Creative Katie

As Ana is hosting a Valentines Creativity Link Up I thought it was about time to post a couple of my recent projects. So get ready for some amateur sewing and photography. Here we go.

As soon as we recovered from Christmas, and the craziness that is syllabus writing was in my rear view, I began to think about my teacher wardrobe. For the past three semesters I've only taught once or twice a week, but this semester I teach three times a week. And that, my friends, is a lot more outfits. Trust me. It is. I'm good at math. So while looking through my woefully ill-fitting wardrobe, I decided to sew myself something. A friend of mine had recently hooked me up with a bag full of fabric that she'd gotten for almost nothing at a garage sale, so this garment would only cost me a zipper.

I found my tutorial here and gave it a go. I've never sewed anything more complicated than a pillow case, so this was promising to be a real challenge. But Jacob - in his Waldorfian glory - has a lot of sewing experience so I figured that with him on my left and internet tutorials on my right, I'd be able to manage.

And after three naps and three night nights I had myself a skirt.

I almost ironed it for the photo shoot. But then I didn't.

Rudimentary darts? Check. Poor seam to zipper transition? Check. A slit that's not quite tall enough and flaps up a little? Check and check.

And here is the satin lining which makes me feel like Mammy from Gone with the Wind.

And the zipper. The tears I cried. Not really. But it was a doozy.

Enough pictures yet? No? OK. Here's another one of me standing on the table and awkwardly kicking up my leg.

The skirt's been finished for about four weeks, and I've worn it about eight times. I haven't gotten a single comment on it, but I'm still crossing my fingers for the moment when I get to drop the "I made it" bomb, because despite its flaws - of which there are many - I'm ridiculously proud of it.
 

 Part Deux

This second project took about 20 times longer than the skirt and got me through a lot of bad TV. Behold. Pillow:

I love love love embroidery and embroidering. Holding that hoop and all the stitches and colors. Now that this is done I'll probably embark on something a little more elaborate. But that might be after Easter when TV is no longer on the Lenten altar.

  Any. How. Happy Valentines day. Do something pretty and pink.