Sewing 101 (or 911 in my case)

I remember my grandmother making clothes.  She did alterations for others and most of my dresses for middle and high school were made by her.  She made it look so easy and I've kinda been on a crafty binge the last few months.  I've taken classes on EVERYTHING!  I've got knitting projects, painting projects, scrapbook projects, crocheting projects and sewing projects all under way.

My first venture into sewing was a simple enough shirt pattern I got on sale for 99 cents.  The keyword here is "simple".  I should've started out sewing square, cloth coasters.  That's simple!  An empire waist blouse, is not.  First mistake.

Second mistake.  I cut out the pattern on the furtherest outside line.  Duh.  I know.  Unbeknowst to me, that is a size 22.  Halfway through, I asked my sweet grandmother, "Mimi.  Doesn't this look a little big?"  She replied, "Maybe you should take it apart and we'll try again." 

Go ahead, laugh.  We still laugh about it!  I did finally make it through "The Shirt", as it has come to be known, and I really like it!

Now, if I start on my daughter's prom dress now... she's ten...