[quote author=DementedFairy
Lynn Mizono dress, V1312 mark 2.  I love this one! 

DF, Well one thing led to another, i googled V1312 which led me to a picture on Pin interest and that led me to looking at another photo which led me to the blog of Lin and Liberty http://bien-fait-pour-toi.over-blog.com/article-lin-et-liberty-124265110.html, which led me to google the book that they had got the pattern from which led me to Amazon were i purchased the book. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/1617453560/ref=tmm_pap_new_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=1490033277&sr=8-1
So thanks DF you have just cost me £14.85

I started with a Brother 750E (no longer made) which came with free digitizing soft ware, but quickly found i wanted to do bigger embroidery designs hence the upgrade.
The machines are an investment and as you say you need to research what is available. From my own experience consider the size of the designs the machine will sew before making your choice. Plus you may well find that the middle price range onwards will often come with free soft ware, which is often worth £400+

I have dug out a piece of fabric from the deep dark recess of my stash. Not sure when i got it or why as it not my usual choice. It is plain burgundy? suiting of some type. I can only assume it was left over from when i had to be "suited and booted" for work (about 10 years ago).
  I think i am going to use it to make a pair of trousers, again not something i normally wear, just as an experiment to see how they turn out. Who know i may become a convert to trouser wearing.
Will post photos when i have looked through my patterns.

Am i too late to join in?

In Wakefield we have
 *PJ Textiles/Fabric World just outside the Ridings. Originally started as a market stall in Barnsley and now shops in Wakefield and Barnsley.
I have shopped here for years but about 10 years ago they started selling curtains to order and a lot of the shop space was taken up with samples. Now pleased to say they have stopped that and the shop in now once more crammed to the rafters with fabric, both dressmaking and curtaining.
 *For habby, wool and tapestry stuff we have Habiknit but they only take cash.
 *There is also a quilting and knitting shop on Cross Square called Wool n Stuff. www.woolnstuff.co.uk
 *we have Discount Fabric Warehouse in Kirkgate, again small shop crammed with fabric

And lets not forget The Shuttle in Shipley

Have a look on Sherwoods Fabrics website. They have a lot of denims with suggestions as to what can be made from them. Empress Mills also have quite a good range of denim.

Thanks Holly Berry, I have not come across Sherwoods before, they have lots of nice stuff. Now, how do i explain another parcel of fabric arriving!!

Would Chambray be too soft?  I was only thinking about that yesterday.

I did order some Chambray from Minerva as it was described as medium weight but i sent it back because it was light weight and would have looked like a damp dishcloth made as a skirt.
That's one good thing about Minerva they do operate a no quibles return policy unlike a lot of sites.

would you use to make a skirt? looking for some non-stretch (nearly impossible to find) denim that is not too heavy but sturdy enough to make a skirt without it being stiff.
Any suggestions?