I'm Sew Excited

We've had a mini break, not really a holiday, just a break from home.  Grace went to Glastonbury (which she really enjoyed) and while she was away, we stayed at her flat in Sheffield to look after her hamster!

I don't know whether Juno the hamster appreciated us being there because she spent all her time trying to chew through the bars of her pen to escape!

Anyway, we had a lovely time in Sheffield, very relaxing.

Now that I'm settling into dressmaking and feeling more confident, I've been watching The Great British Sewing Bee on TV.  This is the first time I've watched the series, which is now in Season 4.  I really enjoyed watching this and feel that I've learnt quite a few new things.  At the moment, my dressmaking projects can be classed as "Easy" or "Beginner" but I'm determined to branch out and tackle some more challenging projects in the future.

For the time being I'm making nice, simple summer dresses.  Here is the latest one I've made.

(I never look relaxed when my husband is taking the photos!)

I have again used the Simplicity 6262 pattern, but having put sleeves in the previous version I made, I have decided I'm more of a sleeveless dress person - at least as far as summer dresses are concerned.  I added a ribbon around the waist this time.  It adds quite a nice trim, but I could have done with applying it better - next time I'll be able to do it better.

I'm hoping for some warm and sunny weather now, so that I can wear it.

Whilst we were in Sheffield I was looking at the sewing machines in John Lewis.  I thought I should maybe update my machine and I was interested in finding out more about how to do buttonholes.  When I got back home, I thought I would check the handbook for my machine to see what it could do as far as buttonholes were concerned.  I was amazed and overjoyed to find out that my machine does one step buttonholes that are precisely sized to the buttons you want to use.  I've only had this machine a mere 21 years, and who knew that it was as clever as that!  I really need to explore what else it can do, I'm clearly not using it anywhere near to its capabilities.

Tomorrow I'm planning on cutting out another summer dress, pink this time - let's hope my optimism is rewarded with some nicer weather.