2021 A Few Makes

 We are nearly there, the end of the year and I just put togther these nine earlier for instagram as everyone seems to be posting that.  It was quite tricky as I have made so much this year but included here are a few that are worn a lot for example the hoodies, also a few unexpected favourites. The the bear dress which I had doubts about halfway through but it is really easy to wear and can layered so I have worn this quite a bit.  Have you got any favrourite makes of the year and have you shared them on instagram if you have let me know in the comments if I don't follow you already.

My jackets have all been favourites and there are a few more that are not featured here that I love just the same.  I have also noticed I have a lot of black in my wardrobe even though it does not appear so looking at the above image. 

 Just  this morning I have finished a project in black print  and there are a few more waiting on the sidelines.  Maybe I will have to make 2022 the year of colour, I did branch out and made a hot pink dress last week but my husband is not into the colour and I did read recently that the colours should not be wearing you, so maybe I have to be cautious of that.

There is a selection of sources above, the two top center and top right are from the same pattern from a magazine a sinple sew pattern sienna I think.   The green coat, white blouse and black skirt are all traced off from Burda magazine that I had for a year as a gift from my husband.  Top left hoodie is from the Tilly Walnes stretch book that I borrowed from the library ages ago. Navy coat and the bomber jacket were both from patterns made for Minerva and the zip hoodie bottom left I traced off from one of my own hoodies that I knew fit well.  I have to say looking at the fabrics above they were all minerva! I have made garments from fabric from a local store to me and a number of refashions this past year too, a few of those can be seen on my youtube channel.  If you haven't had a look at that please do and maybe leave me a comment.  You can find the link in the sidebar.  I haven't done any for that for a while as i have been busy with other filming so I must do some refashions for that soon. 

I am about to go shopping so I hope people are not in there going crazy like they do when any shop will be closed the following day!  I went a few days before Christmas and people were there trollies full to the brim shopping for the apocalypse, I just want a few things so I will try to be quick.

Hopefully you all have your New years eve planned and are all set, we will be celebrating at home with maybe a glass of wine and a good film that will do me. Maybe a few chapters of my book that I am reading (I know how to party;)  

Well I am going to get on with things now, have a wonderful evening and take care. 

Books and that bit inbetween

 Hello I hope you are all enjoying a good rest and not too bloated from a week of over eating and drinking ;) I have to say it is 5 pm here I am about to start a curry for dinner and I am drinking a glass of rose!   Just the one mind although not usual on a Wednesday, it is Wednesday right?  We are currently in that bit of the holiday where I really don't know what day it is or what I am supposed to be doing with myself.

I do like a new start to the year, some people think it is pointless to start with new intentions but I like to plan something new.  That does not mean calling them resolutions though because I feel people miss a day with those and give up.  I prefer to try to do more of something and write it down, that way if you miss a day it doesn't matter as you can always reset the next day and still see all the days  you have been successful and not stress about the one day you missed.  I think doing something most days of the year and occasionally slipping and having a day off is far healthier than doing something every day for a month then giving up!

It is also fun to look back on my notebooks as I can see what I was doing or being interested in a year or two ago.  I have only done this the last few years but is very enlightening and there are also some super quotes in them and I have wrote some of them out again as a reminder.

One thing I did today was to move my cook books into the kitchen, now years ago I had them in the kitchen at my first house.  I did say never again as a few got a lot of splashes on them, looking back they were too close the oven area so that is why but they are to be used.  Up to now I have had them on the book shelf in the dining room and walked back and forth everytime I wanted to check something.  So no more of that but my son has had instructions not to splash milk every where when getting cereal as they are near the fridge unit.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you keep your books close to where you need them or in a safer place?  I didn't pay a lot for any of these, the oldest one there is possiblt the Rose Elliot one and that was from a charity shop along with Veg, Deliciously Ella and the Abel and Cole one. The big Vegan Cookbook there was a recent gift from my son, the Aine Carlin ones were all new but a fiver each and I have to say they are very well used.  The vegan baking one on the end was also bought new and is very good.  A few of these  books I had from the library first before finding second hand for a few pounds.

