Interface

So, my dressmaking course is over so now it's down to me.  I'm trying to read a sewing pattern without having to resort to Google, youtube or dashing up to North Walsham to see Mum.  And so far, so good.

How hard can it be?  Famous last words!   It took me three hours to work out what to do with the interface, but I got there.  (Post finished-dress note:   interface is actually on upside down, but doesn't notice when the dress is worn!)  

The interface is the stuff that is used to stiffen the more floppy bits of garments - neck line, cuffs, collar, button hole bands, etc.   I did, at one point, consider leaving it out altogether, but it really does do a good job of stopping the neck getting floppy, rendering your cleavage on show - never a good look!  

Next lot of photos will show the finished article - definitely a "tada" moment!

Daffodils

Nothing shouts "Spring" quite like daffodils - signs that things are springing into life and everything's getting green again.  I think that Spring is probably my most favourite season - it's a sign of good things to come - a time to start getting in the garden to tidy up before all the plants start putting on their finery, a time to sow the salad veg seeds ready for barbecues in the summer, a sign that it's getting warmer and we'll soon be able to ditch the tights and winter coats!  

Nothing like a lovely splash of yellow to put some joy into your heart.  And daffodils are so cheap!   Driving along the country lanes to Mum and Dad's, there are hundreds of stalls outside people's houses, or in field openings by the side of the road where you can buy them.

This is not to say that I don't grow them in my own garden, of course.  But I am very lucky in that I have an uninterrupted view of my garden from my spot on the sofa, so don't need to cut my flowers to bring them in to appreciate them.   Still, it's lovely to have some inside too, and, at three bunches for a quid, I'm not going to grumble at that!

Wraysbury

Wraysbury is a village very near Heathrow airport - and one that we drive through all the time to get to Windsor, or Windsor Great Park if we're walking Finn.   Wraysbury is where I used to get my hair cut when I worked at Heathrow - I used to finish early on Fridays, so would always head to the salon then, where I would be welcomed with a glass of wine!   How very civilised.  

Andy and I have been talking about future plans - it's almost a hobby for us now! - and there is a (very slim) possibility that I may eventually move from Norfolk for work.   There is a chance in the near future that my current job may no longer exist and there may be very few opportunities for me within the NHS Trust that I work for.   With the employment situation the way it is in Norfolk, it's always good to have a back up plan. And I guess my back up plan would be Heathrow - there's always work down there, I worked there for the best part of three years so know the area and have that experience.  The only sticking point would be house prices, so Andy and I took a few hours out one Sunday to research rental prices.  Strictly speaking, that's not the only sticking point - I'm not even sure I want to move there!  

So, Andy was on a mission to show me that it's not all built up and industrial around Heathrow - which is why we headed to Wraysbury.   It's a very well served village with a post office, a stores, hairdressers, chemist, two pubs, a railway station, regular buses, a social club, a library, fish and chip shop, cricket club, football team, tennis and bowls club.  I was very pleasantly surprised actually - I had no idea they had so many amenities, only having used it for essentials before.   I really think that, if I ever do move back south, then if it's not to Wraysbury, I'm not interested!

Wells-next-the-Sea

A few weeks ago, Finn and I had a trip up to Wells beach on a very clear, but blinking cold, Monday.   I love my Mondays with Finn - I do get quite anxious about him as he can be a bit unpredictable around other people.  I think probably he's much better behaved than I give him credit for.   However, I do like to keep him away from public beaches on weekends when there's heaps of other people there - so Mondays are perfect for beach walking.   There were a few hardy other souls about with their dogs and he had a good run around in the woods with his new doggy pals before we headed out to the beach for him to have a swim and a tear around.   Unfortunately, his ability to sniff out and roll in dead animals is not abating with old age and so the car on the way home smelt of Eau de Dead Seal.  I guess it could be worse!

Slippers

Every now and then I find a pattern that I can have a play about with.  I found a pattern for these "slipperettes" before Christmas and they were ideal for Secret Santa presents at work and in our knitting group.   To make them a bit more Christmassy, I knitted in a fine silver thread with the wool - we all love a bit of bling.  I've since tried playing about with stripes too and also random wool, but sometimes the slippers come out a bit too random.  I love them - I hate matching things, but I think they might be a bit of an acquired taste for others!   I think this might be one of my favourite things to make now - they're so simple and I can make one in an evening.  

Work in Progress

I'm so loving my sewing class - the dress is still not finished, but we are very nearly there.   I have had a few sewing machine incidents - so can no longer use Mum's machine.  I'm fairly sure it wasn't something I did that broke it!   So now I have Amanda's machine and am getting on very well with that.  It's quite hard transitioning from a brand new machine in our sewing class to something that is a few years old - although the older machines are definitely more robust.  

Since these photos were taken, I do now have a zip in the dress too which is a bonus!  I still need to do the shoulder seams, sleeves, interface and hem.  But then it's finished - I am so excited about the whole process that I have signed up for my next term which starts on 29 April - can't wait!