Golden Elephants

Hi all,
Todays post is very mixed, creative wise I mean, sewing, knitting, designing etc.
So first things first, probably a decade ago my older sister gave me the beginnings of a skirt asking if I'd like it, being twenty one I hastily accepted because of two reasons. One it was from my big sister ( we weren't that close back then because she's so much older than me ) and two, I wanted to prove I could make a skirt on my own, never having been taught how. My mum and I did make a dress "together" when I was twelve, which involved me helping pin the pattern pieces and pretty much just watched as my mum did everything. It was a lovely pink and blue floral sixties pattern original. I loved it right up until I became a Goth when I was 16. Still, I felt with the sewing machine my mum had given me I could make anything, the fabric world was all mine. Well note todays date.......I'm now a thirty one year old wife and mother who loves crafting. I've not touched it until now because everytime I've taken it out to start on I wasn't feeling brave enough. It had got four darts for shaping and a back seam only. It was for a size UK 16 and I'm a UK 6/8 depending on my health that week. I'd attached so much sentimental value and put all the pressure on myself to get it perfect it became a beautiful piece of dread. Well, I decided we have about 50% too much stuff in our house and we're having a huge clearout. It was make or recycle to a charity. I took the plunge and Made The Skirt is has been crying out to become. It fits beautifully, I used a zip and elastic to accomodate my rapid sudden size fluctuations. I sewed hundreds of tiny golden beads onto part of the pattern repeat around the edge. I pressed it perfectly. Now I have a new skirt with memories and that has been made with much care and longing for it to be perfect. Not for my sister who gave it to me originally, but for me because I realised I deserve a nice skirt just like anyone else.
Also I finally explored the world of Craftsy. Online courses with videos are a lot better than I'd realised. I've signed up for a few knitting and sewing ones. My daughter Kimberly is now 10 and we bought her a small sewing machine for her birthday. It's a full machine just smaller than mine. Her sister Keira bought her a Jelly Roll of fabric, so we're taking the free taster class on making draw string bags together as a bonding activity. It's so much fun yet nerve wracking because I have to let go of the reigns and allow her to grow up into the designer she so desperately wants to be by taking this first step of letting her sew for herself. She's made a few felt toys before but this is her first machine project. Photos of our bags will come I promise.
My husband forgot how to cast off, so in my own best interests (he's knitted me a present for Christmas too) I showed him how again. Well I decided to turn my mini lesson into a lovely pair of Forget-me-not earrings. They're so cute.
Knitting includes my Heartbeat jumper I started by Martin Storey, I'm up to mid armhole of the back.  A blue baby cardigan called Zoom which I put frog buttons on. Very nice simple cardigan to make, I had fun because it was a knit I could daydream along to.
I finished my friends Wings Cowl too, red with beads in purple and red.
I've been designing some shawls too. I say some because I keep dreaming up ideas but then have too many or I feel the patterns won't blend well together on one shawl so I write another pattern for that particular design feature. So I've currently got three shawls mid pattern that I'm trying to knit up alongside everything else too. There really aren't enough hours in the day. Either that or I'm just feeling cheated by evolution for the need to sleep on a regular basis. Who knows!
My hair will be a bright shade of pink with some lagoon blue by the next post. I'm starting the procedure of change today. The only reason I've held off for a couple of weeks is that I didn't want to clash with my knitwear. Daft, but who cares right? If I like it and it makes me feel good, then I'll just clash happily. Besides I have a few purple, pink and blue projects lined up for this year.
I'm sorry about the lack of pictures, I'm having a glitch. Lots next time ok.
Take care of yourselves, keep knitting and sewing etc
Elspeth x