Monday, November 14, 2011

{Blogiversary Week} Revisiting my First Dress

My very first sewing project and my very first blogging post was about this dress...


This pattern said 'Simple to Make' and got me all giddy because it had detachable collars and cuffs!  Well, they lied about the simply made bit and they kind of lied about how "detachable" the collars and cuffs were.  But I digress...

This dress has spanned two American cities, two countries and four addresses.  I finally finished the dress two years ago and it didn't fit!!  Luckily, my amazing readers helped me pinpoint the problem(s) and nearly a year later, I started refitting the dress to this:


This was one year ago.  I wore this dress when I met my first other sewing blogger in person.

Well, two years later I figured it was time to get onto the 'detachable' collars and cuffs!  I decided to go with green since it's in my autumn palette:


I adjusted the collar so that the pointy bit didn't sit so high up.  I really like the green with this dress:


Hmmm...maybe I'll do another collar at my 3 year blogiversary? I could make it a tradition to keep revisiting this dress!

Giveaway:
One of my very first  giveaways was to EvaDress patterns--an amazing reproduction online pattern site.  I had the opportunity to meet the lovely Xandra from EvaDress at the Gatsby Summer Afternoon and she is SO LOVELY!  So I thought I would revisit that first giveaway again by offering up reader's choice of their favourite pattern from EvaDress!


This giveaway is open to all my readers anywhere in the world. To enter, just leave a comment on this post and let me know what was the very first thing you ever started sewing (finished or unfinished).  I can't wait to hear your stories!  Enter your comment by midnight (London time) on Saturday the 19th for a chance to win an EvaDress pattern.
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77 comments

  1. My very first sewing project was started and finshed early this year. It was a little dress for my daughter from the book Little Girls, Big Style. My first sewing project for myself was the Crepe from Colette.

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  2. Congrats. I can't believe its been two years. I'm so impressed with how much you've achieved and learned. Thanks for the great giveaway. Eva dress have lovely patterns. :)

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  3. I first thing I ever sewed was a pair of boxer shorts in middle school. We didn't get a chance to really fit them to ourselves so mine were not the best fit. I never wore them outside of my house, so it didn't matter much. :)

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  4. oh, do make another collar & cuffs! that would be such a fun way to celebrate every anniversary :)

    my first sewing project from a pattern was... 6 years ago. god, has it been that long? anyway, it was simplicity 4170, a simple sundress (pattern is now out of print, obvs) out of some cheap hawaiian print quilting cotton. i picked it because it looked the easiest - i didn't want to try to sew darts! - but it's actually not even labled "easy" lol. took me FOREVER to figure out all the weird terminology! and i ended up omitting a lot of steps that i felt were unnecessary (like stay-stitching, and lining the bodice) - the biggest one was that i didn't gather under the bust to accommodate for boobs. so the bodice was totally flat. i did finish the dress and i actually wore it and, well, let's just say my boobs didn't exactly fit in it lol. but i was so proud of myself :) i've been sewing up a storm ever since - and actually following directions ;)

    i still have the dress, but i did rip off the bodice & make a new one with proper gathers & lining & stay-stitching. so it's not really the same, although the skirt hem is still wonky as shit lol. and yes, i still wear it!

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  5. A long long time ago--in a galaxy far far away--I cut a self-drafted circle skirt out of some unidentified slippery fabric with an autumn leaves motif, attached a drawstring waistband, and then hemmed the whole thing by hand while watching The Misfits on TV with my mom. I think I was about sixteen. Needless to say,it fell apart long ago, but I do have fond memories of that skirt!

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  6. The first thing I ever made (that wasn't compulsory for school) was grey culottes. I was 19 my mum had had the fabric in a drawer for year (grey school uniform cotton) from when the school suppliers shut. I never wore them at first but about a year after making them I pulled them out the wardrobe and wear them weekly. I washed them yesterday and have noticed the bums going a little thin. Not bad for 6 years wear and tear. I found the pattern in my mums loft 3 weeks ago and I've still got 9 meters of that grey fabric left. Now trying to decide whether to make an identical pair or to make them agan out of different fabric.

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  7. Happy blogiversary! I love your energy for sewing and the sewing community, it's so inspiring! My first project was a pair of pajama pants in a cute owl Japanese cotton. It has an elastic waist and I was so pleased that I managed to make something I could actually wear! And so the journey began... :)

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  8. Oh look how far you've come! Two years and so many beautiful accomplishments. The very first thing I sewed was a dress about a year ago. I wore it to my brother-in-law's wedding. It was a McCall's strapless dress and I remember making it one size smaller due to all of the ease in the pattern. (I still needed to pin the dress to my bra, for fear it would fall down while dancing!) This was about the same time I discovered the on-line sewing community and was hooked.

