My friend wants to learn to sew and I've been talking to her about the process today. Learning to sew is a process, I think, because you don't just learn everything you need to know at once. It takes a lot of trial and error.

So, with sewing on the brain and for the fun of it, I thought I'd go back and see if I could collect some pictures of what I've made over the years. I wondered if my pictures would show any apparent improvement in my sewing abilities. And I think they do!

It's clear to me that my projects have gotten more difficult over the years. This has been very encouraging to me today and it just makes me want to go sew some more!

Using a poncho pattern, I made Norah a ladybug poncho for Halloween in '08.

I bought Norah's pajamas way too big and hemmed the legs (then let the hem out as Norah grew) so we could get more than one year's wear out of the same pair of pajamas.

I followed (and then altered and customized) a pattern for an Native American costume to make Norah's Halloween costume in '09.

I made my own pattern for this Christmas stocking for Norah in '09. (In my opinion, the store's stockings are never big enough or they are always made with the wrong color red or green.) I only had to make one that year because Avril was a baby and didn't even understand Christmas. But, I got enough fabric for several stockings and I will need to make one for Avril before Christmas if I ever want to hang stockings again. She's old enough now to notice whether or not she gets one!


I made a patchwork tree skirt without a pattern and matching pillow cases also without a pattern.

When I served as my friend's birth partner in December '10, I made a baby blanket for her little baby boy. I didn't have a pattern, but I watched some online tutorials to figure out the process.

I made the blanket complete with ribbon tags for him to suck on and play with. (My babies always loved tags.)

I followed a pattern and made Avril this little dress last month. It was the first time I actually finished something with sleeves! I have some fabric with a red and white design to make another dress like this for Avril to wear this Christmas season.


I made this skirt for Norah's Halloween costume this year without a pattern and I sewed Avril's Yoda ears, also without a pattern.