The Way to Bake (A Delicious Cake)

This is just a post to share a couple of unrelated photos - seemingly unconnected apart from the song title -

Starting with one of this cake ....

made by my friend Gina - one time machine embroiderer, and textile artist and tutor, NOW magnificent professional baker, under the name 'Apricot and Fig'. 

I'm slightly disappointed that she dismissed my suggestion for her business name - "Bake Well Tart" on the basis that it may attract the wrong kind of customer. (I just know that if I was cooking, I'd have to try anything to get people to buy MY cakes.)

Anyway, we had two cakes, one with icing, and one with just fruit and nuts, which we've just tried.

Firstly, can I say that she hasn't paid me to endorse her products, or given it to me as a bribe, or even said that she won't be my friend if I'm not nice about it, so this is my unbiased opinion - it was the loveliest fruit cake I've ever had, very moist and even the fruit had fruit, if you know what I mean.  My Dad - who is a fruit cake connoisseur - said he has never tasted better.  You can't say fairer than that, so thanks Gina.

And how could I NOT share these next photos .. 

Our very own Snow White.  

She's SO going to hate these pictures when she sixteen.

Happy Christmas everyone xx

The Way To Bake (a Delicious Cake) - by Snow White

China in Your Hand

Last week we had our Creative Sanctuary 'works Christmas outing'!

Angela kept it a secret about where we were going, and all we knew was that it was going to be a creative evening.  Anyway, it turned out that she had arranged for us to go to Elly Wall, a local potter with a studio in her garden,  to make Christmas decorations.  It was a great evening - first of all Elly explained that we needed to roll out the clay as if it was pastry (like I've ever made pastry - but I think I must have seen it done sometime, because I soon got the idea), and then we pressed different textures into the clay, and used cutters and letter blocks, before glazing the final pieces.  We all agreed that it had been a fun thing to do and we'd really enjoyed ourselves.

I'm afraid there are no photographs of the event as my hands were too mucky, but I got a text today to say that the pieces had been fired and were ready to collect from the shop - so here's mine

I'm really pleased with them, and I plan to book some classes next year, to see if I can manage to make a pot or a mug.  Maybe I'll apply to the Great British Throw Down - although I'd get fed with with that bloke bursting into tears all the time.

China in Your Hand - T'Pau

The Hostess with the Mostest

Wow - missed November altogether in a frenzy of stitching and knitting - and lolling about, if I'm honest.

Anyway, I'm here now to show you my Holiday Hostess frock - fab Michael Miller fabric with Doris Day lookalikes in festive poses.

I used my tried an tested Emery dress pattern, 

I don't have much of a waist (obviously, I don't mean it's tiny, I mean it doesn't seem to go in much) so I made the front waist darts a bit smaller, and did away with the back waist darts altogether.  I also wanted the skirt as 'puffy' as possible so I didn't bother with the skirt pattern pieces and used the whole width of the fabric - just in case it didn't look quite ridiculous enough as it is.

I'm not sure how much wear I'll get from such a season-specific frock, but so far I have got four occasions this year when I intend to wear it - fortunately with a different 'audience' each time, so that'll do me.

Anyway, it had it's first outing yesterday when I wore it to the Christmas lunch of the North Herts and Beds branch of the Embroiderers Guild.  Sounds very grand and boring, but actually its a bunch of about 70 women who like to paint/dye/bead/burn/stick/print/stencil/hand and machine stitch - in fact all things textile-y.  Some people even embroider! If you're reading this and fancy finding out more about the Guild, email me - we are always looking to attract new members, and, if you are not local,  there are branches all over the country.

Our speaker at yesterday's lunch was the most famous male cross-stitcher in the UK today - Jamie Chalmers aka Mr X Stitch - a really entertaining speaker who talked us through some incredibly inspirational works by textile artists.  

Anyway, that's me and my totally age-inappropriate frock.

Better 'mutton dressed as lamb', than 'mutton dressed as mutton' I say.

The Hostess With The Mostest - Frank Black

Blue and Green

Gorgeous Gracie ....

will be spending her first Christmas in Ireland with her Daddy's family, so I thought I would make her something appropriate to wear - and what better than an emerald green Christmas frock.

I used the Spencer dress pattern from Minikrea which I got on a recent visit to Raystitch.  The link is for the older girls' pattern, but mine is for 6months to three years.

Sometimes I cut patterns and sometimes I trace, and as I thought I might make more of these as she gets older, I traced the smallest size.  I managed to squeeze it out of half of metre of a cotton linen mix and some 'Owl'  christmas fabric for the lining.

Sorry about the creasing and the tacking - I wanted to get it photographed before the light went, but I have hemmed it now.  

I wanted it to be reversible, so instead of buttonholes on the shoulders, I used a press stud, and then sewed on buttons 'for decoration only' - red shiny hearts on the blue owl fabric, and self-covered buttons in the owl fabric on the green.

Being two layers, it should be fairly warm, and I'm going to get her a T shirt to wear underneath - maybe blue and white stripes?

Anyway, hopefully she'll like it, she's a very happy girl

Well, all except when she's forced to watch football with Uncle Rob!

Look at that grumpy face!  I don't think she likes football.  

Blue and Green - Van Morrison (talking of grumpy faces!)

It's Been Awhile

Blimey - over a month - no excuses, I just didn't get around to it.  I have a little bit of sewing though.  I made this dress ...

My second Merchant and Mills Factory dress.  As my last one was very much on the loose side, I decided to cut a size smaller.  It's still very loose, but that's the style and I don't think I'd be tempted to go any smaller - I just checked the pattern, and this is a size 12 - and to be honest, its a number of years, and even more pieces of Millionaire's Shortbread (other calorific cakes are available), since I would consider myself a size 12.

I made this version in a dark blue lightweight denim - not so light as to be a chambray, but lightish, and soft.  Its very comfy and easy to wear and will work in all seasons - cool in summer, and in the autumn and winter I'll still wear it but with long sleeve Tshirts underneath.

Anyway, I love it, and its probably my favourite 'what shall I wear today' dress.  I was therefore a bit miffed the other day when I caught the pocket on a door fitting and ripped it - not just the seam but the fabric itself.  Horror!  Fortunately, however,  as it was near the pocket, and due to the voluminous shape, I was able to take it in a smidge and the rip has disappeared inside.

I'm trying to think what else I've done - I've had my sofas recovered and while they were away I had the lounge decorated and the carpet cleaned.  Given the size of my flat, it meant that for ten days I was either busy in the garden during the day, or holed up in my bedroom in the evenings.  No tele - but I did watch DVDs and so I spent the week eating dinner whilst lying on my bed and catching up with Season 2 of Ripper Street.  Yes, I know, everyone else has done Season 3.

Mum and Dad have been down for a visit, so we met up with a few family and old friends, and did some more gardening.

Oh, and I've started running again, after many years of abstinence.  I suggested it to my friend Jill who I was sure would talk me out of it, but surprisingly, she was up for it too, so two or three times a week we get out and walk a bit/run a bit until we've had enough. Not sure my knees entirely approve, but we are taking it steady, and so far, both of us have made it back home again.

It's Been Awhile - Staind

Nick of Time

During August, Karen of 'Did You Make That' launched the Made Up Initiative.  You can read all about it HERE, but basically it involved bloggers/stitchers, making a donation to National Literacy Trust, and then pledging to make a particular item, big or small, by Friday 10th September.  My pledge was to make a dress for the Christening of my great niece Grace.  The Christening isn't until October, but  as I am notorious for leaving things to the last minute, I thought that this pledge was ideal for me.

Naturally, I still left it to the last minute, but I got it finished in the nick of time for the deadline, and I have to say that I am absolutely delighted with it.

It's my second Mortmain, made from a stretch cotton, in a kind of vintage-y looking print, which is just the perfect weight for this dress.  The bodice is lined in a beautiful crushed raspberry taffeta, gifted to me by my chiropractor's Mum, believe it or not (thanks Catherine's Mum!)

The only changes to the pattern from last time was a very slight adjustment to the back bodice which was just a tad too long, resulting in a little tuck above the waistband.  Not, I have to say, something that would EVER have bothered me in RTW, if I'd even noticed it.  But, one of the main benefits of making your own, is to get the fit as near to perfect as possible.  So I shaved 1cm off the back bodice, tapering to nothing at the side seams.  

The only other change was that I added in-seam pockets - I always thought the Mortmain called for pockets.  And, just to prove it, here I am looking smug about them.

Thanks for organising this Karen - a great initiative for a good cause - and it made me get myself in gear for once!

Nick Of Time - Bonnie Raitt

Baby Wants a New Dress

My niece telephoned a week or so ago to say that Baby Grace had asked for another dress, suitable for the hot weather (she's very advanced for her age).   I had a quick rummage through my fabric stash and found something suitable.  Well, I say suitable, it was nice and soft, so I was prepared to overlook the fact that it was a little bit on the garish side.  I used the free Made by Rae dress that I used here so it only took about half a metre.  I cut it out that evening, stitched it the following morning, and posted it off that afternoon.  

The very next day I got a text message with a photo, showing Grace wearing it.  That's better than any 'Prime' service!

I did suggest that the fabric would be suitable if she was planning a Carribean cruise, but she seems happy that it's bright and cheerful.  

Baby Wants A New Dress - The Danny Johnson Band