All the tools, but not a clue...yet

My clothes making course has now started and I'm really enjoying it. Having a sewing machine and all other bits and bobs for making clothes is all well and good, but seeing as though I haven't followed a sewing pattern since school (which is, shockingly, 12 years ago now...), I am definitely ripe for a few lessons to get me started.

Our first class was a good introduction and reminder of a lot of things I'd forgotten. It's a mixed ability class and there are 13 of us on the course this semester. The group is a good mix of ages and stages of ability and everyone is keen to get advice from our amazing teacher Sue who's been teaching since the sixties, and entertains us with her tales of the art scene in South London in the '60's (teaching David Bowie, working with Malcolm McLaren, hanging out with the Small Faces and The Who.....)

After the first class I was really excited, and armed with our list of essentials, went to the huge Wimbledon Sewing Machine centre to get my fabric and a pattern. I'd been a bit disheartened by some of the patterns I'd seen (why are they so crap?), but found these which I'm very excited about:

I bought two patterns by Cynthia Rowley at Simplicity; one that I would love to make (the dress on the right), and one I think I have a hope in hell of making (the tunic on the left), and I think it will look great in this lovely leopard print fabric:

So, I'll keep you posted with how I get one- hopefully I'll get a picture of me in the tunic on the blog soon...