the animal fair

I’ve always had an ‘I can do that’ attitude to making things.  Rainy Saturday afternoons of my childhood would be spent with a piece of fabric, some thread and a picture in my head of what I wanted by the end of the day.  And now, when I see a top or dress I like I automatically look at how it’s made  up and try to figure out how I would do that myself.  Of course half the joy of doing this used to be that what I would make would end up being significantly cheaper than the top I saw in the shop.  You don’t really get that any more, not now we have places that sell blouses for five quid and dresses for ten.

So now the pleasure comes from the fact that what your making is pretty unique.  I mean, the combination of fabrics and the way the finished item actually looks, even with the same pattern you have endless possibilities.  My grandma taught dress making at college and I often wish I took more time on sewing than I already do.  Yesterday I made this,

from a Simplicity pattern.   I’m going to wear it today, John and I are planning on going to Port Sunlight if the weather cheers up a little bit.  I also embroidered a shopping bag during the week and finished it off yesterday while the machine was out,

See that leopard print strip at the bottom?  That’s where my wash out embroidery pencil didn’t wash out.  The ghosts of cavorting animals have been gobbled up by a big cat.

Of course the best thing about this week is the fact that I am now on my Easter holidays.  Two whole weeks of *almost* nothing to do.  I’ve not had too much school work to bring home owing to the fact that I’ve been running around like a headless chicken the last two weeks to give myself a chance to breathe.  Happy Easter x