The ultimate shift dress.

Onwards with my handmade wardrobe, yesterday it was the time to try a dress, well tunic really, I'm not really a dress kind of gal.

I love tunics but am conscious of a big tattoo on my upper arm, a fab memory from my past but as I have got older it has put me off going sleeveless, but you know what, I think I have come to the ' who cares' stage of my life, so sleeveless it was.

I pushed the boat out and bought an expensive sewing pattern, it may have cost more than the usual but it was well worth it, its a sew over it pattern and for a novice sewer like me, was brilliant. I chose the ultimate shift dress, a simple shape which can be made in 3 different styles, 

I love how the pattern is presented, it was a thrill to open it, 

It comes with a little book to guide you through the process, invaluable for a newbie like me

great diagrams and easy to follow directions, I think I may well have to buy more of their patterns.

So fabric pulled out, this time I even pre washed before cutting, pattern fully read, fabric cut, I was off

This really is a simple to follow pattern, I think it took me an hour to sew it, the only problem I had were the damn dust darts! luckily my boobs don't match either, so even though the darts are completely different, not quite sure what I did wrong, it fits the bust ok, just don't look at the darts, one up one down !

 I had to alter the armholes, this seems to be a trend with me, think it may be due to my girth, but I just cant stand gaping arm holes,

Fit wise, its a slimish fit,luckily the fabric has stretch, but being white based not particularly flattering, I like it though and as my girth is shrinking its ok, I am just used to wearing loose baggy clothing !

I love it, this pattern is definitely for me. 

Falls between hip and knee, just right to wear with 3/4 black leggings and sandals, with a little shrug if its chilly, but also sits nicely over my jeans, great for layering, very versatile little number.

Pretty pleased with my finishing this time

The only modification I made to the pattern was to cut the back in 1 piece, I just cut a little opening at the top back for ease, rather than cut 2 back pieces and stitch together. 

I bought 2 metres of fabric at £3.99 a metre, with loads left for adding to another project, so I recon this little number, pattern excluded, cost me about £6 . 

So today I am going to have a go at making another, I have the fabric, not pre washed though, am  hoping there's not going to be too much shrinkage, may cut it larger , and work on getting the damn bust darts right,

this is a sort of chambray/ light denim with stretch, I really must start recording what fabric I am buying, another £3.99 pr metre, not brave enough to buy expensive fabrics yet, today's goal is to conquer bust darts!

Rippling along.

Summer camping is right around the corner, all being well Billy Bongo will be here mid week, and the camping season will commence. I cant remember the last time we went camping,all bar the hobbit house, the last few years it's been caravans and hotels all the way. 

In preparation for this new life chapter I have been busily beavering away on my gorgeous ripple blanket, The first 11 rows were my colour choices, but then my yarn arrived and I switched to Attic 24's colour sequence and I love it. Lucy really does have an eye for colour. I don't know about you but I can see the difference, I know I am going to love this blanket. Not sure I'll get it finished for our first trip out it may well be my first camping project, and I suspect will be the first of many camping blankets to come.

Say hello to Billy Bongo.

Yep, we have finally done it. Put a deposit on a camper. I am so HAPPY. Its an unconverted Mazda Bongo,which means its still full of seats and nothing else, they do collapse to make a double bed or you can fold the middle row of seats down to make a table then bring the read seats forward so you  have a table/chair set up, there's little fold down seats behind the driver seat and passenger seat so you can sit for easily. Juniors sleeping space is in the roof!  It was a reasonable price so we can afford to do/get the conversion done at some point.Just a basic kitchen conversion on the side behind the drivers seat, removing the middle row of seats and swapping the back seats for a rock and roll bed ! But for now it's just fine.We will also get a drive away awning, just in case it rains!

This little van is going to make such a difference to our lives, overnights and weekends away whenever the mood takes us, no 1 son  is not wanting to participate in camping trips so he will be the designated dog sitter as long as he is paid with a well stocked fridge!

We are due to pick Billy up next week and our first night away will be the following weekend. A trial run to settle ourselves in and to check no 1 son is ok staying on his own in the house overnight, he does have the big mad hound to keep him safe! will post more pics when Billy is home!

In other news I still have no decent PC, currently using my ancient netbook which keeps crashing! butr I have managed to complete a whole post!

This weekend I hope to catch up with blog reading and do some sewing, then a few more rows of my ripple blanket, I might need it soon!

Another week has disappeared.

Another week gone, mad work life, busy home life, what can I say, that's my life, its certainly not the quiet and simple life I dream of.

We started with a glorious day on Sunday, what else to do but take the hound to the beach, it was glorious, very very hot

even the hound wanted to take a dip, his first time going in further than his paws

after a quick beverage we headed home to enjoy some quiet time in the garden, hubs has been working hard getting some colour into pots for me

reds & purples, fab

I sat a while and looked for a pattern for my butterfly fabric

totally forgot I had this book, and look, just the pattern, basic shift dress, will be made shorter as I don't do dresses!

I finished my book, will blog about that another day, then it was Monday before I could blink.

The week was spent manically working, hubs was on earlies so that was a bonus, no sewing, knitting or crochet was done, I did however escort no 2 son to watch his school play, he wasn't involved but he wanted to go and see it. They put on a performance of Oliver and I have to say it was fab, such talent, I am sure some of the young people will go far. No2 seems to enjoy theatre and we have agreed that I will take him to see a 'real' play at the theatre in town, we just have to work out which play.

