Last of the summer blouses

Today I finished sewing what I have decided will be the last of the summer blouses. When I was in Brisbane a few weeks ago I made flying visit to Gardam's in Edward street and bought the last of the roll of this beautiful rose pattern broderie anglaise. And I decided that I would make one last of what has become my standard sleeveless summer blouse. I think I have made about 8 of these since the sewing bug bit me last birthday. They have been awesome with pants and skirts all summer. But with autumn around the corner it's time to start sewing things with sleeves. Here is the finished product. No doubt I will be able to wear it for a while yet in what passes for Queensland's change of seasons.

Virtuously hungry

I'm starring in my very own, home-made version of The Biggest Loser at the moment. We're just reaching the end of the first week. Unlike the TV version there have been no tears, no fights with other contestants and nobody has screamed at me while making me do ridiculous physical challenges. It's all a lot more sedate than that. It started last Saturday night when the parents and I snap-decided to go to Tasmania in May. After booking the flights we all looked at each and realised we were terrifically unfit, and let's face it, if we're being honest, fatter than we should be. If we were going to trek about on a proper holiday we had to increase our general fitness. We have 11 weeks. I knew weight had crept on over the past two years. Since August 2010 when I had surgery I hadn't got back into any kind of exercise routine. Work involves lots of sitting down and long days meant I wasn't making time for physical activity. So, I took a deep breath and weighed myself for the first time in years. EEEEK. It was worse than I had imagined. I am the heaviest I have ever been in my whole life. This called for action. Within half an hour I joined Weight Watchers Online and started making a plan. The first step was to throw out all the unhealthy food in the house because if it's there I'll probably eat it. When I say unhealthy food I'm not talking soft drink, chips, lollies, cake, buns, pies or junk food. I don't buy those things and really don't eat them very often. There was a packet of bought biscuits that went in the bin. Then I made a big list of good food and hit the grocery shop on Sunday morning. Recipes in hand I spent the day cutting up fruit, celery and carrot for snacks, and cooking meals for the freezer in acceptable portions. I made some raspberry and banana muffins from the WW site and froze them in ones. I also made lite jelly and started planning my menu for the next day. So after a week of following the WW points plan I have been virtuously hungry some of the time. I have exercised every day - either walking or cycling for between 20 and 30 minutes - I'm starting slowly. I have realised that it wasn't that I was eating bad food, I was just eating too much of it at certain key meals. Breakfast has changed the most. I'm eating about a third of the cereal/muesli I was having but I'm eating way more fruit. The other thing to go is the daily takeaway coffee as even though it was skim milk, one coffee a day was blowing my dairy intake over the top. And bread has become a sometimes food instead of an every day food. This is sad because I love bread. I'm allowed a treat once a week which I had this morning in a large chai latte and delicious BLT. Any results? Well I decided I would measure my waist and weigh myself once a week. I measured my waist today and have lost 2cm. I haven't weighed myself yet today, but I cheated and snuck in a "weigh in" on Thursday. I had lost 1.7 kilos. Hurrah.

an at home weekend

Well it's been a big February so far. It took two weeks for me to be able to move back into my house properly. Even though I was sleeping here after a week of the flooding I had no hot water system so was living a strangely displaced existence with half my clothes at my parents' so I could shower there and get to and from work in a relatively respectable fashion. Then just as I got back to work it was time to high-tail it to Brisbane to the wonderful NLS6 conference. It was an amazing relief to escape Bundaberg. The conference was awesome. I got to listen and talk to lots of fantastic people. I also did some shopping therapy before leaving to come back home. Finally on Friday a new hot water system was installed and I felt like I could really move back home properly. So this weekend I have been nesting. The fridge and cupboards were bare so I went shopping and filled them up. I have cooked all day today to restock the freezer with meals. I've made an Irish stew, spaghetti bolognese, raspberry and banana muffins, fruit salad for the week and jelly. I have healthy fruit everywhere and am enjoying lovely cups of tea made in my own kitchen. I can even wash up without boiling the kettle first. Yes, I do realise these are all first world problems but they're my first world problems so I'll take responsibility for that. Yesterday I sewed and nearly finished my dark green dress. I also went out and bought some cute blue shoes from Saskia's after a delicious chai latte and bacon and egg burger breakfast. And then in the afternoon I had a gorgeous nap on my lounge. It seems like months since I had such a beautiful at home weekend. And joy of joys, on Thursday I nabbed my They Might Be Giants tickets for May 8 in Brisbane. And the next day I'm flying to Tasmania for a ten day holiday. Things are looking up!

