Sunday, June 24, 2012

No Escape


I will go to any lengths to avoid sewing clothes. Any lengths.

My cousin-in-law is getting married this weekend. I've known this since last year. And we got the formal invitation several months ago. I suspected I might have to sew a dress to wear to this happy event. And possibly three small dresses for the girls. I don't have to sew anything for the husband. But I  pretended not to believe it and procrastinated. Told Mum. She said, "Wait till the last minute, and then you'll be so desperate that you'll naturally have the motivation and inspiration to make something." She knows, because she does the same thing whenever she has a "function" to attend.

So on Thursday, the girls and I went shopping at Old Navy, and found dresses for K and J. Cheered. Two down. None in Emily's size. She looked so forlorn that I gritted my teeth and, instigated only by the unconditional (and somewhat misguided) love that mothers have, offered, "Well, I suppose I could sew you a dress."

"No. Jenna and Kate are wearing store-bought. I want to wear store-bought."

Phew. 
Hugged self. 
Tried Kohls on Friday. Nothing. 
Tomorrow I'm trying Target. 

Feels good having a plan (in a manner of speaking).

That still doesn't solve the problem of my own dress, though. I've tried every store nearby. Short of going to the Megamall and spending four hours browsing, I don't think I have any options left. So yesterday, I went to Mill End and forced myself to pick fabric. Everything was cotton and floral and hideous. I was about to give up and wear jeans. But I steeled myself and groped more fabric and then found something. I'd never been so relieved to find fabric that I didn't want.

See that photo above? That's what I have to work with now. It's soft and translucent (means I have to go shopping AGAIN for lining) and non-cotton. And heavy  - a very nice weight. I have less than one week to draft and sew myself a dress: vintage and classic and tailored and PLAIN. The rose-pink is for piping, of course. Charcoal and rose (and a pearl necklace) - I think I can do it. It will require every single Kevin Max CD in the house, plus extra random tracks on iTunes, but I think I can do it. I have to do it. 

Subconsciously, I'm deeply jealous of the bride, because 
  • she already has a dress
  • someone else sewed it for her
  • she's probably eating chocolate now.

Then there's the shoes. Which I don't have (yet). Oh well. Thank goodness I can't sew shoes. I think I'll start the dress tomorrow. I need to procrastinate a little more and go run some miles now.  


6 comments:

  1. I can't wait to see it. As with everything else you sew, I'm sure it will be beautiful.

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  2. Well, that's progress! Guess I won't be hearing much from you this week, huh? (Unless, of course, you need another excuse to procrastinate!) That's okay... I really need to get on this bag I'm going to make, too (but we could procrastinate together!). Can't wait to see the dress!

    Good luck at Target!!

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  3. You can do it....and if I know you it will be just beautiful!!!

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  4. Haha, just keep the jars of Nutella flowing! Build a nice pyramid by the side of your machine, and go to town :)

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  5. *lol* So when are you going to take up shoe making? Come on! You know you want to! I can see them now - piped with tiny LED lights around the soles. You could be the next Manolo. Think of the skills you already have that you could use to create shoes. Maybe recyclable cardboard shoes?
    Sorry I don't have a book to send you on 'creative cobbling'. (Really...I looked on my shelf because I thought I might just have one)

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