Hurrah!

Hurrah for finishing things, and for standing up for your rights!
I had a bit of a nightmare returning the sewing machine yesterday, to cut a very long story short (involving a very rude manageress, a srrange man from Brother on the phone - we will send a repairman but he isnt a repairman and can only change your needle - what! You need to post the machine to us at your own cost - feck that mate) I finally, finally got what I wanted - ie to return a 2 month old fairely expensei machine that was broken and under guarantee still, and pay the extra to upgrade it,
Not the most complicated thing you would have thought ...

Anyway, I stood my ground, repeatedly explained that LEGALLY my purchase and contract was with the shop NOT the manufacturer, and that the law overrides shop policy - because shop policy is AGAINST THE LAW! Fools! I explained to the girl serving me that my issues wasn't with her whatsoever, but with her rude boss and the incorrect understanding of trading standards - and got what I wanted, eventually.

So my new Singer machine is home and so far so good, definitely more solid that the other (and after that appalling 'customer service' I will never ever buy or recommend Brother machines).
So sewing has been done, and things have been finito:
the skirt at the top is Amy Butler's Barcelona skirt, which I have had half made for a while. Tes it IS meant to be frayed! It's very easy to make and looks good on, perfect - finding summer skirts in black cotton isn't easy, so I plan to make at least one more.

I had some black and white ribbons, so there's one print at the front and a different one at the back - the skirt was a fraction shorter than I like so I added a couple of inches to the underskirt, and sewed the ribbon there. A bit quirky, I might have to trim down the frayed bits because they are a bit TOO frayed! Yes that's a verrry long zip, I picked up one destined to go in a bag by mistake, but to hell with it - it's all lined up and matched well, side seams too.

So that was one thing finished, and for me for a change!

Then on to a couple of bags to add to etsy - although I think these will be the first things to go on my Artfire account sulkycat, which I am going to try having seen several recommendations - it's a bit of a fiddle to set up but I suppose anything is the first time around.

I like this - and am equally pleased with the second:

Both are fully interfaced and also interlined, so they are squooshy. Nice size - as I say, very pleased with thse - third one should be finished tonight, I would have finished it earlier but I am soooo tired and headed to bed for an hour this afternoon instead.

Knitting - I have literally just plonked the bag containing the Old Mill Hoodie next to me to seam whilst Holby is on, it seems like ages since I finished any knitty goodness!

And to end the drama of the sewing machine, how about this for talent - the whole thing is edible.