Stitch By Stitch

I've been trying to sneak in some pattern planning this morning, and suddenly remembered that I'm not a professional seamstress. 

Can't figure out if I should pull apart my prototype and try to recreate from scratch with other fabric, OR just take it to a dressmaker here in Long Beach and hope that it turns out ok. (This would also require hoping that it's not a waste of $300 and that they don't eff up my original frock.)

Either way, I'm not crazy about the part where I'll have to relinquish control.

ALSO not crazy about taking a seam-ripper to my all-time favorite piece of clothing, but it's for the sake of a good cause, RIGHT?!

... Crap. I just don't know.

Ordering some muslin today so that I can start playing around with less risk.

Working on the hands-on part (even if it's just coordinating with someone else to actually do the sewing) is definitely dredging up a lot of fear for me lately. 

Seems like, if I can feel it and see it (and other people can too), then it will mean that I'm committed to a project that has lived in my daydreams for far too long. 

Makes me realize how often I try to keep the best ideas locked up in the dream-space because that's where they feel the safest.

The plans we love most are like photo negatives from inside our brain.

They contain precious images of our deepest heart/soul, and exposure to the light (before they're ready) means that we can kiss those images goodbye before they turn into anything usable or even worth looking at.*

*I have very little knowledge of film photography, but lots of experience with daydreaming.

The biggest difference I'd say, is that daydreams have a better chance of happening when you give them a little extra light to grow.

After I first started sharing about this project with the people I love, starting with my mom and dad over tacos at the place around the corner, THAT'S when I finally started noticing the courage I needed to begin putting things together.

A tiny glimpse of what happens when we're willing to risk, even if it is just stitch by faithful stitch.