Maybe you need a dehumidifier for this time of year?  DS is living in student halls atm and he's using a disposable one as available from poundshops/Wilko because the bay window in his room gets manky in the same way.

@Missie   Quite so - since DS was born the rule has been, if it's not machine washable it doesn't get bought.  Some of my 'funeral wear' is older than DS, though!

I had rails of power suits in the 90's, almost none of which fitted after DS was born (not so much weight gain as permanent shape change!).  Then in the noughties the dress code in IT became much more smart-casual and the power suits went.  Before long the trouser suits will go because I really don't wear them and, besides, most of them are dry clean only and who's got the time for that nowadays?  So, I will be left with two skirt suits suitable for funerals.

Clear them out.  I know you will feel slightly guilty given the money/time you spent on them originally, but if they're no use to you let them be given a second life with someone entering the job market who will appreciate them.

Can't comment on fabric shops - I haven't lived in Yorkshire for years - but Duttons for Buttons have shops in both York and Harrogate so you definitely need to go there for your trimmings!

Don't forget that both York and Harrogate have branches of Betty's tearooms.  Their Fat Rascal buns are to die for 

  Just realised I answered this thread twice!  Ah, well, at least my story's consistent 

Another tip on dreaming up passwords is to use, eg, a memorable poem or quote to help you remember.  So, to use a random example, take the first letters of the words in:

Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this son of York

That becomes :

nitwoodmgsbtsoy

Switch in some capital letters and top-row characters and you get

n!Tw0OdmG$bT5oY

I have a late 90's computerised machine and a late 70's swing needle.  The older machine does brilliant straight stitch and both the spool and the bobbin thread sides are first class.  The newer machine doesn't come close - the bobbin thread always looks a bit sinusoidal regardless of the spool thread tension setting (but I maybe need to get someone to adjust something).

However, the newer machine does several really useful things the older machine doesn't do, specifically stretch (multi-stitch) zig zag, several variations on one-step buttonholes and has a seven-step incremental needle drop position setting that's really handy when doing tricky edge stitching.

I also have a five-thread overlocker that can convert to cover stitch (although that's a bit of a faff to be switching back and forth from frequently).  I don't covet any more machines, nor do I have space to store any more!