A long post without pictures!

This is the first time I've had internet since Monday. We had a massive storm hit Perth on Monday. Having had no rain for just over three months we had about 6 cm in about an hour. Our little city doesn't get 'natural disasters' so we're ill prepared. At our house it was very exciting, Rainbow and I had been Rain dancing and chanting during the afternoon. Then when it started to sprinkle Rainbow rushed to get her puddle stompers that she got from Santa but the drips were quickly soaked up by the dry earth. Then as the rain hit we were bombarded with marble sized pieces of hail. (North of the river they had golf ball sized that carpeted the ground. I was running out collecting hail for Rainbow to eat. Then the lightning started so Russell and Rainbow watched from the dining window. It got closer and closer until there was this mighty crack (just like glass breaking) as a strike hit our big gum tree. The effect is amazing the branch exploded, I guess from the moisture inside the branch and there is a trail (about 2 cm across) where the lightning travelled down to the ground. I think we were very lucky not to have our windows blow out. At that point the lights went out. There were more than 60 000 homes without power so we were in the dark until Wednesday night. When we eventually had our power reconnected we discovered the strike had blown up our television (plugged in but not turned on), our alarm system, our phone splitter and our modem. I guess that's why you don't make phone calls during a storm.

On top of that Rainbow has had tonsillitis and Russell and Moonshine have had gastro so I've been bouncing back and forth from one bedside to the other all night long. Over one two hour period I spent ten minutes and two five minute periods in my own bed.

So with out power I've had a imposed break from my sewing and now things are going a little smoother. Thank- you very much Zoe, Trixi and Deb for your much appreciated words of encouragement and advice. I've been paying closer attention to my children's brought knit clothing and it's very interesting.

• Rainbow has a knit dress that when you pull at the seams they do gape and show the stitches. It's a pricey brand (by my standards though I got it quite reasonably on sale) so I'm reassured that perhaps that is what is meant to happen.
• Moonshine is wearing a gorgeous knit top today (also a pricey brand - though Moonshine's was second hand) made of a fabric similar to the dress pattern - with rows of hearts and sure enough they have made no effort to match the seams and as Deb pointed out you don't really notice as you don't spend a huge amount of time with your arms up in the air.

I also decided to put away the heart stripey fabric and have a go with a different fabric first to get to know the pattern. I didn't do this initially as it meant changing my overlocker thread and that has it's own challenges. The pattern is quite different to other patterns I've used. The neckline for example has the raw edge zig zagged on the front of the dress where I would have expected it to be done similarly to bias binding on a quilt. I also haven't set sleeves in for a long time. On saying that I think it's looking quite good. I just need to buy a double needle (I haven't used one before) and finish the hems then I'll give you a look.

I haven't learnt from my stripe incident yet. I went fabric shopping on Thursday to try as I was feeling down. After half an hour I was totally lacking inspiration then I remembered my Mum's advice. Choose a fabric that you like and go from there. I came home with a set of cottons to make a ra-ra skirt for Rainbow and this gorgeous print to make a dress for Rainbow. When I got home I realised the gorgeous print is an enormous flower print. Is it going to look funny at the seams? Will I ever learn???

Hopefully I'll get a chance to come visit your sites soon. I've also got a few things I want to share so hopefully I'll get internet soon.