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...

Sew good

I made a pact with myself at the start of the year; this was the year I would buy myself a sewing machine, and actualy use it too. I had made several plans to buy one before, but they fell apart due to laziness, lack of room, or me having a nervous breakdown at the price of a decent one.

But this year, armed with donations from my family for my birthday (thanks all!), I went to John Lewis and got myself a sewing machine.

The lovely lady who sold me the machine also sat me down and went over how to use the machine - I did textiles GCSE, but scarily that was 11 yeas ago. So I learnt how to thread it, how to choose which stitch to use, how to change the feet, how to use the free arm, and something about a 'drop feed dog', which sounded more like how you get your pet to eat its food, but apparently it is sewing machine related.

So far, in just over a month of ownership, I have already made two cushions and a simple fabric bag using some African wrapper material that had been sat just waiting for me to do something with it. Not bad, methinks.

I've just booked myself on a basic sewing machine and dressmaking course so I can learn to  follow a simple pattern, and start making clothes. The Boy is hankering after a pair of trousers to suit his 6 foot 5 inch frame. Better get me some lessons then...