Fabric : Fibre : Family
Alice-who-isn’t-a-cat was on a training course near us this last week and the food in the hotel was rubbish, so she hot tailed up to PS for a restorative bowl of courgette carbonara.
She also took the opportunity to collect her cape, which thankfully fits.
I think she likes it!
The Yarn That Doesn’t Want to be Knitted has finally been conquered. It’s now a Tea Party Frock by Justine Turner and very lovely it is too.
And there was plenty of yarn for Princess Rose to her own Tea Party Frock, so they are understandably thrilled to have the same top.
Ma found this pattern a doddle to knit (hence she didn’t mind knitting two) and Button’s is straight off the needle without being blocked or washed, so will only look better with time.
Button wore this to the plant sale at our local St Catherine’s hospice today and it was very much commented on and admired.
She’s so happy she’s sending fish kisses to Grandma
Astley Park December 2008 with Rose
“To us he has not passed away
Nor has he travelled far
But entered God’s most lovely room
And left the door ajar”
Today, as every day, we remember Dad.
We still love you.
xxx
More of the stash has been used up this week, this time for linen shorts for The Boy.
He’s abed at the moment (though not asleep, the little beast) so I’ve taken pictures of just the shorts so I can post about them today, and wrap up April as well.
I used Simplicity 2907:
This is well drafted pattern and set of instructions, although you’d hope so with just 3 pieces for the shorts, but you never can tell! I’ll definitely be making these again, and wouldn’t mind making the other pieces as well. These shorts are great for beginners as they are so easy to construct, and if you’re a little wary you could leave off the pockets and cut down on the top-stitching to make them even simpler.
I used left over pieces of linen from making lounge pants for Mr S quite some time ago:
The lighting is atrocious but the pair on the left are a heavy black linen and the ones on the right are an olive/grey lightweight linen.
I’m loving the top-stitching detail, which I think gives them a nice finish:
So, all in all, despite the bunnies-that-weren’t, this has been quite a successful month…1 interlined Linton Tweed cape and 2 pairs of linen shorts, and the stash reduced even further. Squeeeeee!
I can’t believe it’s May already. As the weather is still lovely here, top of my list are 2 sundresses and a top for Button, followed by a top and a pair of trousers for myself, which will reduce the stash even further. The items for Button are just shirred at the top so no pattern there. The top and trousers….I haven’t decided yet. So watch this space.
Merry Christmas, Alice-who-isn’t-a-cat.
Finally, the Linton cape is finished.
It’s been a bit of a bear to sew. The pattern itself is really straightforward and the instructions are clear, but, as always, I made a bit more work for myself by interlining it.
I don’t mind telling you that Linton tweed and lining fabric do not make for simple sewing.
If I’d been making this for myself it would never have been finished, thats for sure!
But the result was worth the effort: 
The self fabric covered buttons were super easy to do as, even though I lightly interfaced it, the loose weave of the fabric gave the teeth of the button something to hang on to:
The only thing I wish for this is that I’d had enough fabric to really match the checks, but I think because they are a broken check, I can just about get away with it. Let’s face it, it’s only us sewers who are so hyper critical of our projects, and I’m not going to be stopping passers-by, pointing at Alice and saying “look how those checks don’t match”.
Honestly. I won’t. Pinky promise!
Following Mr S’s birthday trip to Bentham Pottery there has been a lot of scouting on eBay for a second hand potter’s wheel and kiln. (Obviously he’s been doing that. I’m far too busy hunting down Crown Stockholm and Poole pottery, and drooling over vintage sewing machines that I have absolutely no room for.)
He’s even threatened to clear all the junk from the garage to make room for said wheel and kiln.
But it all hinged on today.
Because today he spent the whole day having one-to-one tuition with Lee at Bentham.
He threw 45 pots.
He’s bringing these 4 home when they’ve been fired (‘scuse fuzzy iPhone photos)
He seems to have a real knack for this.
I’d happily pay good money for any of those in a shop. I know I’m biased but I do think these are pretty darned amazing…even more so when you realise that he’s been doing this for less than 10 hours.
Smarty pants!
(All the lovely ones lurking in the background are his too, but he had to choose 4. I feel sad for the ones left behind. I’d have found them jolly good homes.)
So, I’ve a feeling I’m going to become a pottery widow.
With a very tidy garage!
Shame *wink*
Where's the Easter Bunny, Mummy?
Can you see her yet?
Hurray!!! She's here!!!
Let's hunt for eggs!!!
Oooh I'd love to be playing with that remote control...but must. get. more. eggs!
I'm hiding under my hat...they won't see me eat this egg!
Hey, Auntie Alice...where were you? You missed the Easter Bunny!
I hope your Easter was as fun packed as ours.
And that you are as blessed with your friends as we are. Thanks, Alice.
You’ll remember that Ma and I were going to The Patchwork Chicks for a bag making day for Mother’s Day.
Well, it was fabulous.
Despite Button’s best attempts to stop me getting out of the door…you know, screaming, shouting, stamping feet, the usual toddler delaying tactics…we still managed to get to Barrowford in time for tea and a very tasty bacon sandwich at the little cafe across the road, the name of which escapes me.
At the appointed hour we liberated machines and sewing supplies from the car and headed on in.
There were four of us in total and we all got on famously from the get go.
First we cut out little house shapes and a base from fabric and interlining
stitched them together
then we lined them, topstitched them, et voila!
Of course, before you add cord they also make splendid hats
Sorry Ma!
But when you do get the cord in, then they are delightful project bags:
And as this is the first quilty type project I’ve ever completed, and also the first bag, I’m rather pleased with the result.
I love Sirdar Crofter yarn. It looks cute and is one of those yarns you can just chuck in the washing machine and tumble dryer without batting an eyelash.
So we’re thrilled to bits with The Boy’s latest sweater.
The pattern is Ethan from Patons Play Days Book 4
It’s perfect for playing in the park. Thanks Ma!
Last night we lost our beloved Charlie.
He has been living at Aunty Christian’s Home for Retired Furballs since the wedding, and having a high old time of it. There have been gentle walks, sleeping on sofas, long chats with his comrade-in-arms Nino, and treats aplenty. It’s been the perfect spot for an elderly gentleman to spend his time without the constant boisterous attentions of our two Chaos Monsters.
He loved them all dearly and we can never repay her for the love and kindness she showed him over the last few months.
On Thursday afternoon we received a call saying he was having difficulty with his legs and kept collapsing. Something was obviously very wrong. A trip to the vet confirmed this, and whilst she had her suspicions about the cause, the only way to really find out what the problem was would be to submit him to surgery that he probably wouldn’t survive, and if he did would mean a long and painful recovery, with no guarantees that the surgery would actually be successful.
Not something any of us believed to be in his best interests.
So we tried steroids and painkillers, but last night he deteriorated rapidly and we had to make the hard and terrible decision to let him go.
We are heartbroken.
He was the best dog. Kind and generous and loving. He adored children and didn’t bat an eyelid when they played motorbikes with his ears or tickled his toes.
He had a mischievous sense of humour and a boundless zest for life.
He was partial to a meat and potato pie and never knowingly missed a curry supper.
He was adored by everyone who ever met him.
And all this despite being abandoned by his previous owners who beat him to within an inch of his life with a claw hammer. But he never held a grudge about this. Mr S rescued him and lovingly nursed him back to full health. Charlie repaid him with a magnificent temperament, a loving heart and total devotion to us all.
Goodbye Charlie Bear. We love you.
