So, I had a birthday, I'm now the grand old age of 47, and feel every second of it recently! Angus often jokes with me that I have outlived my biological usefulness now that I am no longer having babies or feeding them, lately I have felt, all too keenly the truth in that joke!
India turned 20 on Saturday, and spent her first birthday away from home. I can't quite believe I am the mother of a 20 year old! She has grown into a lovely young woman, but she will always be my first baby. 


Raising babies for the past 20 years has been the most amazing and wonderful time, even the sad bits, even the heartwrenchingly sad bits, and now as my family grows I'm spreading my wings a little and taking on more freelance work. I regularly contribute to Sewing Made Simple magazine and have had some of my work published in Love Sewing magazine.  
I teach most weekends at Ministry of Craft   and I'm putting together my final collection for my Level 3 City and Guilds in Fashion. Life is busy!
I've so much to be grateful for, and so yeah, I'm 47,my thyroid doesn't work properly, and my bones creak. I have wrinkles and am beyond my "biological usefulness", but the sun is shining, and I am grateful. x

India turned 18 on Wednesday, my first baby is now an adult!
A few days before her birthday we discussed making her a birthday dress. I had bought some lovely curtains in a charity shop that I knew would make a beautiful dress for her, but she was unsure.
She had been talking about baby doll style dresses, and having seen this dress on Pinterest I suggested I make one like it with some cheap and cheerful printed fabric I had in my stash. She liked that idea so I set about designing something similar.



She hated it!
So, with one day until her birthday, I struck a deal with her, that she entertain her littlest brother for the day and I would make her the first dress I suggested.
I used the Full Skirt Dress pattern from the Great British Sewing Bee book, but I changed the neckline slightly as requested by India. She didn't like the way the neckline looked quite square on the model in the book.





I had to make some changes to the bodice to fit India, letting out the front princess seams slightly to accomodate her bust and taking a little off the shoulders.
We left off the cap sleeves, India didn't like them, so made the dress sleeveless.
With only a day to make this dress, I realised I had no suitable lining fabric for the bodice. I found a pale green pillowcase I'd recently bought in a charity shop and that worked perfectly as the lining.



India liked the way the zip finished at the centre back, so I didn't add a hook and eye.

This one she likes, she even said she prefers it to her prom dress!