Fibre Mood Dora Dress

The latest issue of Fibre Mood magazine (issue 9) is released today. This month I got the opportunity to view the patterns early and to pick one to sew for launch day. I picked the Dora Dress, which has flutter sleeves, a high neckline, and a loose fit cinched in at the waist with a fabric belt.

I made size 38 and used a John Kaldor fabric from Sew Essential which I think I bought during an in-person blogger visit in April 2016. So almost four years to the day this fabric was purchased it finally became a garment and made the move from my stash into my wardrobe.

You can view the full Fibre Mood magazine online for free, so it’s easy to review the patterns and decide if you want to purchase the magazine, or one or two of the pattern PDFs individually. It’s also possible to see the patterns in motion, as the Fibre Mood YouTube channel features short video clips of the patterns being worn by models during the photo shoots. If you fancy trying out one of their patterns for free, the Fibre Mood team are currently running a Social Sew Along every Friday, where you can download a free pattern and sew-along with the team on Instagram Live. This week’s project is a dress from the new issue (which happens to be called Charlotte).

These photos were taken in the park at the end of our road during yesterday’s daily walk. Phil and I have been making a point of taking a walk each day to ensure that we do get some time out of the house and some exercise. The walks vary in length considerably, normally depending on how late in the day we leave it before getting out and how energetic (or not) we are feeling. Yesterday’s walk was particularly short, just around the park, as the shoes I wore for these photos are not as comfy as the trainers I normally wear!

Wearing this dress for a walk also made it very clear that the length is currently a bit restrictive. As someone who is normally dashing to and fro (Phil regularly complains about how quickly I walk) I’m going to go back and add a vent, or probably just shorten the length, to avoid future frustration.

Holiday Snaps & Meandering Thoughts

Phil and I dragged out the Christmas holiday as long as possible, spending a few days in Alicante before returning to work this week.

These pictures, of garments I’ve previously blogged, were taken while we were away (Malachi Vest / In the Folds Jumpsuit / Tamarack Jacket). I didn’t spend a lot of time sewing over Christmas, but did start the process of making two coats (one for me and one for Phil). I’m taking my time attaching interfacing and canvas, resisting the impulse to rush ahead to construction, in order to create coats which should look, and last, all the better for it.

I wanted to thank everyone who read, or got in touch about, my recent post regarding my experience with my previous employer. A few people who commented used the word ‘proud’ which led me to recall a memory from the time which I thought was worth sharing, and which I didn’t touch on in my previous post, since I kept that largely to a blow-by-blow account.

At my lowest point working for that employer I spent one week off work, and in bed, recovering from a combination of stress and anaemia. Amongst the many emotions I felt at that time, I realised that I felt ashamed.

Ashamed because, in a work context, I had come to view myself as a ‘strong’ person, and this had become central to my concept of – and what I valued about – myself. Certainly my concept of what constituted strength in this context (including being willing and able to work as long and hard as anyone, to take on more work and work out of hours without complaint and without getting stressed) was promoted by my employer (in my first interview for the organisation, when I was hired, I was asked about my willingness to work over and above my hours. I told them it wasn’t an issue, and meant it). However, my employer can’t take all the blame, they had simply built on an existing prejudice I held.

How I felt at that time, physically and emotionally weak, but without a physical cause to attribute my symptoms to in order to ‘justify’ them to myself and to my employer, was incompatible with my own (and my employer’s) prejudice about what it was to be a strong person.

Initially I was ashamed because my view of what I valued in myself was challenged, but once I had time to dwell on it I was ashamed that I’d been judging people (predominantly myself, but inevitably, if unconsciously, my colleagues too) against a practically feudal concept. It took being physically weak to teach me that my concept of a ‘strong’ person was a nonsense, and that by judging myself against it I had set myself up to fail.

It was a humbling lesson, but in learning it I hope to be kinder to myself and others in future.

