The Key to Follow Through

Quick action. Don't ponder it too long or you'll never get it done. For once, I took this bit of advice to heart. I wanted to turn last week's yardage into a dress and I did.



I almost sabotaged myself though. I had picked out the pattern and started that whole process where I imagine how the dress will look when it's all done, what I'll wear it with, where I can wear it to, and, most importantly, how terrific I'll feel the first time I wear it. Because, people, there's nothing like the first time wear. I was caught up in all that as I ironed the fabric when I suddenly started doubting that I should necessarily make a dress. "Maybe I should make a top," I thought. "After all I don't wear dresses that often." Or "maybe I should use the fabric for pillow covers or quilt backing or to wash my bike." I was getting completely distracted from my original plan and that was not only bringing on a bit of anxiety, but making this whole follow through thing really hard. Finally, I said something I often say when I veer off on tangents like this, "stick with plan A." I am a firm believer that 9 out of 10 times you can't go wrong if you just stay with the original plan.



Plan A involved this pattern with a few minor modifications. The original pattern calls for straps that tie at the shoulders. I personally think that's problematic should you ever want to wear a cardigan over your cute, little dress. So, I reconfigured the straps so they would emerge from a buttonhole in the center front and be tied at that point. I even considered using a bead to hold the straps in place, but just didn't happen to have one on hand. I'm going to hold on to that idea for incarnation #3 of this dress.



Yes, that's not a typo, I've made another version of this dress. But, before you rename me Miss Lickity Split of the Sewing Machine(though, truth be told, I kind of like that title), I made the red version back in May to wear to a friend's wedding. The first version uses Anna Marie Horner's cotton voile fabric and is the "B" version of the pattern. This past weekend's dress is the "C" version.
The first time wear of the red version was particularly memorable because I'd gotten the fabric in trade for some tutorials I created for Sew,Mama,Sew. The first time is always special, but all the more so when the fabric is free.