I am laughing and crying through all these soul-baring stories. My UFO stash is older than I am - and I am a senior.

My Mom sold her large home about 9 years ago and after the family had packed up anything of value, I was welcome to help myself. My childhood bedroom was appropriately the storage room of old fabrics, old clothes, and UFOs. I salvaged several trash bags of memories; left over cuttings from high school dresses, paper patterns, and UFOs in every stage. Some things had deteriorated so much they had to be left behind, but each was reverently refolded and patted in goodbye. A mouses' pink silk nest was left undisturbed - home to a new mother and her daughters.

The ensuing years have been too busy for much sewing, but I am glad for the time I was able to spend with my mom even if it was often doctor's visits and hospitals.
In January Mom passed away and unfortunately left painfully unresolved issues. I thought I could not possibly heal from this pain. Then in June I started going through the UFOs still in plastic bags. I finished a tiny dress, framed a small piece of a quilt including its' threaded needle, and restrung the beads I know she had intended to repair. Every project she had started was with the unpredictable goal of "someday", so now each completion becomes that precious 'someday'. Each completion is my way of personally honoring her talent and connecting with her spirit. Our healing is unfinished, but will be 'someday'.

Thank you for this. I didn't understand how you decided on the size of the arm-hole opening until the last picture, wearing the vest over a sleeved jacket. Did you have a vest in your wardrobe that you measured?

Cold tape - I learn something new everyday, and will look for this. I have used painter's tape for similar applications.

Fabulous technique. Right now I am working on slip covers and this will look great and use less fabric. Thank you for sharing.

The design on the sleeve and front panel is brilliant. Love it. I want to make it with small scraps of leftover fabrics.

From my mother I learned the same technique as SEWNYA learned, making a hem gauge. I also learned to cut a pattern without pinning it. My mom would spread her fabric on the dining room table, spread the pattern and weight it with canned goods from the kitchen. Then cut.