The Saraste Top and Another Trip

 Hello, what a funny week it has been. What with the heat, I hope you have all kept yourselves well.

This week I made my first make from the book Breaking the Pattern that I bought a while ago, it does seem a bit of a faff about tracing all the pieces for the patterns when I have so many patterns already but I do like to try things out.  Also I made this into a much bigger job than it needed to be by making it into a refashion of a man's shirt. 

The Saraste top does require more fabric than you would first think for a little sleeveless top, because of the shape of it and the panels plus ruffles.  So I disassembled my shirt then thought oh, there is no way enough fabric to make this!  However I don't like to let things beat me so I set about using every last bit of the shirt, including unpicking the double yoke bit at the top of the shirt back.

•  I made the ruffles with lots of little pieces sewn together then top stitched.  This did also mean that some of those pieces were on the cross grain. I aslo only did the ruffle to the front panels.
• The front side panels are in two pieces.
• The back side panels are four pieces sewn together.
• I utilised the button band to save fabric there.
• The collar stand was carefully unpicked and re-used.
• The bias binding was some that I made previously from an old duvet cover.
• I placed the ruffles a little higher to further save on fabric required.

I don't think the joins are too obvious and of course you could see it as a design feature;)

It pays to think things through and not give up I think, I have made  two short videos for youtube showing the process if you would like to see exactly how I did it.

See the videos here

                                                                           Part one here

We went away at the end of last week in the caravan to the east coast and stayed just outside Scarborough on a lovely site, we stayed from Thursday to Monday and it was just as well because with monday being the start of the heatwave my dogs would not have coped I dont think I would either in the caravan.  So fortunatley we were back home just as it started to get hot, we had a lovely break and visited Scarborough, Whitby, Staithes and Bridlington while we were there. My sister in law lives at Bridlington so we got to visit her too.

I did not take as many photographs as I usually do as we visit this area alomost every year and I am sure I am just doubling up on the pictures so just a few this time.  The reason we visit so often is because not only do we like it but also because it is inly a few hour drive away.

Staithes is very pretty but only small, it was very busy on the day we visited but well worth a look if you are ever in the area.

The views below are from Whitby at the top, because you can't go to Whitby and not do the steps up to the Abbey.

We got absolutely soaked through in Scarborough on Friday as it rained on and off all day on Friday, it was umbrella up jacket on then ten minutes later boiling, jacket off sunglasses on!  So at least we dried quickly inbetween downpours. I bought the jazziest umbrella from a charity shop and my husband said I am not holding that, it had a design of a woman all the way around holding up her hands to the rain as if in praise, very 60's. Well the rain came down and he held it. 

Thursday I went to lunch with a good friend of mine, she had suggested a new restaurant on a farm and it catered for me with Gf and vegan options it was very nice.  I managed an image of my pudding before I tucked into it.  (It is sorbet on top)

I hope you all have a lovely week. Take care.

A Catch up!

 Hello, I don't know where the time is going but this is well over due!  We have had another trip, we went to Angelsey for a week and fell lucky with a fabulous week for the weather, it was so sunny all week and this is the third time we have been so it does seem to me that it is a place with its own little climate.  I am sure people who live there would probably think differently but my view is one of sunny Angelsey.  I will share a few images.

There was a nice breeze near the sea so that made walks along the front doable with dogs, fabulous as it is to have lovely weather we don't walk them in it for long when it is hot or we try to get to wooded areas.

This is a lovely coastal walk that we did, we also did it a few years ago with our sons with us.  This year it was just us and the dogs.

We try to get to a different place each day when we are away, I remember years ago we just used to go away somewhere hot and sunbathe all day, I really can't imagine doing that now.

Once again we stayed on a small site with just five caravans, it was beautiful overlooking a field of sheep. 

While I was away I read 'The lying Lives of Adults'  by Elena Ferrante I had ordered it before I went away and was so looking forward to reading it.  I read it all in a few days and I have to say I was disappointed. It just felt unpleasant with no purpose, there were elements of her other characters I felt from the My Brilliant Friend quartet. If you have read those you will know what I mean, of course there will be similarities when you read the same author but this time the stotyline was just bleak throughout.  I would not recommend this one sadly. 

