Sew sew

Am feeling rather pleased with myself today - as well as actually making pie for tea (bacon, leek, cheese and potato, since you ask), I have finally finished a cushion! Yes, I know it's a small achievement in the grand scheme of things, but trust me, when the other highlight of your week has been a trip to the rather dull and smelly Pets' Corner in Jesmond Dene, then a fully finished cushion is not to be sniffed at. Anyway, here it is in all its glory.





I had to get my great-great-great aunt's Singer sewing machine out of retirement for this project, which was entertaining in itself, as it weighs about as much as a small elephant. But it does have very comprehensive instructions (printed 1930), which with many "shewns" and "theretos" allowed me to actually thread the damn thing up and sew a straight(ish) line. Not sure I could manage anything a great deal more complicated (the last time I did a proper bit of sewing was probably age 12 at school, when I made a rather pink, floral-sprigged nightdress), and usually I head straight for the wonderweb stuff that you iron on if I have to hem anything. But I found this fabric in the charity shop (its previous existence was as a tablecloth, apparently), and couldn't resist. One down, another one to go...whereupon the cat will probably throw up all over them, and I'll have to start again.