Simple Modern Sewing

I received this book for Christmas.  I dropped a big hint to Father Christmas and he took notice (actually I bought it myself, wrapped it and popped it on my pressie pile (we all do this don't we?).  I have been yearning to sew something for myself for quite some time and after the visit to Dewsbury to the Mill Shop I had some great fabric to use.  I decided to make Pattern 2b Button Tunic.  I haven't used a Japanese sewing book before so it was all new to me.  I traced the pattern which was included at the back of the book.  It was a bit of a faff and the lines were hard to follow.  I highlighted the size I was going to use and it did make it much easier.  I had treated myself to some Kwik Sew tracing cloth.  I really liked it and would use it again although after a little research I have found that other people use garden fleece as it is a similar material although it doesn't have a grid on it (which I did find useful).

The finished item.

A little hand stitching.

I used orange/red thread for the button and a different way of sewing it on which I had seen somewhere on the internet.

Some stitching around the cuff.

I used an elastic casing instead of the recommended method of binding and gathering the neck.

The book cover

My top.

The sewing instructions were very basic, I thought, so a beginner may struggle but I enjoyed the process.  Unfortunately as a fairly short, little bit chunky, large chested kind of girl  this smock  top really doesn't suit me.  I really should have chosen one of the other styles more suited to my body shape.  We live and learn and I really enjoyed sewing an item of clothing for me rather than a cushion, bag or lampshade for my stall.  

I am going to make more projects from the book as there are 8 patterns with 2 variations to go at.  

Please note I wasn't sponsored for this little review it was just something I wanted to do.  Hope you enjoyed it and if I make anything else I will blog about it right here.

Smiley Sunday

Take a look at Dyl.  He is super happy with himself as he has stolen a melon skin out of the bin.

Such a happy chappy.

Fab Day Out

When we got up today I decided I fancied a trip to Fab Works in Dewsbury.  I have heard about this fabric shop before but never visited.  I was not disappointed.  It is a treasure trove of every type of fabric you could imagine.  In fact there was so much there I was a little bit dazed and didn't quite know what to choose.  I had also failed on quite a few fronts.  I have forgotten to take my quilt that needs a border fabric, I forgot to take my new Japanese sewing book to find out how much fabric I needed for the items I would like to make and most of all I didn't take a camera or my phone so NO photos.  Sorry.  I did decide on three pieces of fabric a blue chambray, a blue cotton fabric with tiny flowers for a top (Paul Smith) and some red and cream fabric (Avoca).  I also bought lots of lovely velvet ribbon I don't need it but I couldn't resist.  I really could have bought lots more, but, I resisted it is not far from where we live and I WILL return.  I am hoping to start on a top tomorrow so I will blog about it and maybe review the pattern book too.  

Hello

Well hello there.  Long time no bloggin.  In fact over a year with no blog post.  I suppose I fell out with it a bit, or a lot, and I don't really know why.  But a llittle while ago I popped to my blog and read a few posts and remembered things I had forgotten I had done.  Rekindled my memories of lovely stuff and with my three girl's entering into the world of blogging I thought I would join back in.  So, hopefully, I will blog a little this year what do you think?

Eleven

Hi I have been tagged by Mrs Hotchpotch.  I am going to tell you 11 things about myself that you might not already know.

1.  I love my bed and I tell it so every night (yep really)

2.  I have been married to Kev for TWENTY SIX years - that's a long time.

3.  I have a phobia of monkies.  Not apparent until one holiday in Benidorm when I was about 18 a photographer tried to put a chimp on my knee.  YIKES.

4.  I am now officially a market trader.  I stand two markets each week selling vintage wares, hand crafted items, vintage fabric etc.  I love it. If you happen to be in Chesterfield on Thursday or Retford on Friday call by and say hello.

5.  My first pet was a cat named Ringo - yes it was in the 60's.

6.  I have recently been told by two separate people that I do not look my age.  Not sure it's true but I liked hearing it.

7.  I often forget how old I actually am.

8.  I have had two operations on my back - both emergencies. All is well now.

9.  I can type without looking - although quite often it doesn't make sense.

10.  I really wish I could sing. When I worked in the Bank as a Secretary I often wished I could just belt out a song when everyone else was working away quietly.

11. When I worked in said Bank I used to slip the odd rude work into letters to make the person who had dictated it laugh.  Luckily they were never sent out to customers.

