On my way home...finally!

Hello! Things have been rather quiet on the blogging front because I have been here there and everywhere for work this week and last. I must say its quite exhausting travelling on planes trains and automobiles (as per the classic
John Candy film) and even more exhausting waiting around for the travelling! Am glad to be waiting at the airport on way home...am 3 hours early but have settled down with my woman's own magazine to read about Fern Britton's gastric band....

As you will have read on my last post, the volume of sewing projects I have started have taken over a bit lately... I am desperate to finish my Craftsy bombshell dress this side of Christmas and I am happy to say that I now have the front section of my bodice sewn together and the cups ate looking sweet! You will see from my pictures on earlier posts (some were upside down for some reason) that I was really struggling with making my toile (or muslin as they say in the US) and after my fourth unsuccessful attempt I was more than ready to throw in the towel. I had had enough and just couldn't understand how to make the cups of the bodice bigger without meaning that the other pieces don't join together right at the seams...I told this to my pattern cutting teacher who showed me how to increase the bust cup- which should be done at the top of the cup and not at the bottom as I had thought. I somehow persuaded myself to make one last toile and hey presto it fit!!!! So I moved onto the next online lesson and can't wait to get back home and make some more of the bodice.

I already have my eye on another Craftsy course which is to make a tailored jacket but I'm trying to be strict with myself and have vowed to finish my other projects before I take on any more! We'll see how long that lasts for eh!

I will post some more pictures soon. Watch this space...

Hello from the isle of man!

So, I often have to come to the isle of man with work and as much as I like being out and about I am a bit of a home girl at heart...plus I have my new overlocker sat in my sewing room in its box waiting to be opened! Very excited to try it out but haven't a clue how to use it....was a spur of the moment but which I hate to say I kind of wish I had thought about a bit more- especially because my shower conked out and so we are having a brand new one...I think must be on mission to clear out my bank account this month.

Another thing I should point out is that I fear I may be getting a little bit too obsessed with this hobby- caution readers- before you know it you may have more fabric than you know what to do with, have booked yourself on so many courses and online lessons that our barely have time to wash or do your full time job (which you need to at the bills) and feel like you have taken off a bit (more like a lot) more than you can chew....hang on a minute- sounds a bit like me!

To my three followers.....thank you!

Thanks so much to my first 3 followers! I was blogging to no-one in particular for a few weeks....which was fine, but it is always nice to have some readers.

So....pattern cutting was pretty good last night although I got myself in a bit of a muddle when trying to draft a sleeve block (standard size mock up which you then alter to fit your exact shape)....it's actually much more technical than I ever realised! The calculator came out for some of the maths (never been my strong point) and I had points all over the page as if I were back at school drawing a graph. I searched high and low for this class and am happy to say it is really great. It is at Chorlton Adult Education service just outside Manchester and as it is in a college classroom it takes me back to my days doing textiles in high school! As you can imagine, the room has such a random collection of stuff all over the walls....different textile techniques etc. There are large pattern cutting tables- I would love love love one at home but haven't got the room!

The teacher recommended a book which apparently many colleges refer to in their syllabus when teaching pattern cutting- for those of you who are interested it is 'Metric Pattern Cutting' by Winifred Aldrich. It is pretty old but gives you the mathematical instructions you need to plot out a basic pattern block on pattern paper. The old ones are the best as I always say! I am hoping that I can design some patterns of my own eventually...watch this space.

x

👗🎀👠 off to pattern cutting class tonight!!!

Have nearly finished lawyering for the day at which point Tuesday means pattern cutting at Chorlton college! Have already drafted a basic bodice block and am hopefully going to get onto the sleeves and skirt tonight.

Been following some cool people on twitter (@law4elc if you want to follow me) such as the sewing directory and sewing boutique which has just gone live with a new website today! Good luck guys. Also stumbled across a blog for another lawyer sewist- I love being able to let off steam with a new project or two. Will update you on the pattern cutting ASAP! Au revoir.

Sport relief 2012

I have been listening to Radio one on the way to work this week and have to say that comedian John Bishop is an inspiration! He is going through his "week of hell" for sport relief and has basically been cycling, rowing and running from Paris to London with hardly any sleep in between- what a man! Get your phones out and donate to get that warm fuzzy feeling inside! X