Things are still growing on the allotment

Three week ago when I was on the allotment, nothing much was happening with the few cauliflowers I had planted earlier this year, lots of leaves and tiny curds no bigger than a golf ball, but last Friday I went to the allotment and to my surprise there was an enormous cauliflower, when I looked closer I had 8 little cauliflower all growing nicely in the same bed too.  I could not resist bringing this one home for dinner.

It was wonderful covered with a cheese sauce, and yesterday Mike brought two more home, so guess what we had for dinner again?

The rabbits and guinea pig had some of the lovely green inner leaves and the chickens finished the outer leaves and all of the stalks, so nothing was wasted.  After a bad year for our vegetables the cauliflowers have done us proud finally.  I shall grow this variety again next year it's called Clapton.

I have been sewing, lots of things, but so much in the process and not finished yet, my waistcoat is done, I put the finishing touches to it earlier this week. I will have a number of things finished by next week, so lots of pictures to add.

Thinking of Spring

Last weekend I decided to cheer up the front door step and plant up the pots for spring.

My nephew gave me the pot on the right at the front as a thank you for making his curtains in September.  He also gave me some spring bulbs,  this last weekend I wanted to get it planted up.  I split the bulbs between the two smaller pots at the front and then topped them off with pansies and primulas.

The large pots at the back have some Balm of Gilead in and I wanted to keep that because it has a wonderful smell as you arrive at the door.  I just added  pansies and primulas to these pots, after cleaning out the summer bedding that was looking very sad. Because there are already bulbs in them from last year.

The weather has turned colder and the central heating has gone on, but there are still flowers in the garden trying their best to cheer the dull autumn days.

The greenhouse has been tidied up too and it is looking ready for the long cold winter ahead.  I plan on putting some bubble wrap around the inside of the glass just in case it gets too cold this year.

A good day with my needles and pins

Yesterday I pieced together my waistcoat for my City and Guilds course.  I was pleased with how much I managed to do, I finished the top stitching and then did a sample of the  bound button holes, the sample I did went well.

 So I decided to work on the fabric, it was slow going but I think they are all OK! I found working in the navy on a dull day quite difficult, another time I think a good sunny day would be better.  Even with two good lights over the work it still made it extremely difficult.

Once the button holes were completed, I put on the back belt and started to stitch the side seams.

Once the lining is in tomorrow I will take a picture of the finished waistcoat to show off my work.  I am really pleased with the way it is turning out. Now I need to turn my attention to my jacket.

Sewing for men is different from sewing for women. Different skills and different techniques



My new Wednesday course doing Men's Tailoring it brilliant, I'm enjoying every minute, the 2 hours in the class just speeds by, but I've managed to cover so much already in just three lessons. I'm starting by making Mike a Linen jacket.  I purchased the fabric at the Sewing Exhibition in Shepton Mallet earlier in the year, it's a good thing this summer was not the right weather to wear it as I'm only just starting it.

 

 

With the pattern selected and toile cut out and fitted, it's time to see where it needs adjusting.  Mike has long arms, so they will have to have some added fabric when I amend the pattern.  It looks a bit big across the shoulder, so a little needs to be taken in there.

Also something needs doing about the cross back area. Once the toile is adjusted and refitted, then it's time to get cutting in the Linen fabric.

I went to Dorren's sewing classes almost twenty years ago to learn to sew for men and to do ladies tailoring, she taught me a lot, but over the years I've forgotten the techniques and skills needed to make clothes for me.  So a refresher was needed.  I was so pleased when she agreed to take me on again, I know I'm not an easy student.  I like a challenge and always want to stretch my learning to the limits, so it makes me a challenge for the tutor. I've been surprised how once I started again, things keep coming back to me, I do remember after all.

Everything I stitch 'seams' to be blue

Everything I am sewing at the moment has a blue theme.  The work for my City and Guilds submission pieces have the theme of Moody Blues.  And when I look at all the things I have stitch over the last few weeks, the blue theme is in every thing.

This 1947s jacket is a Vogue pattern, but I have modernised it with a 2012 twist, its made from curtain fabric because I could not find any blue wool at the time and all the seam lines are piped, it took a long time to do, but it looks great on.



 

 

 

Now I just need something to wear it with and somewhere nice to go.

 

Working on my City and Guilds

I'm making a jacket, waistcoat and trousers, all in blue for my City and Guilds, I have enjoyed making lots of sample garments before I settled on the final design ideas.

 

This is the waistcoat pattern all drafted out, tested out on a sample waistcoat and ready to cut out.

After my trip to the Birmingham Museum in May to see the exhibition 'Style Africa' I have wanted to find some African prints to work with.  I was really pleased when I found these fabrics from The African Fabric Shop at the NEC when I went to the Quilt Exhibition there in August.  I chose four different prints and aim to put them together into a patchwork jacket.  I will add more photos as the work progresses.

 

 

New Tailoring Course

 

Three weeks ago I started to revise my gent's tailoring skills, doing another course with Doreen again, to refresh my men's tailoring knowledge.  I learnt to make clothes for men with Doreen nearly 20 years ago at a local sewing class she was teaching.   I've been busy at school for many years and not really done much men's sewing for a while.  So I decided it was time to have ago again, and who better to teach me! So I made enquiries and joined a class she is now running, for one afternoon a week, photos to follow, to chart my progress on the first of what I hope will be many future garments.

 

Five hours on the allotment and still loads more to do

At last we have been able to get outside and work on the allotment, after so much rain recently, the ground has been unworkable. Finally today we left here at 10 a.m. and returned at 3 p.m.  I have put in the runner beans, some cauliflower, chard, sweet corn, broad beans and two pumpkins.  The weeds are growing fast with all the rain and all the work done a few weeks ago has been wasted, as the weeds are up again.

The bed here has the cauliflower in, I read recently if you put rhubarb leaves on the surface of the soil it helps to prevent club root, which I do know we have on part of the plot, so I thought I'd give it a go and see what happens, the rest of the rhubarb will go in a pie for dinner tonight!  The second bed only has the cat mint in, its clear and ready for my broccoli and red cabbage, I hope to put that in sometime next week.  The broad beans are in the next bed, I've experimented with the way I stake them this year as last year they took up all of my canes, staking them singly.  This time I've staked the ends of the rows and wound string from one stake to the other at each end then tied in every bean, will it work I wonder.

The neighbours plot is disgraceful, it makes me so annoyed that people are allowed to let their plots get in this state.  Since they took it on last autumn they have hardly done a thing. No vegetables or flowers are growing on the plot.  I am sure there is someone out there who badly wants a plot and can't get one, someone who would be glad of this plot and enjoy working on it and growing their own lovely fresh veg. What a waste!

Just look at this



Our Jubilee Tea Party

To celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee our local school had a parade around the neigbourhood yesterday at 11.30.  I did not want to miss the children in their Jubilee outfits, so I asked a few neighbours if they would join us on the front drive for a cup of tea and a cake and to watch the parade at the same time. They all thought it was a great way to join in the celebrations.

We set out tables and chairs Margaret made a cake and Michelle brought some red, white and blue cup cakes, David next door put up some bunting across the gardens and I made the tea and scones.  We settled down to a tea party and a grand view of the parade. Everyone had a really enjoyable time.  The children cheered and waved their flags, so many stopped to say hello.  It was great as all the passers by and many of the teachers spoke to us and everyone was taking pictures.  

Thank you Coppice School, let us know when you have another parade and we will be there to watch.