My first major project, other than doll clothes, was a sleeveless jumper with a zipper in the back, in home ec class in 7th grade. We practiced without thread on paper drawings straight stitching and turning corners, then sewing in circles and spirals and then sewed mini paper patterns pieces together with thread. My mom took me to the local sewing store and I picked out a white background with blue stripes going vertically and red ones going horizontally that look like large stitches. When I went into class the next day, the teacher almost had a stroke. She told me I could not do plaids for the first project. I cried all the way home because I knew I could do it if she showed me how from watching my Granny sew all those years. Well, Mom took me right back to school and convinced the teacher to let me try, and if I failed I would learn a good lesson. So next day, she showed me how to match the plaid and within 2 days it was done with zipper put in perfect. She gave me an A+ and I got to sew anything I wanted in home ec from then on. Wore that jumper with pride all the way through my Senior year.