Baby Outfit, Shirt and Hat

Just recently I received a lucky dip bag from Minerva Crafts this has a selection of fabrics chosen for you six metres in total.  I will share more on this later as I am putting together a post for them but for now I will share a few of the bits I am making with it.  One of the fabrics was a children's print with little frogs, I showed it to my friend who has a little boy and as she loved it I decided to make a little something for him.

I didn't have a pattern but she sent me a t-shirt and hat so I am hoping it will fit!  It was also a squeeze to get the two items out of this piece so we will have to see.  It has been  a fun make this morning so everything is crossed.

I love this print and it was a colourful addition to the bundle, I need to get my thinking cap on now to see what I can make with the other pieces of fabric from the package.

The hat is the same on the inside so reversible, if I had thought on I should have done it in a contrasting fabric then the shirt wouldn't have been such a squeeze, but I dived in so there you go!

The underside of the collar is plain blue and it is just in one piece top and bottom.

In the garden my kale plants are being attacked by the white butterfly, it seems every time I go outside they are laying on them then I have to inspect them all.  I know next time I will have to net the plants to  keep them off  Also the constant watering in this heat! We complain about rain but we really could do with a bit around now, my water metre would be grateful for a few full water butts.

On a positive note it is lovely to nip out and get some chili, kale (the undamaged ones) or chili for a dish. The peas are finished and the few that were left were pulled down by the dog who discovered he liked them.  I have put a few more in the greenhouse but it may be too late, worth a try though.  

We would like to put a few fruit trees in and some beds on the ground, we are thinking this may involve a little mesh fence just high enough to keep the dogs out on one section, but still transparent so as to not block it off completely. 

Maxi Dress Hack

Hello I managed to get another dress completed this week, well almost just the zip to go in and it's done! My mother-in-law went to fetch it so I had been waiting on that, then she came for a fitting.  She had an idea of a dress she liked so she brought me that one.  I also had a pattern another magazine freebie for a sun dress so we decided to do a combination of the two.

I did the version from the pattern for the bodice then the length of the maxi, plus a few little pleats.  We have also decided on a back split to the knee for ease of walking.  That is probably  not needed because of the pleats but just to be safe it is there.

I was going to ask her to be in the photo but then I thought it was a bit unfair to ask as she may not want to but say yes to be polite so I didn't ask.  So trusty mannequin to the rescue, friends who are reading if you don't mind being in photos let me know, or I could remove the head from the photo to make you anonymous otherwise I won't ask.   

  Loving that fabric, my husband said he didn't like it then as soon as he saw my mother-in-law wearing it he said oh yes it  looks good as a dress. That is the funny thing as I sometimes buy fabric and love it but I am not sure when it is made up, then there are times when I am a bit meh! about the fabric when it arrives but then I love the outcome.   This is hard to explain to people you make for though, so choose wisely or go on something you have seen made up.  

This is the free pattern  I did the top part from...

The sizing worked out perfect for her and as I said I just did my own pleated skirt version with a back vent/split. 

The summer holidays are fast approaching so I will have time for my own plans, plus a few things for friends.  I also need to make a new little dog quilt for my sofa, the one I have on is a real dog hair magnet so a cotton one will be better.  I could get them down I know bit it is their home too so I choose to use and wash quilts/throws just for the dogs. 

Another Shift Dress

The dress I made today is from the free New Look pattern I got with Sew magazine last month. It is very similar to the scuba dress I made but I have added patch pockets to the front on this one and made the sleeves short.  As  I was feeling very hot I let the mannequin do the modelling for me today.

This dress is in  a thick jersey from Minerva crafts that I bought last month and it will be saved for cooler days.  I have been making lots of summery things and what I find is the weather will turn cooler and my wardrobe is not prepared.  So I am trying to stay ahead by planning for those days in advance this year.
This pattern actually comes out a really good fit and it is easy to make up, quite relaxing sewing with no hiccups.  I can see it will get used a lot due to the simplicity of it .

As you can see the pockets on mine are just made up, I just decided on a size and tried them on the dress. When I was happy with the placement I stitched them down.

I think because this dress is plain the pockets add a little detail but the pattern does give you the option to add the strips with buttons.

Last week I started a top from another free pattern but I used a white crepe, I have decided that I don't like the crepe, there is something about the feel of it.  Also the white was really see through to the point where you would have to wear something under it. This was never my intention so this annoyed me, so coupled with the feel of it I got close to finishing it and then just stopped.  I did like the detail on the front of the top so I will try again another day in a better fabric choice.

For the last few weeks I have been taking part in a future learn course Sustainable Futures, it is really interesting and I have been able to follow up on lots of links from fellow learners, about different charities combatting food waste, alternative energy and various community projects dealing with homelessness. I have done courses with them before and I think it is great that these free resources are there for us to use.

I have purchased a compost bin (second hand) my husband has been busy this morning adding mesh to the bottom so the vermin can't get in, I hope that works!  He  said if he sees any it's going. Lots of people use them so it must be ok?  If you have one and are having a problem let me know with any tips or advice.

The tomatoes are just starting to ripen, I have stood and ate a few there in the greenhouse, there seems to be a pattern emerging with me doing that with the food. Some of it may find it's way the kitchen.

These yellow ones are super sweet, I am going to plant more of those ones next year. 

