Hooray for half term!

Not much sewing done this week - until today, that is - as its half term. Hooray for a whole week of not rushing out the door to get to school on time.

Our week started with a few days away in Durham - to revisit my old student town and show the girls where Mummy and Daddy got married. Ah, I hear you say. Actually, it was lovely to go back. Durham in the autumn is just gorgeous to look at. And since I graduated, the Cathedral has become (even more) well known for popping up in the background in some of the Harry Potter films.

Recognise this?

And whilst in `The North' (love those motorway signs), we headed even further north, to romp around some castles in Northumberland. Brilliant, I tell you. It is particularly gratifying when your offspring are repeatedly heard to say "This is SO good. I didn't expect it to be THIS GOOD", as they excitedly bounce around a place you have taken them to. So, Warkworth Castle comes with official recommendation from three small children.

After a trip away, the week has been pretty much filled with daytimes of children pottering about playing in various places, and, for me, a couple of evenings of teaching sewing courses to some lovely ladies.

Today has been my day of bliss where I had no one else to please other than myself. (Not that time with  my family isn't blissful, of course...but, well, mums of small children - you know what I mean.)

It started with a run. And then a list.

Like how I've put something on the list I have already done?
Oh yeah. That way I get the smug moment of crossing
something off before I've even started.

Post arrives. And another catalogue - perfectly timed to give me
some inspiration on what to make for me.

 I love sewing. I love that I can sew, or, at least, from plenty of past successes - and failures, have the confidence to think I can just go ahead and make stuff. But sometimes this is a mixed blessing. Take clothes shopping in its various formats. Shortly after an initial "Oooo, that's nice" moment, often comes a "But I bet I could make something like that (for less)" moment. Much of the pleasure of buying clothes has been replaced by shopping for fabric and concocting ideas of what I'd like to make with it.

Anyhow, on with the list.

The first chunk of stuff is destined to become a birthday present for one of Sophie's friends. Reluctant to get sucked into spending lots of time on a precious free day making something for a small person, I set myself an hour limit.

Love those invisible fabric pens. (Why have I not just drawn guidelines out
like this before? So much easier and quicker... not to mention the end result
of STRAIGHT lines, which makes a nice change in these parts)

Ta-da! Nearly done...

Mental note to self to not bother using these stupidly fiddly to sew on things.

Head band almost done. Feeling pleased at this point, as this will be the first
success at making these things. Have had some impressive failures in past.

Birthday present in an hour. Just. Helped along by the fact the t shirt was already half completed, but who's checking?

Time for some Smug Cake!

And, being so buoyed up by the head band working, I thought I'd make another one for my own biggest little girl.

Head band - and a t shirt I'd previously made

 Some of the lovely ladies on my current Kids' Clothes Course are making dresses for little girls. Just like this one - which, having been in the same unfinished state for a good ten days, was in danger of being lost in the abyss of unfinished projects.

 I must admit, I was starting to flag and lose the sewing love at this stage. I very nearly abandoned the finished dress without a pocket, wanting to choose bright autumn sunshine of the park instead of more sewing for little people.

And then I remembered that Kleenex season is upon us. And life is a bit easier if little people can take charge of their own tissues.

Time for some (more) cake. And to leave the house to do it.

I'm glad I did. For me, sitting on a bench in the park with a Diet Coke and the sun shining is just lovely. And then I wandered into town, and came back with this.

My new dress

I love a new project.