Monday morning = cleaning the house. I have got this down to a fine art now; one room at a time, dusting first (damp cloth/dry cloth), putting things away (although in reality we're pretty good at tidying as we go) and then vacuuming. Close door, move onto to next room. We don't have a lot of 'clutter' and it makes for streamlined cleaning which I'm all in favour of. I take my time, don't cut corners and there is the satisfaction at the end of having a clean and tidy home. I also managed to get a load of washing on the line and dry before the rain started (bonus), bake a lemon cake and make a veggie quiche for dinner. I've make a start on the next quilting project (the pile is definitely going down at last); hopefully once I get going it shouldn't take too long to complete.
For quite some time, I have kept a note of the money we spend on food - it's just a little notebook in which I jot down the figures and at the end of the month I total it up. In January we spent just over £100, and last month it was not quite £160. We made a point of running the freezer down through January and using up what we had in the store cupboards; this month we have restocked and done a meat shop. We were both pretty surprised at how little we have spent. But - we cook from scratch, we meal-plan, we shop around, we aren't brand-led, hardly anything gets thrown away and we eat very well indeed. It is possible to eat well and not spend a fortune.
Those sewing blogs I mentioned previously - I think I'm addicted! So many lovely fabrics, clothes, buttons and trimmings. So many beautiful patterns just waiting to be bought. So many ideas - now all I need is to make the time. I'm in serious need of a dressmaking 'fix' and the fact that I have cleared out half my wardrobe is obviously enough reason to getting sewing. However, I am being sensible and clearing the work-table of other projects before I get too carried away, and in the meantime I am planning on what I'll make first. Will it be a blouse, or a skirt, or a pair of trousers? Colour? Design? When I used to make clothes many years ago there were only a handful of pattern companies - Simplicity, Butterick, New Look, Burda, McCalls - but now there is so much more choice with lots of small independent designers producing great patterns for the new generation of home sewers. There are a few patterns I may treat myself to, and I think a quick trawl of the charity shops is in order, too; some of the older patterns (does '70s/'80s fashion count as 'vintage'?) seem to be having a bit of a revival, and a vintage pattern collection is a pre-requisite for any serious dressmaker. Reading through these blogs has also made me realise that I could do with brushing up on some of my sewing skills and techniques, and I have always wanted to learn more about pattern alteration and making toiles.
Hmm, I think I may need to start a new list. Most definitely.
Anyone else planning some dressmaking?
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