It's a Wrap

 Now today I am actually sharing a dress made with a pattern for me made may 2020 day 6, one from a magazine in fact and very easy to wear and I would also think an excellent make whatever your size due to the waist ties. They make the dress so versatile and I would also think this would be a  perfect maternity dress as it can grow with you for quite a few months.

 It is a wrap dress with very long ties that go through a hole in the side seam and then wrap around a few times to make a sort of kimono style dress.   My only reservation with this one is that it is so comfy that I do think are people wondering if I have left the house in my robe??  My husband said no it just looks like a summer dress, but I do have that  feeling that it looks very robe like, oh well I have seen people out of their homes in onesies at least this looks more dressed than that ;)

Another fun fact about this dress is that I made my mother in law a maxi dress with this fabric and she bought such a big piece that there was enough left for me to make this dress and line a number of bags.

Here is the pattern of you want to seek it out, I am sure you can buy back issues of the magazine, or you may have a friend who has it like I did.

My School are having a sort of virtual bake off this week so this prompted me to make a different cake instead of sticking to the trusty tried recipes.  I  have made this Orange Olive Oil GF vegan  cake with almonds.  There were still a few modifications to be made as I had a few ingredients missing, I am at a point now though where I will sub things without too much worry. I am finally starting to get a good feel for what I can and can't do with gluten free vegan baking, to the point where I know it is wrong by the way it looks sometimes.  This one looked right though, and my son has had a slice and says it is lovely, I am saving my piece to have with a cup of tea later.  He came down earlier and I said don't anyone touch the cake as I have to take a photograph for School!  So we actually have an image of a complete cake today, hurray. 

So the oranges on top you have to cook in sugar for twenty minutes and this also make a syrup that you pour over it at the end.   

My tester said it is just the right level of orange flavour.

I sat outside earlier and read some more of War and Peace yes I am still going with that book too and enjoying it more now.  At half way through it, it is a good job I am enjoying it as it is no light read.  I keep thinking it would help if the writing was bigger (it is really small print) but then I suppose the book would be far too big to hold then 987 pages as it is, plus additional info. This was why it was chosen a s my isolation book, it was a now or never kind of thing. 

Take care everyone and if you are in the UK  enjoy the lovely weather for the rest of the week.  If not have fun wherever you are. 

Going with the Flow

Another day at work in it's new location and the day passed by pleasantly, I felt a bit reluctant as I left for work yesterday in a different school and I thought this must be how supply teachers feel all the time never knowing what to expect or where anything is! For us of course this is only temporary while the children of key workers are cared for in specific School sites, I needn't have worried as it was completely fine.  Today I was completely fascinated by  pair of twins who kept changing the rules to a game we were playing outside. Now it was a made up game so of course they made the rules but it was just so interesting to hear them bouncing ideas off each other, agreeing then disagreeing but all the while keeping up! Children are so fascinating when you have time to listen and be part of their worlds, plus they were having such fun with this bean bag game of theirs it was a joy to observe and play along.

Todays me made May day 5 is another self drafted skater dress same as my red one ( there are a few of these!)  fabulous fabric on this one that washes like a dream, very bright after lots of wear and I have other items in the same fabric so watch out for it again this month.  My colleague loved it so much I took her to the fabric store and she bought some, I then made her a t shirt out of it.

 Here we are lucky enough for another outdoor picture, still in tights you will note but I have hope for tomorrow as it is supposed to warm up.  Things are looking leafy and green and quite a few of my seedlings in the greenhouse need potting on now so that is a job for tomorrow.  I have planted some straight into large tins that can go straight out as soon as they are large and sturdy enough.  The cook at out School last year saved me the large catering tins for tomatoes.  They make excellent planters some are still silver, quite a few are rust.  They only have flowers in them so the ones that are rusty looking won't affect the flowers will they? I wouldn't plant food in a rusty tin though, time will tell with the flowers.  I'm sure some gardening expert out there will let me know if this was a dreadful idea, I had intended on just recycling them when they lost their sheen but I quite like the rusty shade.

My exercise for the day was just dance with the children this morning in the hall, once again I feel the staff enjoyed it more than the children did.  We are all just clearly happy to be out in the world! I may in fact find some of these routines myself now and carry with at home for the rest of the week, it's not a bad way to start the day.

I've shopped my own bookcase and decided to revisit another title, this time The Four Loves  by C.S Lewis.  I do like his style of taking about life and getting you to think, he is not always easy to follow but definitely worth it.

Tomorrow I am home so I will have time for some making, I'm going to have a think now before I cut into my new fabric.  Stay safe everyone.

A Cool Day for a Paris Skirt

Feeling the chill a bit this morning when I got up and decided I would opt for an outfit where I could definitely wear thick tights, opaque ones my favourite.  I was back at work today and knew I would likely be outside for part of the day with children so this had to be considered.  It was nice to be up with a purpose and I enjoyed seeing a few  people I haven't seen for weeks but he rest were new faces as I was in a different school.  The skirt I am wearing is another self drafted one from my sew what skirts book, it is a very eye catching print that mimics French newspaper print from long ago and I love the quirkiness of it.  I have had it a long time and  is a favourite of mine, it is lined so extra warmth there. (timeless treasures fabric if I remember correctly.)

The top I made from a pattern, the pattern is for McCalls dress M7313 and I just used the bodice pieces but made them longer to make a t-shirt as I know the fit is good.  The sleeves are elbow length and then I have added a broidery anglaise panel front and back at the top.  The fabric is ponte roma so this is quite a thick top too.

After speaking to a few children today it seems they are ready for a return to normal school days, there are only so many attending and the days are very different  for them. This must feel like a very long time for them indeed in their young lives.

After getting in from work I drank two cups of tea in quick succession, at home you can have a drink whenever you want so the one cup I had at lunch time just didn't cover my needs.

Last night we watched the last episode of Homeland and we have followed that for the last few years, I don't know if any of you have watched the series but I have really enjoyed it and I was also quite happy with the ending, I feel that is where these things usually fall apart but it was fitting with the character I thought.

Yesterday I managed to get my hands on a packet of spinach seeds so I will be planting more of that the only problem is where?  They really need to go straight into the ground but I know as soon as they have leaves the dogs will eat them, they are very good at finding and eating any veg I plant so it is difficult.  I had some  purple kale last year that was completely destroyed  by the dogs they left nothing but stumps!  My lettuce plants are on a frame so up off the floor but there is no more room on there, I will have to have a good think.

On my way home today I posted one of my bags that has just sold and it was one that I only made and shared with you last week, it is for a gift with a message so I have added a handmade card that matches the bag I hope she likes it.  This is another area where  the odd  little bits of fabric can come in handy.

Right off to cook the dinner now, homemade spaghetti sauce and vegan no-meatballs, back soon.