A Slow Week, A few Books and Pretty PJs

 Hello everyone, I hope you are all doing well.  So this week has been brought to a bit of a standstill for me.  I have somehow injured my back again! This happens every now and then and I really don't know why, I exercise my core, I walk every day and I am careful of bending and lifting but every few months crack there it goes and leaves me hardly able to move.  Now I do a lot of cutting out on the floor, I know that is not good is it? But space dictates and the dining table is not a good option for bending over  either so yesterday I had been cutting out lots of pattern pieces for a suit then went to stand up and crack I could hardly move and it was agony.  So that stopped play! I struggled downstairs and sat on a hard back chair holding the table for support for about an hour before the spasms let me get to the kitchen for the hot water bottle and pain killers, couldn't get in the cupboard bending too painful.  Last night was awaful today still in pain and hobbling but not as bad, when I finally made it to standing that is because getting out of bed was a right carry on. 

So while I am feeling sorry for myself and sat with a very hot water bottle pressed to my lower back I have been looking at folding tables that could maybe go under the bed upstairs when not in use.  The trouble is finding one that goes high enough with the legs.  Some have very bad reviews and also state they are hard to put up and take down so I can do without that every day.  My other thought was if my husband could make me a folding light weight table to go on top of our dining table to bring it up higher.  So short legs on hinges, a fold in the middle and a light top in two pieces.  I will be discussing this extra job for him when he arrives home. The outcome being that I have finally decided that maybe cutting out on the floor is not so good for me, especially with my somewhat temperamental back.  That said I have been in this situation before and it has had nothing to do with cutting out.  I discovered quite some time ago that running or any kind of impact sport like that really bothers it in recent years.  

This has all left me feeling at a bit of a loose end as there are things I want and need to be getting on with, and also thoughts about how we take for granted being pain free when there are lots of people who live with constant pain. 

Well now I have got that out of the way I will show you these pjs that I made last week, this was a sample make so not for me but really cute just the same. 

Very pretty I may make a pair for myself when I am moving about again, I can't wear anything like this in bed all that fabric would twist and drive me crazy but they would be nice for lounge wear in the summer.  Agh summer that seems so far way right now doesn't it?

I also have a piece of basket weave fabric in black that arrived last week and that is going to be my brand ambassador piece for the month.  I am most certainly going to be making some sort of skirt with that because the amount of times I have wanted to reach for a plain black skirt to go with a print top and there isn't one, so yes that is the plan. 

This month  has seen me reading and stop starting with a number of books, I really don't carry on with any more if they are not grabbing me as there is just no point .  I didn't finish the puspoise by Mark Haddon, I wasn't enjoying that at all.  Then I have read Crushed and this I did enjoy, a dark theme and I felt it was perhaps a YA title but maybe some of the themes kept it from being in  that section. I am not always entirely sure how they catagorise them as I have read some titles from that section that were very disturbing!  It had me turning the pages anyway...

So that one was the best of the three, I will have to look out for more by that author.   With regards to books I have done the same thing again this week I just went into the library went to one section and picked up three.  All the browsing in the world doesn't always get me a good choice so I am taking this new potluck approach.  It found me one good one out of three last time, the bonus being I didn't buy the two I was not keen on.  I try to be very careful of buying books that I am pretty sure about before parting with my money. 

I have been watching a new to me youtube channel this past few weeks called Kutovakika, she is so fun to watch and very cheerful and I like that.  She originally started off making films about her photography which is really lovely and imaginative.  Now she focuses on knitting as she is a knitwear designer. I love all her sweaters, videography and aesthetic, why not take a look especially if knitting is your thing or just to look at the beautiful scenery and artistic shots. 

Thank you for stopping by today, any thoughts on the pattern cutting table ideas would be helpful, but please keep in mind I work in a box room so a full size cutting table is out of the question for me.

Have a lovely week. 

Sewing Supplies

 Hello, I hope you are all well and busy making, learning and doing wherever you are.  I have been having a good look through my offcuts of fabric this week and I would really like to make a lot of it up this year into something.  Now I am not sure what into yet and that doesn't neccessarily mean into clothing either, or even for me but I would like to make a good bit of space as there are a lot of pieces that have just ended up with me becasuse they are leftover from work, or bits that I have had donated to me.  I don't like to say no to fabric, this means that my small but perfectly functioning sewing room is bursting at the seams with leftover bits.