Thanks Mrs H for tagging me. Eleven things you might not have known.  Hope everyone doesn't mind but I am not going to join in with the rest of the tag thingy as I really just don't have the time.  TTFN.

Hi -Taps Screen - Anyone There?

Long time no post.  I had lost my blogging mojo and felt I had little to say, show or tell and felt I was spending too long on t'internet than in real life.  So after speaking to the lovely Mrs Hotchpotch I think it might be slowly returning.  Not making promises but hopefully I will be able to return to normal blogging and fnd it as pleasurable as I did before- if just a little less time consuming.  Hope you are all well.  I had to write today too as my friend Janey is FIFTY that is a really big number.  Love you Janey if you read this and looking forward to seeing you Wednesday it has been toooooooo lonnnnng. X

Super Singer

Hello long time no post.  No particular reason.  I have been a busy bee.  Working in nursery, driving Belle to and from her work experience placement at Hope and Elvis, colleagues leaving parties and playing shop at a Vintage Fair.  Yes I had a stall at The Vintage Fair in the very grand Town Hall in Sheffield and it was great.  I met lots of lovely people, made a profit, my lovely friends J and S popped in with a surprise visit and K was a happy bunny chatting to stall holders, talking to customers and generally being a very helpful fetcher and carrier.  I really enjoyed it.  So much so that I am doing it all again tomorrow this time in the City Hall with Judy's Vintage fair.  This weekend is Tramlines Festival in Sheffield which is a free event with lots of bands, stalls, etc. So if you are in Sheffield this weekend it would be lovely for you to come to the Ballroom in the City Hall to say hello.

Now I will explain the title to my post.  On Wednesday one of my neighbours called me over as she had very kindly taken in a parcel for me.  She then mentioned that she knew I liked 'old' stuff as she had recently seen me at a car booty and had spotted my old books, china cabinet etc in my house.  She is not nosey we live in a 60's house with huge picture windows so all the above are clearly visible from the road, along with my laundry, the clothes horse drying clothes - all the time - come on sunshine give me a break from the dreaded clothes horse.  Anyway long to short.  She said she had an old sewing machine she was selling and would I be interested.  I said that I already had one and she said ok its just that its old, it has a treadle, it's a Singer and it is in a beautiful cabinet.  Oh my goodness then I WAS interested.  She asked if I would like to have a look.  I was sooooo excited when she showed me.  It is a beauty.  I said yes please as quick as a flash and showed her my goosebumps to show her how delighted I was.  I also told her that Nellie would love it too.  She replied by saying Oh I have another one, its not in as good nick but you can have it.  Wham.  Two Singers to find homes for.  K did raise an eyebrow and fuffawacked a little (which equals swearing words in our house)  about where we where going to put it but for me it was LOVE at first sight.  Here she is.

This is mine squished in my teeny tiny hall but will be moved - sometime.

This is Nellie's she stripped it, oiled it, cleaned and polished it, Brasso'd and WD40'd it and now it sews like a dream.

So neighbour Lucy thank you so much for giving us two Super Singer's.  Neighbour Lucy also said I've got lots of threads as well, you know the old ones on wooden bobbins, I will dig you them out too.  Oh and I have a concertina sewing box, a wooden one in the loft I will dig that out for you too.

THANK YOU 

Torch Light

Yesterday I set off for work expecting a normal morning in a busy friendly nursery (if you don't already know I work as a supply Nursery Nurse/Early Years Practitioner for my local Council).  The traffic to work was unusually busy.  Long than normal queues. I admit I was a little stressed as I do not like to be late for work especially when it is not a regular work place.  Anyhow the nearer I got to Nursery the more I became intrigued.  Lots of people at this time of the morning I thought.  Lots of traffic and then lots of police.  Then it occured to me it might be a special day for Rotherham.  As I got into Nursery I apologised for being late and quickly rushed into Nursery.  I was greeted by lots of little ones shouting 'torch, torch, torch'.  Yes the Olympic torch was coming to Rotherham and after my fretful journey to work I was pleased to find out I was to accompany the children and staff to watch the occasion.  I was surprised at how excited I was as only the day before I had said to my friend Louise that it really didn't appeal to me watching someone run with a flame.  I do normally love to watch the Olympics and really do enjoy it but I suppose I felt a little nervous that this is 'our' Olympics and that I hope it all turns out well.  Well I now believe it will.  The parade before the torch passed us was well organised and very inspiring.  To see the coach with all the torches and torch bearers waiting their turn was fab.  The atmosphere was brillient.  The children loved it and the streets were lined with excited folk.  When the torch passed the children jumped about and shouted and so did I.  It was fabulous.  What a very pleasant surprise I had when I arrived at work.  I saw the Olympic torch being paraded through the streets of Rotherham and although the children with me are so young they probably won't remember it they will have lots of photographs to remind them and it is certainly a morning at work that I won't forget. 

