Raindrops on Roses....

The lovely Lauren over at Tea and Crumpets has been feeling very blue recently and posted something to help cheer herself (and us) up.

I decided to give this challenge a go - it wasn't as easy as I thought at first, but then I could list lots of lovely things!

1.  Fresh laundry and a newly made bed with fresh pjs

2. A hot cup of Yorkshire Tea with a splash of milk  http://www.yorkshiretea.co.uk/#/proper_brew

3. Brown Paper packages tied up with string - ie anything that comes through the post that is sewing related!

4  Radio 2 on Sunday from 11am - 7pm  If ever I had all that time to listen to it!  Micheal Ball, Elaine Paige, Jonny Walker, Paul O'Grady.  I particularly like Elaine Paige as I'm a musical theatre nut

5.  Musical Theatre - Phantom of the Opera, Les Mis, Hairspray, Chicago - I love 'em all and the camper, the better! Too expensive to take a trip up to London so I usually get the cd / dvd for sewing along to.

6  Sunshine

7.  And this crazy gang ......



What are your favorite things? Take up Lauren's challenge and brighten your day.

Must dash, I do have some sewing to do before work this afternoon!  Have a good day all.

It's gone bananas.....

Sorry for the delay since my last post.  I have made my green Burda skirt, and in typical me style there are no photos yet (even though I'm wearing it today).  The blouse pattern is cut and fitted, but fabric is still under my table.  I did test the B and C cup pattern pieces and decided I was somewhere in between.  I have a small back and wear an E cup bra which makes the difference.  Next time I think I will cut a 10 back and the C cup pattern piece....

It's gone a little bananas over the last week with sewing lessons, a corset order and a new skill I'm working on (more to be revealed later).

I am of course following my favorite blogs, but will be a little quiet for a week or so - can you bear with me?!

Dreadful photo's and Good News

Good News:  Sew Today have extended their offer until Sunday  - yay!

Dreadful Photos:  2 of me in recent skirts.  First the grey pinstripe discussed here and second the black work skirt discussed here - not so yay.... 

Constipated Duck impression - trying not to get frustrated with
Mum as she tries to push the button of a modern-fangled digital
camerathingermejig- Mum just push a button like the camera you have, except
there's no film it and no, I don't have to send the whole camera away to get
the pictures out - I love my Mum

""If I have to take a photo, it'll have to be now"
Thank you darling, you caught me at my best - did I mention I
need to get my hair done?

Having seen these two pictures I realise how much weight I have put on since moving to Wiltshire.  "Contentment" is what my lovely friends call it - I don't mix my words and call it fat.

Must dash, have patterns to buy and gym membership to sign!  Pass the crisps love....

Have a lovely weekend all - happy sewing!

Next!

I'm just about to cut the pattern pieces for a BurdaStyle skirt from September 2010 Style 106, view B.  It's not a difficult pattern.  I like the lines and have an idea for the top stitching.

As I want to make "outfits" this year (I make too many separates from fabrics I love and then nothing really goes together!) I will also make this McCalls blouse - I've had the pattern a couple of years and have run out of excuses not to make it.  I'll be making the blue version.  I particularly like the fact that this pattern has pieces for varying cup sizes.

And here are the fabrics I will be using.  It sticks in my throat to say it, but they came from Hansons - the shop with bad customer service.  The green is 100% wool soft tweed to be lined in pink and the batik print is 100% cotton, just going through the washing machine at the moment.

Photographing on Mum's pale green carpet!

As ever with Burda I'll have to make a toile, but with McCalls I will tissue fit.  If I have any concerns at that stage, that's when I may make a toile for a pattern I haven't used before.

Posts to follow!  Enjoy your day.

PS  Purple Coat is still in the box....  It hasn't moved since coming back from Mums.  I am suitably embarrassed.

A decent Vogue Pattern sale/offer at last in the UK!

Oh dear, I can hear my brain screeming "spend, spend, spend"!

At last there is a decent sale over at Sew Today (aka Vogue Patterns in my world).  Buy one get two (yes two!!) free.  I have loads of Vogue patterns I would like at the moment and as they are all in the £15 range I am just about to make a purchase - just imagine, 6 patterns for the price of 2!  The offer is open for 3 days from today to members and I think it's for online sales only - but at least it is an offer from them...

