Saturday Pottering

 Hello, I hope you have all managed to get out and enjoy at least a bit of the sunshine this weekend.  Yesterday morning it was such a wonderful sight to see it streaming through the window first thing that I got up no problem and started my day on a positive note.  What a big difference the sunshine makes and there were signs of life everywhere when we went out with the dogs, so many plants have popped up in just this last week it really is lovely to see.  My husband took a few pictures, he has bought us a new camera mainly because we kept trying to take pictures of birds and they were coming out all fuzzy.  He bought a reconditioned one so new to us and with a huge discount from what it would have been new.

I did a few a little not too exciting sewing jobs such as, a couple of my handmade tops were just a bit loose at the wrist now they have been washed a few times so I sorted those so that they don't bother me when I wear them.  There was also my little sewing kit that I keep in my handbag for emergencies that needed repair.  My dog decided to pull it out of my bag one day when I foolishly left it in the living room open, he ran under the sofa and chewed all the edge of it.  It must have looked like a good chew toy, it has a plastic coating on it!  So that looked a bit worse for wear and it also had a little mock handle like it was a mini handbag, well that just made it take up too much room so I removed that and recovered the outer bit.  It was so hard to sew through being a plastic coating I should have probably just started again and made a new one, oh well it is done now. 

I had to hand stitch this with it being plastic coated and as you can see some of the stitches are large, I had a job getting the needle through.  I think I will put a trim around on the inside to cover that it is only me that sees it but it will bother me otherwise.

The garden has had some much needed attention, I was out yesterday tidying up all the beds and cleaning out the greenhouse.  I put a few primroses in front next to the door so it will be interesting to see if they last but that is all for now as it is early, I may start a few things inside on windowsills.

I have one of these at either side of the door, I may change the paint colour at some point soon.

Our printer packed up a few days ago so that is the next thing to break this year, we have another in reserve that was passed on to us at least so my husband set that up.  I had a free pattern for a dress I was going to make for frugal frocks next month but it prints all wrong!   It really makes no sense with lots of blank pages in between so I will be looking for another option.    The challenge is you use fabric you have already and a pattern you have found for free online then we all share, I found it on youtube but it will take place on instagram.  I am trying to take part in more of these things this year to be more sewciable. (Yes I know I did intend to spell it like that!)

I have a dress picked out of my magazine that I want to start this week, I just need to check my baking paper supplies first as I may need more.  It is from this months Burda and the image in the magazine she has it in plain black with a very fussy blouse underneath.  Well I am trying to move away from buying so much black so I have gone for a print and I may do the sleeves a little longer.

We have gone from excited back to a bit disappointed again this week planning our trips in our caravan, as now they are saying they won't be able to open sites at first due to shared toilets and showers.  Yet pubs will have far more people using their shared toilets all day long than say a small farm campsite with only a few pitches, or service stations??

 Who knows because the logic has not really made any sense all along and I use shared toilets at work every day as do many other people.  The issue with the cleaning well you take it as a given that you will wipe it all down as you go in as well as when you come out, just in case the person before you forgot.  That way it is up to each of us to keep our selves safe but maybe that makes too much sense.   My husband is busy booking a few in now as he has noticed the free cancelation option just in case. 

I hope you have a good weekend, take care. 

My Patchwork Sweater (Scrap busting Sweater)

 This weekend I decided to give an idea I saw on another post a go, I don't know how many of you follow Made by Leisl but she is just the queen of upcycling  clothes if you ask me.  This idea is super thrifty and great if you want to save money on your sewing too.   Made by Leisl has made some amazing biker style jackets out of blazers and bits of denim, embroidery and all sorts so I do like her style.   I just saw this post she had done on colour blocking and I loved her sweatshirt, she had used paler colours than mine so I was  not sure if my colours would work but I gave it a go anyway. So the idea is to make a sweater using all your offcuts, so you really get an extra sweater for free and the fun part is it is completely unique to you.  I think this is an idea you could use in all sorts of ways and I will be looking for more ways to incorporate colour blocking in my makes in future. 

