Wintering

 Hello everyone, how are you all doing? Just yesterday I read a post about a book called Wintering, I have seen this book about before and thought that it looked interesting.  In fact I think I may have it saved on a list somewhere? Anyway what I want to say is that the post shared a bit about the book and the key elements, mainly the first being that we as humans need to go with the seasons and stop trying to be in one season all the time.  Well,  I found that very honest and spot on.  The post went on to say that we need to recognise that winter is a time to rest and stop rushing around trying to be as productive as we are in the summer, and also that is true in our lives.  As we age we are not in our spring time, and just because of this we don't need to beat ourselves up for being tired or being able to do less but rather listen to our bodies and embrace each change.

I really liked the key points and this has made more me determined to get my hands on this book and read it during the coming season.  I can fully appreciate the idea that we try to be the same throughout our lives when in fact we are not.  As a woman aging is almost a dirty word it would appear if you look around at the products and treatments pushed at us, there is also this current gym culture where it would seem if only we all went to the gym seven days a week we wouldn't age at all.  That is rubbish of course as all bodies age, and joints do wear no matter how much we try to stop it. However I am not saying that in a gloomy way, rather that we need to try and embrace all the good things that come with it, the acceptance we have for ourselves and in many ways the experiences that make us better people.

It must be said that I am guilty of trying to find a solution at every turn whenever I am tired or lacking in energy, when I feel I am not getting as much done as I used to and also of trying to hold off the dreaded wrinkles (aalthough I do so with the cheapest of cheap Asda moisturiser!).  These points have given me a nudge to accept a few things a little more though, I am older so of course I can't stay up late and get up at six fresh as a daisy, dark winter months do make me more lethargic so plan less and curl up with a book. At the same time I do get out for a good walk with the dog every day and get some daylight but we have to work with what we have and stop all trying to be eighteen.  That is past and to be honest would any of us really want to go through it again?  So one for your list and mine Wintering by Katharine May and if you have read it please let me know in the comments.

Now for a little on this weeks sewing...

I bought a couple of pieces of fabric last week, mainly because I was ordering a piece for a gift dress that I am making, then I saw this bargain piece at £5, that did leave me paying for postage though so another £5  piece gave me free postage.  So that is what happened, why pay postage when you can get more fabric for the same price?  The first piece was floral and that is  for the gift dress, for myself I got a blue velvety rib knit, and also an oatmeal knit both for t shirts.

The first velvety piece I made up as a mimi g  t shirt with long sleeves.  The pattern is simplicity 8177 and there are also trousers and a longline coat in this pattern, I have made the coat for a work project.  I love the v neck  on this t shirt and I will make this again, very easy enjoyable make.

I have also been doing work sewing this week but I am always unsure wether I can share that yet, so maybe at a later date.   I hope you all have a good week and of course enjoy what you have and what you are able to do. Take care. 

A Waistcoat Make

 Hello, how are you coping with the dark days.  They seem to come on pretty quickly this year I think and mainly due to all the cloud cover we are having but it does feel very dark all through the day at the moment.  I am trying to keep on top of that by making sure i take the dog out earlier in the day.  This does mean that I have to stop work and have abreak to do this but if I leave it until I am finised for the day I will miss all the daylight!  I know that is not an option for most people, I was lucky in that when I worked in school we were out on break duty every day so that did mean that I always saw some daylight.  Office workers are usually in artificial light all day long and I know that can be hard.

There has been lots of research on  how this lack of daylight impacts our health and well being, so whatever you do for work it is best to try and make the most of any daylight that you can get.  Go outside at lunchtime and have a walk, you will feel better for it. 

Today I have been working on something that I wouldn't chhose for myself but I really like the way it has turned out. It is a waiscoat, and I don't wear them myself but I think it is the fabrics involved that have caught my eye so I will definitely be trying to incorporate them into some sort of little bag. There is really only crumbs left of the charmuese fabric but I am sure i can work them in somewhere.  So The project was newlook 6914 waistcoat or vest.   I made view A for work in a needlecord and charmeuse for the lining and back.  I really like the two fabrics together and the silver buttons...

My Mannequine is a bit wonky, whenever I try to make it bigger it drops down and feels like it is going to fall apart. 

I love that print!

So yes that was quite a surprise, I really love it.  Not in my style but still a cute combination.

In other sewing I managed to use up some fabrics to make my mum a fabric scarf, I did it bouble sided so there were no seams showing so it is warm enough but smarter than a wool one.  She was happy with it.

Today I have had a new pump fitted for my central heating system, earlier this year it was a new boiler and last summer a complete flush out of the whole system.  Let us just say central heating is eating up our cash in many ways at the moment and not just in switching it on.  I am hoping that is it for a while now. 

Reading wise,  I am battling through a book at the moment and I don't know if there is any point carrying on, it is called Mrs March.  I did say on my youtube channel that I thought it might pick up, so far it has not and the character herself is really getting on my nerves.  In fact typing this right now I have decided to chuck it in!  I mean what is the point if it is winding me up? I have other books on my TBR list so I'm off to pick up one of those.  Have a great week all,  and get outside. 😊

Making and Making it Last

 Hello, a new month and a fresh page, at least that is always how it feels.  I was listening to the radio while cutting out the other day and they were discussing the need for everyone to consume less and to make things last.  It is a double edged problem for me in a way as I have always made clothes and really made them last, but I also make and create sewing for my job.  This always leaves me feeling a mixture of emotions relating to that.

 One.. I love that I get to work on sewing projects for my job and I really enjoy that.

 Two.. I am teaching other people to make their own, cherish those clothes and reduce the need for fast fashion.

 Three.. There are those who now just use this as another area to splurge.  It is awkward and of course none of my business, then at the same time all of our business.

I have made myself a couple of things this week, the first being a top from french terry that was bought months ago and the second being a dress from all the offcuts of a work project I made earlier this week.  Now because I am a small size I can often use up all the fabric in this way.  I like to use it up and I am always on the look out for ways to use the fabric scraps. I do watch a few sewing you tubers, but I don't watch any haul videos.  I am not against a chairty shop haul video, if someone gets their fabric or clothing in that way as it keeps it all in the loop. 

 Then again I promote new fabric in  my work,  but that doesn't mean that everyone has to buy every piece and every pattern, rather that everyone should find something just for them.  I would hope they would enjoy making that item, love it, keep it for many years and that it would become the norm again to make all our things.

The need for constant newness has become quite obvious in a lot of home decor too, I see many vloggers who do makeovers constantly changing their homes in a way to keep up with the need for content creation.  In fact there is one who I can think of who has moved house about five times in the last few years.  What is it that is missing?

  Now I personally need to repaint my hall and bathroom, not for fun! Rather that these high traffic areas are in need of freshening up, I am also hoping to choose better paint this time so that it can be washed.  The paint in my hall just wipes off with the cloth when I try to get hand prints, so trade paint is just false economy. 

Getting back to the radio show someone suggested that they always swap out their wardrobe seasonally and that the act of getting all their clothes out again each season was just like having all new things and provided that much needed novelty.  I like to do this too, although I only swap some of it as I have clothes that I wear year round but I layer up.  It was quite eye opening when I was doing this recently to see some of the colours together.  Having recently been looking into what colours suit me best I could quite clearly see that I already gravitate towards the right ones, and my autumn palette is there already.  

I will leave you with a little peak at my memade top, I can assure you I will have this for a long time.

The pattern was self drafted so no pattern to share, I cut a slit a the neck then backed it after that I made topstitched darts either side to pull the front open and add interest.  There is also bias tape on the inside for a neat finish.  That  is all for today, have a good week.