Come into the garden Maud ...

... and wear a pretty frock.

Or at least that's what Tennyson might have said had he had access to the 'Kate' dress sewing pattern from Sew Me Something.

It originally came to my notice being modelled by the gorgeous Gilly over at Gilly Makes. Then she made a couple more and each time I was thinking hmmmm, yeeeeessss, maayyyybeeee. And then - whaddayaknow - old Lazy Daisy Jones goes and makes one as well. Two extremely talented ladies, a supposedly 'easy' frock pattern and a spare Sunday in the offing was all it took.

After the strangest conversation with the salesperson at our local fabric store (in which she relayed a rather intimate dream as I was pondering the cotton poplin) I sped home and started my least favourite sewing job - cutting out.

But once that was done it was plain sailing. The pattern is simple to follow and soon comes together. The only bit I struggled with was getting the neck to fit the binding, but with a little encouragement (and to be fair a minor bit of puckering) 'twas complete!

The following evening saw me wafting down the canal with Mr K attempting to take whimsical pictures of my newest make. Oddly when I scanned through they were all either overexposed or blurred. Now I remember seeing a horror film once where that happened and I must say I was more than slightly spooked, so this evening I felt it was only right to try and rectify the situation. Out came Maud.

Perhaps you can understand my frustration here. The evening light was glorious - everything glowed - but my poor old frock looked washed out. 

Time for a close up to fully appreciate the fabric.

Aaah yes that's better - even with a bit of puckering!

The gathered sleeves and pockets add a bit of interest.

And I did a double row of topstitching down the back seam   - just for the heckity heck of it.

All in all I'm thrilled with the result. 

I've even worn it for work. Adding a floppy sunhat and bursts of 'We Plough the Fields and Scatter' seemed appropriate as I bustled up and down the busy corridors - curtailed only by the look on a poor eight year old's face as he turned the corner to face me. Poor boy.

But I do like it so. And I want to make more. Lots more.

I just need to find a helpful fabric elf to do the cutting out.

Hugs to all of you,

Jane.

xxx

A Maud, a make and a mandala!

First Maud. 

A belated birthday present from Mr K. 

Here she is in all her glory.

Or should I say her birthday suit! 

Pretty roses all around.

But Maud! Where are your manners? Clothe yourself immediately!

Aha - I see you have chosen my latest make (did you see what I did there?!)

A tunic from The Great British Sewing Bee book  - the first series. Yes that's how long it's taken me.

But what's over there on yonder table?

Don't tell me ... it isn't ... you can't have?

You have! You've succumbed to mandala mania!

Destined for Yarndale and using the Petal and Puffs tutorial over at the very talented Bunny Mummy's blog here.

What fun!

Hold on - I sense mischief.

Hello Birdy, what can I do for you today?

You're hungry?

Oh dear - I don't think I have anything for you.

What's that - you've spotted some worms?

You haven't.

You're not going to...

BIRDY!!!

Jane

xxx

P.S. Some of us bloggers are going to meet up at Yarndale - anyone else going?

Here Here!

Just a quick post to let you know I'm still 'here'. But the reason I haven't been 'here' is because I've been over 'here'! 

Every spare minute has been used to sew, stuff and knit. Who'd have thought that sitting behind a craft stall for six hours listening to Vera Lynn and eating a hand crafted sausage roll would be so exhausting!

Good job I had company.

Back 'here' properly soon.

Jane

xxx

A Perfect Ham?

Thank you so much for all of the lovely thoughts and comments on my last post. They were quite overwhelming.

You are all wonderful.

Things have been ticking by slowly over here - lot's of other 'stuff' going on that seems to get in the way of the normal running of things. At times like these my oasis is in a bit of making. Well aware that I have a craft fair coming up next weekend I thought it was about time I dressed the bunnies.

 I happily sat at my old desk and cut, pinned and stitched. Soon enough two little dresses appeared and - to my amazement  - actually fitted.

 But there was a nagging problem. How on earth do you press a seam on a garment that small?

