Sewing for the Whirling Dervish

I have been dabbling with a bit of clothes sewing for my daughter.

I haven't done this in a long time as she didn't wear any of the previous stuff I made 

and I actually really don'y have the time, 

but occasionally I have to do something other than work or household chores...

I made her 2 pairs of shorts, but she is not keen on them. Even with pockets!

Then I saw this yellow cat fabric and thought that it would make a nice little something...

The dress pattern is from The Great British Sewing Bee,

a free pattern from the Daily Mail many moons ago....

The dress is a hit... a fudged the zip as I didn't have an invisible one, 

so I just used a regular one that I had to hand. 

And I didn't quite follow any instructions 

to get the zip in, but it works and she loves the dress. 

She has a party this week and if she hasn't worn it out by then, she plans to wear it.

Now to use some fabric from my stash and try something else...

Wordless Wednesday - Aero Mint Ball Birthday Cake

Happy New Year

I confess... I did lose my blogging and quilting mojo a bit...

last year....

even as I write this I am yearning for my bed :(

This is not like me at all.

It's like the last year of grief and action 

has suddenly caught up with me and I am tired.

So so tired...

(Morecambe beach walk....)

(...one evening after Christmas shopping)

Usually people ask how I manage to do so much

and I usually scoff that anyone thinks I am managing much at all,

but who knew that 3 children especially a certain lovely 

(yet boundlessly energetic and incredibly demanding) 4 year old

would eat into my sewing time so much LOL.

(our usual homemade hot chocolate 

after a cold walk or cycle for the older Kalico kid's) 

(Christmas baking with Miss Kalico - age 4)

Anyway, a new year looms

and unfinished projects call,

as well as new ones begging to be started!!

(A colleague's birthday cake I made this week - it had smarties inside!)

Ideally, I would like to get my house and sewing studio

super tidy and organised and then I could sew guilt free

(while the washing, cleaning and cooking sorted itself out!!)

(a coffee mat for my boss's December birthday)

The holidays are over and it's back to work!

My nephew and his girlfriend stayed with us for a few days 

so we crammed a bit of action into his visit 

including a trip to the local cheese factory,

a visit to Bolton Abbey.... 

and a brief walk to the waterfall: Gordale Scar:

then they went off to to the Forest of Dean 

where they got engaged!!!!

Clearly DH and I did not sufficiently put them off the idea of marriage LOL!

Anyway, I think that sums up me, for now.

No mega New Year's resolutions,

just an attempt to keep my chin up and my fingers full of fabric 

Happy New Year y'all! :)

Bullions and Bamburgh (part1)

My first bullion stitch bee!

I decided to decorate some stuffed hearts

with embroidered roses

I tried a few different techniques

and then I remembered that I had a book on Bullion stitch,

so I tried some bullion stitch roses.... these were my first ones....

And then I changed needles, thread strand quantity etc. 

until I found a way to get them to work for me.

These were before I added the green leaves.

*****

And now on to some of our holiday snaps

We rented our friend's gorgeous holiday home 

in Bamburgh, Northumberland.

This entailed lovely day trips

with lots of walking.

Rockpooling and walking

on this day...

to Dunstanburgh Castle.

Of course I had forgotten our National Trust passes in the car

which was seriously too far to walk back for! so we

didn't explore the ruins, but just had a quick look around.

The walk back takes you to the little harbour village of Craster

where smoked kippers are a local speciality.

The smoked kipper restaurant was closed, but the pub opposite,

The Jolly Fisherman was still serving lunch and what a lunch!

Highly recommended!!!

We sampled the fish cakes and some of us shared the Fish Board

all very yummy.

***

Another day trip took us to Alnwick Castle

where some of Downton Abbey was filmed.

Besides a nosey around the castle including a display of 

some of the Downton costumes etc (no photos allowed!!)

There was loads for the children to do.

One little person found the dressing up worthy of another trip!

Pure ecstasy!

So I have come home 

with grand plans to make Miss-Kalico a 

Princess outfit.

Plans! No action as yet!

Did I say there was loads for the kids to do?

Well there was including Harry potter Broomstick training

and Master (Middle) Kalico

also enjoyed the dressing up

and games and activities...

A great day out (and holiday week) was had by all!

Sorting Fabric

I have been trying to sort out some fabric

as I move it into the new studio...

I had help with the little pieces...

"This one's my favourite" she said!

Then low calorie refreshments were served...

Before fabric was stroked, twizzled

and sorted....

 (Obviously) only after she went to bed

was any fabric order restored.

(And inspected!)

Family Time

Someone made a snippy comment to me the other day,

they have 2 children and they said:

 "You only have one child more than me!"

Implying I shouldn't make a fuss and I should just get on with it??

Yes I just have one more....

Just one more who is now only 2!

(2nd Birthday cake!)

Just one more who needs constant attention 

or she's likely to spill, break or colour in etc...

EVERYTHING!

Just one more who needs all functions monitoring and supervising.

Just one more who needs mental and emotional stimulation.

Just one more who is at home with me most of the time...

(and I love that soooooooooo much!!)

Just one more, who along with the other 2 

needs feeding, and clean clothes and a clean house and and and...

I'm not complaining!!

I love my 'just one more!'

And my family:

 And the wonder of purple cauliflower!:

 And the vitality of youth:

 And where we live:

And the very occasional lie-in:

 And the sewing that I do get done:

So yes, just one more,

but it's a lot more.

A lot more to love!!

Bean Salad

I couldn't think what to title this post,

but I thought because it's a bit of a mix

of things, it's a bit of a bean salad ;o)

 

First up:

My first scrappy Corn and Bean block

a-la Scraps & Threadtales!

These blocks are such fun to make

and I plan to make them super-scrappy

thanks to Sio for getting me itchy to make them

and another friend who gave me the most awesome scraps!

(Yes, it's true - other people's scraps

are always better than your own!!)

 

*****

Another 2 rose-star half blocks:

And loads more cut out!!

 

*****

I was rather penniless

at the Great North Quilt Show,

but these came home with me:

As did these gorgeous Owl fabrics.

I'm sure I'll make something out of them

for Baby-Kalico

 as I rather like owls at the moment:

And a ruler - made out of perspex,

but bought with plastic ;o)

The pencil case was bought at a local supermarket

(couldn't resist!)

 

*****

This week was 'Back to school!'

My baby boy started Year 1:

I think they were both almost as happy

to go back to school

as Mummy was to send them! :)

 

Walking up to the bus on the first morning:

Baby-Kalico misses them terribly

when they are at school...

But she's a joy to have around.