The river ran through us

After waiting for the Burnett River to peak all night Monday and into Tuesday it stopped at around 9.5 metres. I spent Tuesday obsessively checking the BOM flood warnings and gaining a new insight into things like catchment areas, rises, falls and just how water works. Ultimately, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world because although the water seeped into my newly renovated garage/music room, it DID NOT go through the main house. What an amazing relief. And even though once the water receded the yard stunk like an old chook pen or stagnant pond I didn't care. My little house had looked the record flood water in the face and like Gandalf in LOTR it said "YOU SHALL NOT PASS" (or whatever it is Gandalf says if indeed it is Gandalf). So much of Bundaberg has not been as fortunate as me. North Bundaberg looks like a war zone. There are gaping holes in the road that are up to 20 metres deep and 100 metres long, houses have moved from the stumps sometimes all the way down the road. Others have been completely destroyed and so many more will contain the ruins of people's belongings. As yet we have not heard officially of any loss of life in that area but I worry that it is only a matter of time. After the initial joy at my own good fortune I felt a little bit guilty. How and why could I be so relieved when so many others were still devastated? I know there's no real rhyme or reason to it. That's what makes it seem even more awful and unfair. Tomorrow residents of North Bundaberg are going to be allowed to cross the bridge and look at their houses, or where their houses once were. I can't begin to imagine what that would be like. The recovery for them (if that is indeed the right word) will be slow and long and no doubt painful and frustrating. People help in any way they can. After I got myself mostly organised with my house, I figured if I could only help a few people that would be better than no help at all. I gave clothes to a piano student who had to be evacuated from her North Bundaberg home with her husband, young son and twin daughters. They are living with friends. She was delighted because it turned out that water hadn't actually risen as high as the ceiling. My mum and sister and I cleaned out our wardrobes and took clothes to one of the many evacuation centres. I bought up big on soap, shampoo, deodorant, breakfast cereal, bread and fruitcakes and took them to another evacuation centre. I gave a blanket extension to all students in my course. Their final assignment was to be due on Monday. After about the 20th student emailing or phoning in the last couple of days, all with stories of the flood, our university deadlines paled into insignificance. These students needed compassion and support. As educators we are to provide them with that as best we can. No doubt there will be more to do in the days and weeks and months ahead. I'm ready. I think Bundaberg is too.

there's no holding back a river

The first time my house flooded there was no warning. I had my parents living with me as they were in the process of building a new house. There was an afternoon of torrential rain, the sewage main backed up through the house while we were watching television and before we knew it we had to pick up our toothbrushes and make a run for it. Today we're sitting in the house again with too much time to prepare. The Burnett River is set for record breaking levels. During the GREAT FLOODS of 2011 I didn't see a drop of water from the storm water drain that runs at the back of my property in my yard. This morning I have my own river views and a pool. It came up in the night.

Last time I lost all my shoes, some furniture, an entire house of floor covering and other bits and pieces. This time all my shoes are up high, shelves are all emptied, all furniture is on blocks and crates and the piano (which survived in 2008) is on a trolley ready to roll outside. Violin, viola and other precious things are in the car ready to go. I also have made a preliminary call to my insurer to start the ball rolling if need be. In other words, I have been fortunate this time to be able to be as prepared as I can be. There's no holding back a river.

of meditation and exercise

Today started a little inauspiciously. I woke up way too early and my brain clicked into gear immediately. My head was also a little woozy which I hate. I made myself do yoga breathing and this passed by the time it was time to get out of bed. I did my meditation before work and felt all the better for doing so. I go back to Saturday morning meditation tomorrow and am resolved to get back into my good daily habit as it really makes a difference. The first two days at work had been full on with so many things flying everywhere that I forgot to take time to breathe. Luckily, today was less hectic and I made time to concentrate in a clearer way. I felt like I had actually made some progress by the end of the day which was nice. What is less lovely is that the aches and pains in my hips (particularly right hip) have returned after 3 days of sitting at a desk. I am trying harder to take more regular breaks - stand up, stretch, short walks - but this pain had disappeared over the break altogether. It wasn't even bothering me in the night. That combined with the thigh pain from endometriosis sometimes makes me feel old. I must keep exercising and gradually increase my physical fitness. At the moment it's very poor! Oh that does sound like a New Year's resolution after all.