There are these places, also full drawers and the bottoms of cupboards.

I am not a fabric hoarder, or a person who has a  fabric stash , you know there are lots of people out there talking about their fabric stash and they buy fabric all the time and never make it up.  That is not me, also if people want to do that then that is entirely up to them but it is not something I have ever done.  I tend to buy what I need then make it up.  So why have I ended up in a situation where I struggle to store fabric? Well you may remember last year I was very kindly given two big bags of fabric from an acquaintance who had lost her mum.  I did share some of this with a friend but there was such a lot, some of it has been used but there is a lot left.   Then of course I do sew alongs for Minerva, now every time I finish a project there is always lots of bits from around the edges left, now wanting to be green I can't possibly just throw all that way.  However it is not all to my taste, or big enough for garments and there are only so many bags I can store if I make those!  So I need to get my thinking cap on.

One thought I had was could I think of something quick and simple that would be a scrap busting project that I could sell on ebay, I have to say Folksy gets no traffic apart from what I send there directly myself so that is not a great one for custom I am finding.   So ideally I need to come up with something quick to make that will use the scraps but not take too long.  This way I can feel it is being utilised, I am being productive and maybe make a few pence from it at the same time, after all I do work from home now so every bit helps.   If you have any suggestions I would love to hear about them. I think quilting projects are all very well with bits like that if you are doing them for yourself but not sell on as they take forever and often people do not realise the many hours that go into things.  

My other thought while looking through things was that I need to make a much clearer system for my notions, they are currently stored in different conainers and boxes but a bit all over.  Last week when I was making the pink cardigan I was sure I had four brown buttons of similar style, I did of course but I had to look in a range of places but I got them all together.  So yes I need to get on that and do some clear labelling.

This past week I finished my book  A prayer for Owen Meany, I have to say while it was well written and had a good ending to it I felt it went on way too long.  This is not because I have anything against longer books it was just not necessary.  Quite a big chunk in the middle I felt like I zoned out, conversations about some trivial topic lasting eight pages and so on.  So I am not sure if I will read any more by John Irving.   This week I have just started Lessons In Chemistry, so I am hoping for a more enjoyable read with this one.

This was another book from Abe books, just £2 for the hardback, I get many of my books from the library but I do often find that any of the more recent ones that I want to read I can be on the reserve list for a year so buying them second hand like this is also good.  Well I need to get on with some work now so I hope you all have a good week.  Bye for now.

A New Cardigan

 Hello, it is very  cold at the moment here as I type this so I am very pleased to share this new cardigan.  It is my brand ambassador make for minerva and I am trying really hard to fill the gaps as I have said before and add things that I need.  I am a big fan of just making what I fancy and this often results in lots of mismatched things.  I have been doing better though.  So having made the Style arc Sabel cardigan before I dicided to recreate it in this pink sweatshirting and to make it a little shorter this time.

         I just used up some buttons that I had, they are all brown but a couple are sloightly different.

There has been some scrapbusting in the form of a new self drafted vest and some knickers, always good for using up all those little bits.

Now I did make more than one pair of knickers but seem to have only photographed the one pair, I really like the fabric lace combo on these. 

Last week I read Weyward by Emelia Hart, I really enjoyed this as the story is about three different women from the same family line in different points in time, there is also the women seen as witches when they were really just healers theme again.  I am now thinking I have read so many like like this now I need to get off this genre it only makes me angry.  Good book though.   I am currently reading two books a non fiction Regenesis  by George Moonbiot and also A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, I got this one as it had so many good reviews so please let me know if you have read it.

I really tried my best last week with the daylight quota but I have to say it was so miserable all week it felt dark on  every walk apart from Saturday so I don't really think much daylight was getting in.  I will keep at it, that said I did sleep a little better, not great as I wake often (menopause) but I do stick mainly to the same going to bed  time, getting up,  no screens in the bedroom etc.  I deally I would lixke to get up and read when I can'r sleep but as I don't want to disturb the rest of the house and dogs I eng just tossing and turning.

I have tried out a few new patterns for work projects this week I only tried on one as this was in my size so I may make this for myself in the spring...

This is the Rory Jumpsiut by True Bias, it is made in viscose linen and as I said it is not for me but I do like this one.

There are little d rings ties at the sides that make it pull in nicely to give it a bit of shape, it is also sewed in panels which are then topstitched so this is a lovely finish.

