What's in the bag ?

Hello there

I went for a little shop after work today. Shall I show you what I got ?

:-)

Loving bags with treats in for me !

ooooo the suspense

Chartreuse Green (My favourite colour) and Grey / red /teal tweed effect.

I felt inspired after reading Tasia's post about styling up a summer dress to work for the colder winter. She used a cowl type scarf to style up her outfit and I must admit I was impressed ! It got me thinking about my own wardrobe (again) and how I can try and incorporate a few well thought about pieces to try and create  finished looks.

I also got to thinking about knitting. I used to knit when I was a kid, but have not owned any knitting needles since I was about 7. A new wool shop has opened in Tiverton, and since it has I have been thinking about going in there for a gander.  I went in today after work and decided to purchase some needles and yarn. To make a cowl scarf (or 2 - one green one blue).

Knitting is like the perfect way to stitch, especially if you don't have a dedicated sewing space. Every time I want to sew I have to drag out the machine, cutting mat, sewing box, fabric box, pattern bag  etc etc etc. AND then I have to clear the decks for space. Sometimes when I feel crafty I also feel lazy ! I don't want to spend 45 minuted getting set up ! Knitting seems a good way to scratch the crafty itch the lazy (ish) way  :-)

I cant wait to get started tonight on the old knitting. There are some really good tutorials on You Tube, and I will share some of these later. I think a scarf is a good 1st project, I think it will be sometime before I can match the skills of Gail, but I will have fun trying !

Weirdly - just looking for Gail's link on my blogroll, loads of my blogroll, actually literally ALL of it is displaying posts about knitting ! Weirdly Karen is talking about blocking and I was only thinking 10 minutes ago that I would like to know what that term meant !  I think there must be knitting in the air today !!!

In other news the kitchen is almost done ! I wish I had taken some before pix, but I didn't. Let me paint a mental picture instead. Hideous old yellow paint, yellowed with age. Tester patches of green paint on walls. Hideous old yellowed units. Collapsed shelving and falling apart base units.

Mr P and I stripped and emptied the kitchen, sugar soaped it to within an inch of its life and then under-coated in white. The ceiling was re-plastered. The new units and floor are now in and all we have to do now is the final paint job. We are pretty pleased with it. Once the painting is done it will need a final spruce up and then it will be finished - YAY !

Not quite finished so excuse the mess - we are deciding what to keep / chuck

New units, floor and worktop all look nice - we are super pleased !

To celebrate - I made this

YUMMO

I only made this last night - as yet I have had not one crumb. Mr P obviously has enjoyed it immensely ! Thank you Betty Crocker !!

Over and out

K xxx

Sew proud

I wore my Sencha to work today and it went down a storm ! Everyone was so complimentary about it and a few people were even shocked that I had made the shirt myself !

Sew proud ! It is so amazing being able to make your own clothes, not least because no one else will have exactly what you have.

I wore it with a red cardigan and navy pencil skirt. I am hoping that Santa will bring me a tripod for my camera this year (damn I have been good !) so that I can take some pictures for my blog journal.

Since I started sewing I am looking much more critically at my wardrobe and many items have been culled. I think it would be useful for myself to document outfits so that I can see what works and what does not !

I hope, if anyone is reading this - my little corner of blogland, that you have had a fabulous Monday !

One sleep nearer to the weekend people.

K xxx

Burda Style December 2011

WOWSERS

There are some beauties in this months Burda. It was waiting for me when I got back from work today and my word I was not disappointed ! Look at these fabulous frocks ! (I may be just a tad biased - after all green is my absolute favourite colour !)

Let the eye candy commence.

                                  The source for all of these lovely images can be found here

My favourite 

Ahhhh if only I had the skills (and figure !)

If I could make this I would wear it ALL THE TIME. Asda 's anyone ?

Yes - look at me in my beautiful dress - I bet I make you quite literally GREEN

I am also pretty keen on these snazzers !

                                             The source for all of these lovely images can be found here

Pretty ?? Me ??

LOVING this whole ensemble (except for the shoes - which are so wrong). Show me the sparkles baby !

In other news the kitchen is coming along nicely, Mr P and his bud have been working pretty much solidly for the last 5 hours and I can at last pull out a chair to get to my laptop :-). Still nothing on the sewing front, but I have a few things that I cant wait to get started on.

Well, it is Friday ! We made it ! YAY !

K xxx

WAAAA !

I just had 5 days - 5 DAYS !!!  Away from work, and friends I wanted to sew up a storm !

Alas, my best laid plan was foiled !

I inadvertanly booked my time off work the same week that Mr P is fitting a new kitchen. This has meant a paintbrush instead of a sewing needle and a dyson instead of a sewing machine. Its meant scrap cleaning cloths instead of delightful fabrics.

It's also meant that everything from the kitchen is rammer jammer in the rest of the downstairs living space along with the new units all nicely boxed up.

I cant even get to the phone, let alone my sewing machine !

CURSES.

I hope to sew again soon. The Jasmine is calling !!

Happy Friday !!

K xxx

You have mail !

That is what Mr P cried as I came through the front door this evening.

