Becoming a Crafty Woman, parts 3.2 and 4

For week three of Michael's "Becoming a Confident Crafter" series, she gave us the homework assignment of making something for ourselves. The week before, Mom and I had picked out a skirt pattern at Hobby Lobby, so I decided to try to make that. Try. :/

I made Simplicity 2226 (it has pockets which every respectable skirt should have. Also, don't let the name fool you--if this was simple, I don't want to try anything else!). When we measured me, it came out to a pattern size 14 for the waist band, and a 12 for the rest of the skirt. Mom thought that seemed wrong but that's what the pattern said, so that's what I cut out. (I had to pin the pattern on twice, because I was looking at the instructions upside down from the way I had my fabric laid out.) 

I never thought of myself as someone who couldn't follow directions very well, but for every step I would read the instructions, look at my pattern, read the instructions, then go ask my mom. Thank heavens I have a resident home ec teacher! Though I did ask her if this was something she had her students do, and she said yes. That made me feel untalented--13 year olds could do what I was struggling with!

By Saturday I had struggled through everything (including putting on the stupid zipper) when I went to try it on. Low and behold, it was much too big. Five inches needed to be taken out. This leads me to believe that my body either defies measurement, or the pattern was wrong, because I ended up being a pattern size 6. 

Mom figured out how to fix it without having to take the whole skirt apart (she took out the zipper and took everything from the back seam). 

I hadn't finished the skirt in the week for the homework assignment, but that was okay because last week's assignment was finish something undone! I did have some freelance work that took up most of my week, and a bobbin lace class that I started, but Saturday I was able to get it done. I kind of cheated on the bottom hem, and my top stitching (which I did so well on the pockets) ended up really horribly on the waist band--mostly because I was trying to keep the fabric from bunching and then I would swerve, and I didn't want to go back. Oh well, worship flaws!

I wore it to church today, here I am:

Because of the way we (and by that I mean, Mom) had to take it in, the front doesn't quite lay the way it's supposed to, but I don't think I did too poorly for my first try. I wish it were my last, but Mom says I've got to make another in order to make buying the pattern worth it. Sewing is not something I find enjoyable--and I think I'm too lazy to do well. :)