Only in the UK...

After returning from a lovely family holiday in Dorset, it struck me when I was unpacking that we had taken (and used!) a vast assortment of items.  From hats and hand warmers, sunglasses, suncream, shorts, skirts to leggings, long boots, fleeces and wellies - almost four seasons in one week.  After the terrible bout of wet weather the UK has experienced in the last month, only 2 wet days out of 7 was marvellous!!

Years of UK holidays when growing up has made me resilient and resourceful and I am reaping the rewards now.  I remember building dams in the drizzle and rain in a Snowdonian stream behind our home for the week - in fact, this was the same holiday where we experienced earth tremors from an earthquake in nearby Porthmadog.  I even remember galloping Miranda- like everywhere when all I could think about was horses and looking forward to going riding on holiday.  It never did me any harm and did wonders for the imagination - this might not be true for kids now as they rely on gadgets, games and gizmos far too much.

Ship ahoy!

and another one!
I seem to have hit a bit of a hiatus on the craft front.  I'm in between crochet projects and have both too many ideas and projects ready to go - I'm not sure what to start first but may opt for an easy project that requires a low level of concentration.

On the sewing side of things, I have just made the brave (code for foolish) decision to embark on a dress that has to be ready for a fast approaching deadline - this was early June but now moved to July.  When you can't find the style or colours you like on the high street, plus not having the budget to blow either, I am going to have to take matters into my own hands.

I love this Simplicity pattern 2927 for either a dress or tunic.  The beauty of the Project Runway patterns is that you can really put your mark on a garment as there are plenty of design tips and almost limitless possibilities.  I even drew up a croquis for this pattern and also for Simplicity 2588 as I was torn between the styles.














I've done much scouring of the shops and internet alike for smart frocks and I was staggered when looking in a local boutique at the prices being charged for the simplest of styles.  On closer inspection, I really find it hard to justify the price when the quality of finishing and sometimes the fabric does not fit the exorbitant price tag.  Anybody would think I was an expert seamstress but I like to think that I have quite exacting standards.

Polished cotton in a sophisticated  black and creamy beige

I've found a gorgeous classic fabric with a paisley design in my local fabric shop and am going to get cracking and cut the pieces out over the next week.  I have to make sure I have plenty of time to pin it and cut it out in the one session - with a little person and three cats on the prowl I have to make it an evening job.  Oh how I would love a hobby room but that's just a distant dream...

I will keep you posted on the progress of this and hopefully will get my crafty mojo back up and running.  If I could only decide whether to make myself a cardigan, finish a hexagonal block cushion or ... I think I may be tempted into making a cardigan for my rapidly growing daughter as this has the added benefit of being smaller therefore quicker gratification.  Oh decisions, decisions ...

Japanese Knot Bag

I have been meaning to make one of these for months, when I first got the January 2012 issue of 'Making' magazine.  

I have even had the pattern pieces for the shoulder size bag cut out for over a fortnight to give me the added kick up the bum to make it as I think it may be a fairly quick make.  The atrocious UK weather has made me get my act together and what better rainy day project than this?  Especially when I plan on using it on our upcoming holiday to Dorset.  I am just hoping that our 'drought' stricken country will be having some better weather soon...

an action shot...

I have used some camouflage butterfly print cotton for the outside with an oddment of bright turquoise burnout fabric for the lining.  This bag is reversible though which makes is even more of a versatile fun project.  You can have one side slightly more plain and have one side really wild and funky for when   you need to put a smile on your face.


This is a really quick make and probably took me a (leisurely) hour and a half - by which I mean that included drinking a cup of tea and eating a Kit Kat.  I like to enjoy myself totally when sewing!...

And here it is,  the finished article.  Perfect bag for chucking in any bits and bobs, odds and sods, and the way the long handle passes through the short one is genius as it stops any things dropping out.  However,  I would use interfacing on at least one side of the bag to help retain the shape and integrity of the bag.

book, phone, crochet hook, yarn, etc...

Unfortunately, I have discovered to my cost that this is the perfect size for a cross body version for a nearly 5 year old!  It is just the right size for a couple of princesses, a teddy bear, a note book and pen and a tube of Smarties...


When I make this bag again, I think I may make the actual body of the bag slightly larger just to accommodate all the extra odds and sods.  I know the best solution would be not to carry so much crap round but its amazing what you find you need and/or get asked to out in your bag. 


