Raaaaaaaaaaaarrgh: “There’s a dinosaur loose in downtown Manhattan!!”

This weekend has been a busy one.

Friday night out for dinner. Saturday a day at York Races with dinner out. And today was car booting, sewing and cooking a feast. So yeah, mostly revolving around food!

The Races was excellent. It was York’s annual racing + music weekend. I went with the family plus Jim and my little bro’s girlfriend M. I love it when M and Jim stand together because she is so petite and he looks like a giant. Hehehe. Sadly I don’t have a good pic of us all to put up.

The Thomas ladies working it

I’m wearing my wookie hole Liberty dress (minus the matching bow — it didn’t go with the fascinator). And Mum braved the leopard print!

We didn’t stay for the music as a) it was McFly (who only my mum was keen on —  she loved Harry from his time of SCD) ; b) because it started to rain just as they started and c) because we had to get back for our restaurant booking!

After all the fun and food from yesterday I was pleased that today was very productive. I went to Rufforth car boot to finally meet the infamous sewing woman! And she wasn’t there.

Lame!! But her nephew was manning the stall so I bought some little bits of course.

Then fun really started. I got home and started working on my little fro’s graduation gift. I know I’m a bit late but I’ve caught up quite a lot now. I’m making him an iPad case.

I’m using the Ikea Godzilla print fabric which I couldn’t get in store so ended up buying from a lady on ebay. She sold me the massive panel complete with manga characters but I only cared about the bit with the buildings on and GODZILLA!!!

Since Fro studied architecture I wanted one side of the case to use the buildings from the panel. The other side is all monster.

I’m making an envelope closing with a button and elastic loop closure.

I’m pleased how the clock tower works as the envelope flap

I really hope the iPad fits!!

I crack myself up sometimes

I’ve been using this fake iPad to size it up. It’s made from an old wine box with three layers to get the thickness right.

(Yep that’s right, my house has boxes of wine in it)

I’m thinking it’ll only take a couple more hours to finish off.

I had to stop because I’ve sliced right into my thumb making dinner and didn’t want to get blood on everything 😦

Jimi and I have a new project; making awesome Sunday dinners.

Tonight we made vegetarian moussaka with cous cous and crusty bread. Delicious!

And I’d made strawberry cheesecake for puds.

Excellent for working out your aggression

I added milka choc chips to the base so it was extra yummy!

And I used some old Gü pots to make them into “mini” cheesecakes.

Perfect… oh except for when I dropped one of the glass pots on my foot and bruised my toe! It’s all swollen and won’t bend now.

Sigh……. Finger and toe injured in the same day.

What a klutz!

Feeling fruity and a review of New Look 6962

Oooh yeah feeling fruity again…

I’m obviously referring to my berry sewing fest from last week. I was making New Look 6962 view D without the tie.

I used my raspberry chiffon and am extremely happy with how  it turned out.

Sadly I didn’t get to wear it anywhere but my hallway as Sewing Sarah, my sewing class buddy, was poorly and so we couldn’t go out for her birthday drinks.

Hope we can rearrange soon, not only to let this little number out on the town but also so Sarah doesn’t miss out on a celebratory pint of ale! Yep that’s right, we’re the new breed of seamstresses that drink ale and cider and we look right foxy doing it.

I think it’s much smarter without the tie. And I didn’t line the sleeves so you get that lovely sheerness in them.

Crazily the lining cost more than the chiffon thanks to the wonderful world of Jack’s Fabrics. £1 /m for the chiffon, with £2.40/m for the lining.

Want to hear a secret? The lining is actually red. Like strawberry red! See…

Wild eh?

It took about 3 days, a few hours here and there so it wasn’t stressful to make.

And because I’d made the pattern before there was no surprises.

I altered the front panels to be a cm wider so it was more modest. Don’t want to be flashing people now do I!

Review:

Jeez the girl on the envelope has a weird expression. It’s like constipation meets terror. Or something like that anyway. But I still wanted to make it! (maybe I shouldn’t criticise on photo poses, ahem see above!)

Given the variations and the sweet top in the photo I knew this would be quite versatile and straightforward. I’ve made views C and D and neither disappoint.

Negatives:

Working with chiffon is always a nightmare so think my negatives are all tied up in that (I’ve made it twice in chiffon/georgette). Really, I bet it would be a dream in a simple cotton!

Also I hate flapping ties at the front of a top when you know there is elastic in there as well. Either use a tie or use elastic, why both?!

