February in Review

Is it just me or has February just disappeared? I am almost certain time is moving a little faster at the moment! To be honest this has not been a great month but I did achieve a few things...

Finished Objects:

1 Parisian Top

1 pair of PJ's.


1 Darling Ranges Dress - still to be blogged.

Books Read:

Finished Cupcakes at Carringtons by Alexandra Brown (started last month)

3rd Degree by James Patterson. I am loving the Woman's Murder Club series, luckily my friend has read them all so I have them all lined up in the bookcase just waiting! A little light relief between books is needed though!

Christmas at Carringtons by Alexandra Brown - had to read it as the first one ended with 'to be continued'.

Half way through 4th of July by James Patterson.

Weight Lost:

0 - oops!

Mission for March:

Survive...

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8/52

Does anyone else find when the kids are off school time just disappears? I don't think we have had that busy a week yet I have no photos of anything and resorted to photos at tea time!

Big E: Nose in a book.

little e: Actually finished tea with no arguments!!

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7/52 - A weekend away

We spent the weekend visiting my best friend in Cheshire. We stopped at the Trafford Centre on the way down and visited the Legoland Discovery Centre.

It was a bit of a disappointment, a bit too young for my two and far too many poorly supervised young children spoiling the few attractions suitable for the older ones.

Yesterday we went to Jodrell Bank - it was a brilliant day out, the kids learnt loads about the universe and I realised I hadn't forgotten everything from my Physics degree :)

little e: learning about inertia

Big E: It all depends how the weight is spread out.

The dish fully rotated while we were there, the kids thought it was amazing!

This morning we went for a walk along the canal to try and burn off some of the kids energy before the drive home, it seemed to work and

the kids even got to help operate one of the lock gates!

Now to get through the next week of school holidays!

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Parisian Top

I have had my eye on this pattern for a while but last week I decided it was time to buy it.

I thought it would be the perfect thing to use up some of my jersey stash, unfortunately, my stash is not as large as I thought and the only fabric I had enough of was slightly odd cream bandage type jersey. Even then I didn't have quite enough and the shoulders ended up very narrow.

Crumpled after a day's wear.

Shoulder seams are too narrow, not particularly flattering!

I used some old fabric for for the collar that goes really well with my new skirt. The collar fabric is probably the same era as the skirt fabric - 70's ish. I can't believe in all these years of sewing I have actually made two things that properly go together - I'm learning...

Now to find some ethical or second hand fabric to make another version!

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New PJ's

Before we moved to our new house we lived in a housing estate where we were not allowed poultry, my dream was to live somewhere we could have hens, that dream even influenced my fabric purchases! This is my one of my favourite fabrics and it has been sitting in my cupboard for about 4 years, it has hens on it!

I bought it on ebay and was going to make the kids PJ's with it but, after 4 years of deliberation, I decided to make myself  some instead since I won't grow out of them, hopefully!

I used the Kirsten Kimono top pattern, with slightly lengthened sleeves, for the top and traced my favourite PJ bottoms for the trousers (the legs are the same length, I promise!) .

I love them but won't be able to wear them until the weather warms up a bit, it is too cold for short sleeves at the moment, especially when you have a husband that keeps changing the heating timer to save oil!

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6/52 - a day at the Kelpies

 
 We had a lovely day out today to the Kelpies in Falkirk. A Kelpie is what Scots used to call shape-shifting water spirits. They are absolutely amazing and the Helix park they are beside is great for the kids.

There is a large pond where the swans and seagulls were ice skating.

little e : Watching the swans ice skating!

There is also a fantastic play park. The kids went up and down this slide about 10 times!

A fantastic slide at the Helix park.

I am not a horse person at all but these sculptures are just amazing.

Big E: The most sensible photo of a lot of photos!

We will definitely be going back in the summer to use the water play area although it is unlikely we get a much sunnier day than today, even if it was only 2C.

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One Pattern, Two New Skirts

Last Saturday I went to Glasgow for a sewing day with 9 other sewing bloggers. We met at The Stitchery and had 4 hours of sewing, chatting and eating, it was a great day! I didn't take a single photo but  Franca took some great ones and you can see them here.

The only problem was I had no idea what to take with me to make. The last thing I have felt like doing recently is sewing so I decided on a simple skirt which would fill a glaring hole in my wardrobe. 

I tested out the pattern the week before the meet up in case it was terrible but it came out really nicely. It is a totally simple A line skirt with sided zip and no pockets (I am terrible at stuffing pockets full of things and totally distorting the shape of skirts and trousers so I am safer without them...).

I then cut out a green version to take with me to sew up. This time I folded the pattern so the skirt was more straight than A line.

I got it done in a couple of hours and I think it is now my favourite skirt.

Both fabrics were from my stash, the chunky cord for the first version apparently came from the Levi's factory when it was in Falkirk (in the 70's) and the green cord was from my Mother In Law who made cushions out if it.

These skirts have refueled my sewing fire and I have made PJ's , leggings and a top over the last 24 hours, at this rate my stash busting will be done before the summer!

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5/52

While I was at a fab sewing day in Glasgow the kids went exploring with Daddy!

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