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  9. I love that you revisited your dress to make the collar and cuffs! What a nice idea.

    Hmm, my very first attempt at sewing was a skirt I made with my mum when I as a teenager but it was very soon abandoned long before it was finished. Can't even remember what it looked like! When I started again at my sewing class I made another skirt but it was so incredibly unflattering I've never worn it. Despite being painstakingly made and lined, with an invisible zipper. Think I might have charity shopped it.

    Thanks for the giveaway :)

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  10. I jumped in at the deep end when I was at university and made myself and 2 other girls ballgowns (!!!) They were all variations from the same pattern, which I still have. I subsequently made a skirt and top from the same pattern,
    this was in about 1987.

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  11. Well, as a child I did a teeny-tiny square pillow... Then in middle school for a history project we all did quilt squares by hand. (I think I have both of those somewhere...)

    My first project that I count as my first is a renaissance costume I did for Halloween my sophmore year of highschool. The pattern is now out-of-print and I can't find it on a quick google search. But it was rather complex with princess seams, fitted sleeves that belled out, completely lined, with ribbon trim... And a matching hat. It was actually very well done for a beginner. I ended up giving that to my high school's theater department for their costume collection.

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  12. The very first thing I sewed was a Hawaiian-print skirt with an elastic waistband (I was 9 or 10, I think).

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  13. I'm loving this recap - its great to see how far you have come :) My first dress was a similar experience to yours. The pattern claimed to be "easy" and ended up being much more challenging. Unfortuantly I made it before I started blogging so there was no record of it. However, I too recently remade it, as the first was passed on to a friend in texas. Its funny how much you bond with your first pattern - its become one of my favourite dresses!

    As for Evadress, I have been eyeballing the ladies 1940's wide leg overalls - such fun :)

    P.S I may be in scotland very briefly in january - I'll shoot you an email soon regarding potential hot chocolate and blogger gasbagging YAY!

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  14. After the cushions and linens, I made a blouse. A very poorly fitting blouse with ill-placed darts and strange hemlines. I had made it against my sewing machine owner's wishes (she claimed it was too difficult for a first dressmaking project...she was sort of right.)

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  15. My very first sewing project was a navy blue dress with little white flowers when I was 11 years old (ahem and that was a LONG time ago - the Beatles had just issued their first album in the US). The downside of that dress was that I knew nothing about pre-treating fabric so the very first time I washed it, all the dye ran out and the navy blue dress with little white flowers turned into a lilac dress with light pink flowers.

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  16. hi debi! well, you read about my first sewing project already (i wrote about it on my blog here:
    http://honeyhivintage.blogspot.com/2011/01/just-little-sewin.html
    - and mentioned you too, ha!) oh my gosh, i am still SO thankful for that list of pattern sites you posted. i have since bought many!
    xo
    janine
    honey hi vintage

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  17. My first sewing project was probably a pair of red corduroy trousers for my teddy bear that my neighbour helped me with. He's still wearing them!

    laviedeluda at hotmail [dot] com

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  18. My very first sewing project was a costume for Halloween two years ago. I went as Tinkerbell and made myself a green dress from McCall's 5001, a strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline, princess seams, and boning. I made the hem straight so I could wear it again, but I never did. The color makes me look ill, and the fit is terrible (I didn't know anything about FBAs or fit of any sort and just made up the straight pattern, so it tapes in the chest and doesn't actually stay up well at all). I learned a lot, and after that dress, I totally ignore other people's advice about avoiding "advanced" techniques. It might take me a little longer, but I can do anything! (with the assistance of Fit for Real People. Haha.)

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  19. The very first thing I sewed was a pillow for a guy I was dating. Thankfully, it turned out to not be a random guy, but my now fiance!

    amym710[at]gmail[dot]com

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  20. The very first thing I sewed was a little blanket for my dolls when I was about 5. Or rather, that is the first thing I remember sewing...

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  21. The first thing I ever began sewing was a little makeup pouch. Not too exciting, but it was a step!

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  22. The first thing I ever sewed was a 1970's style dress with bell sleeves and an empire waist! And the best part, my mom was helping me as I learned how to sew. Great memories!!!

