Monday 19 April 2010

Tunic Time

I finished it! Had a night in on my own, so once Niamhy was in bed I grabbed a bottle of beer and said hello to my sewing! Even after a bit of a hellish week at work an evening pottering is just the ticket.

I decided not to make the matching belt as wondered if it would be one step too far and then, as I put it on Saturday morning, I remembered this belt that I had.

pic to come



I have some wonderful bright red and pink fabric that might just get used for a second one... could work really well with some white linen trousers I have.

Oh and how could I forget.... we've exchanged! As of the 17th May we'll be living in our own house again and I can't wait! We are going to do a fair bit of work, shaping it as we want it but hey... it's ours.... I just can't wait.

Monday 12 April 2010

The chocolate fest is over

Easter. What a fab time of the year. At last we have signs of spring... flowers in the flower beds and sunshine in the sky. It's amazing how these two simple things lift everyones spirits. And with that thought, and a few days off looming, it was time to get some flowers in the house. A gorgeous bunch from the local greengrocer graced our tables over easter. Cait and I wondered at the papery leaves, how they fitted around, in and out of each other. So very delicate.





All that without even mentioning chocolate!

Anyway, a few days off to recharge the batteries is very welcome especially with everything that we have going on at the moment. It seems that our house purchase is moving in the right direction and all of the conversations with the builder and planners are really quite exciting. It's a home that I hope we'll stay in for a while so to be able to shape it a little feels good. To create something that we can enjoy living in is a treat that I shall make the most of. We work hard and enjoy the sanctuary of a nice home... and the best bit is that it even looks like I'll get to have my own space.... A space for my clutter or my creativity... depends how you want to look at it...they are so closely linked! Mind, lots of people say clutter stifles creativity.

Creativity has been in the air though as I finally cut out the rest of the Toadstool doorstep and enjoyed a few evenings of hand sewing on the sofa to create this.



I half filled with stuffing and filled some of the canopy and all of the stalk with rice. It's worked better than I thought it was going to and makes a great doorstop... though almost wasted to be down so low on the ground out of sight. Think it might have to live on a shelf in my workroom!

I've also been working on a tunic top for myself. It's an Amy Butler pattern but I've not made clothes for a while and thought I'd refresh my skills. Cait has got the clothes making bug at the moment which I think is where I've got it from. She made a fabulous skirt using a pattern she created in her head and did it all herself. It was a six panel skirt but she had worked out how to shape and measure the panels so that it would fit her waist and she had a zip run the entire length which I thought was really clever. She has a creativity at her age that I didn't and has so many wonderful ideas. I took her off to one of our local fabric shops over Easter and we've both got some fabric to make a halter neck top for the summer.

In a couple of spare moments I did make up a mobile phone sleeve and a tote bag with some felt applique. Sometimes you need a little project to lift the spirits.



I made the inside really neat and tidy by finishing with some cute cotton ribbon I had.



They might also be good prototypes for a stall at a fair that Cait and I are hoping to do together. Cait wants to raise some funds for a big spend she's planning and I've been meaning to do one for ages. It's shortly after our planned move but I'm sure if I put my mind to it, and do a few late nights if needed, I can get enough merchandise together. Cait's already spent a day making some things that she wants to sell so there's no way I want to let her down.