Ooops a day late !

Hello people

I have been a bit think on the ground this last week as I have been sewing rather than writing on my blog and I have 2 (!) finished garments to share  :-)

But - you will have to wait until the weekend as I have so much studying to do this week I wont have time to take pretty pictures, boo !

Yesterday I chose 2 winners at random - thanks for taking these patterns off my hands !

Erika - you got the skirt

Marchelle - you got the dress

I hope you guys enjoy.

K xxx

Pattern giveaway

Well friends,

YAY ! It's Friday - we made it !

I must admit that work on the Jasmine has stopped.   Boo !

The second part of redoing our kitchen is in full force, and, after a recce it is looking ever more doubtful that I can work around tools and decorating gumpf in order to get that baby's sleeves sewn on.

Oh well, at least Dolly is enjoying wearing the almost finished Jasmine - its pretty cold here right now and she is usually naked ! She is a bit of a hussy in that way - she has absolutely no body hang up's AT ALL   :-)

I have been sorting through my fabric stash and pattern collection for my next projects. I am going to make a brown linen skirt next, closely followed with the same style skirt but a wonderfully sunny and happy fabric. I cant wait ! I love feeling excited about sewing, and the thought of it often keeps me awake for ages at night. I get really very happy when pinning fabric to Dolly and adding a cardigan to make an outfit.

QUICK ! Someone call the sad police !

But I digress.

Sorting through the patterns there are a few that I will never make, (not cos I dont like em - but because I KNOW they wont look good on me) so I want to offer em up if anyone wants them (they will be heading to the charity if no one does).

I must say both the patterns look better in the line drawings (in my opinion) and so I have captured those drawings for you too.

The patterns are both uncut and factory folded. If you want one just leave a comment to say which you would prefer.
If anyone does leave a comment I will use the random generator jobby to choose who gets.

Of course - I am happy to ship international  :-)

Size 14 - 22

Size 16 - 24
Vile drawings ! I bought this pattern for skirt view E

View E could be very nice me thinks

So - there you have it. If you want - just say the word !

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend  :-)

K xxx

While the cats away

The mice will play !

Mr P went away to a friends for the night (I couldn't go because of air guitar knee) but it was nice to be able to get the toys out, set em up and leave em out for a 24 hour period.

Wanna see my play room ?

I am NOT a playroom
I am a dining table.

I really loved being able to do a spot of sewing whenever I fancied, even if it was just for 15 minutes at a time.

I feel well jel of all of you with dedicated sewing spaces ! How easy to take a seat and sew whenever the fancy strikes !

I have almost sewn my Jasmine - just got the sleeves to finish tonight. I found following the instructions that my collar was all lumpy and sticky uppy - machine basting it to the garment.
I tried it like 3 times, and each time out came the seam ripper to try again.

In the end I had a brainwave ! As I was trying to pin a curve it was no wonder the flippin collar kept bunching up - why didn't I use Dolly to pin the collar onto the garment ?

Dolly.
Ever her gorgeous self.
Invaluable in photo 'shoots' as she never minds taking one for the team.
Letting us get up close and personal

The names Dolly.
And I am a bit of a pinning legend.

I then hand basted the collar onto the garment (while still on Dolly) using silk thread. Friends it worked a treat. The collar is flat ! No flappy flap flap.

Hooray !!

I must say - I found the fabric (extremely) difficult to work with. It is the first time I have sewn bias fabric and the fabric itself is a silk/cotton blend - tres slippy ! I am not sure that I want to repeat the experience in a hurry. BUT all in all I am pretty pleased with how she has turned out - even Mr P said its my best make yet ! Praise indeed !

I do want to make another Jamsine - but will use a cotton fabric next time. I also think its a little big for me so will try the next size down, with an extension of the waist on the pattern pieces (like I did with this one). As the fabric is so floaty the bigness does not really show, but I feel it will look much better slightly smaller.

I will show the finished article later as I have hand basted the sleeves in, I just need to sew them in with the singer and finish with the serger/overlocker.