Personally I have never had the Abel and Cole veg boxes but a friend did and used to pass on some recipe cards now and then so that is why I spotted that particular book.

I have just been to collect my car from the garage and it has passed its MOT (that was before the glass of wine of course) we use a car centre that is very local to us so we walked there with the dogs then my husband carried on and I drove back.  It is always a relief when you don't get a big car bill after these things.

Well I had better go and get on with that curry as no one else will cook it. Just a bit of a check in today so stay safe and rested everyone and I will be back soon.  

Year end

 Hello I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas however you chose to celebrate.  We had a quiet one which is just the way I like it, dinner with close family and a walk with the dogs that left us drenched due to the wet weather we are having at the moment. 

We have no plans for New years eve we never do, just a quiet night in again, that may not seem very exciting to some people but I have no desire to be in a crowded, over priced venue as the clock strikes midnight I am very content in my home.  Another bessing to this is that my dogs have us here with them when everyone starts going crazy with the fireworks for hours on end.  I don't know how you find this where you are but they are so loud here and seem to get worse year on year, I may sound a grump but it is very hard on the dogs and I don't see why such a loud explosion is deemed entertainment!

I can now share a blouse I made for my friend for Christmas...

It is cotton chambray with slightly gather sleeves at the shoulder and a little button at the back.  I do think this is nore of a classic look, much as I like all the wild prints I know not everyone shares my style and people do like a simple look.

I was going to do a flounce on the bottom of the sleeve as sleeve details have been a thing this year but if what she normally wears are an indication then I thought she would prefer them plain.  It is also easier to get your jackets and coats on  because lets face it here in the UK we generally need one of those.

Today I am wearing a dress I made for  a video a few days ago, the style is very baggy so I am wearing it with a belt.  This is another fashion trend of this year that does not suit my body.  As I am quite petite the looser style tend to just look ill fitting on me so I do prefer a more fitted look.

I have a red belt on with it and this works much better.

Here I will share a few of the cards I made, now I made all of them but what happened was I was making them and writing them as I went to be organised.  This did mean that I only thought about photographing them when I was nearing the end so a few pics for you but the rest were already sealed.

Even though I have a lack of images for all my hard work I am pleased that I managed to make everyone this year. I have read over at Three Stories High that Jo makes hers for the following year as she is taking down the old ones. What a great idea!  I am going to do this rather than saving bits and starting the following winter it makes much more sense.  Also you are still in the festive mood. 

In my true nature of getting the most out of all my fabric I made a bag with leftover bits from my colourful bomber jacket.  I am pleased to say it sold on my Etsy shop the very next day.

Well I must be going now as we are off to visit family shortly, enjoy the rest of the holiday season and take care everyone.

December...ing

 Hello, I hope you are all well and ready for the festive season. We like to keep it small here so it will be just us and our grown up children plus my mum. I have had more family over in the past but sadly due to the passing of my husband's parents and my father it is just my mum now. My oldest son's girlfriend likes to have her lunch with her mum and little sister.  I am pretty much sorted and the tree has been up a few weeks now as I love to see it and it brightens the dark evenings.  So here are a few things that we have been up to this last few weeks...

Eating  a meal out with friends.  This is something that we haven't done in such a long time, first they were ill then we were ill and time just passed while we all recovered.  So went for a curry locally and a couple of drinks after (literally a couple it is all I can manage these days!) It was so nice to sit and chat and just do soemthing different really.  I did get a compliment as my husband said the curry was not as good as the one I make. 

Sewing various items, a couple of bomber jackets, a cardi, a few tops and some gifts I will share a few pics below but not of the gifts because they may be seen. I did make two brooches for one of the teachers I have worked with and she has opened them but I forget to photograph those.  I have said when you wear them take a pic for me.  She said she loves them, I do hope so. I have seen her wear simialr things so I think I have captured her style, it is such aperconal thing making soemthing specific to a person.

