I'm an idiot

So, Max has been asking for an Artist's Smock for  a while now, and I actually got around to making one.  I made this a week or too ago, really, and it's pretty nice.  You know.  For a boy.  I used the pea green vintage sheet instead of the shabby, pink, rosey one.  And I trimmed it in blue binding, not mint green with Barby rick rack.  The pocket is rectangular.  I guess it's manly enough.  Max seems to like it, and he was happy to report that the pocket withstood the 138 crayons he loaded in it without ripping.  So.  Am I just an idiot for wanting a little girl sometimes?  You can say that there is  plenty of fun crap to sew for boys too, but it's not true.  Girls are boat-loads more fun in that department, always will be.  I guess I could sew girly things for the shop, but I doubt that would really scratch the itch, you know?  I guess I could have another kid, but Mike seems to think (in the grand, puffy-chested, misogynistic tradition) that it's just boys, boys, boys for us and nothing else.  Don't even try, it will just be triplet boys!  Then, I could live out my fantasy of turning into Lois from Malcolm in the Middle.  She's my hero.  (Oops, shoulda saved her for Friday.)

I completely winged the pattern for this.  I traced a basic neckline onto the fabric, cut it out and trimmed the entire thing in itty-bitty seam binding.  And THAT is, in fact,  why I'm an idiot.  (see the torture device below)

   

The story goes something like this, and it's always the same:

A random night, a few weeks ago.  It's about 10:30pm and I'm pretty tired.  I should go to sleep, lots to do the next day.  But wait, instead, maybe I should do something completely stupid and worthless.   I will  take out my miscellaneous bag of sewing machine attachments, and stay up till 3am trying to figure out how they all work.  When A:  I have no idea what most of them do,  B:  I have no instructions and refuse too get help, and C:  Most of the attachments were bought from yard sales and are probably broken anyway.

THAT is why I'm an idiot.  This was not an isolated incident either, I do this all of the time, wasting huge portions of my days and being horrifyingly inefficient.  (But, I have other redeemable qualities, so I try not to let it get me down.)  However,  I did dominate  this binder foot.  I kicked it's ass, actually.  Once you get in the groove, you can sew on the tiniest binding thisclose to the edge.  Perfectly.

That binding is only 1/4 wide!  Look how tight that is, and that was just a practice strip.  I'm trying to come up with more things to bind now, just to reign further triumph over that silly piece of scrap metal.

The ruffler foot?

I don't want to talk about it.

 

Comments

[Janet McKinney]

Well done. If you can get the ruffler working - it is a real beauty. You can make pleated ruffles,frills,lace and so on. It can be great fun
Janet McKinney

[Tasha]

Ooooh....learning to use my machine is the next thing on my list. And no, I don't think it's crazy to want a girl. My grandmother wanted a girl through having three boys. When she was pregnant the fourth time, she'd given up on hoping for a girl. That's when she had my mom. If you ever want to borrow a couple of girls, I know where to find them. :)

[LeeAnn]

Eegads! That ruffler foot looks like it belongs in a dungeon. Good luck with that!

[Jeannine]

The extra sewing machine feet scare me and make me want to cry.

That binding looks sooooo good, Amanda! Makes me want to try it.

[Sarah]

The ruffler foot is actually pretty easy. I have a link to a video that is really helpful here: http://mamanjackjack.blogspot.com/2008/01/weeks-in-making.html

Also, I totally get the itch to sew for a girl too. I love my crazy boy, but sometimes I wish for a wee little girl...

And Lois! God I love that show.

[julie (jane's apron)]

That ruffler foot looks even more scary than my buttonhole attachment. I have two boys and a girl and completely understand your wish for a girl. I was completely positive that she would be a boy and told my husband if I had three boys, one of them had better be gay. And Louis? My hero too...even dressed as her for Halloween one year.

[marjorie]

oh so cute!! :) and where did you find that wonderful binding presser foot!!? That looks like a great tool!!:)

[Casey]

I have a box of vintage sewing attachments, that I've never played with. But now I want to try out the binder foot!!

