Broken Sewing Promises or "Don't Remind Me"

Friends, particularly at this time of year, when nobody wants to be judged naughty instead of nice, one wants to keep one's promises.  But sometimes, no matter how well-intentioned, one's plans hit a snag.

If I told you it was highly unlikely I was going to complete a men's suit jacket before the end of the year -- or even start one -- would you be terribly disappointed?  It's not that I don't want to make a suit jacket -- I do -- I just don't feel motivated to start right now.  Can that be OK?

Sometimes I get very excited about ideas for projects and share these with you, getting your hopes up, no doubt, and then they don't pan out.  I get sidetracked, or the idea, which seemed so right at the time, loses its appeal.  I hope you'll indulge me if I list a few here.  I do this not for you so much as for me -- a sort of end-of-year inventory of projects sidelined -- perhaps forever, perhaps not.

I know earlier this year I'd talked about making a dress like the one Ginger Rogers wore in the "Pick Yourself Up" number in Swing Time, always a favorite of mine.  I even bought a pattern I thought might be suitable.







It didn't happen.  If truth be told, the pattern didn't seem quite right, and I wasn't sure I knew how to adapt it or cared to try.  Maybe some day.

I so wanted to make a Liza-inspired, Halston-esque jump suit and I still may.  I bought this wonderful sparkly fabric which I think would be perfect.  I just never got around to it.





Remember this Fifties Vogue pattern that was going to be "Cathy's Comeback Dress"?  Well, Cathy did come back (from prison, it's a long story) but not in this pattern.  I even made a muslin of the bodice.  If I learned anything, it's that dirndl skirts use a lot of fabric and aren't flattering on everybody.





Moving right along, remember when I said I was going to remake my ironing board cover, using a vintage wool blanket?  Well, I am using the blanket on the ironing board, but I've never actually made the cover -- I just threw the blanket on the board and stretched the commercial cover over it, with the blanket ends hanging out over the edges.  It looks dreadful, especially behind lovely Patti Playpal.  Maybe that's something I can get accomplished before the end of the year.







Friends, there have been other near-promises made and not kept (mermaid gowns anybody?) but I do think it's important to go where one's energy is and be able to change one's mind.  Making a worsted wool men's suit jacket without the necessary energy and enthusiasm is a recipe for disaster, don't you think?

In closing, do you generally do the things you set out to do?  If you don't, are you able to shift gears without feeling too bad about it?

What are your sewing plans for the last two weeks of 2011?  Are you giving yourself a break -- it is the holidays, after all -- or hunkering down even more?  Is there any big project you wanted to accomplish in 2011 that's been pushed back (or is it forward?) to 2012 -- or beyond?

Finally, if I told you I never did ditch my Mickey Mouse phone....

To forgive is divine!