Purl and Seam - handmade in Lancashire

DIY Dancewear – trousers and a modified Jalie 2803 stretch bodysuit

January 29, 2021

I’ve spoken before about the cost of specialist dancewear and shoes for a tiny dancer, so my drive to perfect my skills in this area is not only creative but financial too.

When we (hopefully) return to dance competitions following the pandemic, Dylan will be in Juniors, which will eventually need a tailsuit for ballroom and a slinky, sparkly top paired with plain black trousers for Latin.

I’ll buy the tailsuit (possibly secondhand….they cost upwards of £500 preloved, considerably more new). But there’s no reason I can’t sew and stone a latin shirt and whip up competition ready trousers for him with a bit of practice.

DIY Hello Kitty Patchwork and Embroidery Quilt

January 26, 2021

This Hello Kitty quilt is the epitome of slow sewing. I had to search the archives to find when I first started it. February 2013. So this has taken almost 8 years from start to finish. A very slow project indeed.

It’s also a reminder that projects sometimes have a season. When I started this quilt, a 5 year old Summer was besotted by Hello Kitty. I wasn’t an experienced enough parent at that point to work out that these passions often burn hot and fade fast in small peeps.

13

January 12, 2021

I haven’t done a birthday post for quite some time. But today Summer turns 13 and I cannot fail to mark such a special day.

They say that the days are long and the years are short, and until you have children you really don’t appreciate the truth of it. It seems barely a moment since the day we tentatively pushed open the door of the foster carers sitting room. Our hearts were in our mouths as we savoured the moment of seeing our daughter for the very first time.

DIY Upcycled Tops

January 9, 2021

Let’s start a new year of sewing with some simple upcycled tops that I completed towards the end of last year.

I had 3 jersey dresses that I had bought probably a year earlier and not worn even once! I don’t know what I was thinking when I bought them. They’re not really my colours. They’re not particularly flattering. Honestly…this is why I don’t go clothes shopping! I’m so very bad at it!

New Year

January 5, 2021

There seems nothing to be said about 2020 that hasn’t already been said. But I really want to start the year acknowledging what has passed in the last months.

Personally, 2020 was really hard. On top of the pandemic there were numerous challenges at home. By December I was on the ropes.

We took time over the holidays to make some changes. We head into this New Year hopeful for better times all round. Although at the time of writing, here in England we sit, as do our national neighbours, in full lockdown yet again, with schools closed, we remain positive.

Luna and Reynard – DIY Felt Friends

November 20, 2020

It’s been a while since Miss Luna Lapin made an appearance on this blog. This time she’s in company with a foxy friend.

So whilst the last Luna I made was for a friend of Summer’s, this one is for her to keep. The Reynard is for Dylan. We’re teetering on the edge of softies not being cool, but for the moment these were received with glee and are treasured.

DIY Print Sweater – Helen’s Closet Elliot Sweater V3.0

November 10, 2020

Please excuse slightly grainy pictures. Lancashire is gloomy at the moment. We need some crisp bright days, please!

My love affair with the Helen’s Closet Elliot Sweater continues.

My blue and black striped sweaters are in almost constant rotation as the weather is so much cooler here. So when I saw this beautiful printed ponte di roma on the Patterns and Plains website, it was a given that it would be another Elliot Sweater.

DIY Hand Knit Socks

November 6, 2020

It seems a while since I put a pair of hand knit socks up here. I’ve just checked back through the blog and find that it was actually August of last year! Don’t tell Dave. He’s been bemoaning the lack of new socks this year. It seems he has a point!

This pair run true to form for stripes and boldness. And they are probably the only pair he’ll get this year!

DIY Cocoon T-shirt – Hot Patterns Blouse-Back Tee

November 3, 2020

I’ve had the Blouse-Back Tee from Hot Patterns in my stash for sooooooo long and never got around to making it. When I made the Blackwood Cardigans for Beth and myself, I had some of the lovely jersey left over. It seemed a good idea to use that up to trial this pattern.

I’ve spoken recently about trying new styles, and this definitely falls into that category. I have never in my life worn a cocoon style but the financial investment here was so low, again it felt like nothing to lose.

DIY Striped Baby Cardigan from a Vintage Pattern

October 21, 2020

A baby cardigan is always a lovely thing to knit. A striped baby cardigan is particularly adorable. In these gloomy and sad times, the joy of a new baby makes a teeny cardigan a particularly hopeful garment!