And btw: even though I've never even tried the ruffler attachment, I think it is evil. I mean, it looks far too complicated for the task! I admit it: it scares me! ;)

[Tassie]

Where was Max's head n the phtos shoot? He told me all about the smock on the phone. Don't be hating the obsessed aunts by leavin out the head shot of our obsession!!
Babysitter needed for the weekend? I know of two right off the top of my head!!

Love you, Amanda.

[Amber]

Haha you crack me up. Are we watching Top Model tomorrow?

[Kristin Seling]

Well, if it makes you feel any better....I am an idiot too! I can have a long to-do list in my mind and I will walk straight to the computer and read blogs for 2 hours, or sit in my studio area just staring at all my supplies and not really knowing what I want to make. Maybe we should start a club. Kristin

[julie Crossman]

I totally get the itch thing for a girl! I have 2 boys. I love them to death, but I want a little pink girl too! The clothes! The room I could decorate! The dolls I could make! Oh well, maybe grandgirls some day.

[Katherine]

If this makes you an idiot, then I guess we should form a club! You had me laughing by the time you showed the photo of the ruffler attachment (which by the way, is easier to master than the binding one - really).
On second thought, maybe you want to keep away from the ruffler foot though. It might make you want a little girl that much more or you will find yourself adding ruffles to the boys' stuff.

[Katherine]

If this makes you an idiot, then I guess we should form a club! You had me laughing by the time you showed the photo of the ruffler attachment (which by the way, is easier to master than the binding one - really).
On second thought, maybe you want to keep away from the ruffler foot though. It might make you want a little girl that much more or you will find yourself adding ruffles to the boys' stuff.

[Periwinkle Vintage]

Oh my! The first thing I thought when you showed the photo of your son's apron was how perfect the binding was stitched! No joke! I admire you for figuring that out. I just hide all those attachments and forget them. And about a girl? I used to sew for my little boys and wanted a girl, thinking it would be such fun to sew for her. But when we adopted her, I just sort of quit sewing and didn't really make her anything! Now I really regret it!
Cheryl

[Periwinkle Vintage]

You'll probably want to smack me, but I'm tagging you, just because it'll be fun to learn more about you. If you are so inclined, go to my blog for the rules!
Cheryl

[Sarah]

This is why sewing is so intimidating. So much machinery to wrestle! I have a feeling that binding and I would not get along very well.

[violetkey]

Careful trying for a girl...my mother-in-law had 4 boys and wanted to try one more time for that girl, she had a 5th boy =) I think she's hopin' for a granddaughter but not rushing us... oh no, not rushed.

Good luck with the sewing, that is a good lookin' smock.

[Lolly]

I just discovered you! Love your blog!!
~Lolly

[coffeechris]

Your in good idiot company, here. I only have a boy and find myself sewing and buying girlie things for nieces, neighbors and the girl world. BTW I do the same thing with my machine and learning only usually it is under a deadline....ugh

[Jasmine]

Ah that was funny!
I also have a little darling boy called Max..I had my
girl first and never gave a second thought to having a boy..and then he came along..and I can truly say there is NOTHING like having a little boy in your life,nothing can compare.
I can't identify yet with you on the sewing thing, but it sure does scare me...I have been scouting around for dress making courses because I cannot sew to save my life, but i am afraid that I will land up throwing the sewing machine out the window...I am not the most patient person, uh-hem..but I am going to give it a try.I will probably post all the moanings and groanings on my blog for all to read..
Keep Sewing!

[Stacy]

Awesome job with the binding. You seem to have managed well where I failed miserably and gave up. I do use my hemmer tho. I thought the ruffler was just one of those joke items they threw into the box with a snicker "Let's see how much time everyone can waste on this little gadget....Muahahahah...!"

But if Julie's comment above is true maybe I will give it a go.

[Megan]

I found a cute 'boyish' idea for an apron I thought I'd share with you...made me think of this post so I had to come back and comment!

http://www.fromthebeanpot.com/OverallAprons.html

It could also be made by finding some old overalls at a thrift store and turning them into an apron.

Just an idea.

[MissLobelia]

You know, I used to think the same thing and for the longest time I would only make pyjama pants for my boy and sew nice dresses for my friends girls and then one day I had an idea.
Costumes! Boys like to play dress up just as much as girls and you can get real creative, knight's and pirats and space men and super heros... Kept me in buisness til he was 10 and got me a few halloween costume contracts along the way.