Sewing up some Summer

 I love making my own clothes but I am always aware that making lots of dresses doesn't always suit a UK climate. However I have chosen a few key things to make lately which have been much worn and feel like real keepers.

This is the Freedom Dress by Wardrobe by me. It is made in a Minerva Exclusive fabric in viscose which was the perfect fabric and pattern pairing. I have worn this dress so much and am completely in love with it.

This is a new style of top for me and I was not sure at first but when it was made I really liked how I could layer it up for sunny and not so sunny days. It comes from a pattern called Alison Glass Knit Essentials. It appears an expensive pattern but I was fully hooked when I received it making all six items from the jersey wardrobe...

...finished up with my knicker pattern so all of my knit fabric was has gone.

Other makes have included this top called the Jain top from IAM patterns. I think I need to go down a size but it was good to make a solid colour top. I gave it to my friend who was pleased.

More of Minerva's new viscose was used to make a puff sleeved top by Assembly line patterns. Again it is a pricey pattern but this is my third one since I got it two years ago so I am measuring value in quantity.

Finally, another dress with a slightly shorter shelf life in terms of UK weather but this is the Poppy dress from Atelier Jupe pattterns. Really easy to make with good bra coverage, this dress has been great for holiday weather both here and abroad. Yep, it is the same viscose range which has lovely movement and drape.

That is me finished for summer sewing, my mind is switching to more autumnal makes now. I just wish my tennis elbow, which I have been struggling with since January, would go away so I can knit and crochet. I have knit half a tank top since January. Boohoo!

Lovely view tonight though to cheer me through the knitting blues.

 Jo xxx

Height of Summer

 My three word gardening post this month shares warm colours, plentiful bounty and fading blooms in the height in summer. Some things didn't make it through the heatwave but others have hung on.

My Lilly pots were buds as we went on holiday but they showed us their beauty when we got back. I had no idea what colour they would be, they were in a mixed bag my mum gave me for my birthday way back in January, but they are mighty. All gone now though.

My table vase has continued to delight. This week I am still picking sweet peas but with a new addition of cranberry cosmos and delicate gaura, this one is called 'The Bride'. This vase is scented with some bronze dill which has started to fill out.

My friend Beth did a sterling job of keeping the veg patch going over the heatwave. We came back to tomatoes, French beans, courgettes and potatoes.

I picked nine jars of beetroot but had to compost quite a few because they had bolted. Otherwise it was a good harvest.

We are on our next variety of lettuce. I love this type of lettuce with homemade salad cream - it feels like a taste from mt childhood.

We used the last of the smaller strawberries to make smoothies. Yum.

Our hay is all in.

It is the height of summer and time to enjoy the sunny moments.

Jo xxxx