A small test but a big milestone

Here's the thing about trying to launch a new project/creative employment while still maintaining your current one.  It happens in bits and spurts.  You push forward, make some progress, and then your paying gig starts requiring more attention, or (God forbid) your family needs more time from you, so you put it away for a few days or a week or more.  And when you come back to it, you have to get your bearings before you can start moving forward again.

Two steps forward, one step back.

It's been a slooooow slog at times.

But finally, last week I had a test version of my first drafted pattern.  Graded in sizes from 0-18.  On my computer, it all looked right but before I moved forward with pattern markings and instructions, I wanted to do a quick test.

So I made it up in my mother's size, which is 4 sizes above the size it was drafted in.  Would my math be right? Or would it turn out to be a crazy, ill-fitting mess?

It was really just a super simple test, but there was a lot riding on it.  I'm really. really. ready to birth this pattern.  I've been working on it in my random bits of free time for nearly a year now.  And if my math was wrong, well... I just might have to cry.

So I put off the test, kept coming up with reasons why this day or that day was not a good day to print the pattern and sew a few measly seams.

But this weekend I put on my big girl panties and just did it.  And guess. what.

IT FIT!!!!

The size 14 fits her the same way the size 8 fit me.  Granted, it's a simple A-line dress so there's not much with the fit that has to be spot on.  But I'm happy to say that where it needed to fit correctly, namely the shoulders and bust, it did indeed fit how it needed to.

So YAY!!  I'm doing a happy bootie dance.  I'm still a ways away from having a pattern reading for testing, but I've also now cleared a major milestone.

I can do this.