long overdue Squam post (part 2)

i taught two 6-hour classes at the Spring Session of Squam this year, Pattern Play and Dream Skirt.

Pattern Play was awesome; i always love opening up the possibilities of pattern drafting with students for the first time! if any of you are reading this, i hope you’ve made some projects with your new patterns and i would LOVE to see them! if you’re not shy, you can share in the Design-It-Yourself Clothes flickr group, or just email me pics. and you would make my day!

but the real magic happened in Dream Skirt. i still can’t believe it: 16 people sewed their very first garments with me that weekend. many were beginner stitchers; one had NEVER SEWN BEFORE! it was a tall order, and there were moments when i wasn’t sure i/we could pull it off. there were past “sewing traumas” to overcome for some, and general sewing anxiety for several, and general lack of sewing confidence for most. but these ladies were amazing and brave, and we just dove right in. newly self-drafted patterns were cut. invisible zippers were inserted. first pockets were made. we had moments of chaos, but we pulled through and in the end there were 16 skirts on 16 radiant women*. i don’t think i’ve ever been more proud of a group of students!

*(note: if you are counting skirts in the photos above, a few somehow escaped before i snagged a photo)