So Little To Show For So Much Going On

I guess it's only to be expected at this time of year.  I feel like I'm doing so much, being so productive: Christmas presents, home improvement, personal stuff, commissions... You name it, I'm working on it.  But why then, when a day like today presents itself, golden sunshine illuminating the fallen leaves, the perfect window to photograph some blog-worthy projects, I realise that nothing is actually in a finished state ready to be photographed.  I feel like I'm treading water in an ocean of WIPs (Works In Progress).  No land in sight.

OK, this one is actually finished.  But I'm in the process of making a second in a plaid brushed cotton (see sewing table shot), and planning a third, so until the trio is complete it still feels like a WIP.  The pattern is Butterick 8949 and I hope to have all three done by tomorrow evening.

Above: my sewing table right now.  A bit of a nightmare, but sort of an inspired nightmare as I'm deeply enjoying everything on there - the second in my Butterick Top Trio, and possibly the most outrageously elegant dress I've ever made: Vogue 8820.  I'm doing View A with the scoopier neckline, but the longer sleeves of View B.  I love a good slinky long sleeve.  I had planned to make this in wool crepe or a heavy, drapey silk, but found nothing I liked.  Then, and I'm really quite ashamed to admit this... I saw the perfect thing: fire engine red, crepey, drapey... But on closer inspection it revealed itself to be Polyester Crepe.  Not something I would ever buy, especially not new.  But... it was only £3 a metre, it was the last 5 metres on the roll, and it was exactly what I was looking for.  So I'm considering this first attempt at Vogue 8820 a glorified toile, and am still on the lookout for a fabric more deserving of this delectable dress.

Below: a pile of crocheted snowflakes which will eventually be strung and hung to make my home all festive-like.

And finally (but actually not finally at all, because I still have plenty of other stuff on the go...), something which I'm still not allowed to talk about, but lets just say that it's coming along beautifully, and working on it is proving to be a moving and humbling experience.