I want to learn how to sew, but I'm intimidated by sewing machines (when I was younger I'd use my mom's machine, and I kept breaking needles because I didn't have the tension right) so I am going to try hand sewing. My first project is an Alabama Chanin skirt. So far, I've cut out the pattern on the fabric, basted the waistline, made and cut out the stencil, and acquired stenciling supplies:

 So far, so good. But now that I'm looking at the stencil on the skirt's top layer, I'm wondering if I should use red thread. Originally I was planning on doing negative reverse applique with navy paint and navy thread; and inside and felled seams, but now I wonder... would red be more fun? I think it would with the contrast, but the navy thread would make the skirt match a wider range of clothes, so maybe someday, another skirt.

It was slow going, putting the pattern together:

So slowly but surely, we shall see how this goes!