Season's Greetings!

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and here's to a Happy New Year!  Managed to finish my Sew Grateful dress ready for the big day and am pleased with the reaction it had at Sew Weekly.  I agree with most that I'll be able to wear this lots of times, not just at Christmas, plus it's simple enough not to date ...

A toast to everyone!

Sorbetto Duetto

Sorbetto - the free pattern on the Colette Patterns website - is so versatile and has been so popular on Sew Weekly that I felt I should have a go at it and ended up doing it twice!  No doubt I'll be making some more once summer is here again ...  The first was a Spooky one for Halloween and the second, so I've been told, is a festive looking one from some City Lights fabric - yet another duvet creation.  I can't wait to make up the right side as a skirt.  It shows a skyline and I want to make a skirt like some I've seen in similar fabric.

Standing around in the spooky shadows ...

Feathery mask from a dance shop.

All set for New Year's Eve or something.

I Love Owls ...

Ever since I was small ... I still have the collection I made, of pot, stone, fabric, metal ones ... This one is on the Sandringham Estate sculpture trail, Norfolk.  I went there at the weekend for another - work was the first one - Christmas dinner with family in the restaurant there - highly recommended and not too expensive either!

Latest Charity Shop find - Diamante Burberry Jeans

Where else would I get (what seem to me) to be a brand new pair of Burberry diamante studded canvas jeans for £8.00?  Am in love with these.  They are my size and do fit (though I'll admit I could do with losing a couple of pounds - definitely a resolution!).  I just went for a browse once lunchtime this week and found these - made my day!


  

A Passion for Print

Just a round up of some recent projects that I haven't yet blogged about - they all revolve around my love for print - particularly unusual ones!  I've been messing about with Photo Editors too ...  I quite like the first effect as it's called 'Delauney' - after Sonia Delauney, one of my favourite fabric designers - found at Lunapic.  I made a skirt from a print of vintage shoes and handbags which I found in a department store in Newark some time ago.  The pattern is one I use a lot, it's Simplicity easy-to-sew 2257 and there is also a straight skirt option which I used as my 'Fenland Skirt' in an earlier post.

The 1920's ladies print had been in my stash for a long time - from when Liberty used to have a branch in Cambridge.  I bought it when the shop was closing down.  Again, there was just enough to make a skirt with - the Simplicity pattern again but the shorter option than above.

I can't remember where I got the 1940's ladies print from - I think it might have been from a Cambridge Market stall - but it's by Timeless Treasures, one of my favourite fabric companies, and I had sufficient to make an apron from a retro 40's pattern, .  I used the 'Fairy' effect at Lunapic when editing and I like the retro sepia effect it produced on my photo.

Needlebook and Pincushion Winner

And the lucky winner is ... Charlotte!  Drawn completely by chance by an independent source (ie: my workmate who sits next to me!).  BUT, my heart can't leave Rachel out, so I'll be sending a little something to you too.  If you can both send your addresses to either my email at The Sew Weekly, or here at my blog, then I'll get things in the post before the Christmas rush.

Thanks for the interest and enjoy!

Knitting News

Not sewing, but knitting this time - my other great passion.  Here are just a few projects I've done over the past year and a bit.  My Module 4 City and Guilds is done and being assessed at this moment and I just thought I'd take a break and show you some of my other work.

A one ball scarf using a Japanese yarn 'Noro Silk Garden'




Mini capelet/shawl using a lovely, draping bamboo yarn, 'Sirdar Happy' 

 

Some novelties, using fancy yarns - Lemon Meringue Pie, Swiss Roll, Donut and Cupcake

Cacti using leftovers and some mini terracotta plantpots

Me, in a 'Sweater Girl' pose, for a Sew Weekly Challenge