Abstract Winter Dress

Today while it snowed outside I finished a dress I have had sitting on my sewing table all week.  There is no particular reason for my current sewing dry spell, I suppose it is just one of those things. I have to say that once I sat down and got on with it I enjoyed it as I always do but it is the getting started that seems to be eluding me lately.

The fabric for this dress is my Minerva Crafts test piece for the month, I was very pleased to get this through the post as it is just the thing for winter with a good heavy feel to it.  I made it up using a McCall's pattern from the selection my friend gave me.

This is a lovely fabric to work with and it is also available in a grey and red pattern. It doesn't fray and I always think that is a bonus as there are some fabrics that create such a mess as you work with them  it spoils the fun.

I have know idea what I was doing in this photo but I thought I had better save most of the photos for my Minerva post.

This week I have also finished reading this book, about halfway through I got into it and really wanted to find out what happened to the main character Frankie ( who is struggling with her mental health) but unfortunately it doesn't really go anywhere.  I have noticed on Amazon there are quite a few five star reviews for this book but I found it disappointing.  It is clearly well put together as I wouldn't have stuck with it otherwise but I am a bit old fashioned in that I like a book to arrive at some sort of conclusion and this one doesn't.  There are also black and white photographs throughout the book of dead animals, linked to the characters project of photographing them.  I assume this is also symbolic of her internal mental state but I just found that unpleasant. Oh I clearly didn't get it so no, not for me.  Feel free to comment whether you enjoyed it or not.

I saw some really nice wool the other day and I was tempted to buy that to do some crochet, however I didn't know what I wanted to make with it so no idea how much to buy.  As it was I just left it, my husband keeps saying just get things when you see them. The trouble is there is no point getting it with no project in mind, it was King Cole chunky tweed so if you have any ideas of an easy project for me let me know and I will treat myself from my unspent birthday money.


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Tidy Finds

Hello, well it is so cold now that I really don't want to go very far, I am quite happy to be home once I get in from work so other than walking the dogs we haven't been very far at all.  I have been doing more organising of cupboards and it does feel better to be able to see what is in them.  My husband has also got involved and sorted two mess drawers and the cupboard next to the fridge.  This last tidy up found two long forgotten books at the back of the cupboard and it was like getting a little gift!  The first one I bought many years ago and will come in extra handy now that I have a greenhouse (I'm looking forward to spring when I can use it again).  The book is by Geoff Hamilton if any of you remember his show from years ago.

I think we must have put it away years ago and forgotten all about it, so much information in one book.   The second book is full of pasta dishes and really is a lovely book, I remember I got it when I was a member of a book club a long time ago.  It has lots of meat dishes that I won't eat and the recipes are for wheat pasta but I think I can use the recipes for inspiration to make vegan, gluten free dishes, I'll let you know how that goes!

So due to the tidy bookcase that has had seven books removed and taken to the charity shop, these two books have been given a proper place.

My car has decided it does not like the cold, it came to a juddering stop yesterday but then managed to restart after a little rest, I've booked it in for a check-up and service better to be safe I think.  I know the feeling, these cold mornings are really not my thing at all so that must be fuelling all the nesting activities.

A colleague of mine told me today that there has been an increase in the number of donations made to charity shops since Christmas, supposedly off the back of the Marie Kondo organising craze.  This is good news for them I think, hopefully the people donating will not go and buy lots of mass produced items to replace what they gave away.

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A Thrifty New Blind

This week I thought I would share with you how I revamped the roller blind in my son's bedroom, in an ideal world I would have taken step by step pictures but as it was a spur of the moment job I didn't.   I only went in the room the open the window and let some air in (teenagers!) but while I was there I thought the blind was  looking a bit grubby so I thought I would make use of some fabric that was gifted from a friend.

I have recycled my roller blinds before in this way and last time it was the bathroom one.  My only problem with this latest job is that I didn't quite have enough lining in one piece so there is a join.  The join behind is visible as the light shines through,  but never mind it is still clean and fresh.  I had to line it as it is for a bedroom and the main fabric  is light in colour.

So you can just see the faint line behind where I had to join the fabric, my son didn't mind he is pleased with it.

On this particular blind the tube is plastic so what I did was lay all the fabric out on the original blind, pin it to the lining using the original as a pattern piece then when I had stitched all the seams I cut the original fabric away from the tube a few inches away from it.  Then I handstitched my new fabric to the old at the top.  This was going to be rolled over so it didn't matter.  If you had some special glue that would stick fabric to plastic there wouldn't be any need for this step, but I didn't.  On the previous blind I made over the tube was heavy duty cardboard, on that one I stapled the fabric to the tube.
A  little channel at the bottom ensures you can slot the bottom baton back in.  I have to say this job was complete in under an hour and didn't cost me a penny, just a little of my time.

This job was made a little easier due to this little extension  my husband made for my sewing table.  It stops the fabric falling off the end and the leg pulls out and the table folds down when it is not in use.  I love it and again it was made from odd bits that  we already  had.  The leg is in fact part of an old windbreak.

