A New Cardigan

 Hello, it is very  cold at the moment here as I type this so I am very pleased to share this new cardigan.  It is my brand ambassador make for minerva and I am trying really hard to fill the gaps as I have said before and add things that I need.  I am a big fan of just making what I fancy and this often results in lots of mismatched things.  I have been doing better though.  So having made the Style arc Sabel cardigan before I dicided to recreate it in this pink sweatshirting and to make it a little shorter this time.

         I just used up some buttons that I had, they are all brown but a couple are sloightly different.

There has been some scrapbusting in the form of a new self drafted vest and some knickers, always good for using up all those little bits.

Now I did make more than one pair of knickers but seem to have only photographed the one pair, I really like the fabric lace combo on these. 

Last week I read Weyward by Emelia Hart, I really enjoyed this as the story is about three different women from the same family line in different points in time, there is also the women seen as witches when they were really just healers theme again.  I am now thinking I have read so many like like this now I need to get off this genre it only makes me angry.  Good book though.   I am currently reading two books a non fiction Regenesis  by George Moonbiot and also A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, I got this one as it had so many good reviews so please let me know if you have read it.

I really tried my best last week with the daylight quota but I have to say it was so miserable all week it felt dark on  every walk apart from Saturday so I don't really think much daylight was getting in.  I will keep at it, that said I did sleep a little better, not great as I wake often (menopause) but I do stick mainly to the same going to bed  time, getting up,  no screens in the bedroom etc.  I deally I would lixke to get up and read when I can'r sleep but as I don't want to disturb the rest of the house and dogs I eng just tossing and turning.

I have tried out a few new patterns for work projects this week I only tried on one as this was in my size so I may make this for myself in the spring...

This is the Rory Jumpsiut by True Bias, it is made in viscose linen and as I said it is not for me but I do like this one.

There are little d rings ties at the sides that make it pull in nicely to give it a bit of shape, it is also sewed in panels which are then topstitched so this is a lovely finish.

Other work makes were...

Alder dress grainline studio

Also the Rosco dress by True Bias

I hope you have had a super first week to the new year and are trying your best to embrace it. Take care. 

January Intentions

 Hello everyone,  a happy new year to you all.  I hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas break and that you are all feeling ready for what the new year brings. I have a few intentions as I always do at this time but they are all pretty fluid as I don't think it does anyone any good to set loads of musts, fail at some point through no fault of your own (illness etc) and then berate yourself.  So what I like to do is add in more of what I would like to do, and perhaps let go of a few things too that are not serving me as they once did.

So before I start on my few little must do more ofs for 2024 I thought I would share a recent make and I have to say a favourite make of last year for me.  It is my Burda shirt 6849, I have made many times before and this is an Art Gallery fabrics cotton poplin, I really loved the print although it is narrow so I had to be a bit creative with the pieces.  The inside collar stand is in plain pink as is the inside back yoke panel.  I literally had crumbs of fabric left after cutting out so that was really satisfying. 

I have a video about the other makes I have made from this pattern and if you are interested in seeing that the link is below. 

  Find the video here https://youtu.be/qvfRdF7lgpE

Now as far as the new year goes I am starting by letting something go, now that may seem an odd place to start but really we need to make room for things.  If we always just add on more and more each year we end up feeling overwhelmed and not doing any of it. 

The thing I am letting go is my Duo Lingo in Spanish, now I have been learning for years I never travel abroad any more and have no one to practice with.  I have done it daily, mostly for the past few years and was learning by cds and books long before that.  Can I speak it, a little bit, if someone speaks in spanish at full speed I can't get anything but the odd word.  So you really need to be speaking any language regularly to learn to speak it.  I am not saying I will no longer dabble and look at my books or do it occasionally.  I have realised though that I spend an awaful lot of time every day doing something that gets me very little progress.  I am going to spend that time on something else.

I will be adding a course of some kind over the next few weeks I just haven't decided on what  yet, I like to learn so I will enjoy looking what is on offer.

Next I am going to try Huberman Labs, daily light viewing morning and twilight so I will let you know if this helps my sleep, which is terrible currently.

I will continue doing a little art each week, in what ever form takes my fancy, just for me.

Also ongoing is my dressmaking scrap book, I have kept this going all year logging everything.  There are a few missing photos where I sent event garments back and forgot to take an image but I did still log the project and fabric.  I will show this book in the next post if anyone would like to see it.

So just a few add ons for me, I hope you all have a wonderful year, take care. 

December Catch Up

 Hello everyone I hope you are doing well, it has been a while.  I have had little motivation to post here mainly because as I have said before there seems to be very little in the way of traffic these days and I know I had comments stating that yes blogs are still read these days but the stats show otherwise. It is another on my list of things to do and I suppose I need to get back into the mind of it being something for me to document on and stop wondering about if these is an audience?  Of course it is not fpr profit so it makes very little difference but I suppose it is that feeling that we have, that what we are doing has some use, a purpose and we all want that don't we. 

So December is quite for us and not the chaotic rush it is for some families, we are having my mum for Christmas day  and my older son also joins me, my husband and youngest son.  This did used to be a bigger get togther but now my dad has passed away and mother in law it has shrunk somewhat. 

We don't do any parties, or mad Christmas shopping.  I have to admit to missing the children in school around Chritsmas time,  when I worked in School there was always so much going on and the excitement of the little ones was quite contagious.  I do not miss some of the staff getting all bent out of shape thinking that the nativity play was a west end show and that every child should be perfect however!  

We are going to see the film Napolean at the cinema, that is our one night out and other than that I will be reading , sewing and walking the dogs.  That is my kind of holiday.  

Here are a few of my recent makes to catch you up on the sewing side of things...

This sweatshirt was a Minerva brand ambassador make and I used a McCall's  8070 pattern, john Louden fur back sweatshirting.  I recycled the cord from my stash of things taken from old clothes so that was a win. It is very warm and cosy so it has been worn lots already.

I also made a hoody for my husband in grey...

This particular one is a Simplicity pattern 9240 again this is getting lots of wear I feel like I am finally making some things are in constant rotation as I love all the pretty dresses but they don not get worn as much do they,

These jeans are to back to minerva but I couldn't help sharing them, I will make another for me.  There has been quite a few makes for minerva that I can't share but they will be coming up at some ppoint on their channel or minerva at youtube.

Next was the Davenport dress that I made as a blouse, I extended the bodice pieces and also left off the frill detail this time.  I am very happy with this and love the fabric, it is also available in black which is also very cute.

That is just a few makes as I said I can't share all mainly because they are for kits which are not out yet. 

In reading I have had a couple of good reads, The Incendiaries by R. D. Kwon,  The Hemlock Cure by Joanne Burn and most recently Kindred by Octavia E, Butler now this one is quite harrowing but a really good story and also make me think that the Time Travellers Wife idea may have come from this.  They do always say there are no new stories just old ideas rewritten, who knows.

Well I hope you have a wonderful Christmas whatever you are up to, or break if you don't celebrate it and I will be back with you in the new year. I am going to think of a challenge for myself to get back my blogging mojo.  Take care.