Night Shift

I have a love/hate relationship with Stef's night shift. I love the evenings to myself when I can do what I want, chat to a friend, sew, surf the net, watch a chick flick... I hate that I have to do dinner, dishes, bath and bed for Amelia by myself after a long day with her. I love having the bed to myself but hate not having him in the bed with me. I find weekends a struggle as there isn't the activity distraction a weekday brings and our usual haunts are busier with weekend crowds. Saturday and Sunday night shift are the worst as he is asleep all day Sunday. Sunday is a family day and I don't like rocking up to friends places unless we have been invited. Sunday in between night shifts is becoming commonly known as pyjama day! Thankfully it doesn't come around that often and after a hectic week and hardly a day at home this month today was declared as such, she set about doing her 'stories' (playing) and I hit the Janome!!

So - the dress pattern bought from here we made view D with short sleeves. I made the bodice and the skirt a few weeks back, again while Stef slept but Amelia was at school that afternoon. I have been very proud of this as it reminds me of something but I can't remember what, perhaps I had something like it as a young girl.

Amelia and I were in a discussion over the length of the sleeves, a very hot discussion! She wanted long (because the pattern has long sleeves) but the fabric is a lightish weight cotton and would need something underneath it and I wanted short because I made it quite big and think it will fit her next summer.

We talked about the sleeves this morning. I put a sleeve on her arm and asked her how short I was allowed to make the sleeve, she put her finger on her elbow, I figured that was a good compromise so ran with it! I need to add some buttons to the front and the pleat on the sleeves but it is done! A proud moment for me... I didn't make the hem very deep but the skirt looks quite a lot shorter.

Then I was persuaded to start the dressing gown I cut out so long ago! I bought the pattern in the same order as the dress pattern. A funny story to tell with the micro fleece, it has been such a long time since I have done any real sewing without anything other than plain safe cotton. Micro fleece has a pile and I forgot about this and cut the whole pattern out upside down! I managed to cut it all out right way up with the pile going the right way but was short enough fabric for one sleeve... So I made a rush order to the lovely ladies from here and bingo, 8 days later my parcel arrived!

This pattern was very involved and did require my full attention and I had to read one part of the instructions aloud SEVERAL times to get them but we got there in the end. Just the button holes to do which are scaring me a little! I think Amelia's favourite thing are the heart pockets. This has a very deep hem as I hope she will get a few winters out of it!

Night Shift, there is good and bad... But mostly I love the fabric allowance, I mean, penalty rates!