Stitching for You & Me

Righty O - before I say another word I'll let you know what the wonder pink stuff is called that bypasses horrible sanding. Sorry I forgot to mention it before, I should have known there'd be loads more like me out there who just want to get on with the lovely painting bit and not faff with the boring stuff. It's made by International and it's got a really easy name to remember - Easy Sand. Look for a tall square tin and you'll be in business.

Today, in-between meeting Mr Mortgage and waiting for my plumbing mate to turn up I chose one of my favourite day off things to do. I plopped a few fabrics, paper and pens on the table and got busy making patterns, cutting out shapes and managed to stitch a shopping bag.

I've a few projects I want to make from The Liberty Book of Sewing, today I fancied the easy shopper. Pretty much all the patterns in the book are straightforward and I could make them without the book, but sometimes it's good to just sit back, be lazy and be guided by the hand through the whole making thing.  I did have to work out all the measurements and make my own pattern first off so it wasn't all hand-holding to start with.  I used a metre of a 1930's playtime repro print that I'd bought last week. I fancy making a dress or a blouse in this fabric too if I manage to get hold of anymore.

As I was in the mood for chopping up fabric I traced the pattern for the Lila blouse that Little Bun has chosen next. Pale blue birdies from Tanya Whelan's latest collection to go with a pattern designed by her. The only problem so far is that the pattern told me to buy far more fabric than I actually needed so if you use this book I'd say measure your child and ignore the book.

The other bit of cutting going on was Miss Rosey's Ruffle Skirt (from the same book). We're moving out of her black clothes only phase thank goodness and now she wants all sorts of colour and print. I had strict instructions that it had to be large roses for this skirt and I think I did ok with what I found for her. I didn't get a chance to start sewing either of these today, but at least I've done the worst bit (the sewing equivalent of sanding for me).

After all the cutting out I got on with stitching up my bag. I guess as it's in a patriotic red, white and blue it'll be my Jubilee shopper.

It was such a quick and easy pattern to whip up and I really enjoyed making it.

When we road-tested the bag after school, I was amazed with how much stuff we could fit in it. It's so light and floppy that I can chuck it in my bag and use whenever I need more bags. I'll definately whip up a few more of these as it's been really handy already.

The day ended perfectly as after school my clever friend fitted the shower pump and then took the taps off, did stuff and finally solved our lack of bath problem. I never thought I'd get so excited about having a bath as I did tonight.

Have a lovely week.

Colours

I have all sorts of fabrics in my stash that I really love, but at the moment I have two absolute favourites. I love the intensity of the colours and the simple bold prints. I've tons of the greeny, pink, yellow fabric which means all sorts of stuff can be made from it, but I've only a wee bit of the blue floral. I fancy making pillowslips from it, patchy cushions and tons more, but unless I can hunt more down I'll have to be sparing with it and use just a dash here and there.

This afternoon was yet another rainy one, so after helping Little bun bake a cake and sow seeds for an indoor fairy garden I finished stitching the bunting I'd cut up a few days ago. I wanted to see my favourite prints every day, so it seemed the perfect thing to change the bunting hanging above the table. We eat here, make stuff here, play games here and just sit around and talk here so it's a fairly busy spot.

For the first time ever I made proper neat and tidy flags. I normally use pinking shears on the edges and quickly sew both sides together. This time I sewed my triangles inside out and then turned them and marvelled at the neat edges. I'm pleased with them, but I still prefer rough and ready bunting.

All the gorgeous colours in my fabric have been inspiring me. Our dining room's been needing a new lick of paint for a while now. I was going to re-paint the walls the same colour as I still like the pale blue, but then I got my new to me fabrics and my head went off in a whole new direction. I want white walls, but this room just looks cold and miserable with pure white (I tried it when we moved in so that's how I know). Then I saw a lovely cream shade of wall on Yvestown and thought bingo. With my new gingham oilcloth and my fabrics I had the colours sorted for the furniture aswell. It'll be a few weeks before I get a chance to start on the walls, but I can still get going on the chairs and whatnot.

