Covid in the house

WISDOM GAINED: Just use thinner thread!

But first - of course we have Covid in the house, and no way of tracing it. In case anybody wondered - I was all for keeping the masks on as we loosened up other rules. 

I managed to escape it for a week, but I have now tested positive as well.  

Extra time for sewing? (As long as I don't feel too bad!).

I finished my rug! I had to, while I pondered my topstitching woes. Look at this:

I was able to bring my machine in to the doctor this week. He said 'Just use thinner thread.' So that would be like telling me to stop eating - I dunno - chips! When I went to collect the machine shortly afterwards he did take the time to explain the problem. He backed away from 'never' use thicker thread - but the warning was there! But other people manage to use topstitching thread.... Anyway, for now I think I will just use the triple stitch. Not the same effect, but it should do!

So I switched gears to finish my rug. I had started before Christmas. This one is made out of wool coating and the flanel-backed lining that I had made my high/low coat with a few years ago. I had SO MUCH left that I never knew what to do with it. I made our little neighbour a stuffed owl with some last year, but still so much left. And then I was reading about tailor's hams, and decided I should make one. They say it should be made of wool for best effect. So, I needed to finish the to make sure I had enough for the ham. By the way, I was watching a tutorial and someonw talked about a tailor's sausage, as well, and I realized oh - a tailor's ham LOOKS like a ham. (Hopefully one of us will be allowed in publich to go purchase a ham and the trimmings for Easter dinner!).

So the rug: I am very happy with it. I find the colours very rich. I did not manage to hide the warp quite as well as I have with my other rugs (see the blue hints at the ends, and partly in the middle).  It will live by my bed. I think I have one more rug I want to make - for below my sewing machine chair. I have another (purchsed) rug under it, which allows me slide back and forth easily, I think my own rag rug (God knows I have enough scraps) will be suitable. (I DID use one of the Christmas gift rugs for a while until I cleaned it and gave it away.)

Back to the jeans, I guess, and onto the shirt. I did get the liberty fabric from S. today. Gorgeous. Need to really do a good job with a muslin, to make decisions about fit. I watched a tutorial on armhole fit today. I am worried that the pattern I bought for the shirt has WAY too much ease. I had thought of using the shirtdress pattern - adding a proper collar and a full front placket, etc (the fit is lovely on that item), but then I saw this pattern. But it seems quite loose. The muslin is cut out, and that will help me decide!

I have been thinking of starting a rug club at school, but not sure how that would work, logistically! I would also like to get the sewing club back up, but again, logistics...