In The Folds Jumpsuit

It’s been a weekend of staring at computer screens, but I wanted to squeeze in a quick blog post before the weekend is out.

I was in the office Saturday and Sunday this weekend for a software upgrade – not as bad as it sounds as the team are lovely, we had a suitable supply of chocolate and cake (kinder eggs included), and ordered in lunch. I have however been robbed of my weekly lie-ins, so we’ll see how I’m feeling by next Friday when I’ve done twelve consecutive 6am starts.

I recently started studying an undergraduate degree in IT one day per week, in the hope of being less bamboozled by my colleagues in future. For some reason, I decided it would be a good idea to try to fix an EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING log-in page issue, which has been bugging me for a week, on my return home from work this evening. I’m still at that stage where I understand so little that I quickly feel overwhelmed and slightly panicky, but I guess I’ll get to the stage where it all becomes a little clearer, and where I waste less time going around in circles, eventually.

I thought it best to end the week with something much more familiar; blogging about sewing. This is the (free) Jumpsuit pattern by In the Folds, in collaboration with Peppermint Magazine, in size B.

Like everyone else I was inspired by the pattern sample, and picked a similar fabric, a green chambray from Guthrie & Ghani, which my Mom treated me to during last year’s SewBrum meet-up. The fabric is very soft and has a lovely sheen. It is a little prone to creasing, which is exacerbated in these photos by the fact they were taken when I was hot and sweaty in Vietnam.

This jumpsuit is a suitably loose and comfy garment for travelling in. I like the contrast of the relatively-fitted bodice with the loose trousers, and the deep v of the back neckline. I decided part-way through the holiday that I much prefer the belt tied at the back.

I’m going to close the laptop and treat myself to an early night. See below for how quickly my blog photos degenerate when I have a boat practically to myself and baggy trousers to hop around in.

Sewing Community Article in Sewing World

I have an article in the current issue of Sewing World Magazine, exploring the sewing community and how to get involved.

The full article includes practical tips for participating in the sewing community, but I thought I would share the introductory paragraphs here, which explore my own feelings about being part of this community:

I can honestly say that being part of the sewing community has changed my life. Growing up I always had good friends, but they were a select group – now I have friendships and connections with a huge, worldwide, community. The current age has been called the age of loneliness, due to our increased social isolation, but online communities – like the sewing community – create a connectness, which crosses boundaries of geography, age, and – to a lesser extent – language, gender and socioeconomics.

The opportunity to communicate with a diverse community of (mainly) women, in an atmosphere that is supportive and inspiring, has made me more confident. Like many bloggers, I began reluctant to take or post photos of myself online. Now I’m posting photos and videos regularly, because I’m inspired by others who are doing that and enjoy joining in. Plus, company is important to creativity. Without the opportunity to share what I make with others, and be inspired by them in return, I would have less motivation to create, and to try new things and keep challenging myself. I’d definitely still be sewing, but I doubt I’d be pushing myself to sew jeans, or lingerie. Seeing the beautiful projects fellow bloggers are making motivates me to have a go too.

Of course sewing is just the start – it’s the something in common to bring together a diverse community. It’s the thing we can draw around, which is representative of much more we have in common – creativity, a love of textiles, a desire to make things with our hands, and to understand how they are made.

Be Gay in May

At a Memorabilia show last year I bought a selection of vintage magazines (Red Letter, Red Star, Secrets) from the 1950s and 60s. I thought if nothing else they would be good for a laugh, which they were. They also included knitting patterns, some of which- like the ‘butterfly jumper’ below – are quite cute. If I could remember how to knit I’d give it a go.

The magazines had some hilariously sexist headlines, and even a couple of highly sexist covers. ‘The  Case of the Nagging Wife’ has to be just about the least exciting mystery title ever.

The magazines also featured a a number of glamorous advertisements, and…

Strangest of all, ‘Bruce Forsyth’s Query Corner’, where a young Bruce will answer all your pop music questions!