Runway pattern 2473 Simplicity

Dress with Flared or Slim Skirt Project Runway pattern 2473 Simplicity

The first item I am hoping to make this year is this flared dress. Hopefully, it will turn out okay.

New Sewing Machine

Its the start of a new year, and normally people use this time to reflect on the past year and decide on how to go about the new year....writing down resolutions, which in my case, are never followed. So this year, I have resolved not to make any specific resolutions. For the simple reason that I know I won't keep them, and I don't want to have to look at myself at the end of this year, and consider myself a failure. So, no new years resolutions for me.

What I do have going through my head though, is GRATEFULNESS. There are so many things that happened to me last year that have filled me with gratitude, first to God, and to my family and friends. The biggest event in my life last year being my wedding to a wonderful man, which came with a ready made family, as I am now a terrified step-mother to an amazingly intelligent and cute 8 year old boy. 

Last year ended with the acquisition of a new sewing machine. I did a lot of research on sewing machines. It is one of the most stressful things to do because you know what you really want, but your pockets are most often not deep enough to afford it. I really wanted a Bernina 350. But parting with £795 was so not possible, as my last  name is not Hilton, and I still have not won the lottery.

So I settled for the next best thing in my opinion, and went for a Pfaff Select 4.0. I am sooooooo in love with, its impossible to describe how I feel right now. My husband keeps looking at it and saying I have no excuse to be lazy now when it comes to sewing. Cracks me up though. I know its true. As you all know, I am so lazy, but I am determined to overcome the laziness. I can't do a review of the machine , simply because I can't be bothered to, but you can read about the machine from the Sewing Machines Direct website.

My new darling

So I hope I shall be able to sew more with this new machine. One of the amazing things about the machine, is the fact that it does stretch stitches, so I can finally sew things made of out knit fabrics.

Dibs Vs Laziness Round 1

Dibs: I am strong, I am strong, I can do this. I know I can do this. So why am I not doing it?

Laziness: Honey coz you are in love with me. I'm irresistible.

Dibs: But....no one is irresistible....I dumbed you once remember?

Laziness: when girlfriend? When?

Dibs: Months ago. When i made all those beautiful dresses. I did..i know I did...oh...

Laziness: So are you going to give me the exact time? ....what? dog got your fingers?...u know, you have to realize that what we have is the real deal. You and I. there is no one without the other. I've been with you since you were born, and I will be with you when you close those cute little lashes of yours....

Dibs: No you won't. Just watch me. Just you watch me. I'm going to sew so many things, Usain Bolt won't have anything on me.

Laziness: hah!!! That will be the day. Wake me up when you decide you want to look for a pattern ok? I'm sleepy.

Dibs: oh God. I need strength. Is there anybody out there? Help....Laziness is punching the zeal out of me...somebody....anybody.....please somebody...

Laziness: hahahhahaahhaha....u still screaming?

Dibs: so what if I am? Watch me. I'm going pattern hunting:

Laziness: break a leg honey....

Dibs: I'll break more than that...

A new begining

There is nothing more exciting than starting a new relationship. We all love to fall in-love, in-like, in-lust??, oh well in-whatever takes over us. Starting something new is so exciting, the little sighs of satisfaction when you think of the new thing, the peace and contentment when you are in the presence of that new thing. It's all so nice and cute when its new.

But then, as time goes by, it stops being new. You sigh when you think of it, not with pleasure, but with exasperation. The very thought of being anywhere near that new thing fills you with so much anguish you wonder if you'd ever liked it at all. Ever had that feeling? Come to think of it, who hasn't.?

Thats how the relationship between my sewing machine and I has been of late. I remember when my husband bought it for me last year as a birthday present. I made a mental note to myself to love him for ever, for presenting me with my first sewing machine ever. Oh how I loved my machine. I was so in-love I could not eat . Yes, it was that bad. I'd look at it lovingly for hours on end. Loved it till my husband started hating himself for having gifted me with his competition.  Oh how the love between my machine and I was fulfilling.

But then, as time went by, my machine stopped feeling new. I sighed when I thought of the unfinished sewing projects my machine and I had in common. I sighed, not with pleasure, but with exasperation. The very thought of switching the power button on the machine filled me with so much anguish, I wondered if I had ever loved it at all. Ever had that feeling? Come to think of it, who hasn't?

And like every relationship, you realise it can't remain magical for ever. You have to work hard, to make it work. So here I am, recreating a new begining. A new love affair between my sewing machine and I. This time around though, I know I will have to nurture the relationship by looking after the machine. I know I will have to pay more attention so that when it becomes ill, I will know what to do. I will spend more time with it, by sewing more, learning more about sewing , so that I will love the clothes we make together, and take those clothes out of the house.

This, I promise you, machine dearest, is our very own new beginning. But you have to promise me 1 thing. That you will work hard as much as I am preparing to do. That you will not break down on me. That your needles won't get stuck in my fingers, that you will keep your noise levels down.

I love you yes, but then again, as any relationship, when things can't work anymore, something has to give. Someone has to go.

So, machine dearest, if you don't get your act together, and I am not saying this lightly, as soon as my lottery tickets get the right combinations, I am getting myself a brand new Bernina machine.

Got it?