reality sets in....and bites a little

I had every good intention to write a post about what I read in 2012. But now it is evening and I am tired and would not do it justice. I also realised that I haven't kept track of my reading in 2012 very well. I can however, write a post about the way my reading has changed since I bought my Kindle in early 2011. So I will do that on Saturday. Today was all about the second day back at work, or as I like to call it - the day when reality started to set in...as well as starting to bite a little bit. My to do list for tomorrow is overblown...and I have started to write things down in my diary for months in advance. That's all okay but I don't yet feel like I have a good handle over the role. Cut myself some slack you say? It's only been two days! Oh, alright then. I staggered home this afternoon and slumped on the sofa, watched some telly, managed to go out to get takeaway and then realised I hadn't done my #blog12daysxmas for today. So this is it. It's not exciting. I just took advantage of the fact that QI came on so I could leave the television and not feel like I was missing anything. I am going to watch Judith Lucy on ABC2 later because she's one of my Australian comedy idols. Then I am going to go to bed and be full of gladness, Pollyanna style, that tomorrow is Friday.

Heigh Ho

Well here we are at the 2nd of January and it's time to go back to work. I feel strangely calm about the whole thing. Anyway, that's boring talk. What happened yesterday? I sewed most of the afternoon. Then my Dad popped over to help me move my dining table into the music room where it now sits ready for sewing and music theory students. I just have to organise my growing stash of fabric into the wardrobe out there and that room is pretty much sorted. There is a big empty space in the dining area waiting for furniture to be delivered this morning. This confused the cat no end last night. Who had cleared this wonderfully big and cool space on the tiles for him? He sniffed around suspiciously for a while and then flung himself on the floor. I went for a walk just before the sun set. It was hot but at least there was some breeze. I felt virtuous. This exercise type activity must continue. MUST. Then it was home to have some ice-cream and watermelon and watch Being Erica. I downloaded BBC IPlayer so have access to the first three series which is nice because when it was on free to air here it was all a bit random in its scheduling. Canadian television....we need more of it! Anyway.... Heigh Ho!

a place for everything

I have spent the morning as I mean to continue the rest of 2013 - catching up with a friend in person! We worked out we hadn't done this for the whole of 2012 and we live in the same town. I need to do much better this year with the whole work-life balance situation. Determination is what it will take. And I am determined. Yesterday was a day of sewing - a dress and a skirt. The skirt needs some altering as the pattern was not quite right. That is the job for this afternoon as well as some other sewing. I also plan to eat some watermelon. Clearly, it's a big afternoon ahead. Later the current dining table and chairs will be moved into the music room and all the sewing things will be finally put away in the big cupboard. Tomorrow the new dining table arrives together with some shelves for my study. I am excited about this as it means the house is in order with a place for everything and everything in its place for the start of 2013. Tomorrow is also back to work Wednesday. The only decision I am going to make about that before tomorrow morning is what I will wear. Stay tuned.

"Do I hear happiness?"

It's day 4 of the #blog12daysxmas challenge and so far I am keeping up. Until I go back to work next Wednesday I fear these posts might become a little repetitive. Yesterday I sewed and sewed and sewed and came up with this:

No your eyes do not deceive you. That is indeed a skirt of patches. A patchwork skirt. It took me quite some time to read and decipher the instructions pre-cutting and putting it together. But then once I had the picture in my mind I sewed and sewed and sewed some more. I wasn't at all confident that the different patterns would go together. I am no genius with colour but I think they look okay. It was very exciting when it all fitted together. All in all from start to finish it took about 4 hrs. After all that concentrating I had a little nap in front of the cricket. What else is cricket for? Then I went for a walk in the "cool" of the evening with my Mum. We met a puppy and sternly told him to go back home. He ignored us and wanted to play but we were insistent. Then we chatted about the laws of physics in the world of Angry Birds. My mother is a recent convert since she received the iPad for Christmas. And my evening's entertainment was watching Annie on the television. Observations. Carol Burnett is still as good as she was when I first watched it at the age of 9. Annie is quite annoying. Albert Finney cannot sing very well. Tim Curry and Bernadette Peters are underused as the scheming Rooster and his girlfriend. Also, they all look very young. And the ending is totally over the top. Here is my favourite song:

