Sunday 17 July 2011

Dressmaking for Dummies

Oh dear. Today I remembered why I don't make clothes. Because I am not that good at it. Maybe it is those instructions that just aren't thorough enough for me. Or maybe it is because I have to follow instructions, full stop.

But the issue of not being so great at making clothes was incidental because we needed something to entertain us this afternoon while the rain came down. Because the girls argued their way into an electronic ban this morning. No telly. No dvd player. No Nintendos. No Wii. No iPod. No iPad. No computer. Etc. Etc. Etc. John said it was for the summer. Oh dear indeed! While I agree they need to spend less time on said electronic items, a total all summer long ban might just send me doolally. We shall see how long it lasts, but it was certainly in place today.

With the ban issued, they went from horrible (once they got over the shock of the punishment) to brilliant, and to being nice to each other again. Obstrepersous individuals! We made lunch together. Ate with much laughter and then started on this -


I tried to make sense of it all so that we actually came out with all the pieces necessary. And we pinned, and we cut.


Helen did some of the sewing and I did some. I did not find 5/8" seams easy to do. It just felt so strange! I am a 1/4" seam quilter at heart.


And eventualy we got 'almost' done. I still need to top stitch some of the seams I think, to give it a tidier, more finished appearance, and the hem needs doing. Maybe give it a good seeing to with the iron. But you know what? Helen is chuffed to bits and says it is exceedingly comfortable. She is wearing it now, outside playing, in all its unfinished state. That alone makes the whole afternoon worthwhile.



What did Emily do to keep herself amused while Helen and I sewed? Besides ask Helen when she could come outside and play every 2.2 seconds. She kept us entertained.


I assure you, there is an Emily under there, somewhere.

And that was our afternoon. Pleasantly spent, together. And such an improvement on yesterday. I remembered earlier on today that each and every summer holiday they are 'difficult' at the start until they settle into the holiday routine and each other's company all day, every day. Maybe they are just starting early this year, before school finishes. Getting it out of their system. Here's hoping, and we can move on from there. Because there is only five more days of school and then it is time to get on with the summer fun. Bring it on!

Susan

12 comments:

  1. the dress looks absolutely fantastic-well done to Helen. Glad you had a better day

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  2. The dress is adorable - still girly but super stylish. Yay! She looks so lovely in it and well done you for making it. Strange that ithe States have been on their hols for weeks and the UK schools haven`t broken up yet. 6 weeks used to seem so long when I was at school but of course it flies by now. Zaki has been off for 3 weeks now and another 7 weeks to go!

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  3. What a fab dress! Well done for investing a love of sewing into your kids. Sometimes I think it's the electronic stuff that makes them horrible - maybe a ban for the summer might be a good thing! Then again it might just be more of a punishment on you! Jxo

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  4. You are the best mum - sure you don't want to borrow my 3 for the summer and work your taming magic; I'll give you a fat quarter of something nice!

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  5. The dress is fabulous, it's well worth going back and doing that top stitching, it will help with the finishing off and keep it wonderful for longer! (I was a dressmaker before I was a quilter! Who'd have thunk! Even I'd find it hard going back to those mahooosive seam allowances now!) I am sooooo looking forward to a little less stress over the holidays too :) Here's to a happy one!

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  6. I'll up Hadley's offer to half a metre! Dress looks very professional, good fabric choice Helen, and nice mop hair, Emily :)

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  7. I think you are a dressmaker Susan! Or maybe it's all Helen's work? Anyway well done both. Glad thinks have come good and long may it last. Mine are definitely nicer without the frustration of electronic gadgetry

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  8. Smashing wee summer frock as we say in NI! Careful with those punishments - sometimes we only punish ourselves worse than the kids. School's out in NI at end of June so we have been running the "I'm bored" gauntlet for a few weeks now. It is all too easy for kids to spend a lot of the day on electronic screen based activities. Hope the hols are easier than you anticipate!

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  9. great dress! I found you on the brit quilts convo on flickr, say hello to your newest follower :-)

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  10. Well done you two, the dress looks really lovely :-) You missed a trick though, surely their punishment should involve them doing stuff you hate having to do?! Why make it harder on yourself? lol

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  11. The dress looks really cool - and a budding model as well as a dressmaker!
    I have the pattern and material for a skirt, but it's been 30 odd years since I last made clothes, so I'm putting it off. Good job you mentioned the seam allowance though!

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  12. Great dress. We used to have a "no television" evening once a week (it would also have been no ipads etc etc if they'd existed then!) and do things together as a family, really good times.

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