Here and Now

OWOP 2014 - Monday and Tuesday ...
No one to take the picture on Monday, so I had to squint at my reflection in the mirror - oh, highly flattering.

Olive green chunky cord, bought four or five years ago from Shan's fabric shop in Hunstanton - definitely worth a visit if you are in the area, worn with a Megan Nielsen Banksia top made in 'tattoo' fabric from Ditto fabrics in Brighton.  

Last night our group of would-be rock stars met up for guitar club at the local, so it seemed appropriate to wear my skirt made from guitar-based fabric.  

I think it may even have improved my playing - or maybe it was just that we had an easier song to learn this week - (see post title)

I love the fabric - another heavy upholstery weight cotton, bought from Belle Fabrics in Leigh on Sea.  I'm not sure how many people would want their sofa covered in this - maybe it's meant for teenage boys bedroom curtains.  Anyway, I couldn't pass it by.

Anyone would think I spend my entire life visiting seaside resorts to buy fabric.  Not that there would be anything wrong with that.

Here and Now - Del Amitri

Sunday

Second day of the OWOP challenge - and  today's skirt is made in  black and white spotted needlecord, bought for a pittance from an unknown shop ages ago.  Made it a couple of years ago and worn it lots, but nearly always at winter time with thick tights and boots.

 

Not sure that it really works with the bare leg look - my knees are definitely past their best now.  

I love the weather in the summer, but I much prefer autumn/winter clothes.  I know where I am with opaque tights and boots.

PS - I'm not sure what's going on in this photo - I definitely don't have a gap in my teeth - it must be a trick of the light.

Sunday - The View

Pull The Curtains

I'm taking part in this year's OWOP challenge, hosted by Handmade Jane in which participants agree to wear as many versions of a garment from just one pattern for a week. 

After much indecision, I've chosen to go with a self-drafted skirt pattern from my original skirt block which I made over 20 years ago when I did a pattern cutting class.  I may possibly have had to add a smidgeon to the side seams over the years, but the basic shape has stayed the same.  It's a very simple pattern, but it gives me an excuse to use some of the increasingly mad fabric that I've chosen recently.

I already had five versions of this skirt, and it was a simple matter to make another couple so I've got a different skirt everyday this week.

My first one uses a remnant of what I believe is 1950's barkcloth fabric, originally designed for curtains (I'm glad I'm not working anymore or I can guarantee someone would tell me to 'pull myself together').

I cut it out on Wednesday - and talk about making the most of the fabric I had - this is all that was left over, just a few fabric 'slivers'.

I machined it together the following day, and lined it with some heavy satin lining in an emerald green.  I've no idea where either of the fabrics came from, I believe I did buy the barkcloth online ages ago, but the lining is anybody's guess - it's not something I'd have bought so I must have inherited that somewhere down the line.  See, it pays never to throw anything out.

  

I handstiched the hem last night during 'Pointless' and I wore it today to our Embroiderers Guild meeting, so I was able to coerce someone to take a photo. 

The rest of the week, however,  may involve approaching complete strangers to assist.

Not sure what is going on with my face in the next pic - it looks like I'm getting fed up but I wasn't - must be the 'hands-on-hips' pose that does it.  I think I was just advising Gina how best to get back up after she had got down on the ground to take this one....

Anyway, one day down, six to go.

Pull The Curtains - Grandaddy

Typewriter Torment

When I read Dolly Clackett's last blogpost, I remembered that for about two months I've had a Mortmain  pattern cut out, tacked, and ready to sew, in the same typewriter fabric.  I'd spotted the fabric in my lovely local shop, The Creative Sanctuary, and I had to have it, and seeing Dolly's fab version prompted me to sit at my machine and finish it before the summer's gone.  

I'd not made this pattern up before, but I had already made a toile out of some curtaining fabric and it fit pretty much as I wanted, so I knew I could just cut this out and stitch it as it was.  In the end, I left out the neck and armhole facings and lined the bodice, and I interfaced the midriff band with some woven iron-on interlining.

My only quandary was whether to make the skirt up with standard box pleats as per the pattern, or inverted box pleats.  In the end, having pinned and tacked and unpicked and repinned and tacked, I went with the inverted box pleats and I'm glad I did, - fabric is quite heavy, more of a furnishing fabric and I think the inverted pleats fall better.  

One of my other recent finished makes is my first Miette cardigan.  Having made several little shrug type cardies, I've always been a bit disappointed with the fit - but not so with the Miette.  I love the fit and I will definitely make it again.  I'd like a fuchsia pink one and maybe bright red.  

Actually, if I'm totally honest, the dress isn't quite finished yet, the hem is only tacked up, but I wanted to get my friend to take the photos while the sun was out today, and hemming is a sitting down in the evening job, so it'll be done in the next few hours.

