NEW YEAR PROJECTS

I've just started this camel jacket for a friend, it is a commercial pattern, but I've adapted it to make it a little longer.  She did not like the patch pockets of the pattern and I was inclined to agree.  I experimented and have incorporated the pockets into the side bodice panel and it has worked well. We are both pleased with the results and the look.

Once the jacket is completed I will put some more photos here and include some of the details in close up. It was quite a straight forward garment to construct apart from the sleeves, which not only add extra class to the jacket but gave me a bit of a challenge with their construction which was fun.

Thanks for the pattern Elaine

My friend in Spain sent me a pattern to make a Cloche Hat in September, it was quiet here on Tuesday afternoon, and look what I made! I found the trims in Hobbycraft yesterday, and stitched them on last night.  Now I'm off shopping to show it off.

Thank you Elaine



My coat was made back in November, I found the fabric in my cupboard, where I keep all the fabrics I buy that I will make up one day!! (Sewers will know what I mean.)  I wanted a coat to keep me warm when I'm out walking to the local shops, but big enough to allow me to wear one of the chunky jumpers my sister knits underneath.

Box Making is Fun

This week in the evenings I have been making this box, I've had the kit in the cupboard for a few years since I bought it at an Sewing Exhibition at the NEC. It was time I got it out and make it up. I am pleased with the finished box, but what I shall keep in it, who knows. Any ideas please?

Christmas Presents and Corset

In December I was busy making everyone presents for Christmas, I did not  take any photos as they were all supposed to be secret. However, I did finish my sisters corset, she chose the fabric back in August, when she came to visit, I made it up for her and she tried it in November during her next visit.  I have finished it now and am happy to show it off.

We now need to make a skirt and jacket and the outfit will be complete to wear in February to Sophie's Birthday Party. Sophie is my niece, the model in some earlier photos this year.

When I went to visit my sister last week, I took a toile of the dress Sophie wants made for her party.  She will be 21 next month and wants a special dress. The toile needs a few alterations but it is going to look good when its done.

Christmas Day

A lovely quiet Christmas the tree went up late,  as usual it was covered with our collection of birds and the embroidered angels I did about 15 years ago, they come out every year! I started  watering the tree and feeding it when it went outside after last Christmas. Although it lost a lot of needles in May and I thought it was dying, so I put it in the border in the garden out of the way and in the shade and almost forgot about it, then one day in August I noticed it has put on a lot of new growth, so I brought it back out into the sunshine on the patio and gave it lots of care, watering it and feeding it again and it lives to serve its purpose for another year.

A few days before Christmas I watched Lorraine Pascale on TV and had to rushed up the allotment to get some leeks and to Sainsburys to get some Cranberries so I could do her nut roast pie, it turned out brilliantly, I could not believe the pastry would stand up!!  But it did and the pie tasted wonderful, I shall certainly try it again.

For the recipe look on the bbc website and type in 'Vegetarian nut roast pie with cranberries'

A new arrival and a sad loss.

Our new baby joined our family of pets in August and is growing fast. He was so small, we had to keep him in a carry basket for the first two weeks in the sitting room.

We call him Marmite although he is not completely black, he is a light brown underneath. We are calling him, him, as we don't know whether he is a boy or a girl yet. Still to early to tell, he is five months now and is being spoilt.

At the beginning of the month we lost out lovely Alice, she was almost nine years old, which is good for a rabbit, but it does not make her departure any easier.  I have to say she was my favourite. A wonderful bunny. Rescued over 6 years ago, she came to join the family and was very loving. A very cuddly bunny.

Time to Sew

Over the last few months there has been a lot going on, on the plot and in the sewing room.

I've made three of these dresses and they looked great on the 'big day'. There will be more pictures to add just as soon as the bride sends them to me. 

The girls looked lovely with their completed outfits. Duchess satin dresses with organza and net belts which were beaded to match the two older bridesmaids dresses. 

Each dress had a 1950's style petticoat, which was fun to make.

A very busy Summer - Sewing and Growing

How quickly the time has passed since my last post!   I have done so much sewing and work on the allotment, where shall I begin. This collection of plants in the picture above, was put out on the allotment at the beginning of July.  Just look at the results we have had this year.

I'm so pleased with the produce this year, the beans, courgettes and cauliflowers have been the best.  As well there have been cucumbers and tomatoes from the greenhouse and the orangery.  Whats more we are still cropping things like crazy. We have not started on the pumpkins or cabbages yet.

I've made meals to put in the freezer, pickled vegetables, made chutneys, jams and loads of sorbets. There is nothing like the taste of your own vegetables fresh from the ground. The raspberries just keep grown and now the blackberries are ready too.  Blackberry and apple jam is next on the agenda!

The flowers have also done well, this basket is past its best now, but all the baskets have been far better this year than I have managed in the past.

Sewing Projects

I've done some doodles in my sketch book for an embroidery design I want to put on a light weight jacket.  (Next time I'll use a darker pen.  I'm learning all the time!!)

 I cut out the back of the jacket in the main fabric, in wadding and in muslin, it's larger than I need because I will sandwich the fabric together and quilt my design on to the three layers using the sewing machine. I have basted the fabrics together using large tacking stitched, this will hold the fabrics when I am sewing the design and hopefully stop it moving about.

Here I wanted to experiment to find a way to transfer the design onto the fabric ready for sewing. I tacked a centre line down the back to lay the pattern on,  I traced over the design in my sketchbook using tracing paper and cut out the first section of the tracing paper, pinned it on to the fabric and tacked around the pattern to use as a sewing guide.  Next I shall stitch it on the sewing machine. This can be seen later.

I'm working on three bridesmaids dresses for a wedding on 1st October.  The dresses are almost complete and as soon as the wedding is over I will publish the pictures of the dresses on the blog.  I am making petticoats to go under the dresses at the moment just as soon as they are finished.  I will photograph them and show how they are made.