Poppy Skirt

 This week I made a skirt from the burda September magazine  with a frill and a high/ low hem line.  I have had the fabric a couple of weeks and wanted to find just the right pattern for it.  The fabric is from Minerva and it is John Kaldor microfibre, when I first saw this pattern it looked on the layout instructions to be be cut on the bias.  It is not, just confusing diagrams! I never use the layout instructions anyway but had it been on the bias it would not have worked as the poppies would have been slanting.  On cutting the pattern pieces it became clear that they were on the straight grain so I could go ahead with this fabric.

I am very happy with it and feel that it can be worn summer or winter.

A summer look

An Autumn look

The fabric has a nice flow to it so it worked well with the frill, I also like the fact that after I had washed the fabric it didn't need ironing.  I have just washed some more fabric ready for my next projects I am trying to be more organised with this and not make up garments with unwashed fabric, sometimes my impatience has got the better of me. 

Earlier this week I started reading The Foundling by Stacey Halls, I bought this because I really enjoyed The Familiars last year.  So far I am struggling to get into it but I think that is because I enjoyed the Elena Ferante series so much everything I pick up now is being compared.   I finished Wakekenhyrst last week but I was not fully engaged with that either.

Yesterday my husband had booked a holiday day so we went out for lunch at a vegetarian cafe I have wanted to try for years, the food was tasty but on very small plates and for some reason my pot of tea was only luke warm (how do you get tea wrong??  Boiling water at least!)  As soon as we left my stomach was griping a little then I felt a bit odd later, in the middle of the night I was up and being sick! An awful feeling, I am a bit weak this morning and feeling robbed.  We went out for a treat and it made me sick and also ruined my day today, my husband has gone out on the bike and I felt too rough to join him. I don't want to leave a negative review as I don't want to affect someone's business in that way but I know it was a result of the food.  It sort of puts you off going out to eat.

My burda magazine for October came yesterday and I have to say there isn't really anything I want to make from this one.  It is an anniversary edition and all the clothes appear to be vintage and I am sorry to say quite ugly.  There is one skirt that I would say is modern but it of a style that I already make so I would not trace off a pattern I already know how to do, too much faffing.

I have still been busy collecting seeds I have picked up a couple of seed heads off a plant I passed in the street in town yesterday and just pooped them in my bag, I labelled it up unknown purple plant.  I will find out what it is if it takes next year by taking a picture and putting it on plant net.  I could have done that  yesterday but my husband was  already walking off in front and saying what are you doing?  Ha! They would have only blown on the concrete path so best I saved them I think. 

I am trying to avoid the news while at the same time I need to be aware what the latest rules are, I feel increasingly frustrated that while people are being told once more not to visit other households or meet in gardens, School staff such as myself and others are expected to be in close contact with a class full of children all day who all come from different households.  Meeting your own family from a different house and that is irresponsible is it??  But those twenty four families from the class, not to mention all the staff couldn't possibly pass it on could they?? It really doesn't make sense, yes I do follow the rules but it doesn't mean they are rational.

I'll stop ranting now,  take care everyone and have a good week.  

September Days

 This month is going well so far, the return to work has been going smoothly after the summer holiday and everyone appears to be back into the routine.  It is a bonus that there is still some daylight to be had at the end of the working day at the moment although the nights ado seem to be getting darker at quite a speedy pace.  We had a lovely day on Sunday thanks to the glorious weather, we had a walk around Elsecar Park with the dogs in the morning, then returned home for lunch then out on the bikes to Wentworth in the afternoon. We are making the most of the late sunshine.

I have photo's of both these places but they are on my husbands phone so I will have to share those later.  I have made a few things over the last few weeks but as I have been absent from my blog for a few weeks I am losing track of what I have shared!  The last thing I made was this little pinnie for a colleague at work, she wanted it for the class so she wouldn't keep losing her whiteboard pen and other bits and pieces.

Jo you may well recognise the purple piece of fabric!  Also the trim I really get the most out of all pieces of fabric that come my way. The butterfly patches are leftover from a wrap dress that I made.