Our American friends probably aren't very inerested in my overexcitement, I read a lot about $3.99 offers at regular intervals - how I envy you.

Quick update, rather than blog twice in one day.  Here is what I have purchased (so far!)

everyone and their mother will be wearing this one,
it's hugely popular in blogland

This has some good reviews re fit

Sometimes a girl just needs a challenge

erm, not sure why I ordered this one?!  But it's been hanging
around my list for a while...

Love the simplicity of this dress and have ideas for
decoration

the long sleeved version jumped out at me - I have a plan

 The offer relates to Vogue, Butterick and McCalls, but I just naturally navigate toward Vogue which is what all the above are.

Don't want to go to work, want to sew...

How do you hang your skirts and trousers?

During a recent class, one lady asked me how and when to add hanging loops to her skirt so she could hang it up due to the fact that her daughter had "borrowed" all her expandable hangers.

I had one of those moments where you realise you have forgotten more than you can remember!  This is a technique I used to use but had forgotten about it until asked and, oddly enough, until I revisited my new book which I reviewd here 

The technique is so simple and allows your garment to hang without sagging (ie those long hanging loops on RTW clothing).

Here's the finished result.  I applied it to my Susan Skirt

Using lining fabric I cut a (true) bias strip 30cm long and 2.5cm wide. 
Fold it half lengthwise and stitch 6mm from the cut edge.
Use a loop turner/bobby pin/needle to turn the loop
Cut the length in half
Attach to wrong side of waistband,over the side seams, by folding in raw ends approx 5mm and hand stitch in place using a double thread (waxed if you're really going for it!)

Because these loops are horizontal to the garment they can be hung on normal hangers and they won't poke out to the right side whilst wearing.  It's such a simple technique and stops any wrinkling in the wardrobe too!

Burda 103 2/11 Done The "Susan Skirt"

Just finished the above, which I am going to call the "Susan Skirt".  I made it from a dark coloured denim with a crosswise stretch (you defininately need it for this pattern!), didn't line it, overlocked all seams and top stitched with bright pink topstitch thread as I will be making a t-shirt in the same colour.

Here's a few pictures.  as ever I have to wait for Ian to take a photo of me actually wearing it, perhaps this evening as I intend to wear it when we go out for Tapas.

I cut a size 40 but as it looked so small I allowed 1" side seams.  As it happened I did need a little extra, but not quite the full amount.  It's a tad long for my liking but looks good with high heeled boots.

Top Stitching the back darts

Back finished and top stitched - the stitching does all match, honestly!  It's not
easy to photograph that godet - it's bigger than you think....

Front waistband and darts all top stitched

I wouldn't change anything about the Susan Skirt - it's a keeper.  Someone questioned whether you' would be able to run for a bus in it - I'm not convinced you'd be able to do it in a lady-like fashion wearing this one!

If you are unsure about making it I say go for it!  I'm a pear-shape so I didn't hold high hopes for the style on me, but it is increadibly flattering.

In total this skirt cost me £7.50.  The fabric and pink thread had to be purchased, everything else came from the stash.

PS  Purple coat isn't forgotten, I just can't get myself motivated with it.....

A Huge Thank You and Fishes

I wanted to say a HUGE thank you to Susan who very kindly bought and posted the February edition of Burda to me on Monday.  What a lovely, kind lady you are.
So that means I am back on track with my plans for this edition - more to follow.

Completely unrelated to sewing I went to a new Spa this morning, based in Swindon, called Sole Spa.  It was lovely and quiet as it only opened on Monday but I am sure it will be very popular and I will be buying vouchers for my friends so they can try it out.



Not as scary as it looks!  It feels like lots and lots of tiny bubbles

 

The water is filtered and changes every hour, so it's clean for each customer.
I have my feet in two tanks, but normally there would be one person in each.
Yes, I did make my skirt!

 I feel completely chilled this afternoon, have lovely soft feet and have booked another appointment.  Apparently I will sleep well this evening!

I traced off  a skirt from February's Burda and will make a start on that, once I've had a little nap...

Enjoy the rest of your day