It all started a month ago................
I saw a magazine in my local newsagents...with a smocked top dress on the front page.But i hadn't got any money on me to buy it.so i went home and the following morning i went to the shop to get this tantalising magazine,and i was GUTTED!!! the magazine had gone.........
But i had pelnty to be getting on with,so i did what i wanted to do,and what i needed to do for the next month or so,I needed to know the in's and outs of my new sewing machine,make a couple of pairs of 3/4 length trousers for myslef and a couple of jumpers i had on order,but all the time i had this nagging in the back of my brain..i couldn't get this smocking thing out of my head..........
Last friday my sister called offering me three polyester sarongs that she bought ona holiday abroad,just three basic oblongs of silky material 3 meters long and 1 meter wide.It seemed such a shame to bin them,so she mailed them to me.
There was a green one,a red one and a burnt orange and chocolate one.The green one had little violet flowers on it and was quite cute to be honest,But i was a bit worried about upsetting my sister,but if they were going in the charity bin why not turn them into something i wanted to make and wear???
So last night i sat in front of my PC and asked jeeves about sewing machine techniques......Then a young male voice ipied up"myum,you want to try youtube"...and there it was al those techniques,all those titles to try.....i got 3,495 results on my request...but there after sorting the wheat from the chaff was a wonderful lady under the title of aurora's garden....she had two tutorials on machine smocking,her attention to detail was brilliant,exactly what i wanted and needed!!
What a revelation!!!I was raring to go,but i didn't think that my familly would appreciate my sewing machine screaming away at 10pm at night!!!
So this morning after everybody had gotten out of bed,and after countless loads of laundry and a huge lump of beef to be roasted...i bit the bullet and got out my sewing beast......have decided to call my sewing machine "beast" because i never know what its going to do next...sometimes i'm in tears of joy,and sometimes in tears of frustration,when i think the world hates me!!!!
I got the beast up and running and made the cutes little girls swing top/dress,it was all barbie pink and sequined,and i was so pleased how it came out....my DD wants one alot bigger so she can wear one!!!
and then it was time to bite the bullet....i peeled the potatoes,and the parsnips,did the peas,and thurned the beef over in the cooking juices,and made the batter for yorkshire puddings...leaving me with no more excuses...
I set the machine up,put shiring elastic onto the bobbin,set the stitch as big as i would dare go....and started the first row.......
I held my breath on the first two rows,and needed abreak,so with a coffee in hand i stopped got away from the beast,i was shaking from head to toe with excitement and fear all at the same time..then i went back and did a further 6 rows...it started to look like a real smocked garment..and then the elastic ran out from the bobbin half way through the row,I re-wound the bobbin,caught the half row,double stitched the connected row and off i went again,all the time the dinner was thrutching away in the oven smelling great as it cooked gently,i finished the front,and then went onto the back....it was a bit wonky,but it still looked great...i seamed the sides together,hemmed the bottom and made the straps.and then it was time to put the beast to bed so i could finish the dinner.
It has been a total revelation today..i don't know why but ever since i had my car accident at the age of 19,i have this thrist for knowledge that always needs to be topped up all the time..i know my spelling is terrible,but my brain always seems to be on the want.....so i do what i can.
And now i am thinking of making awhole load of these to dress myself in the way i want to look...i know autumn is coming,but at least i know i can do this now,the next thing i want to make myself is a coat,well maybe not a coat,a jacket would be perfect for the moment,have got a nice pea jacket pattern from burda sitting in my picnic basket.....
but today i have had a epithany and would hope it will turn into money for me at some point....i am just glad to have done something this weekend without the tears and anger.
AND YES!!!L DID TAKE SOME PICTURES!!!!