 I stared at it and pondered. I pondered some more. My eyes drifted towards Mr 'Bunny Gone Wrong'.

 An early practice bunny that nobody would want but I haven't had the heart to throw away. Then my mind cogs started whirring in that very disconcerting manner that means I have a)become a genius or b)finally cracked. 

Mr BGW stared back.

Something happened. 

A light bulb moment.

Then this.

A perfect 'ham'!

It's just what Mr BGW 's been waiting for!

The dresses still aren't quite finished - now it's time for the hand stitching and pretty bits but they're well on the way. Yes bunnies - you SHALL go to the ball!

(And the moral of this story is never throw an old misshapen bunny in the bin if you are going to need to press tiny dresses!)

Jane

xxx

P.S. Just a reminder that if you still want to join our happy little band at Shugborough on the 30th get in touch and I'll send you the details!

A Skirt!

First there was this.

Then there was this!

Thanks to Daisy's sewalong I've definitely been bitten by the sewing bug. Loved making this and I can see more to come! (Although next time I must make sure I wipe the mirror before taking any pictures!)

Meanwhile - look what came through the letterbox this morning .......

Oh my goodness Daisy Jones - look what you've started!

Happy sewing,

Jane 

xxx

A 'Stern Word'!

So there I was sitting in the sunshine wondering what I really should be doing with my day when I heard a bit of huffing and puffing. Looking down I could see little glove mouse making his way through the forget me nots.

 He wasn't humming his usual happy tune. In fact on closer inspection he was looking a bit cross.

After waxing lyrical about the wonderful sunny weather and enquiring as to whether he had yet spotted the new baby blackbird, I realised that he hadn't come to pass niceties.

He wanted to have a 'stern word'.

He reminded me that it had been some time since I had promised that I would give his new chums some faces.

 Much as he liked Miss Mildred and Springtime Bunny they were spending more and more time in the school room and didn't want to listen to his mousey musings. Much as he had tried conversing with new chums he pointed out the the conversations were unsurprisingly one sided. He wanted to know what I was going to do about it and, more importantly, when? 

I assured him that I hadn't been completely shirking as I had been busy stitching a zip in my skirt for Daisy's sewalong.

He was suitably unimpressed.

There was no excuse he argued and so, with the promise of some mousey help, I set to.

He fetched the needle, thread and scissors.

He helped me thread the needle using my big middle aged magnifier.

He got quite excited when he saw the first eye appear 

(but then panicked when he saw what I was doing to the nose!)

Fears allayed, he watched with wonder as two little bunny faces appeared.

And before I knew it they'd ran off to the material basket to select some suitable fabric for little bunny clothes.

Sometimes a 'stern word' is all we need to get something done!

I'd like to remind any of you who don't already know that we'll be having a little bloggy get together soon. From the responses so far I think Shugborough is going to be the place to meet, and it will be some time during the Spring break. Currently I'm looking at Friday 30th May, but it's always easy for me to forget that not everybody has the same holidays as teachers, so if the Saturday suits better please let me know. There's quite a happy little gang of us so far, so please let me know if you'd like to join us - it should be fun! I'll post final details on Sunday evening.

Meanwhile I'll leave you with a picture of the cheeky little trio having fun with some currant leaves!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend wherever you are.

Jane

xxx

Half Baked Bunnies.

Thank you so much for all of your birthday and get well wishes. Today is the first time I haven't actually had to take any painkillers or wander around attached to a box of tissues so they obviously worked. April has been here for a while now too so I thought I'd better update my calendar photo.

I love the colours in this one - very Scandi/Grimms fairy tale - Grandi?Scrimms?

It's been a strange old time making wise. One of those 'lots of ideas and busy minds but not quite enough energy to put into practice' phases that I hit now and then. Not the least bit helped by the Great British Sewing Bee. Oh how I've loved snuggling down at 8pm each Tuesday to watch others do all the hard work! (Surprised at the winner though but that last dress was a real show stopper!)