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  23. As a kid I use to sew, okay tried to sew, clothes for my dolls. The first thing I tried to sew for a real live person wear was for me during a home economics class. It was a McCall's pattern blouse. When trimming the seam allowance I mistakenly cut a hole in the back yoke. It was also the time that I learned how to mend and repair.

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  24. The first thing I made with my sewing machine was a pair of curtains for my bedroom. I was excited to try out the blind-hem stitch on my machine after learning it in my introductory sewing machine class. I then moved on to wedding stuff. It wasn't until several months later, after the wedding was over, that I picked up a few actual patterns and started sewing garments.

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  25. Oooo, Eva dress pattern give-away! The first garment I sewed was back in '83. It was a 3-tiered jersey skirt and I made each tier in a different colour. It was so cool. Then I started sewing again last year and made the Anda from Burdastyle. (Hope I win!)

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  26. I love this dress! It's so terribly cute on you! Let's see, the first thing I ever sewed was a knee-length, elastic-waisted skirt in a light blue chambray. I was 9 years old and it did NOT go well! There were tantrums, tears, and a horrible fashion show involved-- eek!

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  27. You've come a long way, baby!

    It's so great to read everyone's stories about their first projects. That's what I love about this place you've created - it's a real, functioning community; you all respond to, teach, and learn from each other.

    It's been a real pleasure to see this start from scratch, and become such an integral part of your life (our lives)!

    I know it will continue to grow, and that with your readers' help and support, you will become even more skillful, and passionate about sewing (if such a thing is possible).

    Thank you for allowing me to be a part of it.

    I'm so proud of what you've accomplished, and happy that this site (community) exists.

    Happy Blogiversary, darlin'. Many happy returns!

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  28. For a couple of summers, my grandma would have us all working on small quilting projects so my first projects were small quilts. The first thing I ever sewed on my own (ie unsupervised) was an apron.

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  29. The first thing I remember is a tiered skirt that I sewed at home and wore to primary school; I wore that skirt to death; it was navy blue and I think there were little flowers on it.

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  30. I did home ec at school at school, and our first project was a library bag, which my mum still uses occasionally! But my first 'independent' project was a patchwork apron (blogged here: http://tatulinkastales.blogspot.com/2011/08/completed-project-patchwork-apron.html). I still use it when I bake - flour goes everywhere! :)

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  31. I loved that post on the dress you had to make over to fit. Such a change it made. I love that pattern too in my size.

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  32. Glad I'm remembering to comment here! My work computer wont let me comment on blogspot blogs, so I forget a lot. ;)

    My first sewing project was a 90's Blossom-style hat with a floppy brim that folded back, and the fabric was blue&white gingham with sunflowers on it. I still remember how hard it was sewing the brim to the crown - that's something I'd struggle with now, even!

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  33. My first sewing project was the Lady Grey sew along over at Gertie's blog, you could say I was a little under qualified for such a mammoth project! I still have the coat,and I do wear it, but there are certain faults in it's workmanship that cry out to me so most of the time it's hidden at the back of my wardrobe :)

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  34. My first sewing project was the walkaway dress! But it was before I know about actually taking my measurements, seam allowances, seam finishing and many other things that make a garment good! lol I managed to get into it, even though it was too small and actually wore it out. Once, then I realised how bad it was!
    Ashley x

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  35. My first sewing project was probably in home ec, but I can't remember what. But the first garment i sewed by myself as an adult was a dress for a party with the Tolkien society, so it was all fantasy-like and costumey.

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  36. My first sewing was done ages ago on barbie clothes: just tubes with some smaller tubes sewn at the top on the sides for sleeves. But as for real project I think it was my prom dress from a pattern from a Finnish magazine. The dress had a boned bustier, an under top with big chiffon sleeves and a cotton velvet skirt. Everything was very gothy and dark :)
    And the fir of the bustier was horrible! And I had forgotten to shrink the velvet so the only piece I would have worn even now got ruined in the washing machine

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  37. Oooh, too many beautiful patterns to choose from!

    I've been sewing as long as I can remember, I even had that tiny pink sewing machine to practice with. So the first things I made were probably for my barbies. I liked to make them all matching outfits and then have fashion shows and beauty pageants :D

    The first project since childhood I remember doing outside of school was a corset top, that turned out OK except it made me look completely flat and tubular :D

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  38. Happy blogiversary, I can't believe it's been two years! Here's to many more!

    The first thing I ever tried to sew (which was never finished) was a Star Trek Next Gen uniform from a trouser pattern I found somewhere that I don't remember. I think I would've been a teenager, and I remember I'd figured out how to extend pieces up and make it all work. I think it would've too, if I'd had enough fabric!