This is one of my favourite recent makes, the rib and lining are recycled from an old hoodie belonging to my boys.  The outer is dashwood studios from minerva.

I don't know why this pic is so grainy, cowl hood jersey dress.

Cardi/jacket in stretch cotton it's a cor style fabric.

Jersey dress with pockets.

My second go at this top, it os sparkly but it doesn't show in the image.  I think I prefer the non collar version of this top that I made a while ago.  That is just some of my making not all of it, I need to stay more current with my updates as I am losing track of what I have done!   Also the coat  I made was lined and I redid the belt with a buckle.

Oh and this is the other bomber jacket, this one is in textured jersey very warm, all these fabrics are from minerva.

Watching Ghostbusters at the cinema last night, Penistone Paramount and I loved it.  I think you have to be about my age and clearly remember the first one to fully appreciate.  I remember winning tickets in the Junior Sheffield star to see the first one and I took a friend, going to the cinema was a big treat for me back then. 

Also a new series called Carnival Row it is very bizarre but I am somehow getting into it. 

Eating too much chocolate, vegan chocolate but still.  I had some bought for me for my birthday, then my husband bought me the nomo advent calendar then I have more from school.  I appear to have acquired a taste for it again now and every time I pass through the kitchen I have to have a little nibble.

Dreaming of places we will visit in our caravan next year, we have a couple of trips booked.  So let us pray that we do not end up in another lock down in the new year. 

Leaving my job to do more work for myself in the new year, scary but also very freeing.  I already feel lighter and excited. If it doesn't work out I can always go back to working a day job but I am giving it a go. 

Intending to be more organised next year, I manage to get lots done but it is often in a whiz of fabric and mess. My sewing room currently looks like a bomb has hit it, it is very small so all the more reasxon to be more on top of it.  I will try.

Whatever you are up to I hope you are safe, happy and well.  

A New Coat

 Well it has got a lot colder all of a sudden and I finished my new coat at the weekend, it was an unlined pattern but I do like a lined coat so a few days ago I purchased some emerald green lining and I am going to add that to it.  It will be a pretty quick job to do that as the coat is already complete.  It is just a case of cutting out the front, back and sleeve  pieces again in lining fabric, attaching them and slipping it inside before hand stitching around facings, hem and cuffs.  I do like a bit of hand stitching, I know it is not everyones cup of tea but I do find it very relaxing.

The pattern for the coat is depicted on the cover using a much lighter fabric from what can gather, I have made this in vegan coating.  To me if it is warm enough to wear a light weight fabric then it is warm enough that you won't need a long coat, but that is just my opinion.  So I feel making this in a heavier fabric makes it a more wearable winter garment.   I also think that a coat slides on and off much better when it is lined aso that is why I have gone for this extra step.

I made the belt a little narrower although I still think it is a wide belt, there are pockets in the sides of the coat.  There will be some photos of it on when I get around to it.

I have cut out another wrap over top so I will be putting that togther over the next few days too, it is in a striped fabric and I look forward to seeing how this works on this style.

Earlier in the week some new sewing scissors arrived, an early gift for me that I needed as mine keep on snagging the fabric even though they are not old (they do get a lot of use)  I am not entirely sure  a family member may have used them for none fabric purposes at some point, I can't be sure but they did go blunt suddenly a while ago and you will know what I mean.  It made me laugh as someone said to me the other day is that all you are having as a gift? Well it is what I need and want so in that case it is perfect.

This  week we have been watching a series called Guilt on iplayer and I am enjoying that, we saw a bit of the second series and didn't know what was going on, then we realised it had a first season so we looked for it.  I am glad we have found something as there is a an awful lot of rubbish on at the moment and I do like to have one series we can pop on before bed.  After dinner early evening we do other things but after nine I like to just watch for an hour or so.s

The Christmas tea is out now too so we know it is getting close, I really fancied buying myself some mulled wine tea bags and then I saw the postage was almost as much as the tea so I didn't bother.  Any tips for what I can add to my tea in terms of spices anyone to get the same effect? (not actual red wine though itgives me headache!)  Here is my current cup...