I got some paints mixed up on Friday morning as I was itching to start painting the tea-trolley that came home with me on Wednesday. 

I love painting, but I really hate all the boring preparation stuff. Luckily I still had the miracle liquid that does the same as sanding without the effort. It's weird stuff that looks like pink windolene, you just rub it on and then off and that's it - ready to paint.

By the end of the day I'd slapped three coats of blue on. Luckily the trolley looked just as it had in my head when I saw it on a cold morning in a rainy field. For now I'm storing a few of my making and gardening books along with a few other bits and bobs on it while the rest of the room slowly sorts itself out.

This weekend, amongst all the rainyness, I tried out another one of my new paints. A while back I'd seen a lovely sharp limey yellow from Farrow & Ball which I knew was just the yellow for me. I managed to get a fairly similar shade mixed from Dulux.

I'd decided to paint the chairs a mix of pink and yellow, but the pink I chose is far too bubblegummy and I'd pictured flamingo. So instead I've painted one eggy yellow and the other blue and I'm pleased with it all so far. The rest will have to wait a few days to get their own lick of colour as tommorow morning I have mortgage man coming over. In the afternoon my friend, who knows about practical stuff, is coming to fit the exciting shower pump I bought on Saturday. Fingers crossed it works so I can have the hottest deepest bath ever.

I realised this post sounds like Mr Bun has left the house. Well he did for a while on Saturday as he took another group to a football match. After one of his players smashed heads with another one, Mr Bun ended up spending the rest of the day in Stevenage A & E. For the rest, he just doesn't do DIY stuff, he hates it pathalogically so I do it. It seems a fair trade to me though to have a man who loves my taste, makes me laugh and laugh, puts up with me (which must be tough at times), believes in following dreams but can't fix a washer on a tap.

Bit of Bootin'

I've been missing my Wednesday carboots. Now I don't start teaching until 10 on a Wednesday it means I can just about squeeze in a 30 minute dash around the carboot after dropping the Buns at school.   As luck would have it I go right past the field on my way to work too. Couldn't be a better arrangement really could it.

It was freeezing and about to rain today so only the die hard house clearance men were there.

I spied a pretty floral jug in one quick grab and run and couldn't resist the cheeky grinning cat in another.

Before finding these two I'd seen a tea trolley, but wandered off to think about it. A bit of looking later and I'd already painted it in my head, arranged baskets and fabric on it so knew it had to be mine. I went back, made my offer and then lugged it back to the car all excited.

My new trolley filled up the back seat nicely which left the problem of how I was going to fit the Bun's in the car later on. In the end Little Bun squeezed up with a couple of wheels in her head and Miss Rosey rode up front surrounded by bags and coats.

It's very brown right now, but I can see it being a thing of beauty. It's already in its new home in the dining room. Little Bun polished it and added fabric to the top for a bit of temporary prettifying.

It all adds to my plan to re-decorate the dining room. I've had enough of the pale blue walls and unpainted furniture. I bought the yellow check oilcloth on ebay last week and that was waiting for me when I got home today. If it's not raining on Friday I might even start painting. Now my colour ideas are in my head I'm feeling all impatient to get going.

If it does rain on my day off I've got a fair few sewing things lined up. I bought a metre of the grey spot roses for Miss Rosey's Ruffle Skirt and the birdy fabric's to make a top for Little Bun using elastic thread (so we'll see if that's a disaster waiting to happen or not).

There's a few things I fancy making from my new book too. Yesterday my support assistant and I did a good swap. I'd lent her my trainers (bought years ago when I had the bright idea that going to the gym was a good thing to do) and she wanted to keep them. A deal was done, swapping my trainers for some Hobbycraft vouchers she'd won. I'd wanted The Liberty Book of Sewing before christmas so it was a real treat to hand over my vouchers and know my treadmill days were behind me.

