Hello, Is Anyone Out There?

I decided to write a blog a couple of weeks ago and since then have been putting off putting pen to paper (fingers to keys?). I have procrastinated awhile, pondering names, making things look pretty, reading other blogs (in the name of research, you understand), Googling images and choosing photos, all the while scared to actually write anything!

This feels like such a commitment, and it’s one I’m scared of. I’ve been mulling the idea of a blog over in my mind for a few months now, having discovered the world of sewing blogs about a year ago. This blog-world that I’ve explored, got to know and have become addicted to, seems like so much fun – and yet, I can’t help but feel like the new girl trying desperately to fit in with the cool, popular crowd who are completely out of my league!

Yet, here I am writing, and about to hit "publish"!

I’ve been sewing clothes now for a couple of years. My mum sewed and knitted when I was young. She’d done it herself when young and made her own clothes and wedding dress. And although I “helped”, it was really me following her instructions, and not necessarily learning an awful lot. OK, yes, I learnt how to use a sewing machine and have had one ever since  - I got my first hand powered Singer for my 10^th birthday, I think? - yes I learnt how to pin and sew, how to press and how to tack/baste (my mum did this religiously with every seam and hem), but I didn’t necessarily learn, or retain, how to make up a pattern. So a few years ago, I dug out my mum’s 10 ton, 40 year old Home sewing machine (it is made of metal and wood. Yes, wood!) and signed myself up for a Dressmaking evening class. I enjoyed it, but didn’t feel like I was learning again and about halfway into the term discovered I was pregnant. So after 2 terms, one skirt (success!) and one maternity tunic (less said about that one the better), I went off to have my son!

When he was about 7months old, and I’d pretty much got my waistline back, I signed up again  - this time to a different class, with a different teacher. And something just clicked! The teacher really enthused and engaged us, taught in a clear way and suddenly I realised I could take a pattern, some fabric and some thread, and produce an item of clothing ALL BY MYSELF! I’ve attended that same class for over 2 years now, enjoying the social aspect of it – sewing, while chatting with other like-minded regulars – and enjoyed every minute. It is my social life! But this year it has been cancelled due to lack of numbers, and that is what has brought me here! While I am happy to sew on my own, when time and space permits, I miss the chat. Conversation about fabric, what we are making next, and how to get past a problem when the teacher is helping someone else, mingled with what was on TV last night, whether we’ve had our tea yet or not (and what we had/are having), children, holidays, work… Stupidly I never got the  phone numbers of the girls in the class, we just used to turn up!  So I’m hoping that this blog network will provide that support, chat and possibly friendship instead. At least until next term when hopefully the class will be back on! :)

I have no idea how much time blog-writing is going to take, and as a result have no idea how much I’ll be able to commit. My vague idea is to post about the items I make, but since I sew about one evening a week, progress is pretty slow, so there will most probably be ramblings of other natures as well.

So that’s it. My first post! Wasn’t so hard after all!