Technicos: Show it Off and Be Proud!

Sometimes I'm really tempted to note in this journal all the stuff I'm not happy with in my sewing projects like.....
- The quality or composition of the photo (or both)
- How I stood or where I was, when wearing it for the photo!
- The fit of the garment - It's never perfect!
- My sewing technique
- The color just isn't me
- The fabric is cheesy, or not right for the style
- The style is not flattering for me, or maybe for anyone
- the list could go on and on

But I don't! The art of presentation is just one more technique I've picked up from sewing class.

In class we always have a presentation day at the end and/or middle of the semester. On that great day, we stand up in front of everybody and show off our creations. And of course, quite often, half or more of the class tells you everything that's wrong with their work ...
This makes me look fat! I should have increased the seam allowance by 1/4 inch.
Usually these $30 Vogue pattern ensembles are perfect for me, but I wish I'd chosen another pattern. 
This expensive, silk charmeuse fabric was really hard to sew with, and so I made a lot of mistakes. I mean look at this hem! Look at these seams! 
I spent so long on the pattern and it fit fine in the muslin, but when I cut it out in my fabric, it looks awful. And I didn't have time to do anything else but make this thing I'm never going to wear.

Then it's my turn to stand up. I think to myself .. Gee their fabric is much more luxurious than the budget stuff I used. They finished every seam on the inside and pick-stitched their zipper. Their figure is model-perfect and they can wear styles that fits like a glove! If they think that about their garment, they're just going to laugh at mine.

Then I remember what I practiced saying to myself, stand up straight and tall. No matter what I think of the garment at this point - and I'm often pretty sick of it (!) - I say something like this...

I bet we've all sewn the
Bee-Bop dress at one
time or another!

Wow, I just love this Bee-Bop dress. I thought the pattern looked great when I saw it on the freebie counter, and  knew it would be perfect for this yellow and virulent green polyester caterpillar print I've had in my fabric inventory since somebody gave it to me back in 1972! It's got such a vintage look and I'm really looking forward to wearing it to my next college reunion. 

And the funny thing is, that suddenly the Bee-Bop dress starts to look kind of cute and people are complimenting me on it.

Sometimes, it's putting on the right attitude that keeps me....

Enchanted by Sewing