Distraction and lessons learned in blogland

I admit it...I have a short attention span when it comes to crafty things. I get started on one thing, then I get distracted by another, and so it goes until I've got many unfinished projects in the works or just in the planning stages, with nothing to show for it all. So, yes, two quilts in the works, diaper covers to be sewn, a Craft Hope deadline, a baby gift overdue, pillow re-covering only begun, and yet...I decided Lucy needed a new romper, and I had to make it now.

In my defense, Lucy has a wonderful hand-me-down wardrobe of lovely clothes...but it has its limitations. For example, right now, she's trying so very desperately to learn how to crawl, but most of her clothes are dresses. I love dresses on a little girl, but not when she's learning to crawl. She gets tangled up in all that dangling fabric, making the whole process even more frustrating than it already is. So, of course, she needs me to make her more clothes. (What? You say I should just put her in a onesie? But then her diaper shows. I know, I know, I'm ridiculous. But I can't help it! She's so beautiful; who wants to ruin it with diaper shots?)

So I looked through my small-but-growing collection of vintage patterns from thrift stores and tag sales, and found this one. Look past the overly-frilly examples, and you can see a nice basic romper, with room in the butt to cover that big cloth diaper, and nothing to get in the way of crawling. (I'm making view C, top right.)


It's been a long time since I sewed a garment from a "real" pattern (i.e. not the internet or a simple sewing book). The last few I attempted are half-finished somewhere. I learned how back in 7th grade Home Ec class, but that seem to have failed me on a few points.

For example, thank goodness I've read enough blogs and books now to realize that you don't necessarily want to cut the pattern to the size you're making. This pattern, for example, has sizes S-XL, and if it turns out that I like it, I might want to make it again in larger sizes. I used to think sewing was crazy expensive, because I had bought a pattern and new fabric, used it once, and moved on to the next thing. This pattern cost me 50 cents, so imagine how affordable it'll be if I use it more than once! Of course, not cutting it means you have to trace it somehow--and oh, my gosh, that is rather overwhelming for impatient me (so, yes, as you may have noticed in the photo, I cut corners on that one by folding the pattern out of the way in some cases). And then there are all those markings to transfer. And then only after I got started did I notice that part where I was supposed to have cut out lining pieces, too. Yikes. Not the best project for my short attention span.

But wait--I added even more steps. I learned something else from all the wise bloggers out there--don't try a new pattern (especially with beginner skills like mine) on your good (expensive, precious) fabric. So I dug through the heap and found a hand-me-down fabric from my mother's sewing days to try first. A good idea, but it means I don't LOVE it, which means my motivation is not all that high.

So, the question is...will I ever finish it? Will she still fit into it if I do? I can't answer that one now, because I have to get back to work on my Craft Hope quilt, which has a very specific deadline (clearly, something I need).