trapeze dress, my practice project

In between staying in bed with awful cold and barely going out to get some medicine and food,  I have finished this dress.  I did make a few major mistakes, so I can not sell this one.  This was meant to be for Arielle.  But I don't think it is her style.  Oh well... here are few photos of it.  I did order some weaved labels for my projects and it is pretty cool with it, looks almost professional. 

sewers beware, do not buy from Cooper(sewing machine discount.com)

Since I have a fairly good machine waiting to be sent to my next long term place(still not sure where), while in London I have decided to find a really cheap one so I found this website called Sewing machine discount .com  and called them.  They said it will be there next day if I order it.  That was a start of my nightmare.  I finally got my sewing machine after thee weeks of mental suffering,  it has problem of snagging in the bobbin, but I decided to deal with it rather than deal with this horrid trader. They are the worst of the kind and should not be allowed to do business. It was unfortunate that my first experience coming back to UK was this nasty.  

The weather has been nasty also and I ended up getting sick this week and still am. I can't really work or go out much.  Just to get some groceries. But in between resting and getting sick I was able to do a little test sewing with one of my wonderful sewing books I ordered through the French publisher.  Sewing machine snagged badly only once, that is good.  

When I was at Cornell majoring Chemistry in the early 80's,  I took an apparel design course and almost failed.  I am terrible at sewing. 
I have some sales fabric I got from John Lewis ( this fabric travelled to Israel and came back to London with me, along with my nice Liberty fabric stash, story of my life at the moment).
It is going pretty good so far, not perfect. I am making a trapeze dress for Arielle, which I highly doubt she will wear it.  

the sweetest pin cushion from Greece, a gift from Arielle

The pin cushion Arielle got me as a gift from Greece a few years ago is being so useful.  I absolutely love it.  Thank you my angel!!!
After this one comes out wearable, I can make a little summer dress with my Liberty fabric. 

columbia road

I have lived 49 years in this life.  Getting old is a hard business and I wish I enjoyed my youth more when I was going through it.  I moved back to London hoping to start a little business but each day, I am getting a bit more timid with the idea.  I am not the fearless, brave person I once was.  But I have to do something, to keep my sanity. I can not just get work here because I don't have the working visa. I was going to get entrepreneur visa and start small business since it seemed like the easiest visa for me to achieve, but I need to start a real business and hire legal workers here. I think selling things is hard, even harder will be having a retail business, so if I do start, will be a very small affair online. But I am almost tempted to just go back to the states, find a job and play safe.  
I live near this lovely artsy street Columbia Road, where a lot of independent artists have small boutiques and studios. I went for a walk the other day just to see whats out there.  The place is busiest on Sundays when there is this famous flower market.  I have not been there on Sunday but on a weekday during lunch hour. It was discouraging because, the street was dead except for a few tourists and homeless people. It would be hard to run shops here.  

cute street corner near columbia road

one of the shops on Columbia Road

cute antique shop on Columbia Road

I have to go back on Sunday to see how vibrant this place is.  The place near it has so many cute little flats, which I suspect are now incredibly expensive and gentrified.  Here is the link for Columia Road businesses. http://www.columbiaroad.info/

For the time being, I must continue my everyday crafts and here is another hat I am making, finally for myself, since the weather here in London is freaking redunkulously freezing.

finally, a hat for myself