Stitch the side seams of piece A and B together," directed the pattern.

I have always admired my mom for her patience in sewing. I used to watch her and she would make it look "sew" easy, but then I would try and get frustrated because I could never do it as well. Ever since I can remember, my mother has been sitting behind a sewing machine with a determined look on her face. My mom made everything from crafts to dresses to home decorations. She started in the fourth grade, and eventually attended the School of Fashion Design in Boston. From there she got a job designing bridalwear. Now she teaches at the University of Rhode Island, where she's been for 18 years. My mom enjoys sewing because she likes the satisfaction of the finished product.

Whenever I wanted to sew, I would try and finish fast and so everything came out badly. I even gave up for a few years, hoping my mother wasn't disappointed that I was never going to be a good seamstress.

This summer I realized I really wanted to sew - without help from my mom. I decided to make a bathing suit, so we picked out some fabric, a Hawaiian flower print. I bought a pattern in the style I wanted and was so excited to sew that I could barely sleep. I dreamed about the beautiful bathing suit I would create the following day, and even dreamed I won a fashion show award and received a scholarship in fashion design. Waking up, I decided that if I made a bathing suit that actually fit I would be happy.

I got started bright and early. My mom had gone to a meeting, so if I had questions there would be no one to ask. I was on my own, and I liked it that way. I sewed slowly and steadily, trying not to make any mistakes, though, of course, I did. When sewing the top I kept making the gathering too tight so the tie wouldn't fit, but for the most part, I didn't make many mistakes.

"I'm finished! I'm finally finished!" I shouted two hours later as I cut the last thread. Now the question was if it would actually fit. And guess what, it did! I could actually wear my first sewing creation. All those years of watching my mom had finally paid off!

Since then, sewing has become my passionate hobby. Even though it is easy to buy clothes at the mall, I feel a sense of pride in sewing. When you finish something you've worked hard on, you feel as though you have accomplished a great deal. Sewing is very rewarding.

I am a gymnast, and when you have to buy many leotards, it starts to get expensive. So I've begun making my own, as well as stretch shorts. When I wear them at the gym, people compliment me, and are shocked when I tell them that I made them.

My advice is, don't get frustrated when something doesn't come out the way you wanted. Start with an easy pattern, try your hardest and don't give up. It is a great hobby you can do right at home!