Other work makes were...

Alder dress grainline studio

Also the Rosco dress by True Bias

I hope you have had a super first week to the new year and are trying your best to embrace it. Take care. 

October...ing

 Hello everyone I thought I would share a few things that I have been up to this month, and today we change the clocks here in the UK so it definitely feels a little different already. 

Sew...ing So one of my recent makes this month was a  pair of trousers from burda September, they were a success and I will make them again. The fabric I used was one of the the ones I was given a while ago after a clear out.  It is a linen blend I think and I just thought I would try the pattern first of all but I have actually worn these a few times already.  My only issue with this type of fabric is the slubs in it, it always looks to me as being worn or damaged already and i know a lot of people love that linen look but this is an issue with it I feel, you don't want your clothes looking snagged immediatley do you? Or am I just being fussy? Well anyway I love the trousers, the pockets and fit are really good.  I did choose to make these all in one colour but in the magazine the pattern is designed for a two tone effect on the bottom of the leg.

I do have  a sew along video on youtube if anyone would like a peek and you can find it here

Another make was a bag I made for my friend as a gift, she wanted something a bit bigger for her holiday and she had certain colours in mind so I made this for her birthday.  It has a zip closure and an adjustable strap so she can wear it across her body (with two little ones she needs her hands free).

I have made some other things of course for work but my own sewing has taken a back seat just recently.

Watch...ing the ballet 'Giselle' at Buxton Opera house last Sunday, we really enjoyed that and it is a little reminder to get out and do something different every once in a while.  I haven't been to see a ballet for a while now as the theatre we usually go to seems to have stopped putting it on (The Penistone Paramount) they used to be quite reasonable.  This particular show was more expensive but as it not something we do often we justified it with an upcoming celebration.  There were a lot of people in Buxton but then it was the first weekend of the School holidays. 

Eat...ing or trying to eat a bit more variety especially in the morning.  I have been having a bit of a relapse with my stomach so trying all I can to settle it down. Last week I documented a different breakfast each day mainly as a reminder to myself to change things up and not just eat porridge every day.  I did find though that the gluten free muselie by deliciously Ella is a trigger so I won't be eating that anymore plus it is very expensive. I am glad it was on offer when I bought it or I would have been very annoyed!

So my selection if anyone is looking for ideas was. Gf branflakes with fruit and flax seeds, the muselie (that i will swap for soemthing else!) gram flour vegan pancakes with blueberries, scrambled tofu and tomatoes, soya yogurt, fruit and nuts,  gram flour wrap, vegan sausage, salad and advocado and porridge with apple and almonds. 

Read...ing Learned by Heart by Emma Donoghue, I enjoyed this,  it is historical female centred and had relationship at it's core but i would say I found it very graphic.  I don't know why every book I pick up recently has to be like that but there you go! Well written and super characters but a bit much in places. 

Then 'Pine' by Francine Toon this was very atmospheric  for this time of year and another good story, a great one to pick up for the cold dark months or maybe halloween if you are into that kind of thing.  Not very scary just spooky.  After that I read 'Loved Clothes Last' by Orsola de Castro, I loved this book it gives you so much to think about.  As someone who makes clothes I know the hours that this entails so seeing clothes so very dirt cheap in shops has always made me feel that clearly people are being exploited for this to be so.  Then of course the sheer waste as all the fashions change over each season, well worth a read for anyone.  The Witches of Vardo was my next read, another historical fiction about a very real topic and so very sad, I don't think this topic comes up enough in regards to needless loss of life and also how beliefs can be twisted to cause harm or even death to others.  My Current read is Babel by R.F Kuang and I am loving this! Fantasy mixed up with real language and historical facts, the issues of race and colonialism there is just so much going on, a very clever book indeed.

Look...ing at the coming month and wondering what positive habit I can add.  I will get back to you on this one as I feel it is always good to start something new.

Have a lovely week. Back soon. 

A New Channel

 Hello everyone I hope you are all well and enjoying the last bit of the er...summer. It has been a funny one hasn't it?  I keep seeing people now sharing posts about the start of Autumn and so on and I think is that it!  Is that all we are getting this year, and then I have to remind myself to embrace the seasons whatever they may be because after all it is nice that we get them.  It does give a bit of variety to the year so I am going to focus on that. 

