Not My Best Work

Bear is off school for the next week for the half term holiday.  This means that we are catching up on Doctor's appointments, dentist's visits and I'm thinking of getting him along to the opticians for his eye test.  I also have my next driving test in the middle of the school holiday, which could be better. 

I'm taking the opportunity to get bear's school blazer into the dry cleaners.  Even if I had the nerve to wash the dratted thing, I really am not sure I have the right skills to press it properly.  DH is being a hero and taking the blazer in to the dry cleaners near his work, so tonight I finally got around to mending the sleeve lining.  Bear had stretched and ripped a seam.

I'm not impressed at the blazer.  It cost nearly £54 for a blazer that fits a 12 year old, and I don't know if you can tell but part of the issue is, I suspect, that the crease in the dark lining isn't a dart but just a crease that got sewn in by accident.  I did a 'probably good enough to hold while it goes through cleaning job'. 

It isn't my best work, and technically I do know how to do ladder stitch, but I'm nervous about the material fraying.  I'm planning on going back and re-doing it with fabric glue, to stop any issues with the lining fraying to bits.  You can see the crease clearly in this photo.  I should mention at this point that bear has a very different idea about what 'take everything out of your pockets' means to my definition. 

I'm also sending in his tie.  It is showing quite a few traces of wear and is stained and well used.  I can see me having to get a new one next year.  It costs £6.99 and I'm looking at the tie and wondering whether it's cost effective to dry clean or buy a new one, even though I'm unimpressed at the waste.  I may save all the ties he goes through (that he doesn't lose) and make a cushion from them.  It will be a cushion full of snags and loose threads, but hopefully full of good memories. 

The driving lesson today was completely uneventful.  I drove in places that I hadn't used before and I was fine.  I still don't feel confident.