I had this notion that now I'm childfree during school hours I would have so much time to complete all the projects I seem to constantly have on the go, but somehow that hasn't happened! I've been working every weekend at Ministry of Craft , the only weekend I haven't worked I was hosting the La Leche League Great Britian National Workshop along with my co leaders from LLL Manchester. Add to that general Mumming and it's all been a bit hectic!
So no, Nora, Nell and Nancy my newest pattern is not yet available to buy, but soon, soon, I promise. I'm currently looking into alternative printing options for my paper patterns, but I'll update here as soon as they are ready.
Of course, no time to sew for myself means I have to plan and planning means shopping...I think? My sewing friend and neighbour offered to let me tag along next time she went up to Burnley to Immanuels, and all I can say is WOW!!!
I may have won the competition to see who spent the most out of those of us who went. I only spent £38, but I got a huge amount of scrummy fabrics for that price. Including this odd, yet somehow divine quited yumminess!


It's that horrible polyester/nylon knit with poly fibre quilting sandwiched in between...the kind 1970's dressing gowns were made of! I was drawn to it in the store, kept stroking it and picking it up, then putting it down, then picking it up again. I couldn't decide if I loved it or hated it, but knew I was drawn to it and for £3 a metre I couldn't leave it behind!
I had an urge to make a skirt with it, or possibly even a dress, although I decided the last think my bosom needed was more padding and settled on a skirt.
My friend told me that Gertie had made a quilted skirt recently, so I looked that up and so she had! I wasn't crazy then!
The Delphine skirt seemed the ideal pattern, mostly I admit because I found my tracing of it when I was tidying up and thought the exagerated A line would be perfect to get the most from the "sticky out ness" of the fabric.
The skirt went together easily, but was initially too long.I had thought I'd wanted a longer skirt, but after wearing it on this morning's school run decided that actually it felt wrong in the longer length, so as soon as I got home I rushed out to the shed and chopped off a few inches, and now I LOVE it!

Longer....


Shorter...

I have enough fabric left for a Doris Sweater, and I'm considering it!