Let's hope the good things keep outweighing the stupid as not only has our heating packed up, but now the pump has stopped working so we can't run a bath or shower either. I had a big sense of humour failure about it all last night. Mr Bun solved it by handing me a large glass of sloe gin and all was well again. A friend who gets how this stuff works is coming to try and mend it at the weekend before we get too stinky.

Plastic Bob

Before I start rambling on, I thought I'd better show you my all done and dusted Patchy Cushions.

I love the fabrics in these so much. I could sit and look and then look some more just to get my happy fix for the day. I'll be popping these ones in my etsy shop in the next few days, but I'll definately be making some for us too.

On Saturday Miss Rosey and I set off to try out a new market. She's never come with me before and was really looking forward to it.

The church hall looked great when we arrived, all decked out with bunting. There were a few stalls that caught my eye too for a spot of shopping later on.

Through the day I caught up with a few friends who stopped by and chatted with a few more lovely people who read this here stuff and know me from Pick 'n' Mix Makers Market. 

One very lovely lady bought these tasty cupcakes for Rosey and I as she enjoys reading Bobo Bun so much. Thanks so much Patricia, we really enjoyed munching them, Rosey picked the windmill one.

I sold a few bits, but on the whole it was a slow day. I wasn't disappointed though as I hadn't gone with any expectations and I had a lovely day chatting with Rosey and meeting other lovely people. I'm sure this sounds a bit odd as from a selling point of view the whole reason I bother going to markets is to make a profit. Well I wanted to see what it was all about and as the pitches were so reasonable I knew it was an ok gamble to go and try it out.

I've also had the necessary kick up the bum to get making new stock, so now I just need another kick to get me adding it to my etsy store tommorow. 

We did make sure we came home with a few goodies too. There were a couple of stalls selling some kitsch bits and bobs that really appealed to me. I'm annoyed I didn't get the carousel horse ring - ho hum, but I did get Bob the Elephant (for me), the musical cat for Miss Rosey and ...

Miss Rosey chose the wee white bear for Little Bun. 

I added a few buttons and plastic stuff to my bag too. I'm not sure what I'll do with them, but I think it'll involve a bit of glue.

Our last buys were these Japanese notebooks. One for each of us.

Next Saturday there'll be the Golden Triangle Makers Market in the same hall. A friend of mine has a stall there so we'll pop along and check it out as I think it'll be a good one.

Thanks Lily, Heather and Annie (and anyone else if I've forgotten you) for your technical advice. I've not had a chance to give it a go, but I will very soon so fingers crossed it works. 

Queenie's Waving

On the way home from our favourite farm on Tuesday we stopped off for a wander around a small town. In a shop window were a row of Queenie's, all slowly waving with glazed expressions. Being suckers for plastic stuff that does nothing more than make us laugh meant we needed one so we rushed in to bag our own Queenie. Now she sits on our windowsill watching and waving while we do kitchen stuff. Our favourite plastic friend was a chubby grinning chinese boy who sat astride a pink dolphin and spun from the ceiling playing plinky music. He fell to pieces a long while back now and I still miss him.

The day after Queenie came to visit, our heating packed up. We've an old knackered Rayburn that heats the house and water, well used to. After it flooded the kitchen with water and then we had an man over who knows about this stuff, it turns out a big thing broke in the Rayburn. Now we've no heating until we magic £3,000 up. I've been busy searching through old coat pockets for a few pennies today, but nothing's turned up as yet. Thank goodness for the woodburner, hot water bottles and the fact it's not the middle of winter.

We'd planned a tramp up to London to visit the V & A today, but had to hang around for another heating man instead. It meant I could sneak a spot more making time in. The Bun's played with Mr Bun and then we all popped out for pizza as I've been pretty rubbish at filling the cupboards with food this week.