 Have a lovely day.

Christmas Making

 Hello I thought I'd share the little bit of Christmas sewing I have been doing as promised, I have a home for one of the bunting strips and I moved on to making a few gift bags like I mentioned a few days ago.  I will be making more I was just trying out the different ways that they could be tied or fastened. If you haven't already maybe check out the post on Sum Of Their stories to see the ideas there, I shared the link in my previous post.

I opted to used the recycled pillow slips  that I had been wanting to reuse anyway, then I chose to dress them with small amoun ts of new fabric to make them look festive.   I did a dawstring tie on one, the ribbon tie attched at the side, tie loops at the top on another and a button fastening.  I don't know which will be the prefered way I suppose it depends what you are putting inside as some methods maintain more usable space inside.

The little scrap bits are also being saved as I cut out as these can be used on gift tags, here are a few so far...

Of course these will have to be done on a cooler wash as I have mixed some bold colours here with the white.

It makes quick work of wrapping things.

Here are a few of the finished bunting, it is making me feel quite Christmasy taking photos of these things.

I found just draping the ties in the cupboards above mymachine is a really quick way to hang these.

I have various bits of this fabric left over from last year, all odd strips and some random shapes.

Someone has requested this one with the ginger bread men.

Now I am wondering what to make with all the little offcuts, it may be too close to the season to start a patchwork style project I will have to have a think.  What sort of things are you all getting ready for Christmas? 

Right I must get on as I am in the middle of making a coat, it is unlined in the pattern but I am thinking I will make it up as it is then when I can get hoild of a bit of lining I will line it.  It is quick enough to do and I never see the point of not lining a coat as they go on so much better with one in. 

 Have a lovely weekend.

Sewing Morning

 Hello, I don't know if I mentioned this previously but I have dropped a day at work to give me more time for other things that I like to do.  Mainly that is sewing of course and while I am always sewing in my free time in recent moths I have not had chance to share everything I make or sew and sometimes things are becoming a rush.  I am certainly not a big spender being a maker so I made the decision to have more time as that is what is important to me right now. 

My time goes by so quickly when I am making too!  So there never seems to be enough of it and I do realise that this is because I am having so much fun. There are quite a few things that I have made for videos that I will share images in the future and I will be replenishing my handbag making over the next few weeks.  

Here is a little peek of a dress I made last week and this one is one is simplicity 8874AA in viscose jersey from Minerva I will add a link below if you want to check out the pattern and fabric.

Fabric here  and pattern here

I did treat myself to another  tripod light for my tiny sewing room last week as I was finding it increasingly difficult to get good light in the room to film with it being so much darker during the day now.  I always film in the daytime and I do already use a studio light but there is just no substitute for natural good daylight. My son does insist I need an iphone but to be honest after seeing the filming on his phone it is still a good light issue I feel and not a camera issue.  Well ok his camera is better then mine but my phone is good and I am not big on buying new gadgets when things are working well it is just so wasteful.  I guess my generation do  not have that urge to replace technology all the time like the younger ones, I will come clean and let you all know if I ever give in an upgrade!

Typically this morning after gleefully saying last night I will turn my alarm off as I don't need that I work up really early unable to sleep.  After a restless hour or so I got out of bed  and my son came down for work and said what are you doing up? Well of course because I don't need to be anywhere I am wide awake, why is it when we have to rush off to work we are sound asleep when the alarm sounds?

After complaining about my current book a few days ago 'The Beloved Girls' I am now enjoying it, I suppose I just had to gt into it properly and perhaps let go of what I thought it should be like.  It is ok to read something light occasionaly and just go with it.  

