Having frittered my child free time this morning with a cafe catch up with a friend (long live squandering of time in that way) followed by some spontaneous bargain grabbing in a sale (new bed linen, in case you're wondering), today's sewing has only just been done.
The pouring rain outside didn't help spur me off the sofa, but the rubbish on TV did (thanks, Embarrassing Bodies). Then followed a good ten minutes or so of procrastination. Cup of tea, check. Texts to friends, check. Faff about changing the needle on the machine, loading the bobbin, and responding to more texts from friends.
Oh, I realise. I am a bit nervous of actually sewing with this extremely beautiful and oh so delicate silk.
I test the tension out on a scrap. I re-read the pattern instructions. Deep breath. Go on, go on... Don't Muck. It. Up. Final check of phone. Slurp of tea.
Progress so far?
Tonight I have made the darts in the back bodice pieces; gathered the front of the bodice; sewn the sides of the bodice to the front with (drum roll) French seams. Oh, la, la. Feeling on a roll, I stitched the bottom front of the dress to the back pieces, with more French seams, before packing up for the night. Hurrah!
What I thought about as I was sewing:
Don't muck it up. Don't muck it up.
What was it Julia Roberts said in Pretty Woman. This silk is the fabric equivalent of whatever it was she was eating.
Slowly, slowly does it.
Stop moving! (Yes, I am talking to the silk...)
Double check those tacks are in the right place for the back darts.
Pleasantly surprised at how well they turn out once pressed.
Okay, so the darts weren't a disaster. Next up, the front bodice gather.
Oh, this is going to be really obvious if I sew a lopsided bodice. Must sew in a straight line and get those gathers even.
Will this rain ever stop? It will probably rain like this on special occasion number one (a garden party), won't it?
And, worse still, the baby could arrive early and I could miss both special occasion number two and three.
Is there any point in making this frock?!
Check of instructions again. Decide against zigzagging the edges on the seams. Didn't Mum advise me to use French seams for a better finish? Think so. Let's do it. May as well push the boat out and try a bit harder than usual. It is extremely beautiful and oh so delicate silk, after all. And, I am sure they did French seams on The Great British Sewing Bee. I shall pretend to be just like those clever sewing peeps.
Wow. One successful French seam done. No ragged edges, either. Wait until I show Mum. Shall we do another one...
Oh my goodness. Now I have sewn the bottom bits together, they resemble the size of a tent. Am I sewing a tent? This dress is enormous. Vast. But look how beautifully the silk tent drapes over my bump. Maybe I rather like making things out of silk after all.
You get the idea. I was talking to myself throughout. Doesn't everyone?
And, just for the record, this evening has confirmed I would be hopeless on the Sewing Bee. Pushing myself is one thing, and turned out to be enjoyable - but doing it under time pressure with cameras watching would have been disastrous. I don't think taking an entire week to make a dress would have made very good TV.
Good night!
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