Can I just say how much I LOVE my  serger/overlocker. Look how nicely it finishes edges.

oooo look how gorgeous my face is !

I have re threaded that thing like 10 times now - for the practice - and it literally takes 5 minutes to do now.

Friends ! Dont be frightened of your serger/overlocker ! Its not hard to thread -I promise !

So - I shall post the finished garment later - I am very pleased with it and cant wait to give it a good wearing.

Next up I am making a brown linen skirt to go with it. I am going to set myself a (breakable) target of trying to sew one garment a month. Sew far sew good !

I hope that you are all having a lovely week.

K xxx

Sew Grateful Giveaway Winners !

Hello beautiful people

Sorry I am a bit late - just got back from the hospital re my 'air guitar knee'. But that is another story !

So - I tried to copy and paste the random generator jobby but couldn't as I am the lamest techie EVER.

Without further ado the winners are:

Jilly Be for the pattern

Jadestar for the fabric

All the J's !

Massive congrats guys and can I just say how overwhelmed I was with all of your comments. I have also found many new blogs following links back from the comments and can I just say that you lot are a mighty talented bunch !

I wish I could have made you ALL winners ! (Although you totally are already !)

So - I will contact the winners for their addresses (but if you dont hear from me please mail me - as I eluded to earlier I am absolutely shocking with technical stuff !).

Big loves

K xxx

Thank you

Hello there

Can I just say how overwhelmed I am feeling with all of you glorious people recent comments.

There are too many for me to respond to personally so please know that my heart feels warm, right down to its core.

I also want to welcome new people joining me on my adventures.

                                                                I am 100% SEW GRATEFUL.

To celebrate - lets share a Jackie Cake !

Cake jewellery
A delicious silver and turquoise bangle 

I am a vision
I look like a cake version of Boracay Beach

In other news I will be spending tonight mostly sewing and am looking forward to sharing with you.

I hope that whatever you are doing tonight makes you nothing but happy   :-)

K xxx

Flaine

Hello there

So, last week myself and Mr P took to the slopes and went to France. We went to a catered chalet in Flaine and we were lucky not only with the destination - but also the people who we shared the chalet with.

We were extremely fortunate as it snowed LOADS while we were there. Mr P snowboards, and I ski (well - I attached sticks onto my feet and faced myself down a mountain) and I was lucky I only came home with the one injury. But more on that in a bit.

It could have been bad sharing a small living space with 12 other people that you don't know from Adam, but honestly everyone was so cool - it was a real pleasure to have been able to spend time with them. New friendships were formed and we are definitely meeting up with a few of them later in the year. I love it when that happens !

Here they all are - this is the entire chalet and apparently we are the first group of unknowns to all make best of friends and spend time as a massive group.

Hows that for warm and fuzzy ?!

Bon Adventure !!

Here are some holiday snaps.

View from 'Le Chalet'

Up and away !
(Those blobs are hot air balloons !)
(man I would love a trip in one of those)

Behold ! The Implements of Torture !!
Mwaaa haaaa haaaaaaa

If I hide in the corner
Do you think anyone will see me ?
And force me to 'ski'

Er - does anyone know the quickest way down ?
(the answer is NOT back on the chairlift)
(I know this because I asked)
(No, actually I BEGGED)

Interior decor of 'Le Chalet'

Err right sentiment
Wrong climate
(and a Sprite rather than a Pina Colada - things really are bad)

My resting place

Sunny !
You cant deny that snow is quite magical

Before you ask...
NO I DID NOT SKI THIS RUN
Call it a deep sense of forboding

Me and Mr P

There were only 2 bad things about the holiday.

1.   I was in bed with flu for the first 3 days. Properly Ill. I barely made the 36 hours without sleep getting there.
2.   I injured myself. Well my knee to be exact............................


.....................performing a 'rock air guitar power slide' across a tiled floor on my knees.


(then ripping my right knee - which still makes me wince in pain OOOOPS !!)


