That Little Step

Unlike my sis, I tend to procrastinate and do lots of pondering before embarking on anything new. I've got my sister to thank for helping me take that little step, about 3 years ago.

During one of our usual family get-together, we started talking about dressmaking. I guess if you don't possess a "standard"-sized frame, it gets a little frustrating shopping for clothes.
On top of that, it just doesn't seemed practical to buy clothes that you will probably wear once for that special occasion.

We goaded our mum to teach us. She produced a neatly drawn record book with the basic blocks for blouses, skirts, etc. Deft as she is with her hands, teaching is not her cup of tea.
A pity though... but I left it as that.

The Hwaiian shirt...not!

However, my ever resourceful sister got herself signed up for a class in one of the community clubs. I joined her there after she's completed her second session of eight lessons.

The first project was a Hawaiian shirt. We were taught how to take measurements and draft, then placing onto the cloth to cut -- an attempt we all eyed with fear! That (the shirt) didn't quite turned out the way it was expected, though I thought it didn't look too bad! (Definitely not the "hawaiian" shirt it's meant to be, credit to my little modifications along the way...LOL!)

Of course, I didn't give up and laboured on! The result? The birth of this laughable low back halter-neck leopard number. (In case you should wonder why I had such horrendous taste in materials...I don't actually. I simply ransacked my mum's store of materials.)

Shouldn't it get better? Well, no...sadly. This is followed by a dowdy pleated number of an A-line dress and a still unfinished brocade jacket. Not only am I frustrated, I was upset. After 16 sessions, I was none the wiser on drafting, let alone sewing fitting clothes. I just felt like a factory girl sewing pieces of material together as told! Utterly disillusioned, I discontinued my lessons as this, is definitely not my idea of dressmaking.

Fortunately, this voyage for me has not yet ended. (Again, all hail my sister!) She found another trainer in another community club who is more structured in her teaching, with proper fundamentals taught. (To Ruby!) Gladly, I begin my journey once again with that little step (since February 2010).

This has become our joke for explaining the difference between prêt-a-porter and haute couture.