I didn't get any photos as I didn't have my camera with me and taking my phone out with me wasn't really the right thing to do in the circumstances, so, just imagine lots of people, smiling faces, cheering, families of all ages and cultures joined together to cheer on the special people chosen to carry the torch. 

BTW my husband's work colleage carried the torch the day before in Sheffield, my sister's work colleage was also a torch bearer and the daughter of an old school friend also took her turn at at the age of 21 she has a full time job, attends University and works tirelessly to raise money and awareness for UNICEF. 

FABULOUS.

Festival Time - No Direction Home, Welbeck 2012

I have been to a Festival.  It rained, it was muddy but it was great fun. 

It was really good fun and we hope to go again next year. 

If you would like to have a peek at more photos I have uploaded more to my Facebook page which I have a link to at the top of my page.  I don't know how to make a pretty button thingy for it - anyone know how to?  If you then go to the Facebook page of Hope and Elvis you will see more photos including some of me and Louise being grumpy and wet and one of me with Festival Hair - because at a Festival anything goes. Let me know what you think!

Norfolk

K and I decided to go away for a few days.  The girl's kindly agreed to stay at home to house and dog sit - and eat goodies.  We decided to go to Norfolk as we hadn't been for a long, long time.  We set off on Friday night and managed to find our first B&B which we had pre-booked.  It was a country pub and was OK but could have been so much nicer with a little tweeking and a little vintage love.  The next morning we set off to explore. 

Wells

in Jubilee mode - most excellent

Lots of little boats all dressed up and the locals were having their street party on the harbour

very pretty

cute houses

We had a lovely day, the sun shone and we generally had a very relaxing time.  We happened upon the most glorious B&B.  It couldn't have been more different to our first night. 

The room was self contained and separate to the main house.  Sumptious bed, everything you would need for a relaxing time - including home baked chocolate tray bake - delicious.

The courtyard.

A seating area

The barn with fab facilities - if only it hadn't rained we would have had a picnic here.

log store

a home for the birds

our room.

It was The Barns at Thorpe Market run by Amanda and Tony.  Highly recommended and we will definately be back.  It was homely, spotlessly clean, well equipped and the breakfast was yummy.  Amanda even makes her own preserves.  We will be going back.

The next day was miserable, cold and wet.  We decided to just generally drive around with no real sense of where we were going.  We drove through the Norfolk Broads, along the front at Great Yarmouth and around country lanes and through villages.  Somehow we ended up in Beccles.  It was still wet, cold and miserable but we had a look around and it was a really lovely place.

All in all two lovely relaxing days away, on our own, doing as we pleased - it was lovely.

Jubilations Twice

I have had a very busy week.  I have been to not one but two Cath Kidston Workshop's to embroider a Jubilee hankie.  There is a funny story behind the reason for attending twice other than me being greedy.  When the Cath brochure dropped on my door mat a month or two ago the workshops were advertised.  Wowzer I thought that looks super.  Grabbed my phone and got through and booked four tickets.  One for me, one for Louise and my eldest two girls.  Belle is not normally interested in things stitchy so I thought she wouldn't be bothered.  I was very pleased to say the least.  I didn't ask Louise as I thought the delay in making a phone call etc would maybe result in not getting a place.  Later that day I received a message from Louise saying that I must keep a date free as she had booked me on a workshop at Cath Kidston.  We had both booked for each other almost at the same time but for different locations.  I decided that I would still go twice and it meant Belle had a place too.  How was it.  Brilliant.  When I went with Lou is was a big class and was quite noisy but in a good way, we laughed a lot and I even began to snort a little which is never good.  Why, the lovely lady next to me was sewing with so much vigour that every time she pulled the needle through the fabric she almost had my eye out.  She was completely unaware and I found it hilarious and kept sniggering to Lou who kept telling me to shush.  Anyhow we both had a good old stitch, chattered, ate cupcakes, drank tea and had a mooch around the store. 