If you go on her link on the Bernina Blog here she not only tells you what to do but there is a pattern I believe that you can print.  Now my printer is not working properly and I like to do things on a whim so I didn't use that. However I did copy her front and design, I used the freya dress to make a sweater pattern, then I retraced the front of that pattern to cut up and make the patchwork design.

I did that by sketching it first on a notepad, then I went over my pattern with tracing paper and drew the lines all over it. Next I added numbers next to the lines that matched so that I wouldn't get muddled putting it all back together again. 

As my colours were all a bit red and black I was a bit worried that these colours would be a little jarring together.  I needn't have worried as once it was all together it made all the difference. 

It all looked a bit uncertain at this point, I think it is just because it is pieces pinned on a table!

I thought a definite cuff and matching at the bottom would tie it all in .

The back is plain and one sleeve is floral, so maximising all those bits.

So there you have it, I do have other remnants in some shades of blue so there will be another sweater like this to make the most of them.  Why not give it a try and don't forget to have a look at the original post where I got my inspiration.  Have a good week. 

Burda Long Sleeve T-Shirt

 As it has been half term this past week it has given me a chance to do more sewing, always my favourite thing to do.  I had a subscription for Burda magazine over recent months that my husband talked me into as I was always looking at it but never buying.  We got it at a good price and I have made a number of things from them and there are still a number of things on my to make list.  I do find a lot of the patterns repeat though, I suppose in a way they have to as new people buying if for the first time won't have the back patterns and also there are only so many ways a garment can go together!  So much as I have enjoyed having it arrive each month I do wonder is it worth having it for a second year or have I already got everything I will ever need?  the main thing being that i always used to work without patterns anyway and also if I see a Style that is slightly different I can usually modify what I have to make the garment.  What are your thoughts?  Does anyone else have an ongoing subscription or do you just buy occasionally if there is a particular issue that takes your fancy.   That was what I was going to do originally  but then lockdown happened and we couldn't go in any shops to buy it anyway, they don't stock it at any of my local supermarkets. 

So after that little commentary on that, here is my make from the magazine dated August last year. I put it on my to do list then I bought this piece of jersey last week and thought it would go really well with the style.

So one thing I did do was to bring the shoulder in a little at the neck because in the magazine image it looked like the v would be really wide, now I don't know about you but in our cold climate here in the UK having my neck that expose would mean that I wouldn't be reaching for this top very often.  I wanted a top I can wear a lot so it needs to provide some warmth ,I   have summer clothes for warm days!

I was really happy with the rest of the fit of this pattern and as you can see the v neck sits well, I will be using this pattern again for sure.

The jersey is only lightweight but it holds the shape well, I thought it was going to be thicker when I ordered it but that was just me not reading the description properly.  It is soft ad comfy.

So that is another little make off my to do list and I have to say a relaxing and enjoyable one, it didn't take long at all.   I do enjoy pottering about in my sewing room with the music playing, but back to work tomorrow and that will cut into my sewing time;)

I made another nectarine and blueberry crumble this week it is a favourite at the moment but I will have to try not to over do it.  I also made vegan ricotta cake , you make the ricotta with cashews .

My sister in law has sent me over lots card, and bits for card making that is not getting used, I have already put them to use this week.  There is so much in there I have no idea where to start but for now I have just used the borders and cut out my own images for the cards that I sketched on the card before cutting out.    There are lots of ideas out there I will have to get a bit more adventurous with this I think.

Here is the crumble bubbling over, there is a full large tub of blueberries in there and four nectarines, it served three of us two days though and was very nice.

Well have a lovely start to the week everyone, back soon. 

Spring Sewing

 I know it is not spring yet but I am optimistic that it is not too far away, also don't you get fed up with having to think how warm a fabric will be before you buy it I know I do although there are still a few warm makes in the pipeline.  I am however determined to start making things for the warmer days to come and if you remember last year in the UK that came quite early.  So with that in mind here is my first spring dress, a little different to what I usually make but that is a good thing, I am trying to make a few different styles as we all get stuck in our ways with our sewing sometimes and work with the same tried and trusted patterns.  I think a part of that is that we don't want to risk our precious new fabric on a style that will not suit us.  I also feel like you get to a certain age a feel you know what suits you best but of course that can also mean we stop being as adventurous.  

