Success

My hands are improving, though I don't want to push it just yet.  So, still no knitting.  I did make a few squares on the little loom and I was thinking about trying another row or tow on my sock, to see how it goes.  I haven't had any pain at night for four days.  I am feeling much better about everything.

I did a little sewing over the last few days.  I putzed around, putting together the Ashton top with the skirt from another of Helen's closets patterns, a free one called the Orchard Dress.  I was meaning to use the skirt from the Hexham Dress but I thought it would be easier to use a pattern that was designed for a woven fabric.  Just less thinking.  Plus, the Orchard Dress takes so few sheets of papaer to print out and hey, the pattern is free.  

And it worked, and worked well.  

It fits quite nicely and I am fairly happy with it...BUT  I am not sure if I will leave it the way it is.  I will make a few Ashton Top dress hacks, but this one, this pattern is going to need some changes.  I sewed as it is because again, this was a bit of a muslin or a test for this idea.  I had not put sleeves on the test of the Ashton Top I made a couple weeks ago, so that was a test and I wanted to be sure that the skirt would work too.    

I have used this fabric before, as part of the second great comforter I made using the wool batts I had.  I must have had five metres of fabric and I have no idea what I meant to sew with it.  The print is just too much.  It is also a medium weight cotton, and is a wee bit heavy for what I want for a dress with sleeves.  

I have two options for it.  I can take the sleeves off and bind the sleeve openings and make it into a dress I might wear come summer or I could shorten it and wear it as a top.  It fits so nicely and sleeves would be fine on a summer top.  Or a no sleeve top.  

It is finished for now and I am pleased.  I am going to cut out another something this afternoon but I am not sure what.  I could use some nicer pants, something dressier than the comfortable stuff I made so far or maybe the first of the two dresses I want to make from this fabric.  I could also fool around on the changes to the pinafore. 

 

Or I might just sit back and read a book and give my hands a rest.  Not sure yet, but I feel good and am pretty pleased with what I have done so far.