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  39. My 1st was a skirt. Ans it's was so simple... I cannot use it because I put some weight on but I think to revisit the pattern again

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  40. Happy blogoversary! It's really great to see what you have done so far. About that third set of detachable cuffs and collars, the purple from the flowers in the dress fabric would be super pretty :)

    I've been sewing since I was very very young, so I can't remember exactly what the very first thing I made was. The first thing I actually have memories of sewing is an 18th century style dress I hand sewed for one of my favorite dolls... when I was maybe thirteen. (Yes,I was that kid who sat in the library reading 800-page books on fashion history and then went home to either sketch, sew or otherwise craft when everyone else was into horses, boybands or the local youth club disco). The dress is still somewhere at my parents place, it's about ten inches tall and in lilac cotton. :-)

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  41. The first thing I ever sewed was a school project, we had to make a cushion that looked like a pizza (I have no idea why!). As an adult I make a knitting needle roll, complete with top stitching. Its a little ropey in places but I still use it.

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  42. My first sewn garment was hand drafted by myself, it was a velvet jersey Tshirt with a boatneck. I loved it but the fabric was not very sturdy and I had to throw it away quite soon (there was absolutely no way to fix it for it to be worn again). I think it was like 15 years ago (I am 29).
    I started taking sewing classes 4 years ago and am now able to follow more or less any pattern. The most difficult one I made was a pregnancy skirt from the 50s for my sister.
    I would love to have the opportunity to make this dress from the 30s:
    http://www.evadress.com/5542.html
    The dress you're the proudest of is definitely the one I was the most impressed with :-)

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  43. I guess the first item ever would be what they call a "dap bag" where I come from. Basically a drawstring bag to keep your school plimsoles in (known as "daps" in South Wales). Mine had an appliques felt cat on it edged with a red blanket stitch. Funny how I can remember that from over 30 years ago when I can hardly remember what I'm sewing at the moment!

    After that was a break of about 25 years before coming back to sewing as an adult - a course on how to refashion your clothing taken on a whim one Xmas holiday. My first item on that was taking a boxy top and making a slim fitting one shoulder, asymmetric number - that was about 20 years too young for me!

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  44. My aunt taught me to sew when I visited her one weekend and we made a very simple birthday dress for me when I was 10. I practiced with making clothes for my dolls after that. As an adult the first things I sewed were clothes for my children. My first adult dress was Colette patterns Macaron. I love seeing all your projects. Thank you so much for sharing them with us (and the giveaways!) Happy blogaversery!

    pa7oma(at)yahoo(dot)com(dot)mx

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  45. Oh dear, my first ever sewing project... I have no idea! I learned to sew as a child, so something simple I would assume =) In school I made some small things, and a dressing robe I still use! As an adult, I started with medieval clothes, a simple shiftdress was first out.

    My first attempt in vintage-style sewing was the brides-maid dress I wore to my best friend's wedding. Coming from medieval sewing the notion of using a pattern didn't even occur to me =) And I made it in silk. Overambitious and biting off more than I can chew? My sewing-story in a box... But, hey, I learn while doing! =)

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  46. I think the first thing I ever helped to make was a soldier costume for a dancing show - hand sewing hundreds of sequins to fabric put me off for a long time. Inexplicably 2 years ago I decided to give it another go, and made myself was Simplicity 3673 in beige suiting. I wore it to death! It ended up looking like a sack on me after I lost a lot of weight, so it went to charity (not sure if that was a nice thing or not!). Maybe it's about time I make another one...

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  47. My first sewing project was making doll clothes for Barbie using a Toy Singer Sewing Machine that my granmother found in a charity shop.
    At 8 I found making doll clothes too hard, so I never made any clothes succesfully but I still have the machine.

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  48. I think you should so refresh the collar & cuffs each year ;o) And yes please, do enter me for this giveaway, I love Eva Dress patterns!

    My first project was a smock fress and was abandoned as I chose cheap material and the style was so unflattering on me! My first finished project was a modern Simplicity tea-type-dress...it's a bit wonky!

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  49. I think my first (clothing) sewing project was a skirt made out of a Heman pillowcase. It was a bit of a disaster since I tried to use part of an old t-shirt for the waistband and my machine was NOT happy about the stretch. I also think I gave up and never hemmed it.

    I like to think I have improved since then.

