Sewing lesson

Tuesday night’s trip to The Make Lounge for the first part of my Sew a Skirt course was excellent. It came after a strange day at work, when all my colleagues were either working from home, off sick or away on courses. I’d been the only person in my part of the office – just me and my spreadsheets all day.

I think this may have contributed to my slightly eccentric behaviour during the evening. I was so eager to get to The Make Lounge and talk to somebody, that I arrived far too early. Even before the teachers. But Jennifer, the owner of The Make Lounge, was very kind and didn’t seem too perturbed. She asked me if I was ‘the lady with the orange ribbon’ – she’d clicked through to this blog from my booking email and read my post about the insanely gorgeous and expensive vintage ribbon from the Cloth House that I bought to trim the skirt. It was funny to meet someone who already knew my fabric choices!

But even more surreal was that about half an hour later, when all the sensible, on-time people arrived, someone on the crochet course that was also running that evening, turned to me and said “Oh, you’re the List Writer! I’m a huge fan of your blog! I recognise you from your photo!”

This lovely lady, I think, went by the name of Lydia, but I can’t be sure. I was so shocked to meet a complete stranger who reads and enjoys this blog that I didn’t concentrate when she introduced herself. I think I just stared at her and opened and shut my mouth a few times.

I know people visit and comment, but deep down I’m sure that really it’s just my Mum and sister and a handful of friends who read this. And G, when I nag him.

Lydia asked after my cycling and was very sweet about my recent sewing efforts and all the other things I write about. And I just mumbled something incoherent at her. But thank you Lydia (if that is indeed your name!) because you really, truly made my week! People read this – and enjoy it. So odd, but very nice to know.

After all that, my head was really spinning by the time I sat down to cut and sew. I learnt so much though, even with only half my mind on what I was doing. The denim, and the contrasting orange notions I chose, are going to look good I think. I didn’t realise until I started sewing that the denim has a little bit of stretch in it. This can only be a Good Thing and I think will make the skirt fit even better.

I’ve only ever sewn on three sewing machines in my life. When I was a teenager I used the clunky old ones at school, or my mothers even older and clunkier one at home. Then for my 18th birthday I was given the Brother machine I use now. It is a great machine and does everything I need perfectly well, but last night I discovered that there is a whole world of even better sewing machines out there. Machines have really come on in the last 18 years!

When I sew at home, I can’t listen to the radio because my machine is so loud it drowns out any music or chatter – the ones at The Make Lounge purr gently. Oooh, it was like driving a Jaguar when your normal run-around is a beaten up old Mini Metro.

So never mind the pricey ribbon, this might be an even more expensive skirt than I first anticipated…. At the very least, I need to get my machine serviced for the first time in 18 years.