Tara Tuesdays - Part 25

New Beginnings

After a 6 month rest from work (but not from life!) I have finally landed myself a new job which I started last week! I was a Civil Servant working in Central Government before and have done this for the best part of my career, and my new job is a complete change but one which, in only just a week, I feel is right for me!

I am now a Trainee Seamstress and am working for the clothing company Paramo. I only have a 15 minute drive to work which beats the 1 hour 50 minute commute (each way) to London that I was recently putting up with! However, it means that unfortunately, I can't knit on the way to work any more which is a shame but something I am sure I can put up with!

I have been working on training garments this week, taking out and replacing zips and I will be repairing and eventually altering garments. Until you work with zips, I don't think you realise the lengthy process of actually removing one and then trying to put it back in! I have always been a bit scared of them (a bit like Em) but feel that once I know exactly what I am doing, I will have confronted my fear! There is a 3 step process which I wasn't aware of either, sew zip to lining, then to main fabric, then top stitch it all. Zip fans will be in zip heaven if they were in this job as they come in ALL sizes and colours! And I have just the best zip foot EVER! It is SO small but is perfect for sewing the zip into just the right place!

Another skill that my new job will teach me is to sew "oh so close" to the edge which is something I was never that good at before. I have been finding myself checking things I have made and giving them a disapproving "C+ could do better" look which I am hoping with practice I can master!

I must of course tell you about my new baby "Bridget". One of my colleagues told me her name and I have been working on her this week. Although, initially, she was a bit intimidating as she is SO fast, I am slowly getting the hang of her! I have to say she sews the most beautiful straight stitch too!

I have also experienced "overlocker love" and used this for my first time when repairing a couple of tears! This was a bit scary if you put your foot down but I just used the foot pedal gently and it worked well! I just must remember that the foot pedals are NOT the clutch and accelerator pedals in my Land Rover!!!!

My team are a complete mixture of ages and experience which is great as I have already found out that one lady crochets, and that several other ladies are knitters so I can always go to them for help if I get stuck with my knitting! I am also hoping that I might be able to learn crochet again too which will be fab! They have all made me feel so welcome and I feel like I have been there for much longer than a week which is really nice!

I also thought it would be a good idea to strike while the iron is hot on a repair job I had on an old Levi jacket of mine. I have had it for ages and the sleeves are too long so I always used to turn them up. The top of the cuffs have now frayed but I have started to unpick them using my magic snips and will just move them up and hide the frayed bits! My jacket will look like new once I've finished with it, get me!

Next week I am off to the Knitting and Stitching Show with my girlfriends so will show and tell our purchases for you then, I can feel the excited fabric and yarn sweats coming on already!!!!