I had a nice surprise this week, forgotten stash, how does that happen? anyhow, I was hankering after another doing another crochet blanket, camping season imminent, [camper van still being researched] my white stripe beach huts theme just wasn't doing it for me, needed a new project, decided to get some new yarn, decided on colours, then had a 'moment'. I still had the remains of an attic 24 pack

result, happy dancing and project chosen

a coast ripple blanket

 needed to order a few colours to get it done, but have cracked on, never attempted a 'ripple' before so has taken me a few rows to get into the rhythm and work the pattern, but once you get it its so easy, am loving it so far, perfect evening crochet.

Surprise no 2, no 1 son has an interview for an apprenticeship! hes still wanting to do the 2nd year of his animal management but needs a back up plan in-case he doesn't get the grades, also hes never really tried anything else, maybe good for him, its horticulture based, green keeper for a golf course/club, hell study for a diploma in work based horticulture.fingers crossed.

weight wise, have started back at the gym, shamefully have put 2lb on, eating crap at work and picking at home, sharp kick up the rear and back on it! I'm the only person sabotaging the shrinkage no one else to blame. Fancy dress wedding no 2 this year on Halloween, need to get into a morticia type gown, invite stated black to be worn in day and costumes at night, what is it with fancy dress weddings? hey ho.. note to self, don't attempt to make it, just buy one or hire one.

And here we are back at the weekend, and guess what, ITS RAINING ! typical..
nothing for it but to read, crochet and enjoy some down time.
hope you all have a good weekend
xx

simple kimono top: Done !

Finally I have a wearable project, I love this top, so simple I may have to make some more.

As always I needed to do a bit of pattern jigging to suit my shape, but its not half bad.

When I do the pattern again I will do a smaller neck its still a bit wide for my liking, the original shape was off the shoulder, I should have done the smaller neckline, read the pattern wrong did the large neck as thought it mean large size, not large neck!! Duh...

I love the sleeves and am impressed that I managed to do the turn back cuff

The neck edge was just sewn over,  I tried a stitch on the machine and love it, I still struggle with straight lines on the neck,the sew line does go a bit wonky, hence the little star stitches, but hey, its done. I can wear it and it looks great with my cut off jeans.Not sure I would be confident wearing it to work, I'm a perfectionist!

I adore the fabric though and am contemplating buying some more to try a dress! yes you heard right me in a dress!

Now my sewing mojo is back I shall go hunt a pattern to suit this fabric

am thinking a 3/4 sleeveless tunic style top?

This weekend is a RnR weekend, just mooching about doing what ever we fancy, boys are out today so will be peaceful. 

What I'm reading in June.

I am surprised at the amount of books I'm getting through this year, I certainly don't need a challenge!

Rather than just listing them I thought I'd blog about them too, I'm no critic and tend to read 'chic lit' but why not? I enjoy looking at what others read and sometimes find something I would never have read.

On the bedside table this month are

This caught my eye when in Edinburgh so bought it, a holiday treat ! looks like something I would like. Its about a nurse who works in a hospice and writes letters for her patients,  maybe a tear jerker here.

Then on my ' new to me' Kindle

This was one of the books I bought for holiday but didn't start, its a new series of chic lit, what a surprise. I just cant keep away from chic lit! Typical story, woman goes home to take over family cafe, you obviously know how the stories going to go, but hey I love to day dream !

If I manage to read these I will be shelf busting with one of the paperbacks that have lived on the shelf for years. I am determined to clear the darned shelf.

Now lets go back to the 'new to me kindle' shall we. Previously I had a kindle app on my phone, but deteriorating eye sight, and a wrist with a tendency for aching it was getting problematic holding the damn phone and reading the screen. I had decided that this coming Christmas I would ask Santa for a 'real' kindle. Well low and behold my dreams came true sooner than that. No 2 son had a kindle the year before last, the fascination has now worm off and he uses his smart phone all the time. 

No 2 son decided to sell it, and put the money towards the last part he needs for his computer build , he looked on the usual sites where he could sell it and checked with me if it was ok, [I do like that my boys always look for a way to finance what they need rather than expect the money to appear] we had a chat, I made sure he wouldn't regret it and agreed, then got to thinking, why don't I buy it from him? saves me money or rather Santa and he will get a little bit more than  he would get if he sold it.

We struck a deal and the deed was done, I now own a Kindle fire !

both parties happy, it was a joy reading it on the back from Edinburgh.

It even came with its own leather case. 

Crochet WIP update.

I do love a bit of crochet, so simple and a real pick up and put down when ever sort of project.

Generally its blankets, I love a big project.

Here's the completed sea stripe blanket, designed for wrapping yourself in or chucking over your sleeping bag at night, camping of course! just need to weave the ends in and give it a wash

very pleased with it, love the colours, and as a bonus it wont show the dirt, I have boys you know!

once that had finished I started another straight away

another sea side theme, beach huts, it will be white with coloured stripes, I love stylecraft yarn, cheap as chips and acrylic so can be thrown in the washing machine. The basket is a laundry box I bought from Aldi a few years back, its fab, so portable in the house.

The other crochet project on the go I found just before we left for Edinburgh, I had forgotten all about it. I started this about 2-3 years ago on a Normandy holiday. Its made with 100% wool so will be for the guest bed, no camping for this beauty.

It was tucked away in this little vintage basket I bought at  vintage fare for £5.

now I found the completed squares I needed to find the work in progress ones

another little bag for projects, this one was bought for me by my sister in law, she has great taste and knows exactly what I would like.I also found my favourite crochet hook tucked inside.

So pleased I found this, this was my Edinburgh project!

The first set of completed squares I found

and the new Scottish squares

these were generally done on the way up and then in the mornings before they all woke up.

added together still a long way off a blanket

no set pattern yet, just using the yarn I have and then will stitch together in white, I'm really liking this project.Wonder how many more years it will take to get it finished?