My Mom was a 4-H leader. (One of those I asked God to bless last night!) She taught crocheting and knitting. Of course I learned a valuable parenting lesson with that. I knew my children wouldn’t take piano lessons from their mom! How I wish I would have sucked it up and learned to knit or crochet back then. My hands do not want to cooperate in that endeavor anymore.
Many, many years after my first sewing debacle, I decided to whip up my own wedding dress, saving myself thousands of dollars. The bridal magazine had one I wanted for an exorbitant price, so I copied it! This would be fun! Who doesn’t love a monumental challenge?
I beaded the whole thing – it was gorgeous. Then I had to put the pieces together. Obviously, it was a “mermaid” style, with a flared lower tier. I couldn’t get that tier with the yards and yards of fabric gathered properly or even remotely close to being able to pin to the bodice. On the verge of 4-H tears at the age of 30, I drove home. My dear mother stepped in. She told me to go and take a walk. When I returned, lo and behold, she had succeeded in that Herculean effort and had gathered the skirt and pinned it to the bodice.
Remember – don’t quit the project when it seems impossible. Ask for help. And take piano lessons. (Not anything gleaned from this episode, just a really good idea.)