A Laurel Top (with a few silly mistakes)

I have been really enjoying Me Made May, loving the instagrams! As I have not done allot of sewing I feel I have little to contribute, although it has highlighted to me that us sewers wear our clothes for years! Pretty dresses and made to fit clothing seems to hold the test of time, and that is why most of my items will be a few years old. Until today that is!

Yep, the MMM16 has spurred me on to get making a thing or two (well actually only one at the moment). I rather swiftly have made a Colette Laurel, with yes a few silly mistakes.

 

I made this in a morning, having spent an evening cutting the pattern out. As the fabric is floaty I thought I would ditch the zip, I thought it unnecessary. I also used bought bias binding which was a god send. Over all I like the now top! Yes here are the mistakes, I cut out the pattern a size or maybe two sizes to big, didn't check and had to make some adjustments at the end. During this fiddling around I cut to close to the stitching having to mend a not even worn top, and finally it was the dress version which I shortened and yes I shortened further than I planned, so a top I have. But all in all I am still pleased with the over all look.

And this is what it looks like in real life, wanting to be in the garden but having to layer up!

The rest of my life:

gardening and lots of it! Loving that we already have a harvest and looking forward planting sweet potato and new zeland yams!

Also I've been jogging, and although I look like a beetroot it was beautiful.

And Arthur has lost a tooth and is looking rather gappy and waiting for the tooth fairy.

 I hope you are enjoying your week and Me Made May.

Phoebe dress (that co-insides with Me-Made May 16)

 It has been a little while since my last post, longer since completing any makes of any description. But today I would like to share this lovely lovely (can you tell I'm pleased with it) dress. I started this back in January, I did in my deference make Phoebe version 1 and 2, it just took longer than planned to finish both.

So here we are Phoebe Dress by Colette Patterns.

I have to say this style is just right for me, it was also complex and easy enough just enough so I felt challenged yet pleased with the results. I also really like the fabric and the fact it can be dressed up or down (more down on a daily basis)

My Makes Low Down

To improve on : button holes, I manged them but my buttons don't fit all the holes. As I had manged so much with the rest of the dress I didn't want to change it to much and ruin it.

Didn't go to plan : timing really, but I got there in the end. and the button hole thing!

What I love about it : it is fitted but casual enough to wear daily.

Would I make it again : oh Yes!

This co-insides perfectly with Me-Made May 2016. I have not taken part in the last few years but I am looking forward to it. There is always so much excitement around may and Zoe has made it a wonder annual event. So here I go with me personal pledge.

 'I, Charlotte of sew far sew good, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '16. I endeavor to wear clothes that I have made myself for each weekend for the duration of May 2016'

I have also been following a really interesting blog on less waste, which I know the sewing blogs hold dear to your heart. Jen from make do and mend life has been a beacon to all of us. Jen has also challenging us to mend rather than throw away, I will also be trying my best to follow along.

On the first day of this challenge is, Show me and my mending, and very simply I keep it in a pile!!! I now hope to be shamed enough to actually do something about it.

Finally I have been following these guys on Instagram, I find them so inspiring, being a girl of nature. Therefore if crafting and family isn't enough I have set yet another challenge. Re wild yourself 30 days challenge. I hope to push the boundaries of weather and after work sit down!

I feel there has been a lot to say, maybe that is trying to put to much into a post, more regular blogging would probably be advised. I hope you are all having a lovely weekend.

When things go wrong, and so much more.

Well what a week! For some moments of it I have been loving the full surge of spring, with all the inspiration and energy to start putting plans into place. Oh but then put on the breaks!!!! Yep feels like winter is back this weekend and down goes the energy, and a few disasters.

So starting with disasters first....Remember this

Yep #vintagepledge2016 the 80's never looked so cool. But sadly I am not so skilled at using my overlocker and many many wrong turns (or the fact that I am unable to make turns any other direction than a straight line) meant I ended up with this no sleeve, no hems, really poor top that I will never wear! It has made me slightly afraid of my over locker and returning to my sewing machine felt so lovely and secure, I never want to let it go! 

Trying to look on the bright side, this pattern does have some lovely features and should I brave enough to try again it will be because of the nice neck line a fastening at the back.

The other disasters, include vintage cake stands. I'm really upset by this one. I have collected glasses and plates luckily all of 10p each item, ready to stack BUT  the flippin glue, special really strong suitable for glass and china glue went green. This green look just makes it look moldy and so now I have 3 useless cake stands. Not impressed!

On the plus side though I have had a few lovely days, a sneaky day out with MrPB to Totnes, such a lovely town and Fridays is market day. We had such a great time and I wore my Phoebe dress!

I got lucky in a charity shop and found these two patterns, maybe the vintage pledge can have a new offering!

Sunday bought the first day of spring and it is cold! We still went for a great walk, getting a good move on trying to catch up with Arthur on his bike.