The little apron has been worn and appreciated which is nice to see, I have also had more trousers to turn up for people, it must be that time of year certain things seem to come in groups.

The garden is still looking bright but many things are going to seed now, I sat the other evening just bagging up seeds for myself and a friend, just surrounded by bits of debris on the desk, it was quite relaxing.  I have brought in a few more dead heads just now to sort through.

My  friend brought some seeds for me today we have decided we will keep swapping and that way we will have lots of free plants (hopefully).

I listened to Normal People on audio last week, it was probably a bad choice to listen to out loud due to some of the events and language used. Also the female reader putting on a male Irish voice was quite off putting, still I finished it so I was interested to see how it ended but the whole book just felt sad and bleak to me.  Due to the topics raised it was, but it left me very unsettled so I am not sure I would recommend that one despite all the hype.

Further reading I am on the last book of the Neapolitan series  The story of the Lost child by Elena Ferante, I have loved these and will be sad when they end, highly recommend this whole series.

My last bag make was this one...

In other sewing I also made this little t-shirt for my friend's  son for his  birthday.

I just have not had the time to sit down and post anything here,  in fact I made the decision that while it was still light out I would not spend too much time on the computer and be sure to get out or do other things.    I redecorated my son's room a few weeks ago, there is just the ceiling to do as the plaster had to fully dry out.

Now I have bought grey cupboard paint to give my kitchen a facelift, it is just a case of when I will be brave enough to start as my main worry is if the paint is not durable and begins to get scratched.  It has had lots of good reviews so hopefully it will be hard wearing. 

Well that's all for now I hope you are having a good week, back soon. 

August...ing

 I thought I would do an 'ing' post as I am always stuck for a title, and it helps me sort my thoughts a little bit too.  I hope you are all having a lovely summer not that there is much of it left but lets grab a hold of the bit that is and make the most of it.   So here goes...

Riding my new bike, for the first time actually this morning.  My husband has been out on his quite a bit recently after converting it to an an e bike.  The problem from riding straight from our house to get any where was the hills coming back.  He has added this option just to use when you are shattered and need a boost getting up the hill.  It has worked for him as he can now go much further knowing that he can get back up many hills.  He wanted me to join him but I only normally do cycle paths, today was the first time for me on the actual road (with a bike that is, I do drive a car).  Sunday morning seemed a good idea to me and fortunately a lot of it was still cycle paths and canal paths.  We rode from out house to the city centre and around the canal paths there.  We did nineteen miles I know he would have done more without me but I enjoyed it.  It is now raining so we chose the best time.

So this above is Victoria Quays in Sheffield, quiet a few places where I was very close to the edge of the canal!

Listening to The Keeper of Lost Things, I am still undecided about listening to books in this way it is the voices that seem to annoy me.  Am I alone in that? Some of the narrators sound as if they are auditioning for Shakespeare and would you really read a book like that in your head, even with the non fiction books there seems to be too much emotion.  Well that aside the book is not bad.

Reading Those who leave and those Who stay by Elena Ferrante and  Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver, the first is digital and the second is in actual book form from the library as our library is now open for orders. 

Making quite a few things over the last few weeks, this last week I have made a dress from the burda August edition in a lovely stretch cotton jersey from Minerva.  I had to make quite a few changes, it was quite loose and sack like in shape so I have added shape and removed the back vent as that would have made it quite baggy. 

That little purple flower button was in my stash and it is just the perfect match  think.  I have also made some little coin purses and listed these in my etsy shop. 

They each have a little pocket inside for cards or notes.

Watching a German series on netflix called Biohackers, I really enjoyed this but it was only six episodes long.  It has been left as to make another series but worth a watch if you are wondering what to watch next. 

Planting some winter pansies and Viola, I am hoping that we will get a bit of colour from these in the winter months. I have some more lettuce on the go and Basil and my giant tomatoes are just starting to red.

Enjoying my last days of the summer holiday, I am really never bored and can never understand when people say they don't know what to do with themselves when they are  not at work.  

That is all for now, take care everyone.