Now about a month ago I started a new youtube channel as I don't how or to what purpose but my other channel has some sort of block on it, probably due to hacks or something that I know nothing about?? Anyway I decided to start over with a new one, I have left the other videos up for now so people can still use them but if you haven't already can you hop over and follow my new channel here...  Beyond the sewing Room

So this post here is my latest one, I show how to make a fabric storage box without an actual box, it is all just made from fabric scraps.  The pattern I show just uses A4 paper and it is really easy, another cheaky ask is this, if you watch any videos can you let run to the end please.  I have noticed that the watch time is either half or less of the videos which means that people just skip and watch bits of them and this a bit disheartening when you have put the time in making them.   

What I tend to do is watch youtube videos  of the people I follow while I am ironing, it is my treat and makes ironing less of a chore, I always do it on a Sunday and take my laptop and catch up on the vlogs I follow whaile I get all the washing sorted for the week.  It works for me, although I do know a lot of young people don't iron any more, this I can't get my head around as I like to see everything looking well pressed and cared for and I dont think you get this with things that are not ironed. So as I was saying doing it this way passes the time in a fun way and I do tend to watch videos right through as I am not sat over the laptop skipping.    Also if there is anything you would like to see on my channel please let me know here, or in the comments on youtube and I will try to include it in future videos.

This past week I have read Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, now I have mixed feelings about this one.  I did enjoy it in a way but I also had moments of thinking it was very repetitive and a bit out there.  The thing that jumped out at me from it mainly was the idea that if we are meant to be makers and creators then we should just do it rather than thinking about the results, productivity and also how things are reccieved.  We should just do it, because it is what we are meant to do and it makes us happy.  Now I have always been a maker and I know that lots of you are too, a lifelong maker of all sorts of things and I have lots of interests.  However somewhere along the way we get sucked into this idea that we should be making more of it, making it profitable, having more sucess with it.  That can be a killer for everything that we want to do when we start measuring it all based on other peoples ideas on how valuable it is.  Is it worth our time, and also can we make a living from it?  

So this really  hit home for me as I am currently making a living from my making, and I am constantly aware of what other people are thinking about it, is it good enough, are people bored with it, how can I improve, what next etc.  Well this book did spell out the realization that regardless of whether or not I make money from making, or how many other people appreciate it, watch or like, I am still going to always want to make things so I may as well just do.  A funny thing is quite often when I have been making and it may have been with scraps, or painting or whatever it may be Ihave had the question from famliy members 'what are you going to do with that now?' as in are you going to list it etc.  So we are conditioned to think that everything we do has to have a monetary goal, a bit sad I know becasue much as I want to continue making as a living I still want to just do it for me too and not lose that joy.

A few years ago someone did say to me aren't you afraid that if you sew for your job you won't love it any more and it will spoil your hobby?  Well it has not done that but I do need to lose this preoccupation with how it can support me.  Gilbert does say in the book not to expect your creativity to support you, it's great if it can do that but just don't expect it.  She is talking of writing in her case but I suppose it can be applied to whatever it is that you love to do.

So that is my little ramble for today, I would love to know your thoughts on this if you have felt something similar and now I am off to create.  Take care. 

Keyhole Blouse from my New Gertie Book

 Hello, this weekend I made my first make from my new book, Gerties New book for Better Sewing.  I bought this for myself as a Christmas present and this was the first thing that caught my eye.  Now the fabric I bought some time ago from John Lewis in Sheffield just before it closed down and I don 't normally having much fabric hanging around I usually have a purpose in mind when I buy but this piece must have been waiting for this blouse.  I think so because the pattern just has the right kind of feel for it.

So completely out of character for me is that I did a little dummy run on an old duvet cover piece just to check because well, this fabric has waited long enough so I did not want to spoil it after all this time.  It was just as well I did that as I found I had to adjust my keyhole neck a little.  Other than that the fit is good, I really recommend trying out the neck shape though to get it just right if you are making this blouse.

For the buttons I made regular button holes, the book suggest bound ones but as the pattern is busy enough just regular ones here.  Also I chose to alternate the colours as I had these colours in my store which go really nicely with the fabric and they are big ones too. There are five rows of shirring stitches at each shoulder that you probably can't make out in this photo.

