Sew what?

Sewing - the latest crafty thing I've got myself into is the one thing I really wanted to learn during our time here in NZ (that and crochet, that has been even more unsuccesful but I digress). With all the travelling around it's been very difficult to start any night courses as we have invariably been away when the course commenced. Not so, this time. I have been looking forward to starting a dressmaking class in Wellington High for the longest time. I had an inkling that we'd be around for the July intake and so it was 2 weeks ago I took myself off to the beginners class. I was feeling pretty confident, I mean I'm pretty crafty, I have used a machine before (granted I was probably a child and did so with my mother by my side) and both of my parents are well acquainted with sewing machines so I thought you know I had a lot of things going for me.

The class began with everyone introducing themselves and saying what they wanted out of the course. I told everyone I was a Knitter (why?) and that I really just wanted to know how to sew - I didn't really have any great lofty aspirations. Others wanted to make garments that fit and look professional etc. It was then that I started to get scared. You'd think that by the title of the class I would have known what was ahead of me but it hadn't occurred to me that we'd actually be making clothes ( by week 2)!!!!

So, the first night was all about learning to use the machine and it turns out most of the beginners in the class aren't beginners at all and I'm quickly left behind. The clincher in terms of my own stupidity came though when the instructor told us to sew a zig zag design on our sample fabric and drew a zig zag line to illustrate. I quickly started looking at all the dials and buttons on the machine thinking to myself - I know this one, I know this one, it was one of those dials that we were shown at the beginning of the class. So, delighted with myself I switch the dial and start sewing lines of zig zag stitch. One of my fellow "beginners" noticed after a little while and said to me was I sure I knew what I was doing. Confidently I replied sure, we're supposed to be doing the zig zag stitch and this, as I held my sample up - was zig zag stitch. Then I looked around, I'd been so industrious and sure of what I was doing that I hadn't bothered lifting my head to see what everyone else was doing. Then I noticed something and it clicked - really why would the teacher want to see us doing lines and lines of zig zag stitch which you know effectively the machine was doing. No, the teacher wanted to teach us to sew a straight line and then learn how to turn the fabric and sew another line in the opposite direction and so on and so forth.

Thankfully the bell rang and I was spared the embarrassment of starting over. Just before we packed up we were told to go buy some fabric and a pattern and cut it out and bring it to class next week - WHAT? I still can't sew a straight line never mind a zig zag and as for cutting fabric - yikes. Turns out though I'm not too bad at that part, it's just the sewing that's the issue. Do you think if I knit a skirt they'd notice?