Sewing class - making cafe aprons

Beautifully made aprons

We had such a good time last Wednesday evening when Vanessa, Cara, Susan and Eileen came over for an evening of sewing.  I was a little daunted by the fact that Cara and Susan had to be shown how to turn their sewing machines on - but, haven't they all done well?  Eileen had to leave early but I talked her through the last few steps and, with the tutorial handout I had prepared, she has finished hers at home since.

This was my first time using our dining room as a classroom and my lovely friends were the guinea pigs - just to see if the room would work, test my teaching skills, how many can comfortably work in the room and so on.  It seems that four is a perfect number and that I can set the room up as a classroom fairly easily.  And I enjoy teaching so much - it seems that my 'students' enjoyed their lesson too as we're now planning a get-together every few weeks.

I'm going to carry on working up my plans and hope to be able to offer small classes and bespoke tutoring in the future.  All very exciting.  I get such a buzz from helping people learn to work with fabric.

My first sample apron was made more-or-less to an Amy Butler pattern but I found it overly complicated and was concerned that it would take too long to make.  Plus, I feel more comfortable teaching something that is more 'mine'.  So, I adapted the pattern considerably to simplify it's design and also the amount of fabric required.  I have plans for the apple apron, which was to the original pattern, and I have been enjoying using the second......a little treat for myself.

Grannie and Grandad on top of Nape's Needle

Grannie and Grandad preparing to climb the Inaccessible Pinnacle

Grannie climbing the 'In Pinn'

I noticed that the dining room photos showed a glimpse of my three climbing pictures.  They are photos of my grandparents and are among my favourite possessions.  My grandad was a really keen climber and walker and enjoyed an adventurous bachelorhood until he met my grannie.  And grannie must have been quite some girl because she was prepared to learn to climb for his sake.  They spent their honeymoon on Skye and the second and third photos show them climbing the Inaccessible Pinnacle on the Cuillin Ridge.  The first photo shows them on top of Napes Needle in the Lake District.

I have walked and climbed on the Cuillin Ridge and my dad and I climbed the Inaccessible Pinnacle together.  I can't imagine what it must have been like climbing with hemp ropes tied around your waist and hobnail boots too.  Sadly I didn't ever have a chance to talk to them about climbing and their adventures - but I love to look at their photos and imagine their trips.