Seeking and Stitching

I've had all sorts of things to share this past week, but somehow what with work and the odd tea with friends and whoossh time whizzes by. 

I'm going to take you all the way back to that glorious bank holiday weekend. 

There were two treasure hunting days on offer in these parts which tickled my fancy. 

On the Sunday we headed off to an antiques street market.

Monday was vintage in the grounds of a magical garden.

The haul for both days was seriously good. The only thing missing is the tiniest Kewpie doll which Little Bun bought.

No suprises that fabric wins out as the bigger part of my finds. There were loads of other delectable fabrics, but I'd spent up and weighed up in my head what everything would become. I just regret buying the orangey cotton, problem of chatting to friends and not concentrating properly I guess.

I've wanted some of these pastel coloured pyrex ramekins for a long old time now, so I was thrilled when I found these. Then on the way back to the car this mint green 1940's sugar barrel caught my eye. 

Pretty colours and simple designs which I love.

 

The vintage fair we went to on the bank holiday was in the grounds of an old disused quarry. A Victorian businessman bought and then developed the area into an Italianate garden. Years later it was overgrown and hidden from view waiting to be discovered in the 1980's. 

 

Now it's called the Plaintation Gardens and it's a beautiful and magical place. The sort of place that's fabulous to run around in because you can climb up high and play the best game of hide and seek.

 

Then you find just who you are searching for has been watching you from above all along.

The rest of that weekend was spent eating with friends and splashing white paint here and there.

 

By Friday of this week I had all sorts of plans. As my last making Friday for a while I wanted to get lots of things done. 

In between rainy showers I washed and dried my new fabrics.

I fancy the 1960's green and black rose print as a skirt and perhaps a bag too. Not to be worn as a matching outfit you understand.  The purple modflower barkcloth has already been cut into a Happy Shopper bag and as for the soft blue linen, well there's tons of that and I think a dress to match it's age. I have in mind a 1960's 3/4 sleeved dress. We'll see what happens.

 
 

Because there's all sorts of other sewing going on here too. 

While the fabrics blew about in the wind, I sat at my machine to whip up a birthday gift as requested by Little Bun for her friends birthday sleepover party.

She'd hoped to make it herself, but ran out of time. In the end she chose the prints and gave me strict instructions on the design. I had to hold back from adding trimmings and suchlike.

Bag all stitched up I got on with my next plan. 

You remember the tops I've been making. Well I plan to offer a few up for sale as it seems a few of you lovelies were quite interested.

I'll add all the details in my next post, but for now here's a look see at four of the Tammy Tops cut out ready and waiting for stitching.

I've also cut out another couple just for me. They really are addictive to make and wear.

Alongside stitching the Tammy Top's I finished the skirt I made for Little Bun using her CK mushroom skirt as the pattern. It's her favourite shape and so comfortable to wear, so you've guessed it she wants a few more in prints. This was worn today which means she definately likes it then.

Alongside this skirt I ended up tackling Miss Rosey's art project with her. Sadly for a girl who loves art her pleasure in it is being crushed at the moment by a young teacher.

She has to make a white skirt, dye it and then applique scenes from her chosen city over it. 

Rather than let her stumble through alone I helped her sew up the skirt, finish the seams properly and then tomorrow we're putting in the zip and waistband in time for art on Tuesday. Nothing wrong with a headstart methinks. I'd love to go in and teach the girls (I'm not being sexist by the way, it's a girls school) how to sew, Miss Rosey said she'd love it too.

See you later in the week.