Start at the center

Since Thanksgiving, I have been working on a tailored 1830's frock coat.  I thought that it would only take me about 3 weeks.  And it might have but there have been some steps that I have had to psych myself up for.  It has been my first heavy tailoring project.  For the most part I have enjoyed it.  I have learned a lot.  My mom suggested a book that is long out of print.  I found an almost new copy at Amazon.com.  I have followed it step by step.  Yesterday I completed the hand worked buttonholes.  The collar has been on for a week or so.  But I haven't liked the way the upper collar went on.  I have tried different things to fix it.  It still hasn't looked quite right.

I woke up this morning with this thought in my head "I need to take off the collar and work from the the center back to the front on each side."  I have heard this sewing rule several times but it is always so natural just work from one side to the other.  So I took off the upper collar this morning.  As I was re-pinning the collar back on I was thinking about starting at the center.  Then I started getting all philosophical.  It is not just in sewing that it is best to start in the center and work toward the edges.  In life if you want to make a change, you have to start by changing your heart.  The center.  So that is my lesson for the day.  Start at the center.

I will post pictures of the frock coat when I finally get it finished.