Quick Sun Hat

Today I thought I would have a go at making a hat, the weather has been so nice and the one I have falls off my head every time I bend to do something.  I found this free pattern over at Lost in Paris for a bucket hat, the one there is made out of denim but I have used some black cord I had left.  While you are there checking out the pattern have a look at her gorgeous wedding dresses made from vintage lace they are amazing.

Here is my version of the hat, it is reversible and I made it a bit smaller then the pattern so it wouldn't slip off.  I intend to make another and I will stick to the size stated next time as while mine fits now, it is snug.

Ok for doing the garden I think.

The pieces are straight forward you cut two of each of the side and rim pieces and then the top then just repeat in a contrasting fabric.  These would look lovely for little ones made up in various designs, my hat will only be for the garden I am not a big hat wearer but this one does the job.

It is a great way to use up fabric as well, there is no saying you have to have it all in the same fabric, you could do a patchwork version for hanging about in the garden or even out in public if you are bold enough.

Here is the other side, a bit brighter this way and that fabric was from a vintage style dress I made for someone and the leftover bits are still cropping up in things about two years later.  I think when I make another one I will do a shorter top and a wider brim.

I stitched this up today in between sniffles, hay fever has finally hit but it won't keep me in.  I know there a re different types of pollen that affect people differently but at the moment I feel flu like, I know it's not that though.  Marvellous isn't it,  you wait for the sunny days and then  get the sniffles.

Well I have a glass of wine with my name on it for later and The Handmaids Tale to watch, it is so very dark.  I had to stop my Margaret Atwood reading earlier this year as she was bringing me down a bit.  I have also started another book which is off to a depressing start, so if anyone has read any good humorous books lately please share I could do with some light reading to offset the heavy stuff. 

Burda Young Jacket and my Staycation

This week has been a relaxing one, we opted not to go away this week despite the fact that we both had the week off work.  This is unusual as we tend to take this week as an opportunity to get away somewhere but a string of rainy holidays helped us to reach the decision to stay home.

It has been great as the weather has been mainly warm and sunny, I have had time in the greenhouse and my husband has got a few jobs done, including clearing out his mother's garden shed. This was a big job and good one to get out of the way, in fact he has  gone off just now to take more items to the tip.  It also brought a few surprises like boxes of nails, screws and hinges that they didn't want but which will of course come in handy for future projects.

We also chose to go out for lunch twice this week, as a nice change and seeing as we have not gone away.  A walk down to the nearest pub with youngest son for lunch one day and an Italian meal on our own on Thursday.  I also managed a catch up with friends which is always good so overall a nice week at home.

My sewing has seen my odd job pile of family repairs disappear and I completed my Burda Young Jacket which is for a Minerva crafts post.  I will show a quick peek and then link to the rest of the post when it appears on there.

This jacket is made from quilting cotton, I wanted to do something different.  I wasn't sure if I had made the right choice when I first cut it out but now I am really happy with the result.  Of course it will only go with a select few items but we all have items like that don't we?

 Unless  of course you build a capsule wardrobe around a few pieces but I can't get my head around that.  I like variety and feel I would be a bit constrained doing that.  It may be something to try for a short period I know Carolyn does this on her blog sometimes.  She picks a selection of her handmade items and wears only those for a fixed number of days.  So perhaps that is the way to do that rather than saying forever and getting bored with your options.

While we were out having one of our lunches a quick peek in the charity shops was had and we came home with a nice summer shirt for my husband for £4 and a dress for me from the £1 rail! Both too good to miss of course.

I love the colour of this dress and it looks like new so I can't understand how it ended up on the reduced rail, I would have thought someone would have snapped it up before now.

There has been  lots of cooking and a few of my veg leaves made it into a curry yesterday, just for me as the rest of the family had fish.

Just a few as it was curry for one, along with a few veg from the freezer and some chickpeas.

I forgot to photograph the end result which also included a very tasty tomato risotto which everyone ate so in light of this I have decided to set myself the challenge to write a post everyday for the rest of this month.  I decided this today as I don't know why but when I do more, I do more if you get my meaning.  So as an exercise in self discipline I am going to do it,  and remember to take more photographs of recipes, walks, and just general stuff.  A friend of mine said I need to get on it as she waits for my posts ha! She may be bored of me by the end of the month.  

Anyway it doesn't mean I will keep this up forever but it may help me establish a better pattern and of course I enjoy looking back on things in this form.  It would be good to know if any kind of posts are preferred over the coming month and of course I always love to read your comments

 

Another Recycled Pallet Planter

Well the veg are growing so nicely that I am now wondering where to put them, things need to be transferred outside but up out of the dogs reach.  So currently I have large Kale plants on a sort of make shift shelf that my husband made, the chard is up on the hanging planter and now there is lots more purple kale and lettuce.

So we had another pallet and I asked if this one could be free standing and have legs, because if my dogs can reach they will eat anything.  I also had these large tins that the cook from work had been saving so they have hole drilled in the bottom and the front panels on the pallets were moved to fit these.

The whole thing has had a lick of varnish here as well, purple kale in the bottom and some lettuce in the top.  I had to stop at this point as I has ran out of compost, there are still eight kale and ten lettuce to repot as well as peas but I have been and got the canes and some pots for those today.  I am very happy with this to think is just made from items that would have been discarded and it has solved a problem.   I am not expecting to last forever but how many things do, maybe some upkeep on the frame.

These kale grow quite big so there will be another move at some point for these, with the younger plants going in here but they will be good for a while.

 The lettuces looked a bit sad after being moved but have perked up again now.

 How about this gorgeous flower on the courgettes, one opened the other morning and then it closed up and now this one today,  A lovely surprise when walking into the greenhouse.

We had intended a day at Bakewell today but as it was overcast and gloomy we stayed home and just had a walk and some lunch.  Also a long wait in the post office to post two dresses that were sold on ebay for a couple of pounds each, hardly worth it really but at least someone will get some use out of them.  I will stick with taking them to the charity shop I think,