Friday 13 April 2018

It's only fair...

OK, I have found out you can't make a jersey dress for just one of your children and not the other. After a visit to the Ironworks Sculpture park near Oswestry in the cold, I tied in a little diversion to Textile Express: a cavern of a fabric shop in North Shropshire. Little M chose this jungle jersey because she fell in love with the mother sloth carrying the baby on its back.



I made the smallest size from McCalls M7079 and took it in with a wide seam along the arm all the way to the hem. Should the jersey hold up well during washing, I have the opportunity to let this one out next summer. She just loves it...and so do I. The fabric was a bit of a brain teaser because I kept thinking I had it the wrong way up every time I spied a sloth upside down!



On a drearier note, I am so miserable about the weather. I have had two full weeks off work and not been able to go in the garden or allotment once. Not a thing has been sown or weeded. 



The dog is so wet and muddy, that is when he will even go outside. Often he just sniffs and goes back to his basket and then chews the skirting boards because he is so bored out of his head. I know how he feels. I have been sewing at a breathtaking rate just to fill the days. I would say I have enough blog posts to last me until June! What is a girl to do?



 The children are bickering more than usual because they just want to go outside. A glimmer of blue sky and they try their best to have a play on their scooters. To halt the arguing I have had lots of children to play here because we have a big house but that creates the carnage of indoor play which seems relentless. 

Poor Andy has been dealing with all my dad's sheep in a field and yard that look like the Somme. My dad is too ill to look after them. Family health sadness adds to the grey metaphor. The Ewes are taking their time lambing this year; maybe they are waiting for fair weather too. 

Aghhh! Make it stop! 



The sweet little dress cheered me up even if she did take it off once I had taken the photo so that she could put on some warmer clothes!



 I think we are forecast better weather next week and I am forecasting more positive vibes here too. Jo xxxxx

17 comments:

  1. I hope that the weather improves for you soon and that things will be as good as they can be for your Dad - and for you too. xx

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  2. It's a super dress Jo. I love that fabric too. So sorry the weather is adding to your misery at this difficult time. Thinking of you and sending a hug.
    Jacquie xxx

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  3. Beautiful dress! Hope your Dad feels better soon.
    I hope the weather turns brighter soon. I have a family trip planned to England and France in May, I will bring some sunlight from here.

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  4. That's a very sweet dress, love the sloths :-)

    The puddles are so deep in Glasgow that soon we'll be labelling them as outdoor swimming pools. It is miserable. Unfortunately work is so crazy that I have not had much sewing time, not even one blog post worth but I am looking forward to seeing all yours. Sewing by proxy. I am sorry to hear your dad is so unwell, thinking of you. xx

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  5. Little M looks lovely in that dress and I too love the fabric. We are also sick of the rain. As soon as it tries to dry up here it pours down again all day or all night. Dogs are wet and muddy. Just waiting for better weather hopefully from this weekend.

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  6. Oh what a lovely dress! My girls love sloths too 🙂. The weather is JUST GRIM isn't it - hope it and everything else brightens up for you soon. X

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  7. Love the dress! Weather is getting me down too! I had work in the garden planned, but haven't done it. Meh!

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  8. That's a lovely dress Jo, your daughter looks very happy with it. We've had real damp weather for the 2 weeks off school & college, dreadful fog all day today too. I expect the sun will appear on Monday, not good. Lets hope it'll all improve from now on. Cathy x

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  9. I wish I could send you a big basket of sunshine, Jo. We have had very little rain this winter and no cold weather. If only we could swap.
    Amalia
    xo

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  10. What a perfect dress! The fabric is gorgeous, and your daughter appears to love it: the photos are great! I hope the greyness gets better for you soon.

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  11. Such a cute dress! LOL! at thinking you had the fabric upside down because of the sloths! I am so with you about the weather. My dog is always wet and muddy too, and I am desperate to get out in the garden to start weeding. Fingers crossed for the better weather forecast for next week. XXX

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  12. I always enjoy your blog and it inspires me to do more crafting. I am sorry to read about your dad. Your words that he was too ill to look after his sheep brought back a memory. My dad worked on farms in Australia and England, and was happiest outside. Visiting him in hospital when he was very ill I looked out the window of his room, it was summer time and a tractor was chugging back and forth across a field edged with poppies and I thought how much he would have liked to have been sitting on that tractor. Thinking of you. Jean/Winnipeg

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    1. Thank you Jean. His feelings mirror those of your father for sure.

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  13. Hoping your Dad feels a little better soon, it must be hard for him to let go and must be missing the Spring lamb season. I went for stroll earlier to see the lambs such a joy and so uplifting. Loved the fabric for the beautiful dress.

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  14. That is such a lovely dress and your daughter looks so pretty in it. I am so sorry your Dad is suffering and can't do the things he loves....it must be so hard for you all too. I hope the warmer weather comes soon and send lots of love your way. xox

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  15. SO sorry to hear your Dad continues to be so poorly Jo. The girls are adorable, probably what has kept them alive during your two weeks at home in the rain.

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  16. Oh my word, this was me all over Easter - everyone fed up with the rain, with the mud, and cold and the gloom. It was hard bloody work that holiday. I hope the recent warm weather made you as happy as it did me. Love the dress by the way! x

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