Floral Scuba Dress

It turned out that sewing the scuba fabric was a breeze, after reading that it had been mangled in someone's overlocker recently I did wonder how it was going to go but it was no trouble at all.  I like the fact that it doesn't fray as well, it does irritate me sometimes when I choose a fabric and then there are bits of it all over the place within minutes of cutting.  You know the kind that sticks to hands in a staticky  way and you walk it from room to room without realizing, well there wasn't any of that.  Aside from my scissors snagging on it a bit the edges don't even need finishing unless you want to.

So here it is just the one photo as I am doing a more detailed post on this for Minerva...

So this will be a fabric I return to if I see a design I like.

Here we are at the end of the month so this is the last time I will be blogging on a daily basis, I will return to my normal routine of once a week, sometimes more if I have something I want to share.  

What I have found by making myself post everyday is that we can find these little pockets of time do things, that doesn't mean I want to post everyday but it is doable even if the posts are short as mine have been.   I have noticed that others who post diary style blogs on a daily basis do tend to keep things short and other bloggers who post about once a month have very lengthy posts.

It may be something I do in the future but for now I am having the week off, I don't want this to start and feel like a chore.  There are a few makes lined up for the coming weeks so I will be back next weekend to share one of those.

I also want to catch up on my blog reading as I am a bit behind with the people I follow which goes to show we don't all get the time to read blogs ourselves everyday so is the daily post idea worthwhile anyway?  I would love to know your thoughts on how you arrived at your current post dates and why, or do you like to keep it more random?  

Sewing Scuba

On the sewing table today are the pieces for a dress for a  Minerva post, it will be a shift style dress in scuba fabric.  I can honestly say I have not worked with this before, it is quite thick and my dress makers scissors even seamed to be having trouble cutting through it on the double.  I have a feeling someone has used them for a non fabric project when I wasn't looking.  The pieces are all cut but on the pattern there are patch pockets at the front, I am undecided if they will go on as the fabric has a lovely rose design and I don't think they will add anything to the dress.  Maybe on a plain dress they would be better anyway I am rambling here are the pieces ready to go...

I have to admit to already altering the sides a little as they felt a bit too A-line for my liking on this fabric, it seems to me this lends itself to more fitting dresses.  I have been out with a friend this afternoon so everything has been put ready to go on the sewing table for the morning.  I don't think this it will take long to sew I am just wondering how it will respond under the machine given the resistance it put up under my scissors.  Last week I read that someone had tried to overlock  scuba fabric and it had got a bit chewed up in the machine.

There will probably be no need for overlocking as the fabric does not appear the have much fray so I will just give that a miss, hopefully a ball point needle is all that is required but any other tips on how it behaves would be appreciated. Also there is a reasonable size piece left, has anyone had a go at making a bra in this, it is not breathable for other undies but would it do a bra?  If you  have tried that let me know and if it worked I hate to see any bits of fabric go to waste.

I am in the middle of another Spanish drama 'Apaches' so I am off to watch that now, I loved Money Heist and now I'm on the lookout for what to watch next.

Basic Green T-shirt

Finally I am getting around to filling in some of the gaps and making some basic items to go with all my patterned clothes.  This is something I have been meaning to do as I often pull something from the wardrobe then wonder what will go with it, it is easier with dresses as you have the full outfit but skirts and tops don't work if they are all in different wild prints.

I have a lovely skirt I made last year but my lack of plain tops to with it mean it has only been worn once so far, in order to remedy that I ordered some green rayon last week to make a t-shirt, I had to promise myself I would not deviate from this plan as I often do that once the fabric arrives.   As I really like the shape f the red drop shoulder t-shirt I made last week I decided to follow the same idea.  Nice and simple and quick to make up.

It is comfy to wear, I made it long enough to tuck in or wear out if need be and it goes with the skirt which was the point.

This is a nice relaxing make as there a re no fiddly bits and you know it will fit, there are lots of times I spends hours on details only to find it is a seldom worn item.  Sometimes simple really is best.

Here it is just two pieces hastily cut around an existing top and a bit of green binding for the neckline. I think I will wear this a lot, just like my red one which has been worn twice already.

Out in the greenhouse  a pepper is growing quite big,  very exciting. There is something not quite right with the courgettes though as they are suddenly growing pointy and some have brown on the ends??

I will leave you with photo of this blue flower, I just love the colour.  It was a seed packet I scattered in some pots called sea of blue, various flowers in the packet and they are just starting to flower.

I may just have to paint a room that colour.

Sewing for Late Summer

I know it's not late summer yet, but just recently I have been making more summer items and currently I have no problem wearing me made everyday because I do tend to sew more for the summer. There are more items in my winter wardrobe that are from charity shops or ebay especially along the lines of knit cardigans.  I also find it is more fun sewing  for the summer as everything is so bright, in the winter we all tend to wear darker colours.

As I want to be able to extend wear of everything I am making I thought I should plan for later in the season when it is not quite so warm, or in this country that may be just next week, who knows.  I have seen a few ideas for cardigans that could be made with jersey or other soft knit fabrics.  There are some lovely styles but they also have to be wearable. The ones I have seen that are cocoon in shape or too floaty I feel would end up getting the sleeves dipped in the sink when I'm washing up or something.

Here are  a few styles that I intend to copy, as a cardigan is on my sewing to do list for this season.

This is from the next website, I like the tie front as it would go with dresses but perhaps make the sleeves straight.

This one is a more traditional shape it would be just a case of finding the right fabric, this particular one is quite expensive so I would not be buying it , copying it is definitely the way to go.

Has anyone else already began planning their sewing beyond this current heat wave, I am loving it but I also realise it will end at some point.