a few things to show ...

I've got a few things to show today. First of all, the last (for now) of the flirty frilly pinnies for Debbie.

Next, the last (again for now) of the double oven gloves for Debbie.

Next a sparkly top which I made for myself over the weekend.

To be honest, I was a bit wary of sewing this as the fabric is net with silver sequins on it and it could have been a nightmare to sew but it wasn't. I think the reason why it wasn't was that my walking foot had been on the sewing machine when I went to thread it up with black thread and I had a lightbulb moment thinking that the walking foot would make the net soooooo much easier to sew. It was true!

Also, I decided to sew the seams using the French seam method. (I didn't press it like the lady on the video did - the net and/or the sequins might have melted!) I hadn't sewn French seams for years - decades?? - but, it was like riding a bike. Once you know how, you never forget. (Although, truth be told, I'd hate to try riding a bike after all these years - decades! :oD)

Today I made a long-sleeved black blouse to wear under the sparkly top.

It's not finished yet as I've still the buttonholes and buttons to do and the sleeves will need shortened as well. But here's what the top and blouse look like together. I think I'll be quite a bright spark at the Singers concert next week wearing these! :oD

Apologies for the photos. I had to switch the flash on to get anything to show up!!

Now, just because it's a while since Rosie appeared on here -

And, here's what a 29 year old and her 56 year old dad do on a Sunday afternoon when the internet and cable television aren't working. They had a blast! :oD

from the sewing room window - 21 November

been a busy bee!

I haven't blogged much this week because I've been busy doing various things.

Sewingy things:

Double oven gloves:

Single oven gloves:

A couple of pinnies which will be winging their way across the ocean to Debs soon:

Crochety things:

A Christmas sock using this pattern.

It's much bigger than I thought it would be so, if I make another one, I'll reduce the size a wee bit, I think.

I've got a few other things almost finished - only the handsewing to do - so I hope to get them finished tomorrow then it'll be some dressmaking - if I can work up the courage.

The choir I'm in is having its first concert of the Christmas season on the 27th and, if I decide I want something new to wear, I need to get on with it. There's no real need for something new, you understand, but I just fancy making something new. Preferably something that fits. Ahhh, as Hamlet would have it, there's the rub!

finished - the pieced tree

I finished the pieced tree today and, I have to say, I *love* it!

I made a silver star out of fabric that I swear has been in my "sparkly fabrics" box for at least 20 years. I'm pretty sure it was left over from a tap costume of Joanna's for a dance concert in 1989!! (Please ignore the yellow thread!!)

I used some Gütermann glitter threads to quilt it. They're not the easiest of threads to sew with but I love the effect they make. (Please ignore the green thread on the tree trunk!!)

from the sewing room window 15 November

pieced tree and honeycomb

After cutting out a few more oven gloves this morning - that's 6 double gloves, 4 single gloves and 3 pinnies all waiting to be sewn now!! - a thought went through my head. I wondered how a tree like the one I showed here would look if it was made with patchwork pieces instead of strips. So I got out some squared paper and started drawing it out.

I cut out the squares and triangles on my Go! cutter and started sewing it together. It's not finished yet - I had to make myself walk away or I'd suffer for it tomorrow. I know by now that, if my back tells me to stop sewing, I *have* to do as I'm told.

Here's the tree waiting to have the strips sewn together. I'm loving it so far. :o)

And here's another thing I made today. It literally took about 5 minutes to make it. Scrumptious!

Honeycomb

5 tbsps caster sugar
2 tbsps golden syrup
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Grease a 7" square baking tray with a little butter.
Put the syrup and sugar in a pan over a medium heat and bring the mixture to the boil. Simmer for about 3 minutes until the mixture is golden brown.
Remove from heat and add in the bicarb stirring with a wooden spoon. Pour the frothed up mixture into the baking tray and leave to cool.
Turn out on to a chopping board and break into bite-sized pieces - or bigger! :oD.

lest we forget - 11.11.11

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

John McCrae, May 1915

new 'do, teeny tree and coming soon

I got a haircut yesterday and, for once, the hairdresser actually did what I asked her to do - "cut it as short as you can without making me look stupid". I *LOVE* it!!

I did make the teeny tiny tree:

It's fab but the size made it a wee bit finicky to make. For example, the tree trunk is ½" square finished size. *gasp*

I made some oven gloves today and took lots of photos so I can write tutorials for how to make them. Double oven gloves:

(I hadn't baked muffins, I was just holding the baking tray to show the gloves off! :oD)

And the single mitt:

from the sewing room window - 8 November

wee trees and reindeer

Remember the tree panel I showed in this post? Well, I decided to see how it looked at half that size. I have to say, I love this even more than the big one. It's just over 6" square.

So, naturally, I had to make another one. This is my favourite of all the trees I've made - so far!

I'm now thinking of trying it even smaller. We'll see how that goes! :oD

A few weeks ago, I bought the Dash Away pattern as shown in this post on the Twin Stitchers blog.

I dug it out yesterday and decided it was time to start it. I know myself well enough to know that there's no way I could have Rudolph in the middle of the line up so I cut him out and stuck him on the end.

I mean, the other eight reindeer just trip off the tongue in the order "Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and Vixen. Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen". Rudolph is the "most famous reindeer of all" because he's the extra one. The special one. He's not in the middle of them, he's out on his own until Santa comes along and tells him to "guide my sleigh tonight". Anyway, that's my reason for cutting him out and putting him on the end. He will be compensated with a really shiny red nose when I get to him! :oD

Here's the embroidery drawn out on the calico, waiting to be started.

I have started it this afternoon but will save the showing of it until I've done a bit more.