I have imminent plans to make an evening version of the hand bag sized one  - I think a nice black velvet or similarly posh bit of fabric with something a bit wild for the lining.  I can also see the use of sparkly bits on it too and I may also want to slim the handles down a little depending on the fabric choice.  


Right, now for the next item on my sewing to do list....

Elephants and humans

I just had to run up another Sorbetto top in this quirky elephant print fabric.  In a neutral beige colourway, I thought this could be worn with similar neutrals, my uniform de rigeur - jeans - and layered with a cardi of any colour.

I had a steep learning curve and now fully understand why more fabric is needed for one-directional prints!!  Sometimes its the only way to learn...As I splashed out and bought one whole metre of the fabric, I had to get inventive to avoid having either the front or the back of my top with upside down elephants.  I decided to to sew an additional strip at either side of the fabric before folding to create the necessary extra width.  As these are next to the side seams, they are somewhat hidden.  Not too bad a job...

I was also brave when sewing the bias binding at the neckline.  As it was 1 inch wide instead of the 1/2 inch suggested, I thought I would definitely be able to catch both front and back in one sweep.  Ta da...success!


I also added two lengths of cream lace to each side of the central pleat and sewed this through both the edge of the pleat and the front.  This has the added bonus of securing the pleat and making ironing that much easier.  Marvellous!!

On another note, I am losing my faith in human kindness/courtesy, call it what you will.  Is it so very hard for people to make eye contact, smile, hold doors open, register other road users??  Are these people happy?  Is everyone so full of their own self-importance that they can't spare the seconds/minutes for these small acts of civility?  My hopes were raised this morning when a dog walker greeted me with a smile and a cheery 'morning' on my return from the school walk - only to be dashed later on by a lady driver who seemed to forget the rules of the road and someone who let a shop door close right in front of me .  Do you find this problem or are people happier in your part of the world?  OK, enough, rant over.


On a positive note, Mr B is currently enjoying the luxury of a French carp fishing holiday courtesy of an Australian businessman.  Largely thanks to my writing an excellent recommendation, I nominated him as a deserving member of HM Armed Forces and guess what?!... he was picked!!  And  now I am a fishing widow again... although strictly speaking its my own fault.


We are both astounded and overwhelmed that a previously unknown individual would wish to make such a massive appreciative and generous gesture and I must say, it does restore my faith in (some people's) human kindness.

Prioritising my must make pile

I really must stop looking at patterns as I keep finding more to inspire me to spend more time at my sewing machine.

Because of the success of my top using the free Collette Sorbetto top, I have made the couple of modifications to the pattern pieces that I felt would perfect the fit for my shape, blogged about here.

This gorgeous elephant on beige cotton fabric has inspired me to test the new and improved version.  I love this top by Great Plains but apart from the price tag, I was put off by the flimsy quality of the fabric - I mean, really, its hard to justify!!  I am toying with the idea of either a bow or ruffle detail at the neckline as I love this Simplicity pattern, that I first noticed on Little Betty's blog.

This striped fabric is just fab and so my colours and may also get the Sorbetto treatment.  The fabric reminds me of a FatFace top that I have and I may try to style the details similar to it.  I will keep you posted as work progresses...

This beautiful weighty marocain fabric in a mosaic pebble print is crying out to be made into a dress.  As I skimped a bit on the amount I bought, I have limited my pattern options.  I do have a great vintage pattern in mind though...

I fell in love with this beige paisley print last year at the Knitting and Stitching Show at the NEC, Birmingham.  The colours are great and any one of them can be picked out and highlighted by wearing with, say, a turquoise cardigan or shrug.  I see me wearing this with skinny jeans or leggings...

Now, please, can someone seriously invent some extra hours in the day...and also the other slight problem is my little mini me wants me to make her something in the same fabric.  Will have to put my thinking cap on and plan wardrobes so we don't co-ordinate.


As they say, imitation is the greatest form of flattery..and at least I have one keen fan...

Summer top

What with all this beautiful spring weather we have had (this really better not be the extent of our summer!), I have been inspired to make this super easy Colette Sorbetto top, available as a free download.  I have been following one blog in particular for some time now, and following this post on her version, I decided to add some extra length to the top as I seem to have a longer body and add extra length to any cardi, top....

As the top only uses less than a metre of fabric, you really can't go wrong and would be a good pattern for first timers.  There really is nothing more satisfying than practising as you go and being able to come out with an item as a reward.  There is also no limit to the details or personal touches you can add to this top and I love some other examples of this top on this blog.  