This morning Mr Postie delivered a parcel with some fabric I've been searching for high and low. At the moment I'm just loving looking at it and seeing it side by side with some of my other fabrics. I think it'll be finding its way into some bunting and maybe some patchy pillowslips. 

Most of my favourite fabrics for patching have left the shelves and ended up in this basket. There's no room left in here so I've started another bag to keep it company.

Now, as I'll be at the Norwich Makers Market on Saturday (St Thomas' Church, Earlham Road 11 - 4 if you're around these here parts) I've been trying to get a few more new pieces made.

I've patched together a couple of Patchy Cushion covers, stitched and ric-rac'd them and now they just need their backs sorting out. No night-time sewing for me though as it's bloody freezing in the dining room where my machine lives.

I really, really love, the mustard, blue and purple mix. I don't think I'll be too sad if I end up bringing this one home again.

I've still got to stitch leaves to cherry stalks and add flowers to the tops of covered hangers and egg cosies. Alongside that we've school uniform to get and I did promise a bike ride tommorow?  Better get stitching again or I'll have a bare stall won't I.

Thank you once again for stopping by to say hello and hello to new followers. I love reading the comments you leave and really appreciate you taking the time to stop by and say hello. I always like it when there's an easy reply straight back thing on the email as I can speak back. I really like the chat and the sharing of ideas. Lisa from Knitty, Vintage and Rosy stopped by and gave me a really good idea of hers. She suggested I made cushion sized Whoopie Doo cushions instead of just leaving them pincushion sized. Already I'm planning colour combinations in my head.

What I'd really like to find out is how I get the words reply to appear underneath each comment I get left. I've tried to work it out and I just can't, if anyone has the magic know how I'd love it if you wouldn't mind letting me in on the knowledge.

See you soon.

Four Days

Mid-week I suddenly remembered it was our wedding anniversary. On the radio I heard the words anniversary and I thought to myself, ours is at the beginning of April. Having my head in switched off holiday mode I hadn't got a clue what the date was, so for all I knew we'd missed it. When I checked on the calendar I realised all was fine as our anniversary was on Good Friday. Even though I'd remembered in the nick of time, there was the problem of the lack of one man to celebrate it with. On Friday he was going to be heading off in the wee hours on a mini-bus to take a team to play and watch football. One of the projects Mr Bun set up and runs is an educational soccer programme for homeless and vulnerable adults which has been going for years now. The project has rightly won many awards for all the support it's given to so many people, so I couldn't really moan could I. He did remind me that I'd forgotten anyways - ha!

Good Friday was spent having a lovely lunch with my folks and then having friends over for a sozzled pizza supper. My sweet mum bought the anenomes for me as I'd had these for my wedding bouquet. Plans were to take the Buns out for lunch with us on Saturday, then a friend invited them to come and play for the day as they had a new horse to show them.

In the end it was just the two of us walking along holding hands and doing just what we wanted. We stopped off at the Arts Centre to see an exhibition of Blitz photos of Norwich (which was included in the Baedeker Raids); warmed up with some hot mocha coffee and then I had a quick dash around the Jumble Sale going on in there and picked up the pretty blue apron. Next up we headed off to try out the new Vegetarian restaurant. It was such bliss to look at a menu with a choice of more than two things. The food was delicious and the company was pretty fine too.

Inspired by Jane's, lovely makes I decided to make the Buns some creatures like hers as Easter presents. I managed to finish off these wee bunnies before the real life Buns returned and get them hidden away for the next day.

Luckily the Easter Bunny turned up again this year. Very early on Sunday the Buns searched high and low filling their baskets with eggs before scoffing one or two.

Little Bun proudly gave us all a present she'd made at school. I'm so glad the teachers still make sure the children have time to make these gifts to bring home.

We had a family lunch planned, but we were all uncertain if my dad would be able to come. My dad is 85 and has declined really quickly with his health lately. He struggles to breathe and can hardly walk alongside tons of other difficulties, but he's not old in his head. He has always been a highly active man - sailing, racing cars, playing golf and running his own garage and then a boatyard. My mum is so much younger than dad so it's really not easy for her as she cares for him and can't share life as they used to. Their strong friendship gets them through though. Thankfully mum managed to get dad here and then we could spoil her and give her a day away knowing dad was safe and looked after too.

