new boots and snowdrops

Is it just me, or do other people have sewing projects that start with great enthusiasm, drag on for ages and then end in frayed temper and swearing? Other sewists in blogland seem to be possessed of patient temperaments, or else they only show the things that went right...

I started making a dress with this lovely soft needlecord in November, using one of my ancient patterns which last saw the light of day at a wedding in the early eighties:

I had in mind an all-purpose garment that would layer over long sleeves for Spring. My big mistake was not taking into account that the full skirt would be much too full in needlecord when gathered onto the bodice. But I blithely ignored that detail until I'd put a lot of work into actually making the bodice and then attaching the skirt. Mr P. helpfully pointed out that I looked like a bag of washing, and he was RIGHT.

(No picture of that, happily.)

After the traditional swearing, I decided to salvage the acres of fabric from that skirt and make a simple a-line skirt, and the overlocker helped me make a rather snappy job of lining it.

But this has been one of those projects that fought me every step of the way, the bobbin jumping around in the sewing machine, the tension going all over the place, and the seam-ripper working overtime. I persevered though, and finished the waistband with a little ribbon loop and a button from my button tin which I think might have come from my original version of that dress. Maybe that's sewing karma?

So finally its finished, and I have some new purple boots, and the snowdrops are out, so spring is on its way. 

I think I'll be taking a rest before making anything else which has to actually fit, so its back to the quilting and machine embroidery for a while. And there's also the other kind of sowing to be done in the greenhouse and garden of course.