Something for me

So I decided to make something for me. I don't often do it, mostly because I had a formative experience at a Get Knitted sale when they were still in a warehouse and only opened once a month. There were a lot of women there who had really got quite carried away with the home made thing and who were firmly of the opinion that really more was more.

Anyway, I was in Ikea and saw beautiful upholstery material and thought 'I know, I want to look like a sofa'. So I made a skirt out of it. I bought a whole metre, which was, I think, £2.99. It was more than I needed for the skirt, because it was quite wide, but I wanted to make sure that I could get the bird pattern going across nicely.


Once again, I drew round something I already owned. Unfortunately, I hadn't worn the skirt for a while, so I hadn't realised how much weight I'd put on, and how small it would be. I really do look like a sofa, when an armchair would be so much preferable.


Don't ask how I put the zip in. I think I called upon dark forces to cobble it together. And then I had to use a hook and eye so it didn't undo. But this only occurred to me after it had already undone a number of times.


This is the back. I even sewed vents and things in so it fits nicely over my bottom.

And because the bird is a bit high up on the front, I kind of have to tuck my jumper in. But I am SO pleased with it - it gets lots of comments, so I must have done something right. Mostly, I think, pick good material.

Only problem is, I didn't think about the fact that things are backwards when they're inside out, so the zip's on the wrong side.

And then, not content to rest on my laurels, I made a dress for my friend's little girl. I used an old pattern I've made lots of times before, but I can't remember what sort it is. I kind of adapted it - like by scaling it up to fit a two year old, and using two sorts of fabric. I wonder how the intellectual property works with that?

As ever, I forgot to take photos as I went along, although to be honest, I also forgot how to make it as I went along, and ended up unpicking it about 6 times.

You can't really tell from this, but it's kind of latte coloured corduroy, lined with African print cotton from Brixton market. I just tried to link to Brixton market, but it doesn't have a website. Someone needs to get onto that please.

I've made this dress a few times like this, and it works really well. Because you have to line it, I thought it would be really bulky with two layers of cord. But one is fine. And it stops your child looking too much like a geographer if it's not too cordy.

And because presentation is 90% of the battle (clearly, military strategists might disagree with me on that, but on the present front, I'm willing to stand my ground), I put it in a little bag and did it up with the same button. You're never too young to accessorise.

When Child A was little, a friend of mine used to look after him for me, when I went back to work. She had a little girl the same age, and when he, inevitably, had accidents, she would dress him in her clothes. I remember him being a vision in pink velour dungarees, and demanding his hair be put in bunches. When I tried to get Child C, who is the same size as the intended recipient of the dress, to try it on, he got really distressed, and tore it off. And it's not even pink. It's amazing how different two little boys can be...