Something's wrong.

No - really. Something is wrong.

Let me explain.

You see, I am a sewing teacher. (No, that isn't the problem! Just wait a sec, and don't jump to conclusions.) I have..hmmm....three students right now, and two about to start in a month or so. They are a joy to teach.

I also have my own sewing business. No, that's not necessarily a problem, either. I like sewing for other people, most of the time. I like the variety, the flexibility, ect. I like meeting new people.

I'm also working on starting my own clothing line. (Surprise, surprise!)

But that's not the problem, either.

The problem is that my last two sewing projects have been flops.

That is not good! Not when I "make my living" sewing. Not when I sew for others, teach others to sew, and sell things I've sewn. Now, granted, these flops are both things I was making for me, but, still...

I would like them to turn out! It's discouraging to have two dresses in a row turn out bad.

At least I have the comfort of knowing my techniques were correct. It's just my measurements that were off. My measurements always seem to be off when I'm making something for myself.

Why? Is it because I'm vain and measure too small to begin with? Or is it because I'm always trying to save fabric, twisting and turning and skimping pattern pieces until they fit on the cloth? Or is it because I can never make a garment from a pattern without changing it in the middle of construction?

I'm so discouraged with my projects that I don't even feel like fixing them. Or buying a new zipper (I melted the one that I was supposed to be using. I always seem to do that.) I don't even feel like working on my latest sewing order, or the shirts that I'm suppose to already have on a website.

I broke down today; I went shopping with Mom and she bought a dress for me - a very pretty one, too. It reminds me of the blue, floaty dress Fraulein Maria wears in The Sound of Music's gazebo scene.

I also bought a shirt that needs repair. I always seem to do that; buy something really cute that needs to be mended. "Just a small tear here!" Or "it only needs to have the hem fixed." Or "I'll just take it in three inches on the side, add four inches to the bottom, and it'll be perfect." Why can't my seamstress mind rest even when I'm buying clothes?

You can't argue with a good deal, though. My new dress was originally $80.00. We bought it at Good Will - with the tag still on it - for $4.00! I couldn't sew a dress for that price.

That excites me enough to actually not mind repairing my new shirt. In fact, I already have ideas for future projects...