At the recommendation of a friend I have been watching the Marie Kondo show about tidying and decluttering. As I read the book when it came out I knew what the basics were but the show's focus is more on the families.  I have watched a few but it is one of those shows where once you have seen one it is all pretty much the same.  I love the folding methods but I am a person that likes to re-use and there seems to be a lot of emphasis on getting stuff out of the house. Now I don't think we should hang on to everything but if we always got rid of things that were not immediately in use then we wouldn't get the chance to recreate and recycle.   I also suppose it is a matter of style because a plain room containing nothing but a sofa and a TV is not a welcoming space to me, it feels devoid of all personality.

I am fully back into the going to work routine, it's funny how quickly the holiday is a distant memory. I keep taking a few minutes to read my book in the evening.  I am currently reading The Choice by Edith Eger, I ordered it form the library and gives her account of her experiences as a prisoner during the war and the mindset that got her though it.   I have nearly finished it so I am on the lookout for my next read, any suggestions anyone, nothing gory though!

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New Look Jacket and Top Combo

Happy new year everyone, I hope you all had a relaxing time over the Christmas period and are all ready and eager to take on the new year.  Thank you for reading and all your lovely comments I look forward to seeing what all of you make during the coming months.

Yesterday I made up the top from New Look pattern K6532, I shared a little about this last week when I cut it all out, it made up quickly and with just a little tweaking to make it more fitted I know it will be a favourite.  I wore it today and it is very comfy, just a couple of images to share as it is for a Minerva post.

I have also made the jacket from the pattern and I finished that today, I have to say they will not be worn together as it is a bit much but it was fun to try the jacket as it is completely different in shape to my usual style.

It is quite flared at the back. I think a plain top under it would be a better option. 

This morning when I got up I read Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, I really wanted to love it probably because I bought it!  I usually get most of my books from the library but had this one on my list so I thought I would have a treat. Oh dear, it just felt like the same message all the way through, and it is a good message but it didn't need a whole book.  The basic idea behind the book is that ideas are out there ready for us to make them real, if you have an urge to make something then do it, don't wait for the right time or permission from anyone else. That is it but said over many pages and in lots of different ways with anecdotes to accompany the points made.  I am in awe of anyone who can write and publish a book and get it out there so well done to her.  I really enjoyed Eat, Pray, Love  but not this book but hey, great job getting her ideas out there!

I am also in the middle of The China Study by T. Colin Campbell and that is fascinating I would urge anyone to read it who is interested in the impact of diet on health or if you are not into a heavy read at least look up the China Study on YouTube and the man himself.  I am sure there is lots of information on there.

By way of sewing I have some practical projects to get on with for friends over the next few days, curtain pelmets and zips.  For myself I plan to make a new shoulder bag over the next month.  I have seen a bag on the Desigual website that is £99 pounds!  The design is lovely so  I am going to make something similar, not exactly the same but taking inspiration from it.  There are a couple of bits of bag furniture I need to order and some bits will be recycled from materials I already have, I am quite looking forward to that.  Other than that my sewing over the coming months will be spontaneous, how about all of you? Do you plan for the year ahead what you will make or do you wait and see what you fancy?


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December

Hi there, I have been a little blog absent I know this past couple of weeks but it has been a funny month.  Just about everyone I know has had this awful cough/cold bug which has not been helped at work by the heating not working for the whole month!  It did finally get fixed a couple of days before we broke up for Christmas. Prior to that I had the sick bug at the end of November on my day off!  We did manage to get to the theatre at the start of the month to see Rock of Ages and that was fab, I mentioned that in my last post but I thought it was at least a positive start to the month despite all the germs flying around.

I did manage to take this photograph of the big wheel in Sheffield as we were coming out of the theatre and I thought it looked lovely all lit up.

We don't go into the city centre all that often not unless we have a specific purpose, my mum on the other hand goes a couple of times a week.  That was something we always did when I was a child, Saturday we went into town. Ok there was some food shopping to be done as there were not supermarkets everywhere back then but even as a teenager I went with my friends, it was as if we had been indoctrinated into the shopping as a hobby mindset.  It is not something I have ever done since, so our occasional trips often provide me with something new to see as everything changes so quickly.

My friends and I also has a trip out for afternoon tea this month at Wortley Hall as our little Christmas meet up, seeing my friends was lovely but the afternoon tea for me was a disappointment,  now if you have no special dietary need then it is fab because my friends got a lovely selection of food. They appeared to have just thrown a few bits together for me though, despite the fact that I let them know when I booked two weeks before, then again on arrival to be sure.  When they did bring my plate out my friend took this photo for me...

I look happy here but this was not my food!

So far so good but when I looked the sandwiches had meat in and that pudding is milk based, I explained I had the wrong plate and then had to wait about 25 minutes.  When it came back I had a sandwich containing just tomato, one with just cucumber and one just pepper with onion, the tall pudding was gone of course but not replaced this pitiful bit of food still remained £13.99 no offer of a reduction but saying that no one ever came back to ask if everything was ok we ended up paying at the reception desk as we left. This was a real shame as we had been before and they did a brilliant job that time making me up a vegan plate, it must depend on the chef, not that making sandwiches requires chef training.

