Burda Long Sleeve T-Shirt

 As it has been half term this past week it has given me a chance to do more sewing, always my favourite thing to do.  I had a subscription for Burda magazine over recent months that my husband talked me into as I was always looking at it but never buying.  We got it at a good price and I have made a number of things from them and there are still a number of things on my to make list.  I do find a lot of the patterns repeat though, I suppose in a way they have to as new people buying if for the first time won't have the back patterns and also there are only so many ways a garment can go together!  So much as I have enjoyed having it arrive each month I do wonder is it worth having it for a second year or have I already got everything I will ever need?  the main thing being that i always used to work without patterns anyway and also if I see a Style that is slightly different I can usually modify what I have to make the garment.  What are your thoughts?  Does anyone else have an ongoing subscription or do you just buy occasionally if there is a particular issue that takes your fancy.   That was what I was going to do originally  but then lockdown happened and we couldn't go in any shops to buy it anyway, they don't stock it at any of my local supermarkets. 

So after that little commentary on that, here is my make from the magazine dated August last year. I put it on my to do list then I bought this piece of jersey last week and thought it would go really well with the style.

So one thing I did do was to bring the shoulder in a little at the neck because in the magazine image it looked like the v would be really wide, now I don't know about you but in our cold climate here in the UK having my neck that expose would mean that I wouldn't be reaching for this top very often.  I wanted a top I can wear a lot so it needs to provide some warmth ,I   have summer clothes for warm days!

I was really happy with the rest of the fit of this pattern and as you can see the v neck sits well, I will be using this pattern again for sure.

The jersey is only lightweight but it holds the shape well, I thought it was going to be thicker when I ordered it but that was just me not reading the description properly.  It is soft ad comfy.

So that is another little make off my to do list and I have to say a relaxing and enjoyable one, it didn't take long at all.   I do enjoy pottering about in my sewing room with the music playing, but back to work tomorrow and that will cut into my sewing time;)

I made another nectarine and blueberry crumble this week it is a favourite at the moment but I will have to try not to over do it.  I also made vegan ricotta cake , you make the ricotta with cashews .

My sister in law has sent me over lots card, and bits for card making that is not getting used, I have already put them to use this week.  There is so much in there I have no idea where to start but for now I have just used the borders and cut out my own images for the cards that I sketched on the card before cutting out.    There are lots of ideas out there I will have to get a bit more adventurous with this I think.

Here is the crumble bubbling over, there is a full large tub of blueberries in there and four nectarines, it served three of us two days though and was very nice.

Well have a lovely start to the week everyone, back soon. 

Spring Sewing

 I know it is not spring yet but I am optimistic that it is not too far away, also don't you get fed up with having to think how warm a fabric will be before you buy it I know I do although there are still a few warm makes in the pipeline.  I am however determined to start making things for the warmer days to come and if you remember last year in the UK that came quite early.  So with that in mind here is my first spring dress, a little different to what I usually make but that is a good thing, I am trying to make a few different styles as we all get stuck in our ways with our sewing sometimes and work with the same tried and trusted patterns.  I think a part of that is that we don't want to risk our precious new fabric on a style that will not suit us.  I also feel like you get to a certain age a feel you know what suits you best but of course that can also mean we stop being as adventurous.  

I love the fabric and all the little details of this dress, the piping is made from scrap shirting, I did look at buying some in a lilac shade but it didn't look as if it would show up very well as it was very pale.  I decided to make my own and of course it is always useful for using up all those little bits of fabric.

I was lucky that this fit as I did not allow seam allowances on the pattern cutting!   How can I have made so many Burda magazine dress makes and not know to add seam allowance.  Anyhow it all came good in the end.  The pattern stated snap fasteners on the cuffs but I chose to add buttons and button holes.

The most challenging part of this make was getting all the piping to line up in all the right places, so as you can imagine it was unpicked a few times.  Also the concealed zip not like all the bulk where the piping and central bodice part is so you have to take extra care when unzipping.  It tends to go up easier than it comes down.

So just last week I was making hats and now I am onto the light wear, you have to look ahead.  that said there are some plants I bought a few weeks ago when I was feeling optimist still sat on the windowsill.  We had to keep them in to shelter form the frost it is supposed to get warmer so I am hoping to plant them out.  I also bought myself some rainbow carrot seeds so that will be interesting.

I am currently reading The Glass Woman. I ordered it from the library and I have really enjoyed it, I only started it at the weekend and I am close to finished, put it on your to read list.  Historical fiction set in Iceland so something a little different.

Well bye for now and take care everyone.

 

Making and Mending

 Hello I hope you are all doing well this week and managing to keep busy at home, we had a snow day at the start of the week and it is not looking good for this coming week.  I hope it doesn't settle as it is such a pain worrying about how to get to work and wishing for a closure to make the decision for us.  I live quite a way from my work so walking is not an option and to take the bus would mean two provided they  are running so it can be a nuisance.  Now if we are at home it all looks rather lovely so it just goes to show how your perspective differs depending on responsibilities doesn't it?  

I whipped up a quick top yesterday with a lovely piece of jersey that I bought a few weeks ago, I have been wondering what to do with this and then remembered I am supposed to be making more simple long sleeve t-shirts to go with jeans so that is what I did.   I made the Freya dress into a top again as I know this is a good fitting top, I am very happy with it and wearing it today. 

I loved this fabric when I saw it but wondered about it not looking right with my hair, too similar perhaps but now I am ok with it.  I am trying to branch out with my colour choices a bit.

I made the neck a bit taller then folded it down again as it looked a bit odd on me, I also think a high collar is a bit irritating and I know I would be pulling at it all day.   It has been freezing in school recently so we have been leaving our scarves on and that has been annoying me so I think this was the right decision for me.

There has also been more crochet, I made another hat for myself in a different colour combination and then my friend said she would like one to go with   her new coat so I am currently working on that.  Though I have to say this will not become a regular thing doing crochet for others as I am not fast at it so it is a lot of time for me.  

I made this cowl last year, or maybe it was the year before I forget!  Anyway I think it goes quite well with the new hat.  The colours for my friend's hat are teal and yellow and I am currently up to the middle yellow band.

That picture does not do the lovely teal colour justice but I will share when it is finished.  I have just seen a pattern for a little top but it may be a little beyond my crochet ability for now, I will have to think on it.

I have also done some repairs for my clothes and others, patching things, redoing a few hems, darning tights and a patch on a dress for a colleague, I actually sandwiched some denim between two layers of the top fabric from above as the dress with the hole was a similar mustard colour, you can't actually see it now I have done the repair but should it open in future she will have some pretty fabric showing behind it.  

We have just had a very cold walk but before we left I had just put a nectarine and blueberry crumble in the oven so it was ready when we got back, it was very nice and just what we needed.  This week I have been trying to avoid things that may aggravate my tummy now I cook a lot with onions and garlic so going without those has been hard, I have to say no stomach ache all week.  Now if I have to go without those I will have a very sad face indeed, I may have to introduce small amounts and see how I go as a gf vegan I need to have some flavour!

This week we have been watching a lot of Marcella, in fact we may have watched too much I think I need a little break from it.  We watched the last series then went straight onto the current one, we also watched a film Friday night called Greenland, a disaster film of all things I mean that is just what we need right now!  It was watchable though nothing to crazy about. 

Well I have a workout and a pile of ironing to do so I will say bye for now, take care.