Prague - possibly the best city ever.

What can I say, Prague is an amazing city! We booked to go for 5 nights and had an amazing time. We opted for 5 days rather than more as I just wasn't sure how the kids would get on on a city break. I shouldn't have worried as they loved it!

It is a beautiful city, the architecture is amazing.

There is a lot of art all over the city, some of it very odd ....

There is a fantastic metro and tram network that was so cheap and easy to use.

 The technical museum was amazing!

There were lots and lots of sewing machines on display, this fantastic one was made in Glasgow.

There were classical concerts galore, we went to one in the Municipal Hall which was amazing,

and the zoo, what can I say, best zoo I have ever been to!

I promise it really is a real crocodile!

 Any zoo with a splash pool gets bonus points, perfect for tired feet!

After 4 and a quarter days we had walked 36 miles and eaten about my weight in cake so hopefully they balanced each other out!

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A Summer Darling Ranges Dress

I have been planning another Megan Nielsen Darling Ranges dress since I finished the last one in April, and finally, it has been sewn!

I used fabric that my Mum and Dad brought back from America last summer. I wasn't sure if it would just be too loud for a dress but used it anyway and I am glad I did, I love it!

I cut a straight medium again and, apart from a sneaky safety pin between the top two buttons it fits really well. I had enough fabric this time to make it the correct length, perfect for bare legs and sandals (which I froze in...)

I used glass buttons from my Grandma's button box, I couldn't decide on a colour of button so clear it was! I am slightly nervous about them though, I am good at smashing things...

Hopefully we get some warmer weather here soon so I can maybe wear it without turning blue :)

On a totally random note, look how much the garden has grown in 3 months!!

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29/52

Almost a week late with these, a couple of photos from our trip to Prague (more on that next week!)

Big E photographed himself under a very fab kinetic sculpture

little e while on a pedalo on the Vltava river

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A Very Summery Dress!

Warning: Sunglasses may be required!

Since I made my last dress I have wanted to make one with sleeves and this fabric has been calling me from the stash for about a year now so it was time to set it free.

My Mum bought the fabric to make curtains (!) for her kitchen then decided parrots and butterflies on dress making fabric was possibly not the wisest choice. It does mean there are 7 meters of it in my stash now (my Mum is very good at passing things to me that she does not have room for...).

I had to make a few more adjustments to my bodice block, deepening the darts and lifting the shoulders, but apart from that it was a quick make. I didn't line this as it was supposed to go on holiday with me..... I forgot to pack it so it is still unworn and summer has disappeared - wahhhhhh!!

I love the look of the gathered skirt on the hanger but not so much in real life, it just adds so much bulk at the waist. I have a narrow tan belt that breaks it up a bit but will need to sew some belt holders if I am going to wear it as the belt rides up at the back.

The next dress using my bodice block will have a half circle skirt which will hopefully make my waist look a bit less huge...

This fabric is going to get another outing as a dress for Mum once he has decided on a pattern, then we can be dress twins!

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28/52

A week late...

Both E and e enjoying crepes on our first evening in Prague!

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Another Cardigan

Along with sewing pretty dresses recently I have been trying to be practical and sew some basics, how dull!

I try and get most basics from the charity shops but I have been in search of the perfect navy cardi for ages now and have never found one, so, my navy interlock that was destined to be a renfrew became a cardi. Much better use actually as I am finding it just a touch heavy for the renfrews I made in the white interlock (they still get worn all the time though).

I used McCalls 6844 again and I still love the pattern, view B really is my perfect cardi.

Here is a typical Alison shot of the cardi in action, it was breezy!

have to stop moaning about the kids being silly in photos!

This pattern will definitely be getting used again, maybe not for a while though as I have run out of space in my wardrobe...

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Lots of shorts!

Frenzied summer holiday sewing has been happening in these parts, shorts, shorts and more shorts! I have resisted the temptation to make lots of summer dresses after the one I made little e was rejected outright...

 For the kids shorts I used the Made kids shorts pattern. Simple and perfect for quick summer shorts.

I made the shorter length boys and regular length girls first then made a longer pair of boys in Star Wars fabric.They look very odd on the hanger but good on!

I made myself the shorts version of the Jocole Wideleg trousers. I made no adjustments, cut a straight size M. The fit was ok but the pockets did not sit right at all so I sewed them up and cut the inners out (I was far too lazy to fully deconstruct them...) and now they look fine.

They look pretty awful hanging like this :)

Next time I will do a bit of a large bottom adjustment as I feel them pulling  bit over my bum!

I think that is our holiday clothes sorted, although I am suppressing an urge to sew lots of summery things are realistically Scottish summers don't really need a full wardrobe of summer wear...

Now to focus on my sewing plans for when I return, I am determined to make a woven / part woven top that does not look like a tent on me, not sure if that is possible but we will see!

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A New Party Dress

It's party dress season in this house again! This is the first year in many that I have made a dress for little e as she is so fussy about what she wears. Normally the things I make sit, unworn, in the wardrobe until they are too small.

This year was different, my parents celebrated their Ruby Wedding anniversary on Sunday and about a month ago Mum took little e shopping to buy fabric for a dress for her party. This seemed to be the key...

She chose a quilting cotton with multi coloured butterflies on a black background. Nothing like what I would have chosen but she loved it. Then, after much deliberation, she chose this pattern:

McCalls 6020, view C but without the band. I cut the bodice front with extra length to take account of the  removed band and it worked well. I only lined the bodice as thought it would be a bit warm with a fully lined dress.

Initially she wanted sleeves as well but I got carried away and before I knew where I was had a fully lined bodice. There was no going back as I had clipped corners etc so the sleeves were scrapped and a we bought a new cardi instead.

why oh why does she always have to pull a face.... like mother like daughter I suppose :)

I also made a matching hairband - this was very well received!

I hope she will wear the dress again for her birthday in August but I have a suspicion that she might ask for another one that fully meets spec this time :)

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26/52 &27/52

I forgot to post last week, I blame the crazy start to the summer holidays!!

last day of term, phew!

Off to Grandma and Grandad's Ruby Wedding celebrations!

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