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  50. The first garment I learnt to sew was a floral wrap-around skirt with a bias binding hem, when I was at junior school. But I think my very first sewing was learning embroidery - making a sampler for the Queen's Silver Jubilee!

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  51. Ridiculously, the first thing I sewed was a ZIPPER pouch. Yep, zipper. It was literally the first thing I sewed! It was a cute little sidebar in the Sew Everything Workshop book and I didn't yet have zipper fear so I thought it was fine. I finished it and started sewing a wrap skirt which I hated. It was the wrong fabric (white knit with cherries...cute for an accessory but not for a whole skirt), wrong size (toooo small in the waist!), and wrong style for me (I prefer a poofy skirt, thank you!). So my first night of sewing I learned some valuable lessons. I'll be sure never to stray from my style because I'm scared of zippers!

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  52. I love your dress and the different collar/sleeve possiblities. It is so lovely for a first sewn garment.
    My first garment was my prom dress which I had a lot of help from a neighbor (who actually knew what she was doing LOL). It was in a horrid material and was an american civil war style dress (I have no idea what I was thinking). But I gave up sewing for over 10 years after that and have just recently decided to pick it back up. The first thing that I have sewn by myself (ok, I got a little help) was my skirt for casey's circle skirt sew along.

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  53. My very first sewn anything was a rag doll for my Mum when I was about 10? The doll channelled Elizabeth Bennett in her dress style, which was Laura Ashley fabric (this was the late 80s / early 90s). Bags however got me sewing again as an adult, followed by patchwork something I still very irregularly do a little of - the quilt is going to take years to piece because clothes have taken over! My first finished clothing object was a Colette Ginger skirt. It was only the beginning of this year but oh my, I can see the difference between that skirt and what I make now. I just love the constant learning opportunities (most of the time) that sewing has provided me, as well as the fantastic community I've discovered because of it!

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  54. My first sewing project was a dog bed for my dog who had just had surgery and didn't have a soft spot to lie upon. It was totally self drafted and certainly not a project for the ages BUT it was what he needed at that moment.

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  55. The first thing I made was a reversible vest. I think I was in... 2nd or 3rd grade, so pretty young! I know I had to have a lot of help, but I don't remember that clearly. I did wear it a lot. Then I helped my mother make a "pioneer"-style dress to be Laura Ingalls for Halloween several years in a row, maybe when I was 10 or 11. And I got my for-real by-my-self start when I was 14, when my family began doing 1860s reenacting. My mother made my first dress, but told me if I wanted another dress I had to make it. She helped, of course, but it was definitely my project. It turned out pretty well, and I really haven't look back since!

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  56. My first sewing project was a pillow in middle school. It was grey and blue and I will have to admit, a little lop-sided. :) I was very excited to finish it and still have it to this day.

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  57. My first adult sewing project was simple curtains. When I got done, I looked at the sewing machine I'd borrowed from my mom and thought, "Hmmm, maybe I can make some pants that actually fit me..."

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  58. Ooo, that dress is so pretty with the new green cuffs and collar. I love your idea of making it a tradition to change them every year! So nice!

    I can´t really recall what my first sewing project was, but I will guess that it was an apron that I made in home ec. With hand embroidered initials on the pocket. I think my mother still have it somewhere! :-)

    Thanks for the givaway!

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  59. My first sewing project (outside of home ec in school) was an unfitted dress with sash. I have worn it twice. It's too large and I cring at the "finishing" on it. I was recently thinking that I should use the fabric for something else...since there is so much fabric.
    Happy blogiversary!

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  60. A tiny, open-top purse with Snoopy on it, from an old pillowcase. I was...Maybe 6 or 7? I thought sewing was WAY too much work back then. Bo-ring. Things have changed!

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  61. My first project was a jumper dress, that I was determined to finish..regardless of mismatching plaids and a few moth holes..

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  62. I love that you do these giveaways, just to spread the sewing love around! My grandmother sewed a lot of our clothes when we were kids, so I am sure I made some little something or others on her machine. Now that i think of it, I sort of recall trying to make a pair of pants for a doll. The first thing I completed was a baseball shirt in sewing class in grade 8. The first thing I made once I took up sewing about a year and a half ago was a simple apron. Something easy to get me started. I am still quite chuffed at how well it turned out.

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  63. I think it was doll clothes, but I was only eight, so it's a little hazy. I do know that I didn't finish.

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  64. It was doll's clothes. I think I would have been about 6 or 7. I would lay my dolls onto the material and draw around them and then sew the pieces together. I don't think my dolls were very well dressed!