My only other comment is that without the front panel adjustment I need to wear a tank top underneath. That’s not necessarily a negative as sometimes layering is a good luck, but if I wanted that sheer style I could have saved myself the time lining my first version.

Positives:

The elastic waist is easy to fit and flattering. The design and instructions are nice and simple too. I omitted the facings since I was lining the fabric but they seem rather simple to add in.

Would I make it again? And what would you do differently?

I’d use a cotton! Man, just a nice simple cotton where I only need to add a few facings and bias tape and be done even quicker than normal!

I definitely want to try the variation on the neckline with a contrasting colour. I see that as my way into some colour blocking fun.

Surrounded by sewing

It’s nice to be surrounded by your hobby with good happy little reminders that make you smile and your eyes widen as you get a bit giddy. It’s kind of how I feel reading lovely people’s sewing blogs but other things trigger this too.

Why the focus on this (probably obvious to everyone) obsession? Well Project Runway Season 10 starts TONIGHT in the US and I can’t wait until I can see a clip of Tim Gunn’s little face as he spies something truly horrendous being made.

I have a pinterest board called “Things that make me smile”. It does exactly what it says on the tin people. And I don’t always put sewing related things in there but a few have made me smile lately:

Decorated sewing machine! No credit I’m afraid as I repinned it from someone who repinned it and so on. Creative though, right? Done with Sharpie pens!

Queenie — (c) Karen Nicol. Monkey with pearl button embellishment.
Words cannot properly explain what she does given the variety of techniques used. You must check her out here

The fabulous Lionheart Project is too far away for me to go see but if you’re near London go check it out. Details here

Cross stitch cookies — a super cute idea cooked up by Megan DeKok. See details on how they made these here!

Baaaaa!

Other things making me smile is my new sewing compendium bought by my mum for me.

Such cute funny pictures (unintentionally of course)… got to love 80s photography.

This one is just generally awesome.

🙂

I also want to go to the Yorkshire Fashion Archive at Leeds University soon but with the silly opening hours I need a day off work. Hope it’s good! I want to wander round in a jealous glazed stupor at the beautiful garments on display.

Hope these little bits made you smile too!

Berry good!

After a super busy week (and a bit) I’m back in business with some sewing!! Firstly I’ll say Portugal was lovely and hot and relaxing.

When I got back I went to my Little Fro’s second graduation!

Super proud of him. He got a distinction don’tcha know. Look at him in his cap and gown, so dashing.

Then on Friday I got whisked off to A BALL! Yep you heard me. I’m kind of gutted that I couldn’t make a ball gown but as I was only given 3 days notice I couldn’t really have whipped one up. Really it was amazing to be invited at all!

The ball was part of a charity golf day and dinner with Bedfords that Jimi and his work colleagues were attending (as they manage the marketing for the company). We had a slap up dinner, then there was a raffle and auction before the dancing started.

OH MY THE DANCING!

Jimi and I tore up the floor. His work colleagues were in awe as they’ve never seen his unbelievable dancing before. I am well aware how good his is and use it to my advantage, dragging him up every two mins. At one point it was just the two of us, spinning and quick-stepping around. Legendary night.

And then the weekend arrived and I raced back to my sewing table!! Hence the name of the post.

It’s all gone a bit pink and fruity here in the flat.

First off I got a new sewing pattern off eBay. Now isn’t this a cute little number?!

Look at that grapefruit pink! It totally works on the blonde fox on the envelope. She’s so chic… I’m jealous.

But what the heckers fabric should I use?

No, seriously!

It doesn’t tell me anywhere on the envelope  or pattern sheets what fabric to use.

I’m kind of guessing some kind of  opaque polyester?! (As there’s no lining instructions.)  Possibly thinking red and white polka dot…..

Raspberry ripple

Secondly, I’m working on a top for next weekend’s night out. It’s Sewing Sarah’s birthday drinks in Saltaire.

I have some lovely raspberry chiffon and I’m making New Look 6962 view D without the tie.

I hate chiffon. Well I hate sewing it. I love wearing it. Quite the dilemma.

I’ve made good progress already. I altered the front bodice so I don’t have to wear a top underneath like my star-print top.

Then finally I’m starting on a secret strawberry project. All I’ll say is that if it goes to plan it’ll be a treat for someone nice and I might put a tutorial up as well.

Time to log off and watch more Wilfred season 2 (omg that show is hilarious, watch it) while tidying up the sewing corner! Turrah for now!