Claiming the Day--Sort Of

Wednesday afternoon I was all I bend over backwards so we can go to the beach and take day trips and do science experiments and art activities and I can't even get help setting the table! (You moms out there, you know what I mean, yes?) Now mind you, I really enjoy going on day trips and to the beach and our art and science activities--having a job that has me spending all day on the beach is pretty darn good, even if I'm the one who packs the lunch and unpacks the lunch, packs the car and unpacks the car, and makes sure the kids and the laundry are all clean at the end of it. Just maybe those lucky kids could have a reality check of sorts... so I declared that Thursday was Mama Day and I'd be sewing and told my oldest he was responsible for keeping his younger sister happy. I had a list of things I hoped to make. I made one. Reality check indeed. Here's a peek into my day.

8:45 am:

The kids have all had breakfast, the dishes are washed, I've begun the laundry (sheets and towels), and I'm ready to start cutting out the pieces to turn this old denim shirt into a skirt, using a pattern from Wendi Gratz's Shirt Off Daddy's Back Workshop. I've already cut off the sleeves and set them aside; I plan to turn them into pants for my daughter, but she wants flowers embroidered on them first, so they'll be a while.

10:05 am:

I realize that when you're trying to incorporate an existing hem as the bottom of your skirt, you should sew from hem to waist, not the other way around. At least, that's what you should do if you don't want your hem to look stupid at the side seams where it doesn't quite match up. Out comes the seam ripper.

10:55 am:

I re-do the side seams and I'm almost done zigzagging the edges when I run out of bobbin thread. Are you kidding me? I just want to get this part done before I have to stop and get everyone lunch. I wind another bobbin, rethread the machine, and finish zigzagging.

11:08 am:

This is where I leave the skirt for the morning--ready for the top binding (or so I think). I get the sheets from the dryer, make the beds, get the four of us lunch, clean up lunch, and 90 minutes later I go back downstairs.

This is where it gets a little dicey. I made the binding tape for the waist, sewed it on, it slipped at some point, out came the seam ripper again so I could rip back to where it was right and sew it the rest of the way on. I sewed on the hook and eye at the top. I tried it on. I hated the way it fit my waist. This is me, not the pattern. My tape measure and I have some sort of problem in which I don't believe it, or maybe I should have somebody else taking the measurements. I tend to cut my waists bigger than they need to be. What I should have done for this skirt is measure a skirt in my closet that's fitted at the waist and used that measurement. I should know this from making my own knitting patterns to fit: measure the garment, not the person. So much easier. Anyway....

2:15 pm:

I cut the top off, tape and all. Then I sewed the waist in another half inch on each side. Then I made more binding tape (wider this time) and sewed it on. 

3 pm:

I take this really bad photo in a mirror leaning against the bedroom wall. I am done with the skirt. It doesn't have a hook and eye (maybe I won't put one on; I haven't decided). The kids are ready for a snack, and then I'll have to start dinner, and there's my day: clean towels, clean sheets, and exactly one project that I'm only sort of happy with. 

Later, I take a better photo of the skirt outside, so at least you can see what took me an entire day to create. I worked for this skirt, darn it!

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