Taking an Interest

I love sewing and fabric, more than anything else in the world ever. I mean, I even have a board on Pinterest just based around pictures of adorable fabric. But it occurred to me that I should try and include things in my life that aren't ALL sewing based or reading based. I do some design work, but that's only because it runs along side my desire to get into college in September.

This has got me thinking about my friends and the activities they take part in which I could tag along to. My choices are exercise classes, LARP and re-enactments. Exercise classes are out, due to having wonky knees that often try to bend into funny directions when I exercise properly. RE-enactments involve lots of expensive kit and travelling. I love travelling, but along with expensive kit and not a great interest in history, I don't think re-enactments are for me.

Now, LARP. Where to start with LARP. I went once with boyfriend, just to humour him and I wasn't too sold on it. I liked that there was a sense of team work, but I'm just not that into fantasy things. However, I have always encouraged him to keep going and to make new kits and things, and I often hunt down new events. Through a friend, I found an online directory of UK LARP events, and there was a post-apocalyptic event. Now, that sounds more my thing! According the stats on my xbox live account, I've spent almost 500 hours on Fallout 3 and New Vegas, so that event would be right up my street. Going to look into a bit more today, and see what I can sort out!

Hopefully, it'll be really good and then that'll be my non-sewing hobby, but if not, the search will continue! What hobbies do you guys, my readers, have that isn't sewing?

Sewing: Demon Skill

So, I found a beautiful dress on Pinterest the other day. It was the most stunningly gorgeous thing I had ever seen. I don't often fall head over heels for inanimate objects, especially clothes, but this was just perfect. It was also more than £100.

... then I remembered that I can sew.

For less than £20, I made almost exactly the same dress, in the right length, with the right proportions for me and I adore it more than I did the first dress. I've impressed myself.

The fact I can sew just saved me £80+ and that is perfectly fine by me! Photos of the me-made dress can be found here.

Ahhhhh, fashion!

I'm going for an interview to get onto a fashion course at the end of next month. I thought I'd better get some proper, on paper qualifications if I'm ever going to end up a costumier one day!

It's involving a lot of odd things. The interview task is 3 line drawings of fashion objects that are not clothes and one tonal drawing of another non-clothing fashion item. So far, I've drawn my top hat/goggles as one line drawing, and my favourite Doc Martens as another. I'm not entirely sure on what my plan is for the other pieces of work, but I'm sure I'll have some amazing idea soon.

On another note, I have no idea what to wear. Thinking about making myself something to wear, a red and white polka dot fifties dress, to be exact. I think that, coupled with well styled hair and some classic black, heeled court shoes should be just about perfect for the interview for college, and for interviews for jobs as well. Also, I wanted an excuse to make myself something for a change so that fits in quite nicely.

What's on my sewing desk!

Someone suggested it'd be helpful to know what lives in my sewing box. I don't have a box as I have a work room where it all lives, so here's what lives on my sewing desk:

• Order book: I like to keep this close to my heart, as it really does keep my organised. It's bulging with receipts for postage and fabrics along with post it notes as to things I need to remember to buy and all sorts of other bits.
• A biscuit tin full of bobbins: It's a lot easier to just reach over to my tin than set up a new bobbin for the under thread. Every colour thread I get I also sort out three or four bobbins with the same colour on it, so I don't waste time having to re-thread!
• Plans for patterns: Future projects are always within arms reach!
• A drink: My God, sewing can be exhausting, and a nice cold drink or a cuppa tea fixes everything!