summer makes

I am definitely in the dressmaking mood, especially when I get tempted by some pretty fabric at a reduced price...I love a bargain! I spotted this fabric, and thought how fresh and summery it looked so bought a couple of metres of it and made this tunic.

The pattern was free with Prima magazine and the fabric is 100% cotton  called Ambrosia by Kathy Davis for Freespirit. It was very easy to make and the fabric was lovely to work with and I have loads of the fabric left  for other projects.

I want to make a big roomy beach bag to take on holiday and I have found a good free pattern on http://www.allaboutyou.com/craft/pattern-finder/sewing-projects/sewing-for-women/sew-a-big-beach-bag-48317, I just need too check out my stash of fabrics and I am sure I will find something suitable, it would have been nice to have made it in the above fabric but it needs to be a bit tougher!

and has summer finally arrived?

At  last summer has arrived, well at least for a couple of days! I got my summer clothes out in anticipation of some warm and sunny weather a few weeks ago and have only managed to wear something summery one weekend and that was it! This cool and wet weather is so depressing, there is something not quite right about having the heating on in June! Well that's the whinge about the weather over! 

Babies are arriving in abundance (well two, is that not an abundance?) and another sweetie due in September. There are some super knitting patterns about for babies and I was spoilt for choice, I eventually plumped for a Sirdar pattern book, specifically White Whispers, which is made from 100% bamboo fibre and is a very delicate silky-soft baby yarn.  I made this sweet little cardigan for Ayla who is the new little  daughter of one of the girls who works with Andy.

 I am having a little bit of trouble uploading the photo that I actually want to show and  the blooming computer only wants to upload this one! oops here it is!

 The colour is the palest pink in fact just a whisper of pink to quote Sirdar, it is also very soft, perfect for Ayla! The border has a pretty frill and the cute pink heart buttons finishes it off perfectly. As I wrapped it in recycled pink tissue I added a liitle lavender sachet I made in the sweetest tiny gingham cotton fabric with a little bit of lace added.

Adding a home made label, (a buff coloured luggage label with recycled ribbon and stamping it with a message) it was ready to be delivered.

busy busy...

I have had 3 or 4 things on the go just lately and suddenly I needed to get them finished by Saturday as was meeting up with the family and one or two of my creations needed to be distributed and another just needed to be finished. My problem is once I have acquired fabric or wool for new projects (or just because I like whatever gorgeous fabric/wool I have bought), I have a need to start making something with it! Thus I always have more than one project on the go at any given time! Anyway I finally finished the aran jacket I was making.

Excuse the terrible pose but I was trying to make sure the pattern was shown so I was projecting my front!!! I was honestly!!! I knitted this in 100% wool in pigeon grey, and I think because there is no acrylic in the yarn it weighs quite heavy but doesn't feel heavy when it is on.
I finished Stephen's patchwork quilt and it looked really nice but oops I forgot to take a photo! But it was made in patriotic blue red and white, I used a plain red fabric and the three other fabrics had different patterns, small British flags, red white and blue stripes and black taxis and red buses on a blue background, backed with mid blue sateen sheeting and I made some binding out of dark blue quilting fabric and sandwiched between the layers was a lightweight wadding sewn together with running stitch in blue embroidery cotton. It looked good and right up the street of a 7 year old!
Something I did remember to photograph. Pretty isn't she? And the little mouse is cute too! Going to have to go now as I have a new computer and it isn't being very friendly at the moment and I can't set my blog out properly, am going to have to let the big man look at it as I can't cope with it!