Overall I think it is a really lovely blouse, you do still need some know how though as you are adapting the pattern given for the bow tie blouse. The book is full of lots of useful advice if you are thinking of buying it.  Mine was purchased second hand from wordery.  I don't know what I will choose to make next I will have to have a think.  The blouse was made over a few relaxed sessions and this was nice as many of the things I make for work are done  in one sitting, I quite enjoyed doing a bit then coming back to this over the weekend.

The book The Lighthouse Witches was finished yesterday, I really enjoyed the book however it is so sad that so many women had to die over the centuries for being accused of witchcraft. I have read a few books that are based around this subject and it still astonishes me the kind of ludicrous charges that were passed along with the brutal cruelty. 

So today I have started Fevre Dream by George R.R Martin and so far so good however it is about vampires so I may have to pause if I get scared!  I picked up this one a while ago at a charity shop.

We are still watching Yellowstone but nearing the end of this series so we may watch on eof the origins ones next.  I may have mentioned before we only watch TV after nine in the evening as we like to do other things before then.  Although that said I did watch a ballet early evening one day last week, Coppelia, it was not one of the best not enough dance content for me too much pointing and gesturing if you know what I mean.  Apperently it is a comedy, it was not funny so in a way I am glad this one of the ones I have not seen on the actual stage.

That is all for today,  have a lovely evening.

December...ing

 Hello, I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas and have managed to do the whole thing stress free.  I never really understand why people get themselves all whipped up into a frenzy at Christmas time as there really is no need. I can understand people feeling lonely or missing loved ones but not the need for a perfect meal, gift or experience.  It is after all what we make it, so if other people do not appreciate your efforts then  that is their problem so let's just all be happy with what we have and what we can do.  That said we had a lovely christmas day, my oldest son came over and my mum. So with me, husband and youngest son that was the five of us, we cooked a chicken for the meat eaters and I did a Veg Wellington that was fabulous details below.  Here we go...

Cooking The Veg Wellington, recipe from the Happy Pear guys on youtube.  If you have not looked at their videos beofre please do check them out especially if you are thinking of eating more plant based recipes in the new year. It is such a good one and formed part of their two euro dinner ( that is per person not two euros for the whole thing).  Now I know with inflated costs it would cost more than that now but it was still really good value, we had enough left to have it for lunch again today.  I did not get an  image as I was busy enjoying the day and I did have rather a lot of cooking to do so got sidetracked but I will make it again in future so I promise to take a pic next time.   I also did their spicy cabbage recipe, again so tasty! I will only cook cabbage that way in future, it has chilli, ginger, sesame oil and a little maple syrup.  That dish even got my younger veg adverse son eating it as it is so good. 

For desert I made Christmas pin wheel pastries with mincemeat in (the sweet kind) again no image due to Christmas day busyness. 

I also made cranberry cookies with walnuts and almonds twice this last week, green and blacks chocolate drizzled over the top.  My food photography is somewhat lacking but here is a peak...

I know the decoration also leaves something to be desired but they taste lovely so who cares, I find it very tricky to drizzle with a spoon. 

Dressmaking Of course there is always plenty of this, the latest makes were both dresses and one is the style arc Patricia Rose dress.  I was sent the larger pattern so I have sized it way down with tracing paper, origami and lots of faffing.  It worked but the dress is a loose fitting dress with no closures and now it is complete I have also added darts at the back as I do like a more structured look.  Here it was just after it was finished.

I also made a vogue dress in a blue soft washed chambray...

Sewing more hexies on my ongoing piece of handstitching, my thing with this now is that I have come to the realisation that I do not want a full sized bed quilt in all these colours, much as I love colour.  I feel that I would rather have a more definite pattern and carefully selected fabrics for such a large piece.  The main reason I am thinking about this is that I made a quilt some years ago called lone star and spent a lot of hours on it. The fabric were manily offcuts from the market near where I worked and part way through I knew they were  a bit dark and I didn't love them, still I carried on and completed it, quilted it etc.  A lot of hours and I had it a while, I was pleased to have finished but never really loved it.  That said I don't want to be in that situation again, so I am thinking maybe a large cushion cover to be used out on my bench in the summer and also continueing with the colourful hexies for scrap busting but using them in my handbags?   Here is the  piece so far...

Let me know your thoughts, but I have seen so many pretty designs for quilts and there are such a lot of hours that go into these that maybe it would be best to invest my time in one that I will treasure.