There has been a little Christmas making (I know sorry too early for all that) in the form of bunting, no pictures yet I need to pop it up to photograph.  It will be here so soon though and every year I think  it is too early to start meking this kind of thing and then suddenly it is upon us. I did read over on  Sum of their stories.com about making reusable fabric bags for Christmas presents and if you have not read that go and have  look now.  This was really funny becasue I have planning the same thing myself rooting through scraps this week and thinking how I can add a little trim here and there to make fabric more festive looking.  A few well placed felt holly applique pieces or snowflakes can jazz up an old remnant.

I also saw on facebook that people are using fabric from the charity shop to wrap presents creatively. 

 Fabric wrapping is a good idea and I hope that as more people do this the people receiving it do the same and do not just throw that in the bin.   I have been using some Chritsmas boxes for my boys since they were small, they have snowmen and Father Christmas on them.  Even now as grown men they will still get anything that will fit placed in those.  Last year my oldest opened his presents and as he doesn't live here now I said make sure you reuse the boxes Ha Ha. We have to keep it going don't we?  I also love gift bags that just fold flat and go in the cupboard, now if we are all careful there is no need for those to ever stop being circulated (well until they completely fall apart). 

Well I hope you enjoy the day whatever you are up to, back soon. 

November...ing

 Hello everyone, it has been a few weeks but I am recovering from the dreaded Covid.  Just before half term I strted to feel unwell and it quickly got worse, my husband and I have both been very poorly with it.  Two weeks mostly in bed and I have been back to work lasy week (bad idea) and I was wiped out when I git home.  Anyway trying to do bits here and there to not feel very useless! I have managed some sewing and there are a few sewing bits from weeks ago that I forgot to share too.  It really makes you think how you take your energy levels for granted and also how not  being unable to get up and do all the things you normally do is very depressing.  Well enough of that and here is my slow start to November so far.

 Making a couple of videos for Minerva, so I have had to do these in stages as I have been so tired and these were completed this last weekend and yesterday.  Just a bit at a time, which is unusual for me as I normally make things in one sitting.   So an apron, a dress and a top and these will all be on the site when all the others go live I believe.

Everything is a little odd as I have taken stills from the videos.

I do think this last one turned out really nice although it will have to wait for next summer now.

In other sewing I started a blouse before I got ill and I finished that last week, there were just the sleeve plackets and buttons to stitch on.

This as Art gallery Fabrics cotton poplin and this was from Minerva also I have put this in the #sewshirty21 challenge I don't know if any of you are doing that.  I didn't think I would be able to as the deadline arrived and I was ill but they extended it.  I always think i will join in with more instagram sewing challenges to be more a part of the the community bit then things happen or there is always some other pressing sewing to be done.

Selling a couple of bags on Etsy, that always cheers me up to think someone has wanted to buy something I have made, well, one make up bag and one handbag.   I only sell them occasionally but it is a nice little boost when I get a notification.  I did make a slightly larger one a while ago that I listed and I have also bought myself some little faux leather labels to go on any future bags I make so this was the first one with a label too.  Joe at Three Stories High gifted me some of the fabric used in this one and I always mix in other offcuts and recycled bits.

Watching well binge watching they call it! The Handmaids Tale season 3 and 4 while I was ill and unable to do anything else.  Now I did get bored with this a while ago as the tv show had left the books behind long ago but as I was too drained too do anything than watch bits of tv I thought I would give it another go.  Don't do it! It becomes increasingly dark and I did watch it to the end but was left feeling very unsettled and any sympathy I had for the main character was long gone.  Did anyone stick it out and watch the whole thing?  All I can say is it was a very bad choice for when you are already feeling down but I should have known that!

Appreciating the way the garden is just not giving in, the cosmos are just going crazy still and the dahlias it is really looking cheerful considering general neglect of late.  The weather has not been that bad though.  I do have a very sickly looking pear tree at the top, it has not faired well at all this year so maybe it will have to come out.  The rest though has been grand and pretty much taken care of its self after the initial growing and planting of seeds.

