Now that my first skirt is complete and I'm still intact, nerves and all, I'm starting my next sewing project. A funky orange dress, and this one has a zipper. I'm nervous about the zipper. I don't think I've ever sewn a zipper in anything...ever.
I bought the zipper last weekend. I felt confident as I strolled down the zipper aisle in the fabric store. "How pretty," I thought as I gazed at the array of zippers, arranged in rainbow order. I was looking for an orange one, and it took me a while actually because a brown zipper was covering the orange zippers (you can't really blame the brown zippers, they just want to be noticed with the rainbow colors too), but I found it. It is 22" and "tango" orange, to match the orange fabric.
I jumped into this project with enthusiasm, cutting out my fabric, marking it, arranging it. Then, as I read through the pattern's directions, I glanced down and remembered, "Uh-oh, this one has a zipper, and I'm going to have to sew it. I got scared. I've never sewn a zipper and now I don't want to.
I followed the directions for the dress, skipping the zipper part, even did some other things to avoid reaching the zipper part. Finally, avoidance was futile, so I pulled the zipper from the bag and stared at it. This zipper, so perfect and new with it's straight teeth snarling at me. I'm intimidated. It's laughing at my weakness and it knows I'm afraid of it...I don't think I can do this.
--Fortuitous Observer
