Half Term Sewing and Dark Nights

Lovely half term! Time to do what I want, that is a very positive thing about October, getting a week off work, other good things are my lovely sons birthday which is a positive in itself but we also always go away for the weekend as his treat. The other lovely thing is its my wedding anniversary this month.
 Now not so good stuff about October, dark nights, cold, dead plants (Ooh yes the trees look gorgeous but the rest of the garden doesn't) and the consumer nightmare in the shops that is Halloween.  Who is buying all that pointless tat? Also what exactly are we supposed to celebrate for this occasion? Zombies, witchcraft and axe murderers? Er no thanks.
I know I sound a bit grumpy about that but really, buy a pumpkin make a lantern and soup of course (don't wast the middle, I bet loads of people do) but the rest of it is just throwing money away.
Speaking of dark nights here is a picture I took at 3.50 when I went to drop my son off at his friends house for tea.

Oddly the sky looks quite bright in the picture it wasn't as I took it, by 4.15 as I was driving back I had to put headlights on and many street lights had come on. I really am a summer person.

Now I have to find some wonderful things to embrace about the dark night so any ideas would be greatly appreciated.  I have already thought I will start lighting candles as they make everything cosy, I was very impressed buy some knitting I saw by Jo at Making it well she has recovered from an illness and been making stuff ever since.  Her sewing is fabulous but her knits fit so well, such a talented person.  I am inspired to knit something although mine wont be anything like hers.

I have knitted years ago but it takes so long I get impatient, maybe its just the thing to see me through winter.

This morning I got in an early swim  and intend to do that everyday this week while I am off as I never get to go in the morning when I'm working as it starts at 7.00 am and I have to leave for work at 7.25.  I go at night and then it is busy.

A new bag was made with little scottie dogs on, I will photograph tomorrow in day light!  I used this fabric that I was charged double for (not happy about that)...

I have a bit left so I may list that one and make a slightly different version for me.

This week I started reading 'The map of time' so far so good.

It is set in the era of Jack the Ripper in White Chappel so anyone who is a fan of Ripper Street may like it. It promises a time machine at some point but I haven't come across one yet, also the author keeps addressing you as you read with things like 'oh I'm straying off point here' and 'let us return to this character' which is a bit odd but I'm sure I will get used to it. 

Back soon with daylight pictures of new bag. 

Frugal shop

I went and did my shop this morning straight after church at Aldi. I try and do this whenever I can as it is quiet usually at that time and I try to get in and out as quick as possible that seems to keep costs down.  It does also mean that I sometimes forget the odd item but we are surrounded by shops so it is no big deal if I have to run in and grab one item occasionally.
Today was not so quiet as all the people who are usually in bed have got up because the clocks went back and they got an extra hour! I felt grumpy having to share my usually quiet supermarket with so many other people grr! Any how shop done and I managed to get it down to £40 this week. Mainly because I didn't need any toiletries or cleaning stuff and there were some good offers on the super six stuff, peppers (pack of three) satsumas, apples, plums, mushrooms and butternut squash all 69p.
I have this week off so there will not be any rushing in at tea time thinking quick what am I making, and while I do generally plan what we are having there are days when I come in and think, oh I just want to do something quick. Being off work this week will save all that hassle.  I'm also going to make sure that when I make a curry and veg casserole etc. I'm going to do a couple extra to freeze to save me some time the week after.  Here is some of what I got...

I had already packed away some of it before I took the photo but other than the box of cereal and biscuits its all fresh stuff and no ready meals or things like that.  I think when people overspend on their food shopping those items are usually the culprits.
Ready meals are usually disappointing and not at all filling so if you can get out of the habit of buying them it will save you loads.
I do have a ready fresh soup there, I could have easily made this as I have plenty of veg so it was only when I got home I thought what have I put that in for?  I also noticed as I was checking my receipt in the store that the pudding my son chose for today was £2.99! A bit more than I would usually pay but he is a big help and was running around getting me the milk and stuff so when he asked I said put it in then.
I must check my receipts more often as I went to the fabric shop yesterday and only noticed when I got home that I had been charged for a half meter and not a quarter making one piece of fabric £7.00 for a fat quarter ( if you sew you know that is a tiny bit of fabric!) I had some other bits and notions and stuff so I didn't check in the shop, also she was chatting and asking me about my sons so I suppose we were both distracted.
 The thing is the shop is right across town so the time and fuel to get there is hardly worth going back.  I must be more careful, it's no good saving in area then losing it in another.
I bought the overpriced fat quarter for a bag I am making for my store so lets hope I eventually make back the cost. I also bought the fabric for the cowl neck dress I shared the other day and some tartan for the skirt. watch this space.

Autumn Sewing

I have been wondering what to make this Autumn/ Winter as anyone who sews will know that it is difficult to find fashionable fabrics in stores that don't cost a fortune.  Honestly I find it very difficult to find new stuff at all because so few of us do it now they don't have a very good turnover of stock.  You can go in from one season to the next and still find the same stuff!
I think the crafting fabrics get replenished more often maybe as more people do quilting and smaller items but a lot of people shy away from clothing I think.
I like knits and jersey fabrics for this time of year but the patterns available in a lot of shops are so old fashioned, even online it's not much better.  I did find an online shop called Charlie Girl they have lots of gorgeous prints but the postage was absolutely ridiculous (something like £20 for my £11 pound order!) It is a US site but it isn't that expensive to post from the US so I don't know why the extortionate amount.
I spotted this lovely dress...

This is from the Burda Style site, now I wouldn't buy the pattern as I have shift style dresses and it is an easy shape to make without the pattern if you just lay on top of an existing item of a similar shape, allow generous seam allowances and try on as you go.  You probably will get a better fit doing it that way any how. I have not done a cowl neck before but how hard can that be? Not very I bet .

Now I need to  find some reasonably priced knit fabrics in good colours and patterns and this would make a few good work dresses with thick tights.

I really like the fabric in the picture, I have a lot of black though so maybe I'm playing it a bit too safe to go for that, anything too wild can look a bit too dressed up for work.  Must investigate options for this one.

I also really like this skirt...

Also from the Burda Style site but I already have a dress that I made last year in that type of fabric if you remember from my earlier post 

Turquoise Tartan dress

So you see I tend to go for the same kind of things but I don't wear that dress very often it is a going out dress. A skirt would get more wear but maybe I need a different colour.  I like the way it is cut at a different angle at the bottom. I will have a browse, charity shops, online etc and see what can be done. Recycled would be best of course.