We had a great lunch with tons of laughter and ended with the choice of a pavlova and my first ever effort at a fruit cake. I really fancied making a Simnel cake, but I forgot it was in the oven and singed a few of the apostles. All the same they taste good.

Today was so cold and rainy so it was an easy choice to decide to just snuggle up at home. Horrible Histories were on, I sat happily making a few more things for Saturday's market and we all munched a bit more choc. A perfect way to end a lovely long weekend.

I hope you all had a lovely Easter too.

Ra Ra Ra

Mixed up with a couple of mornings roller skating and bowling we've thrown in enough crafty time to keep me and the Buns happy. Paint, glue, stickers and fancy paper came out this afternoon to decorate polystyrene eggs and keep us all quiet and happy. They look great and stupidly I forgot to take a photo of them.

While Mr Bun and the Buns glued away I drew some letters freehand. I'd seen an easter banner in a magazine and couldn't let the idea out of my head until I'd made one for our wall.

Other snatched crafty moments have found me trying to whip up enough bits and bobs to sell next Saturday. I keep finding myself looking at colour combinations more often than I'm actually turning them into something.

Yesterday though I managed to stay with it and finish what I'd started. It rained all day like you've never seen, so after roller skating we cosied up at home. The Bun's made a lego village and I got out my sewing machine. I'd found a fabulous book the week before full of home and clothes patterns and had been itching to get started with the projects in it. The best thing about the clothes patterns are they're all ones we like. There's a good mix of Little Bun age clothes, pre-teen ones for Miss Rosey and ones for me.

I'd seriously reccomend a look at this book as there's tons of great stuff in it to get your teeth into. Both Buns wanted the Ruffle-Mania skirt. Miss Rosey keeps looking at clothes from shops like Superdry, Hollister and Jack Wills. They all do the short frilly skirt, but I don't fancy the prices so I think an original from my hands will be dandy. In my day (old persons type of talk here) it was called the Ra Ra Skirt. My mum made me wear trousers, instead of my Ra Ra Skirt, when we visited Venice (aged 12 and already 6ft). I thought she was a real spoilsport. Now I've got a 6ft leggy blonde who's nearly 12 I fully get her over-protective point of view.

Anyways, back to the making. Yesterday I managed to start and finish a Ruffle Skirt for Little Bun. We chose the fabric together, not that I'm sure who it's by, in case you're wondering. The beauty of this skirt is that there's no pattern, it fits anyone. Basically it's made up of lots of strips and as long as you get your measurements right (which being mathmatically challenged I struggled with for a while) then you'll have a Ruffly Ra Ra skirt.

I did get the measurements a wee bit wrong on the bands under the ruffles so I had to add in an inch or two of extra fabric. That explains the sticky up ruffle at the back. I've learnt to really concentrate on my measuring for next time. 

Really though, if I didn't point it out then you'd be the none the wiser that I cocked up and it wasn't 100% perfect would you. And does it matter? Not at all. Little Bun loves it and has worn it all day and plans to wear it tommorow too. I think she looks gorgeous in it and now I can't wait to get going on Miss Rosey's skirt.

After that we've a few more things lined up for me to make to add to our spring time wardrobes. 

When I was in my teens and early twenties I made loads of my clothes and altered vintage stuff. I had to really as at 6ft 1" most clothes in the 80's were far too short in the legs and arms so I looked a complete idiot in them. There's far more choice these days if you're tall, but it's so much more fun to make stuff in the fabric you really fancy at half the price.

I definately think I've got the dressmaking bug again. I even thought I might search about for a mannequin to help me get my sizing right then there might be a few less cock-ups.

Wishing you all a Happy Easter weekend.