His name's Gwin. And I know he looks charming, but you know what they say about books and covers. DustfingerFriday: officially the last day of school break. Dearest & I have been building so Ditz has spent most of her free time on the computer; Liddy has brought a cold home from work & summer is definitely over so Friday I took the girls to the mainland to do the sort of shopping not possible on the island & to see the movie Inkheart.
Inkheart might have charmed me anyway but I was delighted to find Paul Bettany in the role of Dustfinger. He amused me as Geoffery Chaucer in A Knight's Tale & I generally find him to be a convincing actor. This time he had a pet marten in tow & was a fairly disreputable character but no sex, no innuendo, no bad language & enough fantasy to keep Ditz & I happy. Bonus!
However the movie was the sweetener for what else had to be accomplished: black closed shoes for Ditz; another jersey & long duds for Ditz, Liddy's banking & the buying of a sewing machine for Liddy. We managed Ditz in record time & unbelievably Liddy & I managed to convince her that she could wear something other than black & still look slim, sleek & ravishing! Yes, her dress pants are black pin stripe but we got a teal coloured jersey that looks lovely with her hair.
The jersey was a bonus. Liddy, who owns jerseys to burn, walked out of the house this morning without one. Ditz walked out of the house wearing one Theo had left behind. When, inevitably, Liddy got cold, Ditz handed over her jersey because she rarely feels the cold but of course sitting round for hours in air conditioning she did get cool. Liddy was in no mind to part with Ditz's jersey either & in the end it was simplest to buy another one. It's not like Ditz has more clothes than she knows what to do with. Quite the opposite in fact.
Tracking down a sewing machine was something of an eye~opener. It seems that along with cooking from scratch, sewing your own clothes is passe. The haberdashery department is a thing of the past. My sewing machine, which provided shorts & Ts for 3 boys & a small Liddy & sewing lessons for the boys has a few quirks now that make it unsuitable for a learner ~ & Liddy always likes to have her own things.
To the sewing machine Liddy added 4 lots of fabric, pins & shears & pillow stuffing, & 3 patterns. I pulled her away from Vogue for Simplicity & Butterick ~ patterns than I'm pretty sure I can manage without too much difficulty because while I can sew it has never been something I'm totally thrilled to be doing. Meanwhile Liddy kept saying, 'But how difficult can it be? Cut it out, sew it up.' Um, yes, well...Would you like to instruct her?
Anyway Ditz decided that seeing domestic arts were in the offering haggling for knitting needles & wool was a good option. Perish the thought that the child chose a nice big pair of needles & nice thick wool! Nope. 4mm needles & that fluffy feather wool. Seriously. I can't even see to cast it on let alone knit with the stuff. Nor was I going to be left in peace to take my time working out how much I can remember of a skill I don't use. Knitting is even worse than sewing. All that counting. Anyway, seeing as Liddy couldn't take out her sewing machine & play with it on the boat, she dug out Ditz's knitting & begged me to show her how to cast on. Ditz took the other needle to practise on. Two lots of that feathery stuff to be pulled undone!
All well & good but no sooner were we in the door than Liddy had her machine out of its box & was setting up in the living room. A kinesthetic learner & a visual just approach life from completely different viewpoints so I pointed her in the general direction & left her to it...until she yelped for help ~ a matter of knowing what she needed to do next.
Liddy had bought some bright & pretty material to make some throw cushions, enough for her & Ditz to practise straight sewing & get used to the machine. True to form Liddy tackled the project like a bull at a gate making 3 cushions to Ditz's carefully thought out one! Generously she passed on what she'd gleaned & helped Ditz out but the hand sewing to close the final seam was too fiddly for Liddy & Ditz was lumbered with that but both girls have managed their first sewing project & the machine is still in one piece!
The next project should be interesting. Liddy has chosen two blouses & a skirt to try & I'm not sure either is a sensible project for a child with no patience, & no application to the finer details. Should be interesting. Wish me luck!
8 comments:
WOW, good luck with that. You know we'll be waiting for pictures!!
Love to sew, but haven't touched my own machine in a few years. I found I can buy consignment sale clothes for cheaper than I could make them. However, with the Princess liking long skirts and dresses with the style being so short and now that she is into bigger sizes making it more difficult to find used clothes that fit our criteria, I am thinking that at some point I will need to sew a few things. She needs to learn also.
I've been wanting to learn to knit for ages! I know how to cast on, but that's about it. I do sew (nothing spectacular) - I've been making little outfits for my daughter's American Girl doll. Again, nothing spectacular - but the doll doesn't complain.
My mother sews quite well, and I finally regret never having asked to be taught.
Sounds like you got a lot accomplished.
The good thing about knitting with the feathery stuff is that mistakes don't show. Make a scarf - no need to count; just go until it's the right length. :-) No need to make everything complicated.
Luck. : )
I'm going to reveal a secret. I sewed at the seamstress level at one time. I made money while I was in college making those Vogue type clothes for people on order. My last big project was in the mid 1990's when I made a shadbelly (complicated tails for upper level dressage) Trust me, it was not easy. So I applaud Liddy for her interest and her trying. I learned all on my own and I made a small living at it. I used to know how to knit & perl. I could also crochet and embroider. I forgot the first two, but I can still embroider if my hands weren't so crippled.
lol.MrsC ~ pictures coming.
Seeking: I haven't sewn in years either & I've quite lost my touch.
Britwife: I like the non~complainers...& I can't really knit; just purl & plain but that will do to start the girl.
MamaO: we so hate being on the mainland we have to make it worthwhile when we go so, yeah, we got a lot done...
Sandra: you are amazing & a woman of many hidden talents! I would never have picked you for a seamstress.
Allison: my mum is really, really goo ~ too good for me but I've met my match with Liddy.
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