And, lookie here - he's only flippin hit the nail on the head !

A parcel pour moi

So, at this point I was very excited ! I love surprises ! And what a lovely surprise this was   :-)

I carefully opened to see what was inside.....

Its like a gift in a bed !

Escaped !

Exceptionally prettily wrapped.

At this point even I could guess at the fact it was book shaped !   ;-)) So I knew that this was the gift I won over at http://didyoumakethat.wordpress.com/.

I like to savour the unwrapping of a mystery gift - its very satisfying to prolong the excitement (and let me tell you - a girl in rural Devon takes excitement where she can !)

2 gifts in one !

I cant believe Karen was thoughtful enough to include a bookmark ! Class, no ?

This is my excruciatingly slow unwrapping......  (by Now Mr P's attention was wandering and he had moved onto other excitements - namely Battlefield - pink wrapping is obviously a girl thing).

1 step

2 steps

3 steps

4

Then I properly went for it !

What a beautifully cool book !

This pretty much sounds like the book was written FOR ME

Have a sneaky peek inside !

Extremely apt !

Err yes ! I recognise these actions rather too well !

Sooooo excited to start reading it ! I LOVE books on all different subjects and love to go to bed and have a good old read before I go to sleep (christ - I sound dull lol !)

How rock and roll is the pink tissue wrapping ?

Thank you sooo much Karen !!  I totally LOVE the book, and it was extremely generous of you to let me win it !

I am sure anyone who looks at my blog has already met Karen, but if you have not then you must pop over and say hello. Why not get yourself a vimto and take a look at some of the fabulous creations that she has made. She really is a very talented lady.

Thanks again Karen ! Big loves.

So my friends, that was my evening so far. How was yours ? Hopefully as exciting as mine !

In other news I am off work Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (oh yes I am excited !) and am thinking of making a silk Jasmine.

Um, do you reckon its safe for a newbie to try and stitch silk pretty much straight of the bat ? I have read many horror stories but am sort of thinking 'ahhh just go ahead and try'  !

Any tips ?

Also, in case anyone needed reminding - its only nearly the flippin weekend !! What has everyone else got planned ?

Well, I shall bid a happy farewell, as I am off to check out what my new book says about getting men-folk to cook the tea !

Au revoir

K xxx

Completed Sencha ON !!

Hello people

As promised here are some snaps of me in the Sencha.

I apologise in advance, I hate having my picture taken, and Mr P has had to pop out thus I had to take the snaps stood on the sofa with a camera pointing at the mirror.

Well anyway - here are the pictures. The top looks sort of lopsided as I am lopsided taking the snaps !

Untucked -glad of the extra length !

Please ignore the face - photo face is never good !

Tucked in. Oh ! The versatility !!

I must say - wearing the Sencha for the 'photo shoot' has shown me that it is a very comfy top. So although I am not sure if it is at all flattering at this point - I am certain I will wear it (probably with a cardigan) and it has a place in my affections. It will not be culled with the jumble sale pile of clothes !

A very happy bunny !! Just debating if I should start on the Jasmine now or watch telly.

Happy Sunday people

K xxx

Finished Sencha

Hola !

I have been right busy these last 48 hours. I managed to squeeze in a trip to Amsterdam (which I will post about later) and when I got home I was brave and finished the Sencha (I just had the buttons to do !).

Here are some pics of the finished article. I will see if I can get one snapped with it on me later !

There are 6 buttons but Dolly's derrier must be bigger than mine  !

Loving the nautical theme !

I didn't follow the instructions exactly, for example I didn't turn the back opening edge 1/4 inch, rather I turned them back half inch.

Measuring perfection.

(I have only just started to appreciate the value of this ruler thingy - it's flippin great !! It's both extremely useful and fun to use !)

I also didn't sew the back flaps UNDER the facings, rather I sewed them on top as I thought the extra stitches holding the facings down would not be a bad thing.

NOT sticking to the rules !

This blouse involved quite alot of hand sewing.

Well actually, other than sewing the seams, pretty much the rest of the sewing is hand sewing. I have found more and more that I actually rather enjoy hand sewing ! Its quite mellow to sit with a glass of wine and the goggle box and catch stitch away. It is very satisfying to look on the right side of the blouse and see almost invisible stitching on one side.

I did sew some strengthening stitches at the top of the side seams as I fancied they didn't feel sturdy enough for the job. The arm holes feel lots more secure now.

Overall I am pretty pleased with the finish on this top - I feel very proud with how it has turned out. I spent lots of time pressing and trying to be perfect and I feel it shows in the finished garment.

I practised button holes on my machine like no ones business before sewing them into the shirt. The buttonholes are not perfect, but will do for this first attempt. I fancy a go at some hand sewn button holes for next time I think (assuming its not TOO time consuming !)

 I will share a snap later with it on so that we can talk about the style on my body - as I am not sure that this shape is for me.

In other news I am very excited to have won a mystery book gift over at Karen's place, (thanks Karen !) and am very excited about opening the wrapping to see what book is inside ! I LOVE books soo much (especially sewing ones) and am totally stoked to have won.

