because there are not enough butterflies in the world

I have nothing much to say. Maybe I have a "writer's" block. Maybe there is not much happening in my life. Maybe I don't reflect enough on life and stuff. Who knows. Anyway, life is not always exiting, nor does it need to be. It is a bit like a river, sometimes you hit the rapids and then, just a few miles further down the stream the river is flat and tranquil.

I wanted to say thank you to all of you who commented on my Five on Friday post, there were so many encouraging messages, I am still on a high from all the positivity. Thank you!

In between the normalcy of life, I am still enjoying sewing. Last weekend I was sewing my annual allocation of ballet skirts for Annie's show. There are now only nine girls in the ballet class. Easy I thought, nine skirts. Not so. They are wearing a double skirt this year! It is the most boring of all sewing, two times nine identical skirts. One set drapey, the other set stiff as anything. Elasticated waist, rolled hem. Plus nine scarves of sorts. I am nearly done. I am looking forward to some more fun sewing next weekend. 

For now, let me show you my latest piece of clothing. I made it a couple of weekends ago. If you are a regular visitor you'll maybe remember that I lamented the fact that my favourite ever fabric, a light blue delight with butterflies printed on was no longer available. I used some of the small piece I had to make a zippered pouch lining. It turns out that I was wrong, the fabric is still available. Sometimes. In small pieces. I managed to get hold of two more pieces, enough to make a top. I don't know if there are 'dye lots' with fabric, as there is with yarn but I thought I was lucky to get two  pieces of fabric from different vendors that were absolutely identical. I used the same pattern as for my retro fabric top, Sailor Top by Fancy Tiger Crafts. What do you think? There can never be enough butterflies I think. I am hoping to find some more of the fabric for a skirt next year. It comes in pink and cream as well.

I also took some pictures of my new favourite neat finishing method for facings or linings. I mentioned understitching before I think. It keeps the lining/facing in place so it doesn't show on the outside. This is what it looks like when you understitch.

Trim your seam allowance (use pinking shears if you have them). Press the seam towards the facing/lining and stitch inside the seam allowance as closely to the seam stitch line as possible

This is what it looks like from the other side.

Fold the facing down and press. This is what it looks on the outside. Neat!

And this is what it looks like on the inside.

Really, I just needed an excuse for taking more pictures of my butterfly fabric. There are much more comprehensive tutorials online than the above!

I have decided to make all my nice tops this year. I am not going to start making plain t-shirts, only 'special' tops. I have splashed out on three more fabrics and two more patterns. I know, I know, this is quite extravagant but I am worth it :) I have washed and pressed the fabric, printed and sellotaped the first pattern and I am now waiting for the weekend, which seems so far away still. More on that another day.

Just in case you get bored with all the sewing, I do things intensely and in phases. No doubt the sewing phase will be superseded by something else in the near future. I did try to get my act together for the April photo scavenger hunt but didn't manage to get even half of the prompts.

Just a quick rant before I go: I can't wait for the UK election to be over. The campaigns cramp my style and I am sick of it. Untenable promises all around. Numbers picked at random from random sources and reported to support one's own pledge. Easily picked apart by those savvy enough to work the official statistics but not by most. Education is high on my agenda and most parties make it a priority, too... On paper only, that's for sure. Funding for education has been cut dramatically where I live. Only yesterday at the Secondary School Parent Council meeting we learned about the latest money saving feature (sold to us as progress, by the council, not the schools): a dedicated centralized phone line for calling-in absences. The reasoning behind this is to avoid wasting clerical staff time, or (just imagine, how outrageous this would be), pastoral care teacher time to have a chat if the absence is due to more than a cold, or if there are other concerns. The staff on the phone is clerical staff pulled from the schools.Those who have used the new phone line didn't manage to get through and ended up calling the school office anyway. Also, experienced teachers replaced with supply teachers and probationary teachers. Cheaper that way. It doesn't seem fair on either type of teacher. Transport to school has been cut for children coming from far away associated primary schools. As a result, placement requests are made and granted for schools with public transport connections. Some of these now are over capacity. Good for learning. One member of staff has left the school to work at a private school because working conditions in publicly funded schools are not conducive to teaching and learning. It makes my blood boil. It really does. Worst of all? I can't even vote! Rant over.

Have a lovely midweek my friends! Lets hope the weather fairy remembers it was spring just a few days ago. It was snowing today. Then it hailed. Later still it rained. Just now it is howling a gale. 

Turns out I had plenty to write after all..... Cxx