Organisation creates inspiration... I'm ready to sew

It seems to have been a long winter.  It may not have been especially cold (or at least not especially cold for especially long) but still those last sunshiney days of autumn seem to have happened a very long time ago.  And it seems just as long since I got out the sewing machine and made something... interesting.  I seem to knit more in the winter, maybe because it's easy to do snuggled up on the sofa under a cosy blanket.  It's also because winter brings Christmas, Christmas brings guests and guests mean we need more room for more chairs and all the sewing equipment gets tucked away out of reach somewhere.

So no sewing through the winter, which makes the winter last longer.  Hooray for longer, lighter days, trees thinking about growing some new leaves and me thinking about growing, sorry making, some new clothes.

I'm inspired by a couple of things.  The first was a shopping trip with The Sewster, my daughter apprentice, to buy fabric and ribbons and buttons, oh my!  We went to Cambridge and shopped at The Little Fabric Stall on the market which was just lovely, particularly the bindings and the very sweet little teddy we adorned with a pink polka dot button to give to Little Miss Pink (my youngest who was at home feeling poorly).  We also loved Callyco, where I picked up a lovely floral remnant to transform into a pretty dress.  John Lewis provided a beautiful new sewing basket purchased, of course, in the name of organisation, much needed now that The Sewster is starting to grow her stash.  Makes sense to keep all the tools in one place and why shouldn't that place be gorgeous?

So we came home all excited with our yummy new supplies, ready to sew.  But first, I spent a couple of very worthwhile hours revisiting the fabric in my stash and organising threads and pins and needles and tailor's chalk and... you get the picture.  It's doesn't feel like a chore when you rediscover those lengths of fabulous fabrics you bought however many months, or in some cases years, ago.

In a great piece of sew-friendly timing, Collette's March issue of Seamwork popped into my inbox with a couple of patterns to try.  I like the Aberdeen top a lot, but I haven't really ventured into knits, so I'm going to have a stab at converting it to woven fabric.  I'll probably lengthen it at the same time.

Aberdeen, in Seamwork issue 3

I'm also planning a dress which is going to be a mix of two different patterns, but more on that later.  The fabric is tumble drying (to make it more wash friendly post-make, of course) and the oven timer is shouting at me to take the bread out (roast chicken soup and home baked bread for dinner, yum - I make the bread in a cast iron pot with the lid on and it is so good).  

Happy sewing.  Don't forget to pop back later for tea, cake and an update on my latest sewing project.