Recent acquisitions

I received some beautiful - and beautifully wrapped - fabric in the post the other day, purchased from Saints and Pinners. The package was so pretty I had to take a snap before I opened it.

As if that wasn't enough excitement, yesterday the pattern I intend to pair the fabric with arrived too - it's the Sencha blouse from Colette Patterns, a website I was led to by Casey's review of the Ceylon dress (a pattern I hope to progress on to in the next few months - a personal sewing target!).

The pattern instructions seem to be written in English rather than in impenetrable sewing lingo and there's even a glossary of terms at the back. It's presented in booklet style with a wallet fold to keep the pattern pieces neat and tidy (no more scrunched up facings lurking at the bottom or the envelope!).

I'm reeeeally excited about getting started on this but I'm trying to save it up until I've finished the dress I'm working on at the moment, which is a second attempt at the first dress I made, with a few little adjustments and embellishments.

I'm having trouble finishing the seams though, as the cotton I'm using is quite thin and tends to get caught on the zig zag stitch. The teacher on the dressmaking course I did recommended using an overlock foot, but when I asked if they had one in John Lewis, the sales assistant looked at me as if I were a loon and said they're "very obscure". Is this true? Do you have any tips for finishing seams? Preferably something that doesn't take too long!

Ooh and while you're answering that one, maybe you can take a look at the picture below and settle a question I keep asking myself when sewing darts: just how wonky is wonky?!