Half Term Break

We have just returned from a break in Devon, we came home early as one of the dogs is ill so while he is resting beside me I thought I would update here a little. 

We stayed in a property that was converted from an old barn, it was very nicely done with lots of little touches like fresh flowers in  every room.  It had a living room upstairs with a nice balcony overlooking the owners land, very private and quiet. It was close to Barnstaple and we also visited Woolacomb and Bude while we were there.

The dogs loved being on the beach the downside being that now I am worried that it was something from the beach that has made the little one ill.

The photographs above are from the two days we actually had sunshine as mostly it was grey and overcast, in typical fashion it was glorious all day yesterday as we travelled home. We enjoyed the change of scene it is just a shame it was cut short.

I did spot a little fabric shop in Bude and bought two pieces of fabric...

This is a stretch chiffon.

This one is quite unusual, you can't see in this picture but it is brown in the daylight and green when you are inside.

I really want to do dresses with both but what I need are more tops as in reality that is what I will be wearing with jeans when I'm home walking the dogs.  Some thinking required first before I decide perhaps.

Japanese Pinwheel Patchwork Cushion

 This week I wanted to make a new cushion cover as one of them was looking a bit tired, I decided I would do a patchwork pattern that I have done before and is a favourite.  There is also the bonus that I had already worked out the square sizes for this cushion pad the last time I made it.

It is quite fabric greedy as you are folding the pieces in half and laying them over each other but it gives a really nice result.  This is also a good opportunity to use up all those old shirts as they look so much more interesting when folded together like this.

I started by cutting out my 16 bigger squares which form the backing of your block from a charity shop duvet cover.  Then I cut the first of my smaller squares out of an old shirt, fold in half and pin on.

Then I had to decide which other fabrics to use with it, this involved lots of getting bits out of bags and holding it against it.  I eventually decided on my three other fabrics and repeated the process the whole way around the square.  So it is a lot of squares for one side of a cushion.

Then you just sew them all together as you would usual patchwork squares, I kept mine all facing the same way this time, the last time I made this design I turned each square one turn to vary the pattern.

I love the colour combination this time and this cushion is my new favourite, it was worth the time mulling over the fabric to use.  It is made from the duvet fabric, two fabrics from old shirts (the red striped and the blue) green craft cotton and grey cotton from an old project.

I made a vent and put the zip on the back part the way down so as not to spoil the sharp corners of the cushion as the seams are bulky enough.  The back of the cushion is the red fabric.

Now that is one finished I want to make more but I really ought to do another style, I just need to find another pattern I like as much. We have family for dinner today so I probably won't get chance later but I can browse ideas this evening.

Up very early with the dogs this morning and read the whole book 'Think Small' by Owain Service and Rory Gallagher before my husband got up.  It was quite interesting detailing how we should all be chunking out goals into small steps as we are often put off by the enormity of what we want to achieve.  Obviously it said a lot more than that but that was the basic idea.

Decorating for Free and Odd Jobs

I've been quite busy this week without actually going very far, I decided that I wanted to repair and paint my oldest son's bedroom ceiling but then of course I had to paint the whole room.  Fortunately we always put away any odds and ends of paint in the garage so I had the white paint for the ceiling and some masking tape.  I also had the two colours left that I originally did his room in a couple of years ago, a mint green and a sunrise (opposite walls).

As I was on holiday from work I decorated over a few days, I did the ceiling one day and coving, the orange walls the next and the green walls today.  I also scrubbed down all the fitted wardrobes, the window surround was done last week.  I always try to something like this when I am off work, last holiday I rubbed down the living room and dining room floors and varnished them. This ensures I don't have to pay anyone to do jobs I am quite capable of doing myself and by breaking them down they don't feel as daunting.

Earlier in the week a neighbour also gave us  load of purple slate that he wanted he rid of because he had taken all he wanted out of the bag. This was great as we have that on our garden but it is wearing thin. (You know picking up after dogs, you always get a bit of slate with it!)  So I carried that around the back bucket by bucket as the wheel barrow won't fit through  the gate.  I'm really pleased as we were going to buy some, he wouldn't take anything for it either.  Earlier this year we gave him some vintage computer games that were my brothers a big box and a bag full and he was really pleased with those so nice gestures do flow around people.

Back to the decorating and I was going to say that when I decorated youngest son's bedroom I had some white paint left and I just bought some tester pots in a bold blue and made a really good shade of blue for his room, not free but nearly.  However people always have odd tins of paint left so if you are in need I am sure a few relatives may have odd leftovers of white left that they may be happy for you to take and if there is a colour in there why not experiment?   Paint is such a difficult thing to dispose of and not great for the environment so it is really for the best that we use every last drop once it has been manufactured.

Anyway after the DIY not a lot of sewing going on this week.  I did resize the charity shop dress that I bought...

I altered the shoulder by this much.

I have taken it in by this much at the sides but forgot to take a picture as I wore it Easter Sunday straight after I fixed it.

I made a new little coaster as my youngest dog keeps eating them as this is apparently a really fun game, quick chase me I have your coaster!

A bit of elephant fabric there for binding, remember I use every bit.

Oh and a birthday card, recycled bits of course.  Fabric from previous projects, the ribbon from inside a blouse (you know those annoying hanger tabs at the shoulder) button from an old shirt and recycled envelope and newspaper.  It has a green insert to write on.

Other things I have been up to this week; I have just finished 'Miracles' by C.S. Lewis, as  a friend of mine said he is hard going. I enjoyed it but I feel I will need to review it again, quite heavy stuff but so well written.

 I am loving listening to Switchfoot the band, I have heard them  before but lots of listening this week while decorating and now I am a huge fan, with a CD  on order. ( I know such a mum ordering a CD but I like them for the car.)

Also watching  a new series 'Department Q' BBC Four, only three of them but all feature length, Danish and very good acting.  Only watch if you are interested in crime dramas as they are quite intense in parts.  Maybe I will get more sewing done over the weekend.