Reading or trying to, The Beloved Girls, not sure if this is for me but determined to press on as I have abandoned three books recently in disgust at how bad they were.  I seemed to have a good run over the summer and now I keep picking up poor choices.  I ordered this one form the library but already feel the writing is not to my taste, however I bet my mum would love it as it seems to be the kind of thing she likes.  My mum never reads anything I tell her too though, I gave her a book a while ago that I got from the charity shop and enjoyed.  She passed on it and took it too the charity shop herself, a few weeks later she was reading the same library book in her room and told me how good it was!  I said I gave you that a few weeks ago and she said 'oh did you I don't remember'.     I have also tried a few recently off the Libby library app but again it is hard to know if you like them without flicking through a few pages first, at least it is not wasted money this way.

Baking a lovely carrot and walnut cake yesterday from my Ainee Carlin book  The New Vegan (one of them I have about four) I have made this cake before but I like to try different peoples recipes to see how they turn out.  It was a good cake personally I think it could have done with just a touch more moisture to it, maybe just a little more rapeseed oil.   Still it has gone down well and we do need building up. 

Needing a really good sort through my sewing room.  It has just got out of hand and it started out so neat and tidy, I keep going in to do bits and just organising the very main work space but behind me there is a chest of drwera stuffed fill, piled high and a wardrobe with a piling system going on inside it.  I do like to keep all my offcuts for bag making and recycling but I am very disorganised at the momnet.  I think I will pick a section at a time to keep at it, I know this is  not very Marie Kondo she says you have to get it all out and tackle it head on.  Well I am not up to that right now so it will have to be small steps.

Planning making some Christmas cards before it suddenly arrives, I am going to get a few ideas together in a shoe box and bring some some supplies down to have beside my chair so I can pick things up and get on with them while watching the TV.  When we watch something in the evening I often get bored with what is on offer and would much rather be doing something else, however we don't always want to go and be alone do we? So this way I can be present but still busy, I know a few of you knit so solve it that way.  I do not have those advanced skills, I can knit but haven't done so for years and I was never great.  It also took me about a month to knit a jumper so if i didn't like it I was gutted. 

Well take care everyone, I hope you are having a good week.  

    

Tiered Skirt and a few Books

 Hello everyone I hope you are off to a good start this weekend, I thought I would share with you a couple of thisings I have been up to recently.  I am trying to get back into a more regular blogging routine as I am aware I have not been doing that this last few months.

First of all I have made two versions of this tiered skirt, it is for a minerva video and I wasn't sure weather I should post on these items yet but as I have been given the go ahead to also post on it on their site now I am sure it is ok.  It is a Simplicity pattern  (1110) and I have made the maxi length and the knee length version of this skirt.  Most of the work is in the gathering of the tiers and the rest is very straight forward so if you are looking for a nice easy skirt make then this one is for you.  Just take your time with the gathers to make sure they are even.

The fabric is a chambray in pale blue, I don't normally wear maxi length so this was something new for me, I like the way it swishes though and i do think care will be needed in climbing stairs.  I am the type of person who is often flitting around so I hope I will not be ending up flat on my face from standing on it!

The next picture is a still from the filming of it ...

I do think the longer version has more about it even though I do normally wear them around the knee length, something tells me I will be sweeping the floor with it however when crouching and picking up after pets. Maybe I will have to get a grabber ;)

Next up is the little pile of books I have read over the last few months, some of them have been real favourites and others were so so.  I did give where the crawdads sing another go as I was bought it as a gift, it was ok but did not live up to all the hype.  The Hoarder was very good, The Muse and also Ten Thousand Doors of January.  What have you been enjoying reading please let me know I love to have ideas of  what's good so then I can  order them from the library.  These were all from the charity shops apart from the one that was a gift.

I am now on with my Autumn reading I have a few picked up second hand but my current read is from the library and it is Honecomb by Joanne M. Harris, fairy tales this one so it may not be for everyone but I love a little escape sometimes and not everything has to be so serious.  

We have just had a trip to the dentist this morning so that is out of the way for another six months, I am about to make some falafel and cake then off for a walk with the dogs.  There is also a pice of fabric that needs a decsion making on it so there will also be some sewing going on of course.

