Stripes

Hello, well I have had a bit of a break from the blog this last few weeks but now the summer holidays are here so I feel I will have more time for making and blogging. I finally got around to this make with stripes, I bought this fabric just before lockdown and I was a bit undecided what to do with it so it sort of got pushed to one side.  Friday I made the decision to make  McCalls dress with it as it needed to be simple, I had not however made myself a note the last time I made this pattern that it comes out huge!  It has a sticky note on it now!  A ,lot of taking in, a few darts added and a curved hem and you guessed it, it is now far away from the original but better I think and I really must make notes on patterns as soon as I realize they are poorly sized.

I bought the fabric from Happy Hare in Sheffield, it is a good weight jersey so will also be good for autumn/winter with tights.

It is good to know that I have a few weeks of uninterrupted time stretching out over the next few weeks as there is so much to do. I had sorted my oldest son's bedroom a few weeks ago after he moved out in preparation for a ceiling repair, that will be a few weeks yet waiting for the plasterer and then I can redecorate.  The bedroom at the front was cleared yesterday ready for me to decorate that and my husband will build me a new long desk as that will be my sewing room.   It was a big sorting job in there too, for years my boys have never wanted to part with anything including the lego boxes (just in case) and now all of a sudden there is so much to get rid of and nowhere for it to go.  The tip says emergencies only?  What would qualify as an emergency at the tip I wonder? We may have to get a skip but  I don't really like doing that, it is also still tricky donating to charities at the moment as a lot of places are taking   the minimum, not taking books or are just overwhelmed.  I would imagine a lot of people have been off and sorting so this is perhaps a time when lots of  people have  clothes, books and toys to donate but nowhere is accepting it all. 

The garden is looking amazing at the moment, well I think so it is a bit wild and full as I have put plants in everywhere I just hop they don't all stop flowering at once.

I wasn't sure how big some of these mixed seeds were going to grow so now I  have things over shadowing others, I'd try to pick some out but I don't want to damage anything.  I will try and get some better pictures later it was so grey yesterday today we have a bit of sun.

Last week I started reading A Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante, the library digital version, I read the first book my brilliant friend over two days and loved it.  I recently watched the TV version and it was very close to the books.  There are four books  in total so I will be reading all of them, I highly recommend.

Well that is all for now as I want to get out and enjoy the sun, have a lovely weekend, bye for now.

Burda Jumpsuit

Hello I hope you all had a good weekend, I managed to get back to the machine to make my jumpsuit and I have to say that halfway through I wasn't really sure about this. It is certainly one of those garments that looks so much better on than off and the fabric is quite see through I feel, this also looks better once you are wearing it.  Well colour matched underwear will be required though!

This was my third make from the Burda June issue and how am I feeling about that?  Well I like the things I have made so far but I do wonder about the accuracy of the sizings,  I made a bigger size to be safe and then still needed to let out the seems to a very small seem allowance.  I know I haven't gained that much weight during lockdown or none of my clothes would fit.  So now I will be even more cautious with the sizes for future makes.  I went on a forum and this was a common theme and it is not on every garment so there must be errors.  This is only a grumble as I know I would have sized it more accurately without the pattern and by trying do things according to the magazine it all took so much longer then needed adjusting.  Well it is finished and I do like it except if I visit the toilet while I am in it I will need assistance with the  button when I come out and that has been my issue with jumpsuits all along the practicality of wearing them and also why I own three mock ones.

So it doesn't look see through at all in this image but then the weather was very dull, a bit of light shining through and it may be different.

There is elastic casing all around the top of the trousers and the back top is attached but the front is just attached at the sides so the front can tie.   I used the fabric recommended in the magazine and this is a linen viscose blend and the colour is coral.

The July issue has arrived but I am struggling to find something to make in this copy, a lot of the styles are very boxy and basic but there is one dress that is a maybe but I am wondering if it may be too frilly for every day wear as I am trying to make things to be worn not saved.

Does anyone else have the July Burda and if so what are your thoughts on it? Sometimes it can all be down to fabric choices or the way things are styled.  I keep having another browse through as I had should a good reaction to last months issue but they won't all be winners I guess.

On another subject my oldest moved in with his girlfriend at the weekend it felt a  little odd, although he often stays out at her flat it felt very different knowing that he wouldn't be home.  Now we have the massive sort out task of his room. 

Well that is all for now back soon.


 

June...ing

Well I have been a little blog absent this last few weeks but sometimes you have to have a little  break especially at the moment. Last week I had intended to post here but I had pulled my back and couldn't think of anything else for days, no sleep, couldn't sit for any period and generally feeling a bit useless at hurting my back!  Therefor I did not complete the sewing planned for the weekend, it is all cut and ready to go...

Planning a jumpsuit, well tracing off and cutting out then leaving on the table all week! That is what happened but that can't be helped but the weekend is nearly here and I will finish it off then.  It is the Burda jumpsuit that I shared from the magazine and the third make form the May issue.

Here is my cut fabric, when will I wear this? Well hopefully soon and lots I like to make things that I can wear every day but my days are looking very different at work so we will have to see.

Adapting to my work... small classes mean I am often surplus, so cleaning sorting etc, it can be dull at times. I love the busy ordered day where we have so much to do and lots of children to work with with.  The difference is quite drastic and as we all do I long for normality.

Reading  some of the books I have bought, I have read a little book on Frida Kahlo it wasn't very long but I like the way it was styled.  You could say it was more of a gift book really with just a few art pictures, quotes and details of her life.  I enjoyed it but it was a very quick read as the pages were meant to look pretty rather then be fact filled.  I am still enjoying Things in Jars by Jess Kidd, reading at a slower pace and in no hurry  but loving it none the less.  Next on my list will be Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik I have enjoyed her other novels  so I thought I would give this one a try.

Now this is rare for me as I am a lover of the library and charity shops for my books but we do  not have that option at the moment so I have bought new.  I am ok with that as it is out of necessity and they will be treasured.

Loving  all the plants starting to flower in the garden, there is still a lot that will be a while yet but the ones that are are starting to bloom are looking lovely.

 We have three water butts and we are getting through a lot plus there are the courgettes and tomatoes which tend to be very thirsty.  I love watching things grow however and I am perhaps too over excited at at a new bloom.

Watching Sinner and we are are on series three I believe, my uncertainty is due to the male habit of always having the remote so I know what we watch but I often struggle to tell you if it is on Netflix, Now or whatever!  It may even be sky... anyhow we are binge watching that this week, well does one episode a night equal binge watching?? I think the young people would probably watch the whole series in one sitting, but that is not my thing.

Browsing  my new copy of Burda magazine but I am not as taken with this copy, I would say I don't need a pattern for all of the items in it so why would I trace them?  There is maybe one dress that I will make but it is not great I feel for July.  Everything is way too basic, it could be the time of year and the styles or just because I haver made similar before.

That is all for now, I hope to be sewing productive this weekend so I will hopefully have something to share next time, take care.