Now that the recipient has received this, I can talk about it without spoiling any surprises. 🙂

A few months ago I had asked my youngest sister for Christmas gift ideas for my step-father. He’s always hard to buy for because he works so much that he doesn’t really have any time for hobbies or outside interests, and since I’m not right there I’m not aware of personal or household things he might need. She mentioned that a nightshirt I had made for him years ago was about worn out. Perfect, I thought.  Not only is that something he could use and would like, but it was also have a more personal touch since I’d be making it (I’d looked for them in the stores before and couldn’t find them; my sister said she had bought some, but he said they weren’t the same — I think maybe because I use flannel and the ones in the store are just a woven, broadcloth type of fabric.)

So I had this great idea and good intentions, but I didn’t get going on it right away, and then our church’s ladies’ group missionary Christmas project came up, then Christmas activities, and I sadly realized I wasn’t going to get it done by Christmas. However, his birthday is a few days after Christmas, so I aimed for that.

When I went shopping I was looking for blues and browns, but all I could find were reds. I wasn’t quite sure if he’d like that, but…it was all I could find.

I have to admit I am not a confidant seamstress. I have to pray over my sewing. I tend to make really dumb mistakes. And there is something about either the way my brain works or the way sewing instructions are written that just does not mesh. Oh, basic side seams, sleeves, even buttonholes are fine. I have never been able to do zippers according to any instructions I have read — I had to figure out my own way (and I usually avoid zippers if what I am sewing can be pulled over my head. Thankfully this project had no zippers.) This nightshirt had neckline instructions that just did not make sense, even with reading them over a number of times (and even with having made this pattern before). So what I have to do in those situations is to take it step by step and do what the instructions say line by line. Sometimes in the middle of it, then I can understand what to do. Sometimes, though, even then it doesn’t really make sense to me, but somehow, praying over it the whole time, it comes out like it’s supposed to.

At some point in this process this time, I thought, you know, the Christian life is a lot like that. Some of God’s instructions don’t make sense until we are in or on the other side of a situation. Sometimes even then we don’t understand quite why or how it all worked, but — we know Him, we know His character, we know He has a reason for what He asks. And we walk by faith.

I guess I could say I sew by faith. 🙂

Well, anyway, it finally all came together — not perfectly, but no major disasters along the way (thank you, Lord!) It was in a plaid fabric, and I tried to match the plaids at crucial places. The side seams were easy to match (I just hate to see plaid garments where the plaid lines along the side seams are “off”), but the neckline was trickier. My sister did e-mail me that my step-father really liked it, even the color. So I am glad. 🙂 Here is the finished product: