Sumer holiday

I have just returned from a week away. Not being beachy hot weather types, we went on a staycation to the Midlands. Actually alot nicer than it sounds. Here is Mia and I in front of our holiday cottage:

OK, so it's Eastnor Castle. Our cottage was very similar though.

Before I went I started my friend's wedding cake at last. Here is my helper just helping with the final touches:

While I was away I did nothing sewing related, I looked in about a hundred second hand shops for sewing related things but no luck. We did manage a visit to a recreated medieval village built on the foundations of the original village, I liked the applique on this blanket in one of the houses but I have no idea how authentic it is:



There was also a loom to show one of the women's main occupations:

My vintage sewing will definitely not be going that far back! I did dabble in a little crochet while I was away from my shiny new sewing machine:



A very little crochet, I think you'll agree.

Finally, sewweekly.com news, I missed 1970s week, but was quite glad because my "ample figure" doesn't do the 70s very well, however this week I have returned to find we are doing plaid. I have some tartan in my stash, by accident, as I am scared of it now I know you are supposed to match it up. That all sounds very complicated. Anyway here is the fabric:



The one on the right was an accidental ebay panic buy - it sort of feels like that ribbon you get round flowers from the florist. I am not sure about it at all. The other piece is a thick wool, sort of blanket like. A kind lady gave it to me and I had forgotten I had it (surprisingly as it is so bright it would stop traffic). I am going to have a go at doing something with it.......

Project Runway

Project Runway is ace: it's official. I must admit, I never knew. (Project Catwalk, the UK version, is dire apparently. This is not a surprise. I haven't seen it but I can imagine.) Project Runway (US version) has just started series 9. Yes, 9! So I have loads to catch up on..... I was put onto it by the lovely sewweekly girls, a step ahead, as per usual. Here is Mia doing our own Project Runway challenge (lolly stick dolls, felt clothes, a freebie from the always popular Charlie and Lola magazine - ever popular in our house anyway!).

And a free extra, the ladybirds - ladybugs for Judy ;0) - seem to be swarming. I have never seen this before ...

Hardee ha ha

Tidying up this afternoon I came accross a Fat Quarter I had been intending to use.

It's an Alexander Henry print and was very quick to knock out a little doll with Mini-me, she chose the two figures she liked best, we sewed them together and stuffed them:

A fine game! Mia called the doll "Ardee" or "Hardee". I have no idea why....

Nearly forgot...

I finished my ginger sewalong, finally. Here is a rubbish photo (better photo to follow, hopefully). It's my first attempt at piping which I made using piping cord and pink bias binding.

Challenged by the sewweekly challenge?

I am a bit stumped by the challenges at the moment, ideas rich, time poor. I really wanted to make the perfect summer dress a couple of weeks ago, I have this spectacular pattern I wanted to use:

I like view B, on the right. I have traced the pattern. Originally I was going to use this pattern with some fabric I got on Goldhwk Road in London at the sewweekly meet and cream rickrack;

 

But then time moved on and the challenge came up to do something black and white with a hat, like the races in My fair Lady. So I thought I would do the dress in white eyelet and blck rickrack. I have even made a fascinator:

But, as I pinned the pattern pieces to the white material, my heart wasn't in it. White is so not my colour - I even wore gold on my wedding day because white made me look ill. Plus, I have promised myself I will make stuff I can wear, not just hurry through the challenges for the sake of it. So I have gone back to the perfect summer dress, and the flowery material. Hope it turns out well!

I come from a land down under

Look at what the postie brought me from Australia, by sea mail. Yes, sea mail. I am imagining funnels and liners and deck chairs, evening dress and string bands. Probably not, but I am going to think that anyway. Amanda from sewweekly (another lovely person in the southern hemisphere) sent me some patterns she had been given that were in my size, plus this gorgeous gorgeous reversible top for mini-me. Love love love. Isn't the bird cute? The pattern is available on etsy, as a pdf download from Heidi and Finn. Thank you so much Amanda, who is a such a thoughtful and lovely person. Sending you love xxx

Sorbetto success story

I have made something I can wear! Finally.

It's a Colette Sorbetto from a free download. If you haven't got it yet, why not? It is two pattern pieces and bias binding. Plus, in this case, some lovely lace from Kat in NZ, which was part of the "travelling notions" swap on sewweekly. Thanks Kat, it was so great to use the lace, as it had come half way around the world. I wore the top this week to work, and felt dead proud.