familiar sewing

I don't quite know where my sewing mojo has been hiding these past few months. But what I do know is that the months of sewing machine hibernation have fuelled a passion for knitting so strong that it's been difficult combining the two. In the 'olden' days I could have had this dress made in a couple of days but this time I think it may have taken me, oh .. let's see, well over a month to complete. Your eagle eyes may perhaps remember this pattern in a variety of incarnations from here, here and yes, even here and I'm guessing I don't need to say how much I love this one. The Merchant and Mills dress shirt most surely is a winner. I delved into one of many fabric boxes that currently clutter up the house, to retrieve one of my favourite linens, one I used for my Iona dress, which shipped out to Italy last summer. It's a tricky one to capture, this fabric, but I love these earthy plum and sand tones that just happen to blend so well with one of my yarny works in progress!

The bib section of this pattern comes in two equal parts which are sewn together down the front. However I cut this section out on the fold, allowing an extra 1.5cm either side so I had one bib piece only and it would still marry up once I came to stitch. With horizontal stripes I didn't really see the need to cut them up and this method works so well. Aside from the bib, the only other change I made was to dispense of the traditional dress shirt style hem, in favour of a straight hem so I guess you could say this version is more dress than shirt.

Now then, what else to tell .. the season is romping away, honeysuckle is the latest flower to brighten the garden and unbelievably the children finish school for the Summer in less than three weeks. It's crazy to think we have been here for six and a half months now, can you believe it? This house has been good to us but it's time to move on once again soon. Time to think about retrieving our belongings. Time for a holiday, or two, first. Which reminds me, does anyone know the rules on taking knitting needles in the air and does it matter whether they're straight or circular, wood or metal? I'd love to know.

Thank you for all your kind comments on the Model's rainbow cardigan, we both loved reading them. And a big hello to those lovely new faces who pop by to investigate my little space here. You are all so very welcome!