So now the only decision to be made is which 'bundle of laughs' Sunday night drama shall I hem to - The Mill or The Village?

Typewriter Torment - Procol Harum

Bag It Up

Look what I made!

I first saw textile artist and embroiderer Alex Waylett at Textiles in Focus a few years ago.  She was demonstrating a machine embroidery technique, which she then went on to make into beautiful clutch bags.   I knew she did classes and I was keen to go, but they were always a bit far away, or I just couldn't make it. So, when I saw that she was teaching an "Embroidered Clutch Bag" workshop at the Embroiderer's Guild Summer School this year - I immediately booked onto the weekend, and into her class.  

We arrived at Belsey Bridge in Suffolk on Friday evening, and started by selecting fabrics in our chosen colourways from the two tonnes of fabric that Alex brought with her -  we only had to take our machines and threads, everything else was supplied, what a bonus! 

The next day we layered and pinned the fabrics, and then spent most of the day wildly machining to make beautifully coloured and textured fabric for the bags.

On Sunday we cut the fabric to shape, and made up the linings

Then, with a lot of advice, assistance and helpful tips from Alex, we glued the finished fabric bags into a metal frame.

Every single bag was really beautiful and we were so pleased, we set up a display ....

In fact one of the girls said "I've never been on a workshop where everyone was so delighted and proud of what they'd made".

It was a great weekend - such a joy to spend two whole days stitching with a group of lovely ladies - and to end up with something finished and fabulous.

In fact, our only interruptions were to go and have yet another meal - the food was excellent and consequently I've been to the gym this morning and have embarked on the 5:2 diet again. 

So, if you fancy making a yourself a bag - have a look at Alex's website and book onto one of her courses.

I happen to know that she's going to be teaching at Art Van Go sometime soon so keep an eye on their website -  I might see you there. You can never have too many bags.

Bag It Up - Oasis

The Record Store

This Saturday, 2nd August, will find me and some friends stitching  in David's Recordstore and Bookshop in Letchworth  as part of the Embroiderer's Guild National Day of Stitch.  It's the second year that the Guild have organised this national event as a way of promoting the Guild and its activities.

To quote the Chair of our branch, Gina (aka Fan My Flame) -

"We are taking part to raise awareness of who we are and what we do, and hopefully to attract more members.  We feel that some people might be put off by the name 'Guild' and believe you have to be an expert to join us, but we cater for all levels of stitcher, from absolute beginner up to professional, and for all types of stitch from embroidery and dressmaking to knitting and crochet, as well as every type of textile art you can imagine.

David's Music and Bookshop very kindly agreed to let us stitch in their cafe from 10am where we will be stitching (I hope they've bought in extra cake) and handing out kits to make flower brooches, along with an invitation to come along to our meeting in September to make up the kits.

  

And when they're finished, they'll look like this .....

So, if you stitch, or if you've ever wanted to stitch and you are anywhere near Letchworth - come along to David's on Saturday and say Hello.  We're very friendly xx

The Record Store - The Brunettes

The Lincolnshire Poacher

Been too busy gardening to sit indoors and blog - except for the days it was raining and then I was too busy sewing.  This is one of my recent makes - the pattern is from the July Prima magazine.  I subscribe to it, so I get the pattern sent out with the magazine, which comes a day or two before it's in the shops.
As soon as I saw it I knew that not only did I want to make it, I wanted THAT fabric.

I rang the shop that was shown as a stockist for the fabric, and was lucky enough to get the last 2.3 metres they had.  

The fabric arrived in a couple of days, and by that time I had already traced the pattern, and made a toile, so I was already to go.  Here's my version

I'm really pleased with it, the bodice has princess seams, which I think I prefer to darts, with a flared skirt, rather than gathers.  I tried to find a red belt to match, but in the end I I made my own with the last remaining bit of fabric, some fold-over interfacing, and a vintage green buckle.

I'm laughing because my friend/photographer told me to click my red heels together, and I did - but it doesn't quite come across in a photograph.

I wore the dress on Wednesday for the Homecoming Parade of the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment  who marched through Hertford following their return from Afghanistan.

They looked very smart, very young and just a tiny bit warm

Apparently the Battalion are know as 'the Poachers' hence this guy ...

There was a really good turn out in the town, with lots of cheering, clapping and flag waving, which is the very least these brave young men deserve.

Oh, and to prove that I've been gardening - look at my produce.  This was collected on Thursday

and this was picked about an hour ago

A combination of torrential rain and hot sunshine seems to be doing the trick.  The blueberries possibly leave a bit to be desired, but the courgette - yes, that is a courgette and not a marrow - has more than made up for them.

The Lincolnshire Poacher - The Regimental Band and Corps of Drums and 2nd Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment