40 and raining this morning on my walk to the Metro; it was 72 and sunny on my way home.  That's a great temperature for a wool coat.)

I plan on making more of these.  It took hardly any fabric and no notions besides thread and interfacing.  Not bad!

Oh, in other news, I finally got a Pinterest invite, so if anyone is on there let me know!