Whateever you are doing this weekend  have a good one. Bye for now. 

Autumn Dress £1 Refashion

 Hello everyone I hope you are all having a good week, I got off to a wobbly start but I am feeling better today and i have a few things on the go as always I am keeping busy.  I have made a skirt for a video and unfortunatley my phone was not behaving and it came out dark so I have to remake and redo the whole thing! This time of year is not great for filming, I also made another dress and video and that filming seesion came out a lot brighter so I have uploaded that to youtube, more on that in a minute.  I am reading a lot, working on another bag and planning a few Christmas makes so afew things to keep me busy here.

First of all is the dress I will tell you about the dress I have just finished, now I am not big on buying expensive patterns myself as I like to make my own but the covers can give you some great inspiration from time to time.  In this case I saw the image  for The Alexa dress a while ago and just saved it, the pattern is expensive and it is not that different from a  number of dresses I have made before but the combination of details and fabric worked well so it caught my eye.

A few weeks ago I shared here my charity shop bargains for £1 each and among those was a floral dress, too big with buttons down the front.  I immediatley thought of this pattern and had the idea to recraete it form the image in my mind.  My only mistake this time was not to take a before picture of me wearing the dress prior to dismantling it.  I am very happy with how it turned out and have included the video link below. There was just enough fabric to create the frill details and switch around the collar, it now has a full zip up the back and all the buttons from the front and the cuffs will be saved for another day!  I wore it at the weekend and it made me happy that it has new life and looks just like the pattern.

See the video here

If you do decide to watch I would love it if you left me comment there.

So the original dress was too big and had a shirt style front, button down with long sleeves with button cuffs.  I took off the skirt, turned the bodice around, cut a new neckline at the front, cut away and saved the collar which was then trimmed and cut the sleeves to elbow length.  The bottom of the sleeves were cut into strips to make the frills, these were then gathered and put back on. (oh I also took in the upper sleev to make them more fitted. I darted  the dress bodice at the front from bust lines to waist and also at the front neck as it was roomy.  I re-attatched the collar backwards then pleated it to the neck by hand.  I stitched the skirt bottom back on with added gathers to fit and added a back zip.

I am really happy with the neck effect especially as I was really winging it here and had no idea how this would turn out.

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I think this fabric is just perfect for Autumn and also really cheery, I love these thrifty makes they are the reason I began sewing as a teenager and they always make me smile. 

Below is the image of the pattern cover that I copied....

 

So what about you, do you ever just copy the pattern images? It is very satisfying to just work it out for yourself.  Let me know in the comments below if you do this and what you have made.

 Well have a lovely week, take care.

September Days

 Hello everyone, a bit of a busy few weeks here.  We are  back to school  a new term and I have  caught a cold again!  I am pretty certain it is from the same little person who gave it to me before the summer hloidays because they have come back full of it, oh dear.  Anyway that aside I have completed quite a few sewing jobs but can only share a few as some of them are for Minerva videos that won' go live yet.  I am quite nervous that when they do go live people will like them/find them helpful, I hope so but I suppose I just have to get over that. 

We had another weekend away at Leyburn two weeks ago and that was lovely, we met with some of our family who have a static caravan out that way and we managed to find the most gorgeous small CL site just five minute from the site that they are on.  We had a day out in Richmond with lovely walks around the town charity shops then along the river and stopped at a little micro brewery on our way back for a drink outside.  I tried this amazing rhubarb and apple cider, liked it that much I brought some home with me. 

This is a picture I took on our walk, it was quite overcast on this particular day but still quite warm and lovely to be out.

Here I am wearing one of this months makes, this is my minerva make for the month and I used the Freya dress/top pattern to make this as I find it very reliable in fit and just very comfy to wear.  The fabric has little stars on it in peach and mint I thought it went well with our caravan but you can't really see them here in this image. 