My brain...she is tired

I had every good intention to do work from today onwards. I have an ethics application to put together, a research project to start properly, some QA manual to keep writing and other delightful things. I had even made a bargain with myself that I would have "holidays" up until Boxing Day and then after that would devote part of each day to work tasks. But now that today has dawned I have no desire to spend any of it working. I just want a holiday. I need a holiday. The weeks (and dare I say months) leading up to Xmas were hectic and mentally draining at work. And when I return on January 2 I know I am going to be busy and challenged in a new role. So, although I will feel a little bit guilty, I have changed my mind on the working front today. I'm not going to do a thing. I will sew and read and maybe go shopping. I will plan to go to the movies. I may drink tea and stare out the window. It might look like I'm not achieving anything but in fact I will be relaxing. My brain - she is tired. She shall rest.

Christmas Countdown: the Christmas earrings version

Every year I swear that I will not be caught up in Christmas fashions. But what did we see yesterday dear readers? That's correct. A CHRISTMAS SKIRT. Where does it end? Here. With these Christmas earrings that I bought yesterday. I'm sure they're quite tacky but I bought them anyway and I will most likely wear them every day from now until Christmas. Damn it I'm wearing them as I write this post. Because if you can't wear festive jewellery in late December then when can you wear it?

Christmas Countdown: the community O Come All ye Faithful version

Last night was the final choir concert for the year at the Holy Rosary Church with the Bundaberg Municipal Band. This is what is an important part of my life here in Bundaberg: community music. And while sometimes I may complain about having to go out every Monday evening to choir rehearsal, ultimately, I do it because I believe in the power of music to bring people together; the power of music to provide individuals with a place, a voice, a sense of purpose; the power of music to generate a sense of belonging in a community. The majority of people involved are not professional musicians - a few are. That does not mean we do not strive for a high standard. We do. Sometimes though we do it with only two tenors, or sopranos missing in action. We soldier on. Seriously, though I think the real reason we do it is for events like our concert last night. This is a time where we can be involved in the community, where we make a connection and use music to engage with others. And let's face it: quite simply, singing makes you feel great!

a room of my own

I have spent the afternoon removing my "office" from the living area and setting it up in it's very own room. That's right. I have a room of my own. Well I actually have an entire house but you know what I mean. The office is no longer part of the lounge, kitchen, dining, sewing area of the house.
Here it is

My office consists of a seventy year old tray mobile procured from an elderly relative's estate, a student desk made of pine that I have owned since I was a student and a two drawer filing cabinet. I dream of a tidy, bespoke set up with a place for everything and everything in its place but at this point that's just not going to happen. I am really happy that there is air-conditioning now for summer is on its way. I do need bookshelves but that's a job for another day.

What did I fill the space vacated by the desks with? This small sideboard and my very small collection of brass things. It looks nice. Different but nice.

"the build"

It's not quite Grand Designs. The budget and scale of the project are minute. I'm not turning an abandoned chicken shed into a three storey, eco-friendly family home made of straw bales. I'm just turning my unused garage which usually stands empty except for a few cleaning bits and pieces, an old silky oak wardrobe and the cat food into a room. That's right - a whole new room in which I will put the piano, a decent sized table for sewing, teaching theory and other bits and pieces and perhaps a couch of some kind. There will hopefully be enough in the budget for an air conditioner. There will be floor covering and new paint. I may have a feature wall. Last week the first step in "the build" occurred when the cruddy roller door was replaced by a shiny new sliding door with a security screen. Yesterday, my project manager (my father) started on the inside. The plan is an internal wall that cuts the garage in two unequal sizes - one that will give me access to the back door, with enough spaces to keep all the brooms, vacuum cleaner, cat food, litter box etc and then the big room which will be the proper room. Here's how it was looking by the afternoon.

Looking out the front.

Looking towards the back. See the wall frame. It should have the sheeting on it by today. Sheeting? Is that what it's called? I don't really know.

The project manager.

All in all it's very exciting. It means that there will be more than one room in my tiny house to do things in!

green saucepans and more adventures in sewing

My mum bought me this excellent green saucepan in return for me looking after their garden while they went on holidays. I used it today for the first time. What gourmet delicacy did I cook up in it Nigella-style I hear you ask? Mushrooms. Not just any mushrooms. Mushrooms for the very important meal of lunch which yesterday in my sewing addiction I neglected to eat and then felt light-headed and icky by the afternoon. So this saucepan had an important task today. It provided my lunch. Well done saucepan.

