Pride has a color. And it's PLAID.

So, I got my check from Primedia a while back. I was pretty excited, because I wasn't expecting to get it until October. I got $50 for my page, "I Feel Pretty," that will be in the Nov/Oct issue of Simple Scrapbooks.

So, I turned around and bought something I've been wanting for a really long time. I finally got a sewing machine! I got the Janome Sew Mini, which was on sale from Hancock Fabrics (with free shipping, even!) I got it last week, and it's adorable. It's a tiny little sewing machine that only does straight stitch and zigzag, which is just perfect for someone inept like me.

The weird thing is, the daughgetr of a woman who can make three bridesmaid dresses in one night, doesn't know how to sew at all. I mean, I've never sewed anything. Fortunately, I've watched my mom make enough prom dresses that I at least understood the basics. And my little machine is very user friendly. I think what always scared me off in the
past was using the foot pedal - I don't know, inretrospect, why that was so intimidating to me. But I also didn't learn how to drive until I was out of high school.

Anyway, Matt's birthday is on Sunday, and I really wanted to make him something. So I went over to JoAnn and got a few yards of plaid flannel. I already had a pattern for pajama pants, and that's what I made him. As you can see. And I am inordinately proud of myself.

Hopefully, Matt won't notice how crooked the seams are, or how I made no attempt whatsoever at matching the plaid. He doesn't have to know that a 2-hour pattern took me three days, or that the first time I did the outside leg seams, I messed them up and turned them into M.C. Hammer pants. (Can't touch this.) It will probably escape his scrutiny that I did a lousy job cutting the pieces out, so the edges are all choppy. Or that I didn't want to deal with making the drawstring out of flannel, so I just bought some twill tape instead. If he's a smart man, Matt won't point out that since they lack pockets and a button fly, these pants are actually inferior to the adequate number of pajama pants he already owns.



But I made something! I've never made anything before (not counting the kids). I think I'll be able to live off the pride of that for a long time.