I have promised to share the opening of the book and what is is with the blogging community and as such expect to see some pictures here real soon.

I am also thinking of starting a new project today - I am thinking of the Colette Jasmine in a brown silk and cotton mix, or a blue and ivory silk. I am not going to make a muslin as the Sencha pretty much fit, with the addition of 2 inches added to the bodice length. As the Jasmine is another Colette pattern I am hoping that it will also fit with the addition of 2 inches to the bodice length.

I am going to fit as I sew rather than make a muslin and hope for the best !  Wish me luck !

Right - I am off to Asda to get stuff for a roast for Mr P and me !  Hope you all have a cracking Sunday  :-)

MWAH

K xxx

Crisis

Dear friends

I am having a crisis !

(well actually a wardrobe malfunction - it is the same thing really !)

Mr P and I are off to Amsterdam tomorrow - just for the night. We were supposed to be seeing the band 'Little Dragon' until we got an email last night telling us that that they have cancelled the show. Which is not great seeing as we are going to see them all the way in Amsterdam from the UK. Oh well. We can get some cafe culture in and a canal trip instead !

So back to the crisis - I literally have NOTHING TO WEAR. Honestly, NOTHING.

I have a jumble sale sized pile of clothes, but absolutely nothing to wear ! I have some lovely fabrics to make a wardrobe full of further orphans. But I dont have any 'ensembles'.

Friends - this needs to be addressed - post haste !

I think when we get back from 'the Dam' I will be filling many a black sack with item after sad item of ridiculous clothing, and will be re-assessing my wardrobe and the clothing that is so desperately missing.

Wish me luck with this  - I think I may need it !

In other news I just finished a great book - by Dawn French. It's called 'A Little Bit Marvelous' and I highly recommend it. Defo an 8 out of 10. Made me laugh quite a few times, especially reading from Oscar's perspective !

Also - going back to the wardrobe again, I am going to make a dark denim Ginger - and a ivory and blue silk Jasmine. The Ginger should go with the Sencha (which is STILL missing its buttons !) so that at least is one outfit ! Talking of the Jasmine, I think seeing as the Sencha pretty much fit I am not going to make a muslin !

I am going to tissue fit and hope that the bias cut of the fabric hides any mistake I might make by not making a muslin ! Oh well, I have 5 meters of the silk (I was going to use it for a version of the V8380 but decided against it) so at least I can make another attempt if it goes horribly wrong !

I hope you all have had a happy hump day and I shall share some pictures from Amsterdam when I am back.

Kxxx

Weekend meanderings and button fear !

Hello friends,

I hope you have had great weekends ? Mine has been pretty good. Watched an AWESOME fireworks display in Torridge (North Devon) on Saturday. I can hand on heart say it was one of my favourites and was an absolute bargain at £3 per person for entry !!  That my friends is what I call and absolute STONKER of a bargain ! Mr P was not that excited, then as the show started his little face lit up and I slyly watched his expression out of the corner of my eye. His face was upturned to the heavens, his eyes and mouth open with delight !

Mr P and I today met with his brother and sister in law for Sunday lunch at a pub called 'The Stag' in Filleigh. If you ever get a chance to go there for a roast DO !! Its totally amazing ! 10 out of 10 !

We have just returned from watching Tin Tin in 3D at the flicks, it was pretty good and both myself and Mr P rated it a 7 out of 10 - which is pretty good !

In other news - the SENCHA still languishes on Dolly - I have not the heart to start the buttons. I have placed safety pins where I would like the buttons to go and have been asking myself why I need buttons ? Cant I just leave the safety pins in and cover the badness with a cardi ? hmmmm I wonder if I could get away with that ?

In other news - a big welcome to you new folk joining me on my adventures   :-)   I hope you like to read about mine as much as I like to read about yours !

I hope to show you all pictures of buttons (and therefore a completed Sencha) sometime this week. Actually it may actually be the weekend (Sunday evening ?), but we are all friends here so who's counting  days to completion   :-))

See you on the other side.

K xxx

Semi finished Sencha

Hello there

So, I been working on the Sencha and as you can see I am almost done.

Look at how beautifully Dolly models freshly made garments !

Dolly - ever her body confident self !

Blue ribbon

Neckline opened out ALOT

               
But I cant continue with the Sencha ! Friends, I can hear the chorus of 'why not's', but I have writers block over doing the buttons. Doing buttons looks HARD, or tricky at least. Not less because I want 6 buttons to grace the back of the shirt, rather than the prescribed 5 ! I am frightened to start, but hopefully I can get over the fear soon. I don't suppose anyone has any good 'doing buttons' tips ?

I am looking forward to finishing but not entirely convinced that this will suit my figure - but I am willing to ride it out and make that decision once the blasted buttons are on and I can properly see what she looks like on.

In other news I worked in Tiverton today and managed to steer clear of spending money on yet MORE fabrics ! (However I did manage to purchase a new coat somewhere on the way between the fabric place and home !) (( I am taking the coat back tomorrow - it's black and VERY similar to another coat that I already have - ooops ! ))

Well, I hope you have all had a happy 'hump day'. Friends, we have almost made it to the weekend !

K xxx