patterns...my antagonist

i had just spent like $50 or something on some cute fabrics because i am addicted to finding more modern prints than joanne sells, and i thought that i would start a business because at least i could write off all the fabrics and things and lord knows we need all the deductions we can get with owning our own business. i had thought the idea of doing it myself pretty daunting, so i sent an email out to a couple girlfriends from high school...actually one of them goes back to jr. high and the other from high school, on a sort of fluke and luck turns out that they were both totally for the idea!

we are starting a shop - for a future blog since the site isnt up yet - and will be selling handmade goods directed towards babies, toddlers, moms and people shopping for babies, toddlers, moms. i modified my favorite item as a nursing mom - the hooter hider - and had been just giving them as gifts and the response was really great, so i thought why not try and sell them and make some extra cash! we are also going to sell our stuff at craft fairs, swap meets, flea markets and things like that as well.

since this all came about i have been on a creative high and been sewing in my *spare* time - which anyone who is the parent of toddler will inject a chuckle here i am sure. mainly after his bedtime and on weekends and occasionally a lazy afternoon movie where said toddler is more preoccupied with some pixar movie than with my scissors and fabric. the nursing aprons are pretty easy now for me to knock out and i have been tinkering with other ideas and projects as well.
so...all this brings me to the topic at hand...patterns. i hate them. i hate cutting precisely and following directions written down and not understanding words and having to google them endlessly and still not understand them. i dont know if you get the point, but i hate them.

my first pattern project was a simple tote bag (pic on left) the bag is reversible so the pockets can either go on the outside or inside. i was so shocked that it actually came out to be a tote bag. it got me all cocky, so i thought i would try some more.

i am really into aprons but hate buying them because if they are cute at all they are expensive! so i got the emmeline pattern by amy butler and tried it...i think it turned out fine - not an "a" by any standards, but at least a "c+" - i used an alexander henry pattern for one side and finally put my honeymoon balinese sarongs to some actual use and used one for the other side. (the sarong is the red and white number). the biggest problem i faced was the bias stitch halter top and despite my many efforts, i ended up scratching that idea and doing a simple d-clasp top.

these are far from marketable, but i am realizing that i am gaining practice in this and maybe eventually patterns will come easier the more i do. one can hope at least!