Half Term Makes

I have started my new bag but unfortunately I can't go any further until my ribbon and other bits arrive in the post.  This is very annoying as I am itching to get it all finished, one side is complete and the bottom/sides are on one piece but I need the ribbon to complete the rest. I have had a play at making a tassel which I am going to embellish with beads and bits (I think) it may be a bit big we will have to see.  The lining is ready and I think the leftover faux leather from an upholstery project has come in really handy.  I will share a few pics here of just the cut pieces and lining I don't want to show too much before it is finished.

So the zips I am using are recycled from an old bag and have been in my sewing box a long time, the faux leather was from my mother in law ( I recovered one side of her corner suit with it), the bit of ribbon I had already but I have had to order a bit more and the lining is leftover fabric from a dress.  The only new items bought  for the project are the Santoro fabric (a fat quarter) a strap, a new bit of ribbon and some rivets.

Here is the lining with the recycled zip for the inside pocket.

This evening as I was making curry I thought I would make some little bits to go with it, I have this magazine from 2017 Vegan Food and Living (my only copy) and there is a recipe I thought I'd give a try.

Now I was quite excited about making these and they were quite messy to make too...

Sorry that is a bit blurry, masala dhal vadas, they looked interesting and I didn't have any fresh chilli but went on ahead.  I made two trays of these and to be fair nearly all of them went down well but I would say they were not that exciting and a lot of faff when you consider you can buy ready made pakora, samosa etc for quite a reasonable price.  I'm sure these were a lot cheaper as I  made so many but also messing about mashing potato, making the patties etc, I also covered mine in gram flour too.  So another recipe tried but on this occasion perhaps not worth the effort.

I know mine do not look much like the photo in the magazine but I didn't deep fry mine, I fried them a little in the pan then into the oven to keep warm.  I don't deep fry ever!

While I was cooking I was also watching this video from Handmade by Ditsy Tulip here  she has made some lovely covered buttons but more eye catching than that is her own logo she has created, it is so professional.  If you don't watch her videos go and have a look now, she has some lovely ideas and makes on her channel.   She is currently putting together a dolls house as a haberdashery  and has made some gorgeous mini bits for it, I look forward to watching it take shape.

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Use it up!

I  don't know about you but sometimes when I make something there is a bit left that is a fair size but not quite big enough to get a garment out of.  There is also the issue that as I love my prints so much combining bits of this and that won't really work.  Well I am determined to get down the oddments over the coming year so first up is this top...

Now you may recognise the fabric as I shared the dress a couple of weeks ago, the problem was there was not enough to cut front and back pieces in one go.  To solve this I have added a panel up each side.

I  was a bit worried at first that it may look silly with the pattern not matching but my husband said the pattern is busy you can't really notice it.  There is also a little casing of elastic around the sleeves just to pull them in and give them a bit of shape.

There was no pattern involved for this make I just cut around an existing top of mine, I then cut a round neck with a small slit going down from it.  I hen folded back the fabric to hem and this gave the shape.

Yesterday I met a friend for lunch  and we had a nice walk around Wentworth at Rotherham.

 While we were in the garden centre shop I saw this amazing wrapping paper and I bought myself a sheet.  It is too nice to be ripped off a gift so I will use it to cover a box for storage or something.

The colours are not really showing up well in this image but it has gold in it and a really good weight to the paper.  They had other lovely designs so I will have to keep them in mind for future projects. If anyone has any paper projects in mind that are a bit unusual please share. 

Currently I am planning a new handbag, I have had one in mind since New year but this has changed because today I visited the local shop to buy interfacing and while I was there picked up this gorgeous Santoro fat quarter. So I want to use that now and this has changed my colour scheme, fortunately the cream faux leather I was going to use will go with this fabric too.  As it is half term I will be getting on with that and a few other crafty bits I've been putting off.  Spring must be in the air as I can feel lots of plans coming on for things to make. 

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Here and Now

Hello, I thought I would share a little of what I've been up to as we move through February, hard to believe it is here already and wasn't it just Christmas? Anyway I read this fabulous article on raptititude.com and you can find it here.  If you have not read this blog before it is well worth a look through all his back posts as they are so interesting.  This article is all about how we often start new hobbies, strive for new achievements and meet new people without ever really getting to know in depth that which we set out to do, learn or achieve.  The same goes for some relationships he stresses, for some people.  He talks about he spent  time developing lapsed hobbies, returning to previous learning projects and also spending time with people close to him.

I thought this was a really  thought provoking article as today we are often encouraged to keep striving for the new, the novel and the latest craze and it is somehow seen as being left behind if you are not at least trying to get on board with the latest social craze. David (the author) also recommends returning to much loved books and half finished projects around the house.  Just developing a feeling of having and being enough without looking for the next thing.

I have been trying to keep this in mind as I go about my days, and there are all kinds of areas we can apply this to. Just  before Christmas I started a  course on Future learn about English in early Childhood.  This relates to my job and while there was lots of overlap with courses I have already done there was still lots of  new and interesting information.  I have lots of non fiction books that I have enjoyed but I can't remember all that they contained, I have decided that my current book pictured below will be read with an eye to learning rather than just whizzing through it, I have to say I sometimes do that and it is not a race to the finish is it?

All in all the theme was to go deeper into everything we do or already do and I am trying to keep that at the front of my mind whatever I am doing or am about to do, without seeing things as a task to be got through.   When we first start  new things they are not tasks are they?  I think perhaps we make them so just because they are no longer new.

With that in mind today I had some alterations to do and while I have done rolled hems before I thought I would watch a professional first.  I found this on YouTube How to sew a perfect rolled hem and this is really good as she does not recommend using the rolled hem foot just your zipper foot.  This will depend on your machine but I have always found my regular foot works well, the tips on handling though are really useful and I did notice a difference so take a look at that. 

Yesterday a top I made for my mum was featured on the Minerva Crafts blog if you want to take a look you can find it here Minerva Crafts  you may have to scroll down to find it, it's the metallic jersey top.

I am also reading The Little Drummer Girl in fiction, I did watch the drama when it was on TV so I have had this on order from the library. Sometimes the book is so much better and other times they disappoint we will have to see how this one measures up. 

Oh I have one last link for you, this song from Hillsong United, Hold Me Now , it is a worship song and I know that may not be for everyone but they are amazing musician's so have a listen, it is so beautiful.  I have it on now as I write this, it's a current favourite of mine. 

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