FO museum tunic

Ah-maz-ing...a finished object post.  I sewed up the museum tunic during the summer holidays but only just managed to photograph it this week.  As soon as I saw the Anna Maria Horner voile in the parcel Jessica sent me, I knew I wanted to make this tunic.  It is the simplest top to construct, just four rectangles and a piece of elastic in the front.  The instructions are on the Anna Maria Horner website here, though she makes it as a dress.  (I hope this link works as my computer seems to freeze evertime I go onto the AMH  site).

I have been wearing the top loads since making it and deriving a lot of pleasure in wearing it.  The fabric is so lovely and drapey that it makes the simple top hang well.  Thank you Jessica.  A plus point for speedy sewing is the square print which gives you an almost idiot proof cutting and sewing line! 

This week the only FO here is this hairband for Little I to wear to school.  She chose the fabric combination, I assembled it while Rocket Girl was trapped, imprisoned, sitting in her high chair eating rice cakes.

Thank you for the teddy comments.

Below is a teddy in progress shot, knitting in the car waiting outside school.  This teddy will have pink trousers and a red jumper, and grey body/head. 



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Autumn sewing scuppered by teddies

Ugh..bleurgh...meh...that's how I feel about my sewing at present.  I seem to have made a wardrobe of ill fitting, oddbod garments. 
 My actual sewing is very infrequent at the moment.  My dark blue shirt dress (the Lisette Traveller dress) has been hanging up all summer, shoulder and side seams complete - the only progress I made was to tack on all four pockets.  My floral dress based on a patterrn from the Modern Sewing book is awaiting sleeves binding and a hem.  Despite this I was planning for autumn.  Thinking of what patterns I already have waiting, it is a matter of adjusting my summer plans slightly.  I was thinking thriftily and sensibly of using what I have and not buying anything new.  I am also thinking of making something that drapes well and fits.  Back in May I bought a renfrew pattern and lovely Winnie aka Scruffy badger gave me some purple jersey which I was planning to renfrew.  I also bought the pdf version of the Wikstein Tova a few months ago and have some greyish drapey cotton blend that I purloined from my mum's stash while sorting her sewing supplies this summer.  A grey tova seems to me to be a prospect that will fill many wardrobe gaps. 
Then Jessica kindly gave me a Crepe pattern so it would be downright churlish not to make a crepe dress wouldn't it?  I have some fabric lined up for that too. 
But all sewing is on hold because of The Teddies. 
 Both children bought home letters from school asking for knitters to knit up teddies.  The school has a partner school in Kenya and  the plan is to send every reception child in the kenyan school a handknitted teddy for christmas.   So now on the crafting horizon are two teddies.  Selfish sewing for me or selfless knitting for little children?  Uh-oh, what a choice!  Each time Rocket Girl naps out come my needles and knit, knit, knit I go.  Normal sewing will resume once two teddies are knitted, stuffed and have sleeping bags sewn. 

Snippets, a meeting, a cult, florals

Bee People

So I didn't mean to have that blog holiday.  Life got in the way.  Devon was fun, in between monsoon like rain showers.   While there I met up with Charlotte from Sew far sewgood and her youngest son.  It was lovely to meet her in "real life" and to discover what good company she is!  Her little boy is very cute too.  We met at the RAM museum in Exeter where T and Little I joined a strange cult of Bee People and we saw lots of stuffed animals. It was great to chat to Charlotte and I hope to see her next time I am in Exeter (what do you think Charlotte??).


A knitted rag rug from old tee shirts



The museum was a strange experience for me as the museum has been majorly extended and rebuilt but retains original areas which I remember vividly from childhood. There was a sense of recognition but also a sense of dislocation.  That night I couldn't sleep lying awake trying to figure out where staircases led to now and where they used to lead to.

Charlotte very kindly gave me a Guardian craft book book "Making Stuff" .  I have been enjoying flipping through it. Here are some of my favourite ideas and images.

Using old buttons to make magnets



Soap making







Finally, I am doing a tiny bit of sewing with this purloined floral cotton. I am slightly worried I will end up looking like a floral sofa at the end of it.

Appropos of nothing, against all odds, and despite my gardening policy of benign neglect we have ripe tomatoes. 

Happy weekend to everyone.