My other Minerva make was this dress using a Simple sew pattern for the Sienna dress, I have worn it without a top underneath on a warm day but my intention is that it is worn with a long sleeve top for the Autumn.  Here I took pictures both ways so you can see the difference.  It has little bears on it so a very different fabric choice.

It is a polycotton fabric and reasonably priced if you are interested, although wearing little bears on your dress may not be your thing!

After I shared my last few £1 buys from the charity shop I got a few more ready to remake, as soon as I get a minute I will share those.  I have just the plan for one of the dresses based on a pattern I have seen, I will not be buying the pattern as it is about £18 but I will be copying the image. 

On Thursday we went to the cinema I really enjoyed it, we went to the Penistone Paramount and this is a lovely old fashioned cinema that still has the original seats, curtains and half time intermission.  It is like stepping back in time, it is lovely.  It also doesn't get full of people kicking the back of your seats and munching snacks through the films so that is a bonus.  We saw The Courier and I would recommend it. 

We have added some fake grass recently to the top of our garden just to break up the slate a bit, it is very practical with dogs although they do tend to go and do their businness right smack in the middle of it, but at least it is easy to see to pick up.  My husband fitted it and we bought it from a local carpet shop. I find this quite funny that we are technically buying carpet for the garden but our dogs just ruined the real grass when we had it, it just ended up muddy tracks where they ran around the same spots. 

A lot of things have gone over in the garden now but the Cosmos are doing so well.  My only thought is that next year I will conrol them better a s they do tend to flop every where.  I think my pear tree has some sort of disease as it does not look very well at all, orange spots on the leaves I am going to look that up now.  We have put some lights around the seat at the top of the garden, they are solar so they only come on if we have had adequate light during the day  but they look nice from the window at night when they are on.

 I hope you are all having a fabulous week wherever you are and if you are in the UK that you are  making the most of these last sunny days while they continue.

Take care. 

August...ing

 Hello everyone, we are just back from another get away in the van and I am pleased to say we another rain free week.  It was a bit cloudy most days but the sun came out here and there so I can't complain at that.  We visited Somerset and a lovely little CL site called Moorlands Farm, it had a lake on either side with ducks and our caravan and all the caravans (all five of them) overlooked the water so it really was a beautiful spot.  Be prepared holiday shots coming up...

Travelling We always try to see a bit of the area when we are away so we go to a different place each day, the local village was called Banwell.

We had a visit to Cheddar Gorge...

These are street views as all the scenic images are on my husbands camera.

A trip to Bath...

As we have dogs and are always outside on holiday we don't actually go in any of the tourist locations we just look from the street. It probably saves us a ton of money actually. 

This next place is Clevedon and a very windy day...

Then Axbridge where I had the best piece of vegan cheese cake...

I enjoy having a look around old churches.

Also on the list was Western supermare but I have no pictures for some reason.  In all a lovely week and a great caravan site.

Sewing I have done a few more recycling projects on charity shop £1 finds and videos to go with both.  The first was a dress that I made into a playsuit, it was not quite warm enough to wear on holiday this time but if the sun comes out this week I am wearing it.  I used Burda magazine from July last year for the pattern and had to do a bit of creative joining of pieces to make it work.

I love the look but does anyone else agree that jumpsuits and playsuits are not at all practical.

Here is the video link https://youtu.be/OjTYzgs6sXA

Then I had another dress that I bought weeks ago again off the £1 rail and once more used a bUrda magazine pattern.  This time it was from the August magazine and a top.

Here is the video link https://youtu.be/QxbOFw-SQvg

My Minerva make for this month is this skirt I love the pattern on this one...

Reading quite a few good books this month so I will do a separate post on that later, are books just better when you have more time do you think?

Baking a new york cheesecake a vegan version, quite expensive to make but I am so pleased with it.

Watching Gone for Good  a french drama and I am loving it.

Practising my Spanish but feeling I will never be a speaker as I only practise alone.

Loving the long summer days and feeling sad they will soon draw in.

Reminding myself to love all the seasons in relation to my last comment!

Feeling grateful.

Have a lovely week everyone. Take care.