Sewing Stardom (Envy)

What's the mark of an accomplished home seamstress/seamster? Someone who can proudly wear their garments in public? Someone whose garments are mistaken for store bought? Someone who takes satisfaction from their work and is equally motivated by their successes and failures?

All that is nice, but I have another,  more shallow ambition. I wanna be on the cover of the sewing Rolling Stone - aka Burdastyle.com. I want people browsing the front page to see my garment and marvel at it's loveliness, read all the details, check to see my other creations. Being chosen as a featured member project would be nice. Project of the week would be even better.

I'm very aware that receiving those honors has little to do with sewing skill. Project photos usually don't show the details. There could be some really shoddy construction going on, and no one would know. What really matters is that the fit is decent and that you know how to take a good photo. But I don't care. I want my project up there so I can feel like I got a little pat on the back or a gold star. It's petty and silly, but there you have it! (P.S. I'm sure many of the garments that are chosen for these honors do come from talented people - it's just there are other factors at play as well).

I recently completed my maxi dress from McCall's 3562 and a rayon (challis?) that I bought off eBay:

I was really hopeful that this dress might be the one to propel me into Burda fame. I've been day dreaming about the photos, how perfect it all will be, the praise that will be showered upon me. And then... I saw this!

Maxi dress by gemmafloyd - geez, why does it have to be so pretty and elegant?

Oh what a cruel world it is. A beautiful maxi dress, in similar colors and style to mine, just got chosen as the project of the week. I definitely yelled when I saw this. And then tore my hair. And later pondered how maybe this is an unhealthy obsession. You'd think I spend all my time huddled over my laptop or sewing machine, eying the competition and muttering as I sew.* But anyway.... my dress doesn't stand a chance. I'm sure variety is somewhere on that list that Burda people use to choose projects to highlight. Two (very similar) maxi dresses in a row? Not gonna happen. I'm retreating to my sewing lair to plot my next move.



*somewhat accurate