In complete contrast to that experience I had an amazing Christmas lunch in school.  The cook did an incredible job catering for all the different needs of the children and staff, the food was so good and all for the price of a school meal.  So it just goes to show it is possible if she can do it on that grand scale.

I did treat myself to a new cookbook this month Cook, Share, Eat Vegan by Aine Carlin.  I have tried three things out of it already and they have all been tasty.  I am marking each page with a post- it as I go with the aim to try just about everything, I have had cook books in the past where I haven't made very much from them but I have a few by this author and they are usually good and the food is well balanced.  The post-it idea is to remind me to keep trying new things, I am also making little comments on them about the dishes.

We have visited family and had family over for Christmas lunch but  other than that no other outings over the Christmas period, we don't generally go out for New year either as we never have.  |That is all fine by me as we certainly won't have to worry about any huge bills come January.  I am happy to relax, walk the dogs, read and get a bit of sewing done.  Speaking of which this is what I am currently working on...

I am doing a long sleeved version of the top and the jacket may stay the same if it suits me, if not I will modify it a bit.
 The fabric was sent by Minerva crafts, also be sure to have a peak at my post on Saturday 29th December as my butterfly dress will be on the Minerva Crafts Blog then.

I hope you are all having a lovely relaxing time and are ready for the new year ahead, best wishes to everyone and thank you for reading.


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Handmade Gift

I finished another little crochet project last week but I have to say parts of it were pulled apart and redone about three times as the sizes of parts didn't work out!  I got the pattern from a link on pinterest but first of all everything came out ludicrously small,  then ok but the wings were the wrong size, (it's a penguin by the way) so more unravelling.  Well I know it could be me that did it wrong but after checking and redoing I gave up on the pattern and made it up as I went. I winged it.  (ha really bad I know)  So I did get there in the end and I'm quite attached to the little guy now, he is part of a themed gift for my friend's baby boy.

I have also made a little hooded jacket that I have appliqued penguins to the front and back, with mismatched buttons in pale blue and turquoise.  I really enjoyed making this and can think of a whole range of wildlife themed children's clothes I want to make, but steady on let's see if that fits him first.  As it is a surprise I couldn't ask for clothing to check against so I just did his age but a bit bigger.  Finally I ordered a nice picture book off amazon to go with the items.

I think adults are often hard to buy gifts for but there are so many lovely little things you can do for children.  My boys are not little any more but I used to love making them dressing up outfits as that was something they loved to do.  I also made toys from felt to go with characters from favourite books a few times.  

Here a few more pictures, sorry bad lighting time of year again!

 Here is the back of the jacket, I had to do the penguin low so the hood didn't cover him.

I decided on buttons because I thought a zip might a bit scratchy near his face.

The eyes are just stitched from wool, the original instructions (that I threw away) said use sew on eyes but I thought that may be dangerous,  so best to sew the effect of eyes instead.  My friend has been told not to peek at the blog as she sometimes reads it.  I hope it is all ok for him.  What gifts have you all been making?  I always love to read your comments.

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Sparkly Top for Mum

This last  week I made a gift for my mum using the fabric that was sent to me by Minerva Crafts I have only just forwarded their post so here is a quick peak.

Very shiny and right up her street as she loves a bit of sparkle, she has had the top now as I had a feeling she would want to wear it at Christmas and I was right. It hangs better on her as my mannequin is not at the right size in terms of shoulders.  I will share more when it is featured as the original post has photographs of her wearing it.

I am glad she likes it and now she likes that style she may be brave enough to choose some fabric for herself.  I have told her to do this but she always says 'oh but you are so busy'  no it's ok I say, have a look!

I have started a new little crochet project, something small so it is almost done, it would have been finished but today has been a catch up day.  Friday I was sick I had been up in the night being ill and we were supposed to go to the theatre Friday night!  Fortunately the show had a couple of seats left for Saturday so they let me transfer the tickets at a small cost as they were better seats.  So glad they did as we had this booked since March, the show was Rock of Ages and it was brilliant, if you like eighties rock with a comic twist you should try and get to see it.  So that is two weekends running I have been ill on Friday how rubbish is that?

The little project will be shared at a later date but I would quite like to make something wearable in the chunky yarn, I am keen to try out a larger hook. If anyone can direct me to a simple top in a chunky style that would be great.

Last week I finished reading Uprooted by Naomi Novik I really enjoyed this as it was another book of total escape.  In the theme of a grown up fairy tale style so completely out of the ordinary, I will not give too much away but the story follows Agnieska and her village by an enchanted forest, the Dragon is a wizard who must be served by a village girl for ten years. It is total fantasy so if you like to read about every day life then this is not for you, but for me a change in genre is good sometimes.
This week I have just started A Skinful of Shadows, this one is a YA novel but that doesn't bother me I have read some really good stories aimed at that audience.

We have just finished watching The Last Kingdom, I really enjoyed it though I did have to look away in parts (it is a bit blood thirsty) now I am on the look out for another series to watch.