Hooray! The Mathilde Blouse

I have been working hard this week on the Mathilde blouse from Tilly and the Buttons. It is my last piece of Liberty cotton lawn called 'Florence' (OK so there might be some patchwork bits left!) The instructions were great and it was my first time tackling pleats.

 

I am really struggling to take photographs at the moment even though it is a sunny day today, so one with the flash and one without.

You print out 25 sheets, tape them together and cut them out.

I made some modifications - I had to - the sleeves were really billowy and with pleats across the bust, I looked all bosom and blouse!

 

I would love to wear it to show you but I need to take the facing off the front neck and cut away some of the neckline because it is garrotting me. I think when it is totally finished I will give it another post, I have really enjoyed making it.

 

Ps. Thanks to Gilly for hosting a marvellous blog meet on Saturday. I had a great time meeting Sarah, Sarah, Mel, Deb and of course Gilly. Lunch was delicious and the chat was light hearted and fun.

 

Hope you are all wearing your poppies. Jo x

 

 

CAL stitch directory

Here we are again back around to Thursday linking up with Chrissie and Marianne and these are my two patterns for this week (in the right size square too. Whoop!)

 

Basket weave stitch

 

Offset clusters

 

This week I tried some really textured stitches that were a breeze to make up and they will give the finished blanket real variety.

I am falling in love with crochet all over again.

 

Jo x

Chuffed

Last night my crochet lessons kicked off again and the gang brought some magical stuff for show and tell, there was...

 

A Christmas wreath inspired by Attic 24

 

 

 

Linda made a project bag made from a felted wool jumper and an old dress for the lining.

 

Hats, hats and more hats from my Amelia hat pattern.

 

A remembrance poppy adapted from my 3D flower tutorial

 

and Lyn my next door neighbour who is on her second jumper and she couldn't crochet in March!

 

There was a hat and scarf being finished by Sandra as we all chatted, laughed and swapped crochet books and patterns. I feel really proud that none of these crafters could crochet in March and here they are now making brilliant stuff.

 

I officially love Tuesdays. Jo x

Scrapbook history

I have been working hard on catching up with holiday scrapbooking and now my attentions turn to my heritage album which is an on going project. I am collecting my family history information and family photographs. My goal was to get it nearly complete by November so that I could photograph the pages and make hardback books to give as Christmas presents to my family and I am beginning to think it might not happen.

Anyway after a rummage around in the box I found these bits and pieces...

 

I put them on a layout with some photographs of my granddad as they were all his belongings: a 5d stamp, his wartime ID card, medical card and his member badges from our local agricultural show.

 

I found some photos of him in various outfits.

 

 

They are not sepia toned, just really bad light conditions you get from photographing in the evening.

 

 

One more for the album. Hope you are having a great week whatever you are up to. Jo x

 

 

 

 

A little peek...

I love a blog called My Garden Diaries and this post is almost specifically for Nicole. She is looking for little girl bedroom inspiration and I thought I would show you ours as I would say it is pretty much the most finished room in the house and today by some miracle it is tidy.

 

The girls share a room on the top floor.

 

Big Sis has lots of handmade things on her side, a dolls house made by my uncle, the decopatch chair I did for reading stories and a pink blanket from my Auntie.

 

Little Sis has a dolls house too made by bloke's brother and a little blanket made by same said Auntie

 

I made the bunting which is long it is a huge room.

 

Little collections of hanging things - a santa sign that hangs up all year round made by my friend and a 'buttons' card mobile made by Big Sis from an activity book.

 

Finally they have a knitted doll each made by another Auntie and drawers full of clothes made by me and my mum.

What a crafty family we are!

 

Hope that helps Nicole. Keep looking for those thrifty finds! Jo x

CAL stitch directory

I am afraid to say that when I started making these swatches for a gift blanket last week, after about 6 or 7 I had to rip them back because they were not the same size. Random pattern combos yes but a blanket that looks like it might be for the dog basket NO. When I consulted Bloke about the problem he said "well you can't polish a turd!" So that summed it up in one neat phrase I thought.

 

 

Sedge Stitch

 

 

Seed stitch

 

So I have made up the other swatches the right size and have a size block to work to so I am back on track now. I am rather in love with that sedge stitch, would make a snuggly cowl.

 

Off to check out everyone's CAL inspiration and feeling more positive about crafts that go a bit wrong, gosh, just read yesterdays post - I was a bit miserable wasn't I???!! Jo xx

Vintage Woe

Don't we all get sucked into the nostalgia of vintage patterns. The images, the hairstyles, the patterned fabric, wanting to look a little bit like Joanna Lumley...I have realised I am not a fan of the actual patterns, you know the actual process of making a garment from them.

 

I finished this Summer WIP today made from some Amy Butler fabric I bought in April when I had a job and a little bit of cash flow. I cut it out so carefully using the fabric pattern dead centre...

I tried to make this dress here but it was