Trés Facile

Whenever you start a new craft and you have a difficult time with it, more experienced folks always tell you that, if you practice, things will get easier. But when you first start out, you can't possibly see how it's going to get easier, and that "If you practice..." line just sounds cliché.

Let's say that new craft is sewing. You can't, for the life of you, understand how a pattern marked with a difficulty level of "Very Easy" was ever placed in that category. Things like using interfacing, making fabric gathers...




...and my all time "favorite"-the narrow 5/8" rolled hem (how in the hell are you supposed to sew a rolled hem that narrow?)...



...all seem like torture. Like some sort of sewer's hazing you have to endure to be part of the club. There's too much to learn at once and you're quite overwhelmed. And you feel stupid because, although this is supposed to be "Trés Facile" (French for "Very Easy"), you need some hard liquor after doing something so "facile" as FINALLY sewing a seam that resembles a straight line.

But then it does get easier. Your mind recalls the illustrations in the many sewing reference books you have...you remember tips from friends...you figure out that, in order to get that stay tape for the shoulders to freakin' STOP MOVING AROUND while you sew it, it's easier for you to hand baste it FIRST (duh). Your seam lines get straighter because you've learned how to guide the fabric. You put it all together and end up with a dress that makes you feel "Trés Pretty" (I don't know the French word for "pretty". Sue me.).

Butterick 5001