YO! I hope everyone is having a lovely Wednesday evening. I'm feeling pretty chilled, myself. Nic and I went out for a nice long walk, I've just placed an exciting order on Master of Malt (Few barrel-aged gin for me, Teeling single grain Irish whiskey for Nic and various samples for the two of us) and it'll soon be dinner time. These are all very good things.
I've been having a pleasant time of it since I last wrote. I had some good news at work last week: there is a strong possibility that my temporary promotion will be made permanent without my having to reapply for the job next year. My line manager, who is currently on maternity leave (and whose role my temporary promotion is to cover) has been promoted. It won't take effect until she returns, but it means that I will be able to stay on in the more senior role. As I had to apply for and interview for the temporary promotion, it's very unlikely that I'll have to go through that process again for the promotion to be made permanent. I'm relieved about this. I would have been more than happy to go back to my old job when my line manager came back to work if she had been coming back to her old role, but I'm also really pleased to be have the opportunity to stay on in the more senior role. Also this week, I had a new team member start and showing her the ropes has been enjoyable. Now that we are fully staffed (which is the first time for a long time in my team) I'm looking forward to the things we'll be able to achieve.
It feels really good to be excited about work. I love my job, even when it is hard, but we had a few pretty brutal months and they took their toll - I'm happy to feel so enthused about it all again! This bloom of enthusiasm may be temporary...I have to go to London for a meeting tomorrow and because of engineering work on the line, the round-trip is going to take five hours and involve two rail replacement buses. Still, I suppose I'll be able to get some reading and knitting done in that time.
That's the craic with me anyway. Do you want to see a dress that I made recently?
![]()
A few years ago now I made a dress with some cute Robert Kaufman fox fabric:
![]()
You can read the post about it (and see the scolding I got in the comments for using too many gifs) here. I love this dress and still wear it. I mean, yes, it DOES in fact look like a grown-up-sized toddler dress but I think we have all established that I have the dress sense of a three-year-old. I'M FINE WITH THAT. Anyway. Since then, the people at Robert Kaufman have brought out various versions of this foxy print in different themes. And guess what? One of them is nautical and you know I can't resist that shit.
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
Um, aviator glasses, a sailor collar and a beret at a jaunty angle? Is this a hipster fox, or are we talking #stylegoals here? Because, I don't know about you, but I would wear this.
![]()
Can't beat a marieniere worn with a scarf, can you?
![]()
And this is just a classic look.
![]()
I took this dress on its first outing when I wore it at home in Northern Ireland a few weeks ago. My nephew Joe was more interested in this one than he was in the tractor one - which leads me to think that I really do need to make a dinosaur dress - and I wore it to go out for lunch and then to a local park. It was absolutely grand for running around pretending to chase dinosaurs. Unfortunately, it was also grand for falling down some stairs, but while I got a bruised bum at least the dress didn't take any hurt.
I'm already on the lookout for suitable fabric to make another one of these dresses. I've heard tell of some Alexander Henry pinup zombie fabric that might be just the ticket!
Anyway, that's your lot for this evening. Goodnight!
I've been having a pleasant time of it since I last wrote. I had some good news at work last week: there is a strong possibility that my temporary promotion will be made permanent without my having to reapply for the job next year. My line manager, who is currently on maternity leave (and whose role my temporary promotion is to cover) has been promoted. It won't take effect until she returns, but it means that I will be able to stay on in the more senior role. As I had to apply for and interview for the temporary promotion, it's very unlikely that I'll have to go through that process again for the promotion to be made permanent. I'm relieved about this. I would have been more than happy to go back to my old job when my line manager came back to work if she had been coming back to her old role, but I'm also really pleased to be have the opportunity to stay on in the more senior role. Also this week, I had a new team member start and showing her the ropes has been enjoyable. Now that we are fully staffed (which is the first time for a long time in my team) I'm looking forward to the things we'll be able to achieve.
It feels really good to be excited about work. I love my job, even when it is hard, but we had a few pretty brutal months and they took their toll - I'm happy to feel so enthused about it all again! This bloom of enthusiasm may be temporary...I have to go to London for a meeting tomorrow and because of engineering work on the line, the round-trip is going to take five hours and involve two rail replacement buses. Still, I suppose I'll be able to get some reading and knitting done in that time.
That's the craic with me anyway. Do you want to see a dress that I made recently?
A few years ago now I made a dress with some cute Robert Kaufman fox fabric:
Tommy Timberlake dress
You can read the post about it (and see the scolding I got in the comments for using too many gifs) here. I love this dress and still wear it. I mean, yes, it DOES in fact look like a grown-up-sized toddler dress but I think we have all established that I have the dress sense of a three-year-old. I'M FINE WITH THAT. Anyway. Since then, the people at Robert Kaufman have brought out various versions of this foxy print in different themes. And guess what? One of them is nautical and you know I can't resist that shit.
A little nautical fox. I MEAN COME ON. Naturally, I bought some of this. I bought mine from Fabric Yard - unfortunately they don't seem to have any of the navy colourway left, but you can find it in grey (also, they have the cute little foxes from my Tommy Timberlake dress too. These aren't affiliate links or anything - I just like the shop a lot). Here's what I made:
Portions for Foxes dress - Butterick B5748 bodice and pleated a-line skirt in Robert Kaufman fabric, worn with Office 'Love Me Tender' shoes
I am SO happy with this dress. I've been really enjoying sewing and wearing Butterick B5748, having rediscovered it earlier this year. Obviously, with this directional fabric, a circle skirt wasn't going to be practical and I didn't want a gathered skirt. I did the same thing as I did for The Day The Tractor Cowped dress, using the same self-drafted box-pleated skirt.
This is my ideal dress in so many ways - sleeveless, with a scooped back, full skirt and in a fun, colourful print. I know what I like, and I like this dress! Also, I wouldn't change anything about it and that is a good feeling. Here it is from the back:
As you can see, I didn't manage pattern- matching across the back. I didn't have quite enough fabric for it. I don't know, though. I kind of like the little two-tailed foxes that have been created by this. Maybe it was my childhood spent playing Sonic The Hedgehog?
Like seriously, how cute was Tails?
Obviously I love all of the little nautical foxes on this dress. Like this one:
Can't beat a marieniere worn with a scarf, can you?
And this is just a classic look.
Here they all are up close!
I took this dress on its first outing when I wore it at home in Northern Ireland a few weeks ago. My nephew Joe was more interested in this one than he was in the tractor one - which leads me to think that I really do need to make a dinosaur dress - and I wore it to go out for lunch and then to a local park. It was absolutely grand for running around pretending to chase dinosaurs. Unfortunately, it was also grand for falling down some stairs, but while I got a bruised bum at least the dress didn't take any hurt.
I'm already on the lookout for suitable fabric to make another one of these dresses. I've heard tell of some Alexander Henry pinup zombie fabric that might be just the ticket!
Anyway, that's your lot for this evening. Goodnight!