Not So Great

Here's the third installment of my projects from The Crafter's Companion. I made this little market tote for one of my girlfriends after months of her visibly pining for every little thing I'd made, me unable to believe she'd want any of it. But here it is. You asked for it, Allyn.


This pattern was designed by Anna Torborg herself, and it's a really nifty little sac, although I must admit that, alas, I am not so pleased with it. My disappointment has nothing to do with the pattern or the directions, which were crystal-clear and fully illustrated, but entirely to do with the fact that I am a complete loser in the game of anything even remotely garment-related. If we'd played Garment-Making in 3rd grade PE, I would have been chosen last. Or sat the bench. Someone would have yelled to me, "Get your head out of your @#$!" like my friend's father screamed to him when he was a little bitty tot on the soccer field.

I would love nothing more than to be able to construct clothing deftly, but I am not particularly detail-oriented or patient, 2 qualities apparently essential to this type of skill. Shamefully, I spent all last Sunday making a dress that ended up being (at least) 2 sizes too small because I hadn't measured myself properly before cutting the material. Why bother with the details when - Whooppeeeeeee!! - I can just start into the fun part?? I always attack projects with greased britches, unwilling to dwell in minutiae, barrelling toward the finishing stitches.