Apart from green saucepans I've been sewing whenever I can in between work and piano teaching and other things. I finished this dress on Friday afternoon. It was my first go of the pattern. I know what to improve next time.

I don't know that it will be a "wearing out to special occasions" dress but it will make an excellent "wearing on stinking hot summer weekends" dress.

Then yesterday I tried a new top pattern. The giant faff-up on the neckline which involved an hour of tiny unpicking and resewing may have contributed further to my headache. Still I was pleased with how it turned out. I got all decorative on its "arse" (so to speak) and added the red border of ribbon at the neckline and around the hem. I will definitely make this pattern again I think.

And then I went to spotlight and bought MOAR MATERIAL. I was hoping to get my green apple dress made this weekend so I could wear it to work on Melbourne cup day but that will depend on the headache situation later today.

I scared myself a little bit stupid

After days of hay fever I finally managed to get to the doctor and get a prescription for my heavy duty nasal spray. Almost instant relief. Of course the doctor's visit was for something else. Two weeks ago I tripped up the stairs at work and gave myself a monster bruise on my shin. It turned a beautiful shade of purple almost immediately and grew a big lump. I dutifully treated it with ice and congratulated myself on being 1. brave 2. first aid literate (thank you Girl Guide training). It was sore to touch but I figured it was a big bruise so it would take some time to disappear. Last Thursday I was teaching at Innes Park and afterwards looked down at my foot which was significantly swollen and there was bruising where there had been no bruising before. Resisting the urge to panic (just) and pacified by my good friend ringing her husband who is a cardiologist to check if I should be worried (worry if both feet are swollen - heart or kidney problems) I went home but decided to go to the doctor the next day. Just to be on the safe side. I also scared myself a little bit stupid by googling "bruised shin swollen foot". You'd be surprised how many results pop up.

"Hmmm" she said. And then swiftly booked me in for the last ultrasound of the day at the medical imaging place. I do not have fond memories of ultrasounds given that the last one picked up the monstrous ovarian cyst. I was slightly disconcerted on arrival at the ultrasound place when the nice lady at the desk told me "Because we're looking for a DVT that's an emergency so you'll go in straight away". Long story short, I was very brave, the gooey stuff was warm, the ultrasound lady was nice and finished up by telling me to "have a good weekend". I figured if there had been something wrong she would have picked up the bat phone and whisked me into emergency. The report clarified my amateur diagnosis. All's well that ends well. I slept well on Friday night for sure.

zips, rick rack and sleeves

Another weekend and more sewing. This weekend I cut out the A line skirt pattern I bought over the inter webs. Either I did something really wrong or the pattern was wrong because the waist pieces did not match the skirt pieces. I did some creative "adding of material" to the waist pieces so they matched. Phew. Then came the kicker....time to sew a zip for the first time since I was about 20. Yes I had a zipper foot for the sewing machine but I had no idea how to use it. I figured I would manage with the normal foot. And I did. It may not be the most beautiful zip in the world but it goes up and down and the skirt fits and stays on. It's made of some patchwork material that has been sitting in the cupboard for many years. Like I'm going to do any patchwork! Pfffft.

What's that you see? Yes indeed it's rick-rack. Rick rack is a running joke in our family. As a child my mother sewed lots of my clothes and invariably they were decorated with some kind of rick rack. I couldn't resist buying some a few weeks ago and I figured since I had mucked up the waistband on the skirt by sewing the bias binding to the wrong side and then having to turn it into a "feature" that I may as well do the same for the hem and then rick rack away. Perhaps I got a little carried away. Whatever. I sit in my office all day. I'll wear what I like.