I love the fabric and all the little details of this dress, the piping is made from scrap shirting, I did look at buying some in a lilac shade but it didn't look as if it would show up very well as it was very pale.  I decided to make my own and of course it is always useful for using up all those little bits of fabric.

I was lucky that this fit as I did not allow seam allowances on the pattern cutting!   How can I have made so many Burda magazine dress makes and not know to add seam allowance.  Anyhow it all came good in the end.  The pattern stated snap fasteners on the cuffs but I chose to add buttons and button holes.

The most challenging part of this make was getting all the piping to line up in all the right places, so as you can imagine it was unpicked a few times.  Also the concealed zip not like all the bulk where the piping and central bodice part is so you have to take extra care when unzipping.  It tends to go up easier than it comes down.

So just last week I was making hats and now I am onto the light wear, you have to look ahead.  that said there are some plants I bought a few weeks ago when I was feeling optimist still sat on the windowsill.  We had to keep them in to shelter form the frost it is supposed to get warmer so I am hoping to plant them out.  I also bought myself some rainbow carrot seeds so that will be interesting.

I am currently reading The Glass Woman. I ordered it from the library and I have really enjoyed it, I only started it at the weekend and I am close to finished, put it on your to read list.  Historical fiction set in Iceland so something a little different.

Well bye for now and take care everyone.

 

Making and Mending

 Hello I hope you are all doing well this week and managing to keep busy at home, we had a snow day at the start of the week and it is not looking good for this coming week.  I hope it doesn't settle as it is such a pain worrying about how to get to work and wishing for a closure to make the decision for us.  I live quite a way from my work so walking is not an option and to take the bus would mean two provided they  are running so it can be a nuisance.  Now if we are at home it all looks rather lovely so it just goes to show how your perspective differs depending on responsibilities doesn't it?  

I whipped up a quick top yesterday with a lovely piece of jersey that I bought a few weeks ago, I have been wondering what to do with this and then remembered I am supposed to be making more simple long sleeve t-shirts to go with jeans so that is what I did.   I made the Freya dress into a top again as I know this is a good fitting top, I am very happy with it and wearing it today. 

I loved this fabric when I saw it but wondered about it not looking right with my hair, too similar perhaps but now I am ok with it.  I am trying to branch out with my colour choices a bit.

I made the neck a bit taller then folded it down again as it looked a bit odd on me, I also think a high collar is a bit irritating and I know I would be pulling at it all day.   It has been freezing in school recently so we have been leaving our scarves on and that has been annoying me so I think this was the right decision for me.

There has also been more crochet, I made another hat for myself in a different colour combination and then my friend said she would like one to go with   her new coat so I am currently working on that.  Though I have to say this will not become a regular thing doing crochet for others as I am not fast at it so it is a lot of time for me.  

I made this cowl last year, or maybe it was the year before I forget!  Anyway I think it goes quite well with the new hat.  The colours for my friend's hat are teal and yellow and I am currently up to the middle yellow band.

That picture does not do the lovely teal colour justice but I will share when it is finished.  I have just seen a pattern for a little top but it may be a little beyond my crochet ability for now, I will have to think on it.

I have also done some repairs for my clothes and others, patching things, redoing a few hems, darning tights and a patch on a dress for a colleague, I actually sandwiched some denim between two layers of the top fabric from above as the dress with the hole was a similar mustard colour, you can't actually see it now I have done the repair but should it open in future she will have some pretty fabric showing behind it.  

We have just had a very cold walk but before we left I had just put a nectarine and blueberry crumble in the oven so it was ready when we got back, it was very nice and just what we needed.  This week I have been trying to avoid things that may aggravate my tummy now I cook a lot with onions and garlic so going without those has been hard, I have to say no stomach ache all week.  Now if I have to go without those I will have a very sad face indeed, I may have to introduce small amounts and see how I go as a gf vegan I need to have some flavour!

This week we have been watching a lot of Marcella, in fact we may have watched too much I think I need a little break from it.  We watched the last series then went straight onto the current one, we also watched a film Friday night called Greenland, a disaster film of all things I mean that is just what we need right now!  It was watchable though nothing to crazy about. 

Well I have a workout and a pile of ironing to do so I will say bye for now, take care.