Well, I couldn't help it ! I just had to celebrate as soon as I started to feel a little more human - and how better than with an air guitar !? Alas I think my days of student stupidity are rightly over, after all I am 3*  !

In other news I will have some sewing to share this week YAY (and am feeling proper inspired for my next project - but man I wish I could replicate some of you gals and guys production rates ! I dont know how you do it - phew !! I'm more than a little envious  :-)

Dont forget !! You can also enter my 'Sew Grateful' give away  here. Good luck !

K xxx

Monday Monday - Sew Grateful Give Away !

Hello beautiful people

I trust the weekend was kind, and Monday eased you into the week in not too hectic a manner.

I am sew grateful today ! For all of you lot ! I love our sewing community - honestly, I feel blessed to have access to such a generous bunch of folks and so today I want to give something back to you !

So, I have 2 things up for grabs !

First up:

Is 1.5 meters of this grey Batik polka dot fabric (which means slightly irregular polka dots on a irregular grey background). I used it to make my Ginger which you can see here and I love it muchly !

You can view it on-line here

Second up:

Is one pattern of your choice from the lovely Tasia's Sewaholic patterns on me xx.

Here is the link - http://sewaholic.net/sewing-pattern-store/

(you may have to wait for shipping on this one - depending on what you choose)

Happy browsing !

All you have to do to enter is leave me a comment stating which item you would prefer (if the choice is possible when drawing names ! Obvs first out will get first choice).

The give-away will be open until I get home from work on Monday 13th February (around 4 pm UK time)

It would be nice if you were a follower of my blog - but this is not essential - I like to create an inclusive atmosphere over here   :-)  And I need to be able to contact you if you win.

The giveaway is open to friends both near and far, and I am happy to ship worldwide   :-)

Bon Chance !!

Big kisses to you all, especially during this Sew Grateful week.

K xxx

Jackie's Cakes ! ( and a very Happy Friday !)

Dear friends

Happy Friday !!  I hope you have a wonderful weekend planned.

By popular demand ! - and without further ado - here are this weeks cakes from Jackie !  (we were lucky enough to have a second cake on Thursday as Jackie had an order in and made extra for us !!  YAY !!)

                                ***** WARNING !!  THIS POST IS CAKE HEAVY !! *****

Here is Mondays cake...

I am a vision of toffeeness ! See my golden body.
Razzle Dazzle.

Let me share my perfectly formed head.
I am like a vision in cream.
Needless to say, I didn't last long.

And these are Jackie's Thursday offerings !!  They were pink and orange - 2 variations on a theme. Jackie said she was not that fond of the colour scheme for these ones - but I honestly believe that these are my favourites so far !!

Lets see why !!

Type A.
Tangerine dream.
Gorgeousness personified.
Alas, a beauty which does not last.

Type A
Profile.
Well why not ? Especially when you look like THIS.

Type B
Pretty in pink.
Inhaled immediately. It was almost magical the way I disappeared !
I should get a job on a magic show. Look out Debbie McGee !

Type B
Profile.
Well if she can - I can too !

Glorious !!
Absolutely Glorious !
See our coordinated cases and flower tops.
For twins we are pretty classy.
Especially when compared to the 'Cheeky Girls' !

WOWSERS that Jackie - she is indeed a legend !! I wish you could have a gorgeous baker in your life who thinks nothing of spending time whipping up magic for her fellow colleagues.

                                                          Jackie I think I LOVE YOU.

I bet you cant wait to see what she bakes up Monday !

Wishing you all the best weekend EVER.

MWAH

K xxx

Sew grateful week !

Hi !

I have decided to do my give-away to coincide with Debi and her Sew Grateful Week (starting 6th Feb). As such I will announce the details on Monday 6th February. There will be 2 different swags which I hope you will love !

In other news I have been knackered and studying while recuperating from a torn knee and the flu. Its a long story which I will share with you tomorrow  :-)

Jackie baked today - but I cant be faffed to upload the pictures, but friends let me tell you they were pretty darn snazzy ! Just you wait and see !

Almost at the weekend people ! YAY !

K xxx