This is a test-run of Kwik Sew 3472, a simple jersey dress. It also has options for a knee-length version, a scoop neck and short sleeves. The fabric, I promise you, isn’t anywhere near as loud as it looks in this photo! In real life the colours are much more muted and dusky. I figured that any mistakes I made on this first try wouldn’t show up too badly against this very swirly pattern, but thankfully it seems to have come out pretty well! I think the only change I might make is to shorten it a bit, but I’ll wear it first and see how it goes.
I have nine metres of organic cotton jersey on order, ready to make three more of these – two black, and one purple. That should give me a basic work wardrobe that goes with most of my existing shoes and accessories. My fibromyalgia’s playing me up quite badly at the moment, which is seriously limiting what I can comfortably wear. Separates give me stomach ache. Anything that isn’t soft enough makes me itch. And frankly I need every scrap of my brain power to be working for me through the tiredness, not fighting against my uncomfortable clothes.
I realise this all sounds very dramatic, but unfortunately it just seems to be a fact of life for me now. Wearing uncomfortable clothes causes pain, which causes fatigue, and life’s too short to be exhausted because my stupid jeans gave me a blister. I’m sad and angry about it, because it seems as though I’m going to have to get rid of about 80% of my current wardrobe, including a lot of things that I’ve made for myself over the years. The thought of sending it all off to the charity shop makes me utterly furious that my body has decided to do this to me.
But hey, let’s look on the bright side. I get to make a whole new wardrobe of the softest organic cotton dresses.
Also, I have one really nice picture that Paul took of me at the Frome Steampunk Extravaganza. I’ll show you that one soon.