As usual there has been lots of sewing, I am giving things away to family as I can't keep all of it but I am not complaining it is a dream to be able to sew for work so I am counting it as a blessing.   This does mean though I have passed a few things on without  saving a still image.

I made this one a few days ago in Blossoming Floral Minerva viscose challis and the pattern is Simplicity 8602.  There were quite a few sleeve styles to choose from on this pattern I went for this one with the drapey sleeves with vents. 

This top is for my mum and this design is called Shingle Path, the Pattern is Simplicity 8052 and she hasn't seen it yet so I am looking forward to giving her that. 

A striped blazer, oversized very colourful and the style is so oversized my husband tried it on, of course it was too short in the arms but he enjoyed trying it ;)

I love this cardigan/robe it is such a fun print and would be great for the beach to wear over a bikini I think.  For me it is a sort of throw on for over shorts and pjs.  I will not bore you with any more right now as there are so many things I am losing track.  There hasn't been much bag making of late but to be honest at the moment I just feel like I am just paying Etsy each month and there are very little views.  People probably have a lot on what with the cost of everything at the moment but it doesn't leave me inspired to keep listing things to pay out fees so I am in a bit of a slump with that.

We had a trip to the cinema to see Elvis  the other night, a very long, very odd film.   Not what any of us expected I feel like I am being a real grump today but why do they have to try and make things weird and edgy??

All three of my dogs had a luke warm bath today and then we went for a walk so they dried off it was the ideal time to do it. We also met a great Dane puppy in pets at home and he was beautiful, the owners were talking to us for ages and he looked all shy, massive paws at just eight weeks old and a gentle face. 

Well I hope you are having a lovely weekend and enjoying the sun, take care.

This Month so Far

 Hi everyone, it has been a busy month so far  and we have been off on our travels again this time to Cottingham in Leicestershire.  We always try to stay at CL sites as they are set in beautiful countryside and usually part of a working farm.  Only five caravans allowed and just the basic toilets and showers on site.  What more do you need?  I know for people with children you may want the playgrounds and pools and things like that but we just want some peace and quiet and a bit of nice scenery.

The site we stayed at this time was called Rockingham CL and was excellent so if you are a tourer you may want to give it a look, we will definitley return to this one a s it was so well maintained and the view was spectacular.  I will share a few photos but they don't give the full effect as it was panoramic!

A b it grey when we arrived but it did brighten up.

The view from the awning while eating my dinner, it was a bit brighter here but we eat in the awning with the door and front window flap down to keep all the dogs contained.

 

              Just as we were leaving I took this one, trying to capture more of that wonderful view.

We had a few days out from there as always so one of those was a day in Cambridge, it did pour with rain on and off all of that day so we saw what we could while it was dry and then ducked in a pub with the three wet dogs.

I love little side streets with unusual shops, I am not big on shopping I just like to look in the windows.

Kings College

Corpus Christi College

We also visited a few little villages and passed this...

Gretton Viaduct

So a lovely time and not expensive at all, well fuel but the less said about that the better.  Oh almost forgot we had another reservoir excursion to Rutland water, we will return to this one day too with the bikes jus for a day trip perhaps.

On Thursday evening we went to see the new Top Gun film, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.  It was very much a rip off of the original but I think it must be the nostalgia as it was such a long time ago it made me smile anyway and the place was full.  We saw it at our favoiurite cinema the lovely old fashioned Penistone Paramount with original seats, curtains and half time interval.  My two sons are fans as they say you can't recline in the seats and there is no cup holder, well you can sit up for the duration of a film surely.  They did not come with us they prefer the modern cinema experience. 

I have almost finished Mrs England by Stacey Halls and I have really enjoyed it, I enjoyed her other books as well.  Also read a few books on sewing and I did a youtube video on those, and made the Lilou dress from Tilly Walnes Love at Firts Stitch.  I also have a sew along about that and will share the video link below.

I used a viscose tencil for this and it was not the recommended fabric but I like it so that was what I bought.  Also opted to change the back as a full one as that is what I prefer, it is no good making things if you wont wear them so I do change patterns up to suit me sometimes.  Here is the video link if you are interested  The Lilou Dress sew Along

Well I hope you are enjoying the month so far and I will be back soon, take care.