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  65. I have to say the differing colour combinations on this dress totally changes the whole look. Wonderful.

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  66. I don't remember the first thing I ever made, though I'm sure it was a costume for someone else :) Those poor college students might have been losing pieces on stage for all I know!

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  67. Happy Blogiversary! It is so much fun to pull out early projects and assess how far the sewing skills have come, but it can also be a bit embarrassing. Kudos to you for going back and making alterations to your garment – once something is completed, it begins to feel like mending or sewing on loose buttons, and I quickly lose interest.

    My first sewing project was for a theatre class – a couple of friends and I (with the help of one patient mom) made our own Jane Austen style dresses for a Sense and Sensibility project. I never looked back, and now have a closet full of self-made items. It is so much more rewarding than purchasing dodgy quality stuff from the local mass retailer. If only I could figure out how to make my own shoes!

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  68. First project was a tote bag -- great way to learn the ropes. First garment was an a-line skirt.

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  69. The first thing I ever made was in a sewing course. It was a burda-pattern black wool skirt. Since I had no idea what I was doing, I simply copied the pattern and made the skirt with no adjustions to my body. The result was a skirt too wide on my waist lol.

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  70. The first project I sewed completely on my own was a camouflage dress for homecoming. (90s, anyone? Though I would like to note I was certainly the first to do camo as fashion fabric in my school.) :)

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  71. the first thing i sewed was a lined, full-length cloak for a halloween costume. i had lots of help from my mother, who used to sew all my clothes when i was a little girl. i used a brown suede-like material with black lining and a pretty gold clasp at the neck. mom had to sew in the lining, but i did most everything else. i actually use it quite a bit for halloween, and when i get dressed up to go to the local renaissance festival every other year. it's quite warm, i wish i could use it all the time without getting strange looks from people!

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  72. The first thing I sewed was a dress. In my own stubborn way I refused to get any help from my mother (a very experienced seamstress)as I wanted to do it all by myself. It was an absolute mess, but I've worn it and I'm still sewing so it wasn't a complete failure.

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  73. The very first thing I started sewing (since I started again, not counting the sewing I did as a kid or cross-stitching) was a (supposedly) A line skirt, which ended up being a lot more flared/full than what I now think of as an A line skirt. It's red cotton or poplin, something like that, with tiny white polkadots, and I made it to wear on Christmas day last year. It's still in regular rotation too, and it's a favourite with my friends! :)

    The very first thing that I can remember sewing is small stuffed animals (mostly cats) from scraps of my grandmother's leftover quilting material, when we visited her house. We also made little wrist pincushions using plastic milkbottle lids, a scrap of fabric, stuffing, and elastic. However, I'm sure I had lots of smaller projects to keep me amused - grandma was always sewing something, and making things was one of the novelties of going over to grandma's house!

    I actually think I prefer the green cuffs and collar to the yellow ones on your dress... but it's amazing that such a small change can make a huge difference to the overall look of the dress!

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  74. Congratulations! I love the green collar and cuffs and it's lovely to see the dress again.

    I wish I could remember my first sewing project, but I can't. I would have made it at the age of 12 and it most certainly didn't fit and was a "wadder." I do remember sewing it on my mom's green Kenmore--what a workhorse machine.

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  75. Oh my. First sewing project. How embarrassing!

    If you go right back to the very first garment I ever sewed for myself, it would have been in my first year of high school, making a hot-pink-and-black skorts set (remember those? A mini skirt attached to a pair of bike shorts. Very classy.). I hated it before I'd even finished it, but had to finish it for a school assignment.

    Then many years later, in university when I started sewing again, for some reason I decided that the easiest thing to make would be singlet tops out of super-stretchy synthetic fabrics, sewn up using zig-zag stitch on my sewing machine, and cut out by tracing (with scissors - I didn't even use tailors chalk first!) around an existing singlet top I owned. I loved them and made several, in clashingly bright colours. Terribly made, horrible fabrics - heck knows why but I wore them out every weekend. I'm glad to say I've moved on from those days!

    (PS Loving the green collar and cuffs! Moving the collar point down has made a huge difference - looks fabulous!)

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  76. Oooh, I love the green collar and cuffs!

    The first thing I remember sewing was a pair of pedal pushers. I wore those things until they were threadbare!

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  77. The first thing I sewed was a bunch of bean bags as presents for all of my siblings. I was 11 years old, I believe. I filled them with popcorn, which seemed like a good idea until my mom washed one of them and the corn began sprouting!

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I read each and every comment--thank you so much!

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