Buoyed by my (ahem) success with the new A-line skirt pattern I decided to try a new dress pattern. This one came from spotlight this morning where I finally caved and became a VIP member after the zillionth time of them asking me. I was going to do the "no sleeves" version but then I thought, "Hey, I can sew a zip! How hard can sleeves be?". Well the answer dear friends is quite hard especially if you cut the material probably a size too big and then have to sew in the side seams meaning that the arm holes don't match the sleeve pieces any more. It's more difficult when you only realise this at the point of sewing the sleeves into the arm holes after you have hemmed them etc. At first I ended up with weird puffy sleeves where I had to gather the excess sleeve material to make it fit the arm hold. Then I decided that I was not Anne of Green Gables so I sewed the excess down, sort of like a reverse dart. I'm calling it a topstitch kind of feature. Luckily the busy pattern means you can't really see it. Anyway, although it looks like a tent on the hanger it fits pretty well after all my adjusting and I might even wear it to work tomorrow.

And that is the end of my sewing adventures for the weekend.

the sewing frenzy continues

The sewing frenzy continues. I spent every day at work wishing I was at home sewing. That is strange isn't it? Yesterday I made two things. This top and this skirt.

I am very happy with the top. It is better than last week's effort with the same pattern where I didn't take enough notice and got the bird pattern upside down on the back. And I managed to cut the skirt material so that the little horses were the right way up on the front and the back. It's the simple things that are the achievements! My seams were also much neater yesterday than last week. I was more confident at cutting and snipping and adjusting slightly to fit me. I am the "pear shape" so most shop clothes - especially dresses - rarely fit me properly. I am going to attempt a simple shift dress today and I have material for one more top. I also bought a pattern for an A line skirt with a zip in the side. I am saving some lovely material that has been in the patchwork cupboard for many years for that. I have to trace the pattern off for my size with that one. That might be my challenge for next weekend. It's lovely to have a project going. I am using it as an incentive. If I do all my yucky house jobs then I am allowed to sew. Yucky house jobs include washing, folding, tidying, cooking, very light cleaning, remembering that it's bin day, putting all my shoes away neatly. You get the picture. I am hoping the same incentive scheme works for my last assignment for the term which is due at the end of the month. Study first....then sewing.

The 39th Birthday Skirt

What did you do this year on your birthday?

I'm betting you didn't wake up and think: "I know! It's been almost 20 years since I sewed anything. I think I'll make myself a skirt!".

That's pretty much how my day went and it was delightful. I am not good at long term craft or sewing projects. Over the years I have tried knitting, long stitch, tapestry, latch-hook, cross-stitch and other such lady-like accomplishments. In Year 8 I made some macrame owls that my mother insists on keeping in her laundry. They are truly garish. But when I was first at uni I did used to come home in the holidays and sew clothes. Dresses mainly, because I can never get dresses to fit me in shops. Lately I've been looking for skirts for summer and just found nothing. This might be because I live in the regions and our shopping is limited. It might also be because there aren't many skirts around. I don't know.

About 5 years I bought my own basic sewing machine. At the time I was keen to try patchwork. The fiddliness of that totally tried my patience and the machine has sat in the cupboard ever since gathering dust. A few years ago I covered it with a tea-towel but that was all the attention it received. Until today.

Sadly, the only place in town to buy material is Spotlight which is like a giant bargain basement. After my parents finished mocking me and what they perceived to be my hopeless sewing abilities, I dragged my mother along to find a pattern and some material. I wanted to simplest skirt pattern available - preferably A-line. Anything with a zip got the flick. I will attempt that later. We chose this:

Elastic waist, no zip, various lengths. The lady on the packet looks happy so how hard could making the skirt possibly be?

Then after much deliberating I decided on a dark patterned material (in case I made a dreadful hash of it), bought some thread and took it all home.

I got the sewing machine out of the hall cupboard, gave it a dust, switched it on and hoped for the best.
I was fine with the cutting out of the pattern and the material. I decided not to worry about the fancy-schmancy bow, because bows and I don't really get along. I read all the sizing and decided to cut the biggest pattern and just do bigger seams if needed. And hey, whaddya know... I have a skirt. I only ran into trouble once - when the bobbin ran out of thread and I couldn't remember how to fill it. But (and here's my sewing tip of the day) if you Google filling bobbin Janome MS 2008 some lovely instructions appear through the magic of the internet. My mum helped me with setting the waistband casing to thread the elastic through but I did all the sewing myself. I cheated on the hem and zig-zagged it on the machine because I hate hand-stitching and this was just an experiment. Two and half hours later....ta da I had a skirt.

And it's not just any skirt. It's the 39th Birthday Skirt.

I'm going back to Spotlight tomorrow to buy some slightly heavier material as I think it will hang better. I'm also going to get this for Christmas.