Some weather is designed for making things. Today is a blustery May day, with the wind blowing around the house, and the rain battering at the windows. And then 10 minutes later the rain stops, until the wind blows some more in. So, it’s not a day for gardening, although the garden would love me to spend some more time in it, getting rid of some of those pesky weeds.
It’s a day for making things.
So, my man is in the shed doing joinery. Every few minutes I hear the whine of the saw, and so I know something is being created.
I like power tools. I have a bit of power tool envy really, I like the way they are good and solid in your hand and can make short work of heavy jobs.
I guess I have a few power tool equivalents in the kitchen: my electric beaters, my zizzer, my liquidiser, a food processor, and my vintage Kenwood Chef mixer. How I love that mixer, and wish I could move it to my place in the country instead of my wee flat in the city.
But today I’m using an altogether different power tool: my Bernina sewing machine. It’s a beautiful thing: solid and heavy, but graceful and elegant. And with the loveliest wee hummm you ever did hear. It’s almost as relaxing as the purrrr of my purrdy cat, when she lies on me in bed.
Bernina and I are making a skirt, in dark brown tweed with a turquoise lining. I’d never done the lining thing till I went to dressmaking classes for a season and was persuaded of the sense (and beauty) of a quality lining. Now I love that swishy sound of a good lining, and the slinky ease of pulling on a lined skirt. But I just can’t seem to do a matching lining, and so everything I make ends up with a serious clash.
My next skirt is probably a dark turquoise/teal wool crepe … and the only lining I have in my stash is what I like to call greige – a deliciously minky sort of grey beige. It feels slightly too dowdy for this fabric though, and I feel I might have to nip up to Edinburgh Fabrics this week and get something in lime green, or a jewel purple or hot pink.
OK, the sun has come back out and the garden room (which doubles as my sewing room) is flooded with light, so time to do the hems and get this skirt finished. I might even wear it tomorrow.
Shewolfinthevalley 