My wonderful mum recently bought me a remnant of some great Paul Smith striped shirting on her recent visit to the NEC Birmingham.  Just my luck this clashed with the weekend of the craft fair I did plus the hottest days of 2012....


I had to face using bias tape (aargh! first attempt a few months ago was disastrous!) to edge the neck and the sleeves of this tape.  Instead of using the method of using this best only attempted bu expert sewers, I went back to basics and used the slightly lengthier method that produces the best results.   More haste less speed as they say....

I have had this gorgeous, very old length of dainty crochet flower trim sat waiting for the perfect project and the dusky pink stripe and beige fabric needed just a bit of a feminine slant.

I pinned the string of flowers inside the bias tape on the front of the top only before sewing.  The addition of three buttons that were just too perfect to be true on the vertical pleat section gave the top some gorgeous details that helped lift the fabric.  You can't see from the photo but the buttons are cream with a sweet dusky pink daisy.

And voila!  A unique vintage style top that is just so comfy and wearable.   I will definitely be making more using this pattern although there are a few minor modifications I would make.  And I also think sleeves would also be lovely and as I love a challenge, I think I will draft my own to add.   The possibilities are endless.....watch this space.....

Bags of fun...

Now I love Cath Kidston bags and fabric designs but I just couldn't justify the hefty price tag for my favourite Print day bag.  I was also amazed that on closer inspection, there were no handy pockets inside - one zipped internal pocket but no mobile phone pocket!  I mean, please!...who wants to be scrabbling around inside a cavernous bag with tons of mummy clutter and totally random things inside, just to have the phone stop ringing the moment your fingers close on the little bugger!


So when I saw this imitation style floral oilcloth bag at a recent craft fair, I couldn't part with my cash fast enough, especially when I found a zipped pocket and not one but two suitable pockets for phone, pens, nail file, etc....


However, after using it a couple of times, I soon discovered that the nasty nylon lining was not user friendly and the mobile pocket was a bit skimpy now all these large touch screen phones are in vogue.   So, cue me and a pair of scissors for a bit of minor surgery...

As I already had a bundle of Cath Kidston fabric, I measured up the bag and cut the fabric for two sides, a gusset and not one , not two but three pockets!!!  And I even made the phone pocket to the exact optimum size..

In under an hour, I had made the new lining, which was essentially two large rectangles as the sides, pockets placed to suit on each side and with one long strip sewn to 3 sides of each of these.  I pressed the top edge to the wrong side around the top and then hand sewed the new lining to the remaining scant edge of the old lining.  I was glad that I had left this as it was the simplest and neatest way in which to attach the new lining without having to go to the lengths of removing and replacing the zip.  I can imagine that oil cloth is a bit of a pain to work with and didn't want to give myself too much work.

As you can see, I now have a totally unique look a like bag that has the added plus of some genuine Cath Kidston fabric in it to boot.  Happy days!!

I can't think of a better way to while away a couple of hours on a sunny spring day while looking after a poorly 4 year old.  We were sharing the table with my (tiny) half with its sewing machine and Faye's (huge!) half covered in playdoh, cutters, rolling pin, etc.   


Now let's just hope that I don't find a chunk of playdoh and a cutter in my new bag.....

Counting down the days...

4 days and counting until I do my first craft fair this Sunday.....a few restless and busy nights ahead I'm sure but fingers crossed to it being a success.  


I am fairly well prepared although there is bound to be something I have overlooked but isn't that what life's all about?....one big learning curve after another.


Now the weather is finally starting to stay a bit more spring like, I can't wait to get stuck into some sewing as I have a growing project list.  There just never seems to be enough hours in the day....


If you decide to pop along on Sunday, be sure to come and say hello...

The Perfect Cake...

Could this be just about the perfect cake?  


This is my solution to the problem of what type of cake to make and keep everyone happy when half the family want chocolate and the rest (that's me!) want a stripy cake.   Stripy cake is what my daughter calls a traditional Victoria sponge cake with jam and buttercream.  The jam in this case was plum.  


As usual in our house, the cake did not last long so perhaps not the perfect cake - this would need to be an everlasting cake that magically appears.  The frequency with which I have to make cakes is probably my own fault as I seem to have got it down to a fine art.  Obviously I was taught by a true baking genius.....my mum!!  The recipe is basic but with a few hidden tweaks but I'll keep those secrets close to my chest....


Have still been busy crafting and sewing a new skirt which I will finish and photo soon.