Eating out, with my mum.  As a christmas treat I drove my mum to Wentworth for breakfast and we had a little look around, youngest son came too as he was off work using up hoilday days.  She did take a bit of convincing as she gets stuck in aroutine but she really enjoyed it once she was out and said she would like to do it again so that was nice.

Watching a new series called Yellowstone with Kevin Costner.  I am quite enjoying it although my husband has just informed me there are another four series to go.  I will let you know if I still like it after all that.

Reading The Magpie Murders, now I have only just started this but I am a good way in and I have to say it feels a bit like Father Brown to me, I like Father Brown so that is not a bad thing.  My husband bought me a set of books for my birthday and I had said that I wanted to try something a little different.

Promising myself that I will do more art in the new year, I don't always do resolutions more intentions so this is my first. A promise to myself that I will set aside some time each week to do some art and also learn a little more about it, a new technique or style to try, anything as long as I sit down and create something with pencils or paint.  I love to sew and I am really enjoying working at it as my day job again but I think this year I have let a few of my others hobbies slide.

Enjoying the lights, decorations and cosiness that is Christmas, I will be sad to see them all come down as I am every year.  So I will be looking for new ways to cosy up the house for January, any suggestions welcome.

That is all for today, enjoy yourselves wherever you are. 

 

Burda Hoodie - Sewing Men's wear

 Hello, just a quick one today.  I thought I would share this hoodie that I made for my husband from Burda magazine 12/2020. I have had my eye on it for a while and I was going to make it as a surprise but then I decided it would be best to let my husband choose his own colours.   It was also useful for trying it on him too, for things such as cuffs.  

He opted for a shade of green (called old green) and also denim blue sweatshirting, the images in the magazine are navy and bright orange which I thought looked really good but I wasn't sure if he would wear it.  I think he needs to be a bit bolder with colours, anyway these colours look really nice together so it all worked out well.

I added a proper cuff to the pattern as the one in the magazine just had a binding around the bottom of the sleeve.  This is definitley a pattern I will make again and I am so pleased that he likes it as I really want to be able to make him more things in future.   

The old Burda magazines are all getting a good look through again too, there are so many options in there and even the ones you don't make first time around can look more interesting at a later date. It is good to use what we have so I am making the most of these issues, plus after a certain amount of time has passed it is like having a new magazine again (or is that just my age!). 

There has also been a bit of bag making as I haven't done any for a while...

I bought these books from the charity shop recently too, I can't quite remember if I shared these already. However after rereading The life changing magic of tidying up I decided once would have been enough and also this lady really loves throwing things away and while we have to declutter I would rather see things used and reused.  If you clear out your whole house in one go the chances are you will be tempted to just bin things you could have rehomed.  Ikigai- I listened to this with a voice over not of my liking on audio book and always felt i would have enjoyed it more if I had read the book so I am pleased with that find.  To kill a mocking bird is a gift.

Well that is all for today, take care. 

October...ing

 Hello everyone I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the Autumn.  I am really loving all the colours at the moment even though I would say I am very much a summer time person this season really does create some beautiful scenery. I thought I would close the month with an 'ing' post so here goes...

Travelling  to North Yorkshire for our last caravan trip of the year, we stay at a  little CL site called Spruce Gill farm and if you have a caravan I really recommend it.  Gorgeous scenery and it is a really well kept site.  It is also perfect for exploring the area and walking of course, we did have a really windy night one evening though and i thought we may end up finding the awning in the field opposite but it held up!

There were three caravans on the site while we were there now it does only aloow five anyway as it is a CL site but it really is gorgeous having so much space to ourselves.  It also means you can usually get in the toilet /shower block always a bonus. 😁

                              One of  our many and beautiful walks, it did rain a little but it soon blew over.

Dramatic grey skies, we saw a lot of people on this walk even though it was early and in term time.

Making lots of sweaters for work, I haven't got images of them all here as I have just chaged ny phone and they are not all on the laptop I nw realise.  Some I love some are being passed on, the latest one I made I think is my favourite and that is the one below...

Simplicity 8982 Brushwork Prints (Minerva)

This one is a really good shape, I did notice though that after having it on all day it made me a bit itchy at the front of the neck, I suppose that is the downside of having a high neck on a sweater knit.  Still love it though, I think maybe I had become a little warm.