Other lovely things include buying a chair with plans to upcycle (oneday), starting a new pair of leg warmers and watching a great film, and wow it is based on a real story, and I am in love with Matthias Schoenaerts forever (also in Far from the madding crowd) Wendy from The Butterfly Balcony I thought of you! I'm such a sucker for a love story, but the clothes had me captivated too.

Before I swoon all to much here is my chair...

Any ideas to help with up cycling? I thought maybe patchwork which I can slowly add to.

And so my lovely ones, I hope you have had a good week and that the promise of spring is true!

A wonderful weekend.

I have just had the most wonderful weekend! It was extremely busy and I am so tired now but I had the best time. As if this was not enough in its own right I went to the knitting and stitching show at Olympia. It was a shopping fest but we also got to meet some of the best sewing stars. Tilly and the Buttons had a stall helping was Lauren Guthrie, who was just lovely, petite bubbly and so happy to chat. Next we saw Frances Tobin of The Makers Ateliers, her simple items were made in such beautiful fabric and her ultimate pencil skirt in all sequins was beautiful. But the best by far was Lisa Comfort from Sew over it, she was awesome! In fact I got rather star struck and felt to embarrassed to take a photo (gosh i am so British at times!). What can I say about this lovely lovely lady, she spent time going through her patterns, she had time to talk about the blog and even thanked us for following. We couldn't help but buy three patterns between us. I have to say seeing the patterns made up, I was really impressed, I think they are now my favorite.

Of course we used the opportunity to buy many supplies as  every stall was such good value. My favorite buy is the sew over it shirt dress and the fabric to go with it. Secondly, I am feeling knitting inspired and have pattern and yarn to get going. 

As if this was not enough we spent the evening with the best view in London, and my sister Katy joined in the fun. The Portrait gallery, sadly the Vogue exhibition was fully booked and to be honest we wanted to put our feet up. It was so amazing! The service was outstanding, as was the food. The view was great and we got to watch the sun go down.

As it was also mothers day and I was away from home spoiling my own mummy I was kindly treated by my daddy who took us to a fabulous fish restaurant from breakfast in Royal Tonbridge wells (luckily just around the corner from my parents house)

It has been great, and even though I took a day off work to recover I still feel like so tired. I think driving for four hours to get home after late nights and busy day may have something to do with it. With a few good night sleeps I will be ready to start making, and I have enough to keep going for at least a year! 

Any exciting things happening over mothers day?

Knitting weekend.

For as long as I can remember I have had a longing to be a knitter, someone that can actually wear what they have crafted.  To be honest though I really don't have much in the way of confidence, or skills. Like most though I ease my knitting desires into a pinterest board, and that is where I found this beauty.

Now as you can see this is just a combination of squares, which is just as well as there is not a pattern but a little picture with measurements from a Cila. I decided to make this a guide and make a shortened version without such a long cowl neck.

I frantically managed to knit and put together in one weekend using a super chunky yarn.  I love it, its warm and cosy, so good for layering up. I enjoyed the knitting process, my desire to learn more skills  has gone up a notch. Overall a good weekends work.

My makes low down :

1. to improve on : I think the shoulders are a little wide, they are almost a mini sleeve, so you could shorten or lengthen .

 

2. didn't go to plan : the neck line, needs to be either longer to turn over or shorter to stand alone.

3. what do I love about it : its ease, its warm, it was fun !

4.would I make it again : oh yes!!!

Phoebe

I very loosely took part in the phoebe sew along. What I actually did, I bought the pattern when it came out got very excited about joining in with others, even cut the pattern out in time, and then, well timing went a little wayward! But the long and short is I have my first finished garment of the year.

I have really enjoyed my time making this dress, it completely reminded me why I like to make clothes.

I really made an effort with matching seams and lots of ironing (in truth I have been known to be quiet slap dash) I feel proud of my new sewing efforts. I was also rather pleased with the lining of the bodice.

Although not the best pictures I think you can see that it really has a great fit, all my worries about pot bellies and grading came to nothing, I stuck to one size and it seemed to work.

One of my happiest moments have been using my beloved vintage fabric that in the past I have been to afraid to cut into. This has been apart of my vintage pledge, next to tackle vintage patterns.

This lovely pattern has given me a dressmaking boost! I am happy with my new dress and keen to finish the version 1 that I have already have cut out!

Hows your sewing plans going? Have you taken part in the vintage pledge or any other sew along?

A Little Love

A short but sweet post on the testament of love, and a love of making. I made Mr PB a felted heart display, hand crafted with love in time that gives space for dreams and moments of gratitude for our little life. 

I also took the opportunity to practice a new skill of paper cutting. This is my first attempt at something so intricate, I love the design and I'm tempted to try it again and maybe frame it.

Valentines day gave me time to try new things and remembering that hand made presents are really something special.