Nellie has almost finished.

The second workshop was quite different but still brill.  The shop was smaller so less participants.  The girl's and I managed to sit around one table with a huge pile of cakes in the middle.  Each table had their own stitching tutor which worked out really well.  Nellie and I are quite competent so Betty and Belle got her attention.  Betty stitched and so did Belle!!! and they loved it.  I was so proud and pleased that they had stitched especially Belle as she is a creative girl but not normally in a stitchy way.  Quite often she becomes frustrated with sewing but with the patience of Jessica our lovely tutor there she was back stitching, satin stitching and french knots.  Nellie said to her in a joking way 'welcome to the family' it was really funny.

In our goodie bag we got the specially transfer printed hankie/scarf, the threads, a hoop and instructions.  We also got 15% discount on goods purchased on the night and a raffle ticket.

Belle won the raffle on our night out.  She was so busy stitching she was oblivious bless her.  We had to shout out.  She won a union flag zip purse, soldier badge and crown badge.  She was very pleased and we grizzled a bit - in a funny kind way. 

I bought the soldier skirt it was the last one in the shop and I will now be twins with Lou as she bought one too.

Betty treated herself too.

We had a really lovely family stitching session and the girl's were very grateful for me taking them to stitch, going out for pizza and generally spending quality time together. 

Jubilations.

Have a good one.





Why Hello Long Time No Post

Good morning everyone.  No particular reason for not posting I suppose I lost a little of my blogging mojo and the longer you leave it the more difficult it is.  Anyhow here I am all fine and dandy and hoping you are too.  I have been busy being a 'craft sod' as my husband says and have been busy sewing and stitching  I have also been working both in my role as Nursery Nurse on a supply basis which I love and also at the Studio with Louise.  All good stuff.  The girl's are all plodding along with uni and school and K is training for the Sheffield half marathon and a trip to Wembly to see The Blades in yet another play off final.  Hope they win as if they don't he says he is not ever ever spending another penny on footie at The Lane.  Oh dear that means no money for me on crafty stuff as I equate - in my head - football money K spends = knitting wool, fabric etc.  Shame he hasn't been very much this season.  Any way look what I bought yesterday.  I popped to Elsecarr Heritage Centre as I was working nearby.  I got the magazine from a unit within the Antique Centre and the fabric and brooch from Heritage Re-loved.  The lady who runs it is lovely and we had a great chat about all things vintage, where to look for 'stuff' and our general love of making and re-using old fabrics, blankets, buttons etc. 

Fabulous graphics and the wool brooch albeit a little moth eaten - still beautiful

It has a wire edge and I think it has a woven base with embroidery over the top.

The finely worked one on the right and my clumpy effort on the left.  I still like it though and will have a bash at some more maybe using finer wool.

I used the wools from this box - a recent find at a car boot - you will be shocked at how much it cost.  At first I thought it was an empty box £1 - complete with wool.  Wowzer.

lots and lots

the box is fabulous a little water damaged because it was raining at the car boot. 

Rosy posy fabric from Heritage Re-loved.

Just to keep it real this is just a little of my fabric stash laying around in the living room.

and lastly this made Nellie and me laugh out loud.  I know we have a 'funny' sense of humour.  Its the same brand as my box of wool.  The ads in the magazine are brilliant.

Just for Miss Janey who should be reading this whilst in her office - I read Farmer Duck about 7 times yesterday and each time I thought of you. 

If anyone is interested pop over to my new Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Once-Was-/136260773164209?ref=tn_tnmn I will probably post on here a little more often and you can have a look at my recent makes which is the reason behind my untidy piles of stuff.

Oh I enjoyed typing this - note to self - post more often.

Name Badge

I am working with Louise tomorrow.  It is Open Studio day at Welbeck and I am being a helpful assistant.  I thought I would make myself a name badge so I can remind myself who I am.  Here it is.  It is all hand stitched and I have enjoyed making it amongst the chaos of my home.  Boy oh boy do I need to get stuck into cleaning sorting mode I just can't.  Anyhow here it is - Miss Debs is Louise's pet name for me and it makes me laugh.

Louise's studio hopeandelvis.com is open from 10 am to 4 pm.  There are free activities on offer for both children and adults so if you fancy a day out where you browse around and have a sit, stitch and a natter then come along.  I will be the one wearing the above.  Lol.