Well and full of ideas and plans

So February passed in a blur of coughing, aching limbs and utter lethargy. Somehow this nasty bug sucked out all our energy and enthusiasm, even for eating! (That was its only bonus as it certainly helped my quest to shed a few pounds before the warmer weather gets here)

Then suddenly one morning I got up and actually felt like me! I really wanted to get stuck into some of those plans I had abandoned and even began to think of some new projects. My sewing room was calling again.

So what have I been up to.

First I made up a wearable toile of the 'Jocko' top from Ready to Sew. The only suitable fabric I had was some fleece, which was a bit thick, but it enabled me to see just how boxy the top was.

When you are like me and more of a triangle shape, tops that are too loose are not flattering and I found that I had to go down 2 sizes to make it work for me. Still loose and comfy, but not overwhelming. 

I really like this top and straight away ordered some striped French terry to make up a lighter version.  I think this really works well and it will certainly be a pattern I return to again.

Next I thought I had better tackle some of the costume work I still have to finish for the Chantry Dance Company, for their show Alice, Wonderland through the Looking Glass, later this year.

 It's coming along, though I can't reveal too much. If you're into contemporary dance check out their website to see if they will be performing near you.

And then of course it was world book day. Only one of my grandsons was involved this year, which was just as well as he didn't decide what he wanted to be dressed as until 2 days before the event. 

Amazingly the theme was Alice in Wonderland, in the air or under the ground. Well bless him our little man is potty about worms, but to make a costume he could manage in all day at school was a bit of a problem. Eventually mum persuaded him that a caterpillar was similar and so the one from Alice emerged. Hoodie top, two colours of fleece and some pipe cleaners and voila!

We did make the tail detachable on an elastic belt so that he could sit down and manage other things unaided. Mums amazing makeup finished it off and although I had my doubts that he would actually wear it, he loved it and stayed in it all day.

And just to make his day he was awarded 3 gold stars, so all in all another success.

Well I'm on a roll now so off to do some more of the costumes and some tee shirts ready for my hols later in the year. 

I'm using a free pattern from Love Sewing magazine and even managed to purchase the same yellow spot jersey from Girl Charlee that was used in the magazine. It is a little thinner than I had anticipated but we'll see how it makes up.

Enjoy your week and sewing if you're doing any

TTFN

Jenny xx

Sew many plans

So here I was all fired up to complete the beautiful Sanderson curtains and then rustle up the ,Jocko' top and bang!!!!

First DH succumbs to this nasty viral flu bug thing and then being the kind sharing person he is gives it to me.

Feel a bit like Ive been run over by a steamroller.

So I'm staying here, no energy to even get up this morning, but no doubt later I will feel ever so lazy and stumble out.

Needless to say sewing now on hold.

TTFN

Jenny xx

Goodbye January

Well January didn't seem to hang around very long did it? Or is that just another reminder that I'm getting older!

I am rather proud though that one month in I'm still holding to my 'no bought clothes' challenge, though the me made bit has not developed much further. Truth is I do have a well stocked wardrobe and need to have a bit of a cull. That's not to say I don't have a few things on my wish list.

One of those is a new to me pattern called 'Jocko' by Ready to Sew. A simple PDF pattern for a rather cosy top. There are lots of versions of this on the web and I have been inspired.
I have a large stash of fleece from when I made slippers and I'm intending to use some to make a wearable toile.

Picture credit.. Ready to Sew patterns

I have found some gorgeous French terry on line which I am aching to buy, but will be very restrained until I have made my toile.
As any sewer out there knows, patterns which look stunning on one person are sometimes just not you. So watch this space. It's supposed to be a quick sew so I hope to have one done this week.

I haven't been a slouch though! I have been making curtains for my darling girl, for a very square bay window. I had previously made blinds, but because of the way the house sits,  sunlight had got in at a strange angle and faded them in stripes! At least with separate curtains she will be able to draw them to try to avoid this in future.
The fabric I am using is a vintage Sanderson called Rosamund, from 1982 (she would only have been 11 then). It is a beautiful rose pattern on a cream background. I picked up several metres at a car boot last year, but when I came to measure the windows, I didn't have nearly enough.
I went on line and to my amazement I managed to track down about 12 metres. Some of it had previously been made into curtains, but the selve edges were still intact and they had obviously not hung for long as the fabric is like new.

However when I received it, it turned out to be a slightly different colourway to the fabric I already had. The roses are more apricot, whereas mine are deep coral. Luckily the girl loved it anyway and there is enough to make all four curtains we need. The original will now be used for cushions and making a lampshade for a standard lamp.

I have purchased new blackout thermal lining and have already pieced together the curtains that need extra width. I'm quite proud of my pattern matching especially since the fabric was not bought with that in mind. A case of more good luck than judgement I feel.

I managed to find a couple of lampshades to recover at our local Sue Ryder CS for £1 each, what a bargain!!

I just need to acquire a couple of lamp standard bases now!

Well that's about it for now, I will be sticking my Jocko PDF pattern together later and making a start tomorrow. I cant wait as I really do like the look of it. Just hope it likes my body shape as much.

Happy sewing

TTFN

Jenny xx

New Year..New Challenge

So here we are again at the start of a New Year!

And I hope that finally this poor neglected blog will suddenly be filled with new sewing projects.

I have set myself an almost impossible task (for a shopaholic), of only adding me made items to my wardrobe for a whole year!!

I'm not really sure I can do it, but each time I've purchased something lately, I have been less than happy with either the fit, the quality or just the price. I also like to wear something individual, and what better way to do that than make it yourself.
The pattern, how you may adapt it, the fabric, the colour, all these things make a me made garment yours and yours alone and rarely will you find anyone else wearing the same thing.

I've already made a start. In November I went to the knitting and stitching show at Harrogate and bought some lovely cord to make a couple of skirts. I found a suitable free pattern on Craftsy.com, although it turned out to be a Lekala pattern!, but as I hadn't made it before, I made a toile from a remnant I had picked up at a market.

After sorting out a couple of fit issues (I had heard that they weren't always very accurate and indeed despite putting in my exact measurements, I did have to take it in quite a bit and the waist is still very generous!)  I am now though  happy with the result and ready to start on the cord versions.

I'm hoping the process will make me focus on what's missing from my wardrobe, instead of just buying things that take my fancy. Things that will work with those things that I already own. To this end, I am going to make a list of what I think is missing. The items and the colours and hopefully over the next 12 months I will be able to fill those gaps with well made, well fitted garments that I know I will wear.

Wish me luck!

TTFN

Jenny xx