                                         Simplicity 9385  Bubble Shoal sweater knit  (Minerva)

Simplicity 9450 Mimi G in Monstera street design (Minerva)

Simplicity 8177 Animal Glow (Minerva)

                                                    Rugged Trail sweater knit (Minerva)

So this last one has gone to my brother's girlfriend and the animal glow is going back to the office with a few other things.  I do find obviously I can't keep everything and in the spirit of not wanting to create waste I worry about this also I am sure a few other people will be with me on this.  No matter how much you love doing something you don't want to be responsible for added waste.  I would much rather things were used and loved. 

Reading  Priviledge by Guinevere Glasfurd, a really interesting story, historical fiction but with factual bits.  I always love a story about a period in history where the author has used real events it makes it much more fascinating and enjoyable.  I was pleased with this as I has a run of bad books before it.

Re-vamping my bathroom blind and also redecorating my bathroom, now the blind has gone through a number of transformations over the past fifteen years so you may have known me to do this before if you have been  around a while.  This time I used a thick oil cloth table cloth from Dunelm mill, as it was a nicer design than the fabrics they had on the roll.  It was a pretty quick job, just take out the old staples, remove the bottom bar or rod, sew a channel in the new fabric and restaple.

Framing some post cards tht I have had a year from Angelsey, they were just 30p each and the frames were £2 each from the charity shop.

                               It was a dark day when I took these photos, but I think they look cute.

Watching Buddy Holly and the Crickets tribute band at Penistone Paramount, we have had this booked for a year and they were really good.  We were sat right at the front which seemed like a good idea but then I actually felt quite conspicuous especially when they had everyone get up to dance to the slow songs.  A fabulous night out though.

Loving my new coat that I have just made, a friend gifted me the fabric as she didn't want it and the lining has just arrived today so I will be lining it now.   I will share more on this in another post.

Planning a bit of an overhaul of my wardobe, in terms of looking at what I can remake into more wearable items.  I make a lot now for work but it is not all practical  day to day or even my style.  The thrifty part of me thinks I should be using and wearing all of it so it is not wasted ans also so I don't waste money when I make clothes all the time.  However does this mean that I don't make clothes I love or that I have chosen the fabric for anymore in the spirit of being thrifty, and also making myself wear clothes that are not me is not going to make me happy is it?   I am going to be quite ruthless and refashion what I can, save some as they are for filming of course keep my favourites and of course whe have the option to pass on for demonstration purposes.  Anyone else feeling the same who is doing this?

Looking  forward to the new month ahead.  Thank you for stopping by today and if you have the time please watch my latest youtube video, I would also love it if you could comment and subscribe it would be great to meet you there.  Have a lovely week. 

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Treat Yourself

 Hello week two of the new year and all is going well so far, I am keeping an eye out for objects to declutter and sticking to my daily lists they are really helping me.  I hope you are all keeping up with your good intentions.  I did  hear someone say the other day that January is the worst for motivation due to the gloom but we can only try to do what we can.

The meals have been looking a bit more intersting as I try new things from my books, also a few made up side dishes with potatoes.  We are having something I know we all like this evening and that is jackfruit with wraps and my special rice. I do have to add a bit of meat for my son as he is not meat free so I just cook him a portion in the oven and add it at the table.

Looking for little ways to reward yourself on a dark day is the wasy to go I think, there was this little chocolate bar in the cupboard that a friend bought me so I had that yesterday with a cup of Christmas tea ( I know it is not Christmas anymore but I can drink the tea!)  How do you treat yourself during the dark winter days?

I finished The Mercies, a few days ago and I have to say I loved this book, I do have another by the same author that I picked up in a charity shop but then realised it is a childrens book I will read that one now anyway as she writes very well. 

  So The Mercies is set in Vardo, a Norwegian Island in 1617 and during a storm forty fishermen drown during a terrible storm.  The book is about the women left behind and the actual event did happen, the  focus is on relationships, how they coped and the consequences of being strong women in a time when women were seen as something to be feared if they did not fit a certain mould or ideal of what a woman should be or do.  I love anything that has basis of truth to it and it always inspires me to look further into that part of history, the location and so on.  The author Kiran Millwood Hargrave, did a beautiful job of capturing the characters in the story, I hope you will  give this one a try if you are a reader.

Here is another little bag with various bits and think they go very well together if a little quirky ,but then I do like quirky.

Well enjoy the rest of the week and be well. 

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.  

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.