A fifty-foot monster can't swim up the Thames and attack a large building without some people noticing, but you know what politicians are like.

No time to update you all on Saturday and Sunday after all, I'm afraid. Saturday turned into a lengthy sewing marathon with Denise. I don't have a finished object to show you all, but I will have before too long. I made my first ever muslin, for the circle dress I want to make from the beautiful gingham I bought at the Walthamstow Shopping Frenzy. I've never been patient enough to make a muslin before - it's always seemed totally counterintuitive to make a version of something that you can't even wear. Consider me converted now, because it was a fantastic learning experience. I was working from an untested (well, you know, untested by me) free pattern I had downloaded from Burdastyle, and I wanted to make a few amendments to it. A muslin seemed like the only way to go. It also fits in with my new year sewing resolution, which is to slow the hell down. So, I did slow down and while I completed my muslin in a day of sewing, I took it at a leisurely pace. The pattern drawing looks like this

Circle dress by Elegant Impressions

The pattern calls for a smocked back. I hate smocking. I mean, not in a generalised I think it should be banned way, I just don't enjoy wearing it. I decided I wanted to make two changes - one being to put a lapped zip in the centre back, and the other to have an attached halter. The pattern is one size and luckily for me, the bodice pretty well fits. Or rather, it did with the addition of some darts to the back! The skirt is too wide for the bodice and the pattern calls for gathering to make it fit, which I tried. I've decided instead to draft a circle skirt to my own measurements (easy enough) and attach that instead. The muslin cost me nothing to make, as I cut up an old and faded bed sheet. I had bought some bright blue dye for another reason and I dyed the finished muslin with thoughts of wearing it, but I've decided against it. I know that, faced with the choice of wearing it and wearing something else, I'd probably go with something else. Previously I would have thought that spending all day sewing something I wouldn't wear would just piss me off, but I feel strangely elated by it because it's the first time I have really altered a pattern to suit me. Also, the back lapped zip I put in was perfect, even if I do say so myself! The whole thing has definitely helped me to get my sewing mojo back, I'm raring to go to make my Dorothy dress and I think it is going to be pretty snazzy at that.

Nic was quite up for a quiet Sunday as he had been in London all day on Saturday, so I have absolutely nothing exciting to report from Sunday. I did a wee bit more sewing, we went to the library and did the grocery shopping and generally just hid out in our flat because it was rainy and grey. I wanted something comfortable to wear, and remembered a wee dress I'd bought in Tesco when I was at home at Christmas.

2 in 1 dress from Tesco, vintage bowler hat, red tights from Dorothy Perkins and Irregular Choice Little Miss Oh shoes

This wee dress was only £7! As I have said before, I am not at all keen on buying such cheap clothes however this is not throwaway fashion for me. I bought the dress because I'll wear it. I love the kicky little skirt. It's designed to tie around the back, but luckily the ties are long enough to bring them back around to the front and into a little bow, which I was pretty pleased with. I know some bloggers are a bit snide about this sort of two in one dress, but I stick my tongue out at them. I think this wee dress is great.

Me, my umbrella and a little bow

It was raining, so my choice of open toed shoes was impractical, but my umbrella was big enough to keep me dry and amazingly, I got home with dry feet. I love how these shoes look with tights.

Irregular Choice Little Miss Oh shoes and red tights from Dorothy Perkins

So, that was Sunday. I've got a busy week coming up, which is fine. I got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning so had a bit of a grumpy puss on me this afternoon, but it's all good really. There are a couple of big things happening at work tomorrow, but I've got a few days off next week so it all balances out, I hope. And I think I can face tomorrow by wearing a new dress, sparkly shoes and some exciting gel eyeliner. It's all about finding the simple pleasures, isn't it? I really will be back soon, because I've got some posts lined up for this week. Until then my friends, stay warm and dry.