Big Sis is back from university for a couple of weeks as well and, despite my requests for her to sleep in the garden shed, has insisted on sleeping in her own bed - in my craft room - the injustice! Still, I've managed the odd spurt. My little basket is filling itself with bunnies.

 Sadly none of them are yet complete - they are in fact 'half baked'. Each time I think about getting on and adding the details I get sidetracked. Glove mouse is very excited by their arrival and is anticipating all the nice chats he'll be able to have once they actually have faces! I did, however, finish a couple of little crochet pincushions and had great fun making up the patterns and adding the beads.

But the highlight of my week was getting my McCalls pattern through the post. For those of you who haven't caught up yet Lazy Daisy Jones is hosting a sewalong for a fab little a-line skirt (hit the button on the sidebar to take a peek!)

I must admit I would have completely overlooked this pattern if I had been browsing through the catalogue. However having seen the results of Daisy and Jacquie's sewing I knew I had to have a go. The best thing about it so far is the fact that it has only involved cutting out four pattern pieces ( I really dislike cutting out) - a breeze! 

So here they all are, ready for the next steps. 

All it requires now is for me to get up off my overused derrière (ooh madam) and get on with it.

 Poor old glove mouse is going to have to wait a little longer for his friendly chats.

Hope you are all having a warm and wonderful weekend - and if not I've saved up some of your well wishes and am sending them your way.

Jane

xxx

Ding Dong Sewalong!

For those of you who might be wondering what on earth I'm on about (and not for the first time) I am, of course, referring to the very talented Miss Daisy Jones who is hosting a tip top sewalong for a 'simple' skirt. Now let me just clarify - 'tis not I who have coined the phrase 'simple' here.No in my case it's more of a tip top skirt for a simple person. Hmm. 

(I've just been distracted by a duck sitting on the roof right outside the window - maybe he too would like to join in - no?)

Anyhow, if you're still there, I thought you might like to see the fabric I've selected. Please bear in mind that in true 'me' fashion I have waited until the time in the evening where it is impossible to get a good picture - the colours aren't quite as lurid as they might seem.

Contender number one

Yes you are correct in thinking that this is an old curtain. I love the colours and the loose weave but I'm currently using it for bag making.

Contender number two

Another curtain. This time with more of a glazed finish but I think more suited to a dress I've got in mind. (Hahahahahahahahahahaha - oh yes it's amazing the dreams we can dream!)

So the final contender, and to be honest the one I've plumped for, is this one.

A very fine needlecord which is far prettier in real life than this picture shows. It was a roll end from a charity shop and cost the grand total of £2.49. I've been waiting for the right thing to do with it so hopefully fate has called and I will soon be parading around proudly in it.

So that's my choice. 

Do I have a zip? No.

Do I have the pattern yet? Errr - no! (but hopefully popping onto the doormat any day now)

But do I have the enthusiasm? Heck yes!!

This is going to be good fun. If you haven't joined up yet pop over to see Daisy or use the button in my sidebar.

Simple - that's my kind of sewing!

Off to watch 'The Great British Sewing Bee' now for my weekly fix.

Jane

xxx

A Winner!

Well now there are two things here. Number one is I am amazed at how few odd socks there are out there - am I the only one who has at least fifty in a bag under the bed (oh dear - maybe I've said too much)? And number two is that there has been one very excited raccoon around these parts over the last few days. Ronnie has been carefully reading each and every comment and imagining life in all far flung corners of the globe. He was beside himself when the clock struck six this evening. We had to have a few words and calm him down with his beloved pineapple.

Sadly his lack of digits made it impossible to select a piece of paper himself, so he enlisted the help of Little Sis.

And the winner is ......

Well done Jacqui! If you could email me with contact details I'll get Ronnie packed and off on his travels before the week is out!

Thanks to all of you who left a comment - it seems like Ronnie has built up quite a fan base out there - he'll be on the cover of Vogue before you know it (keep hold of those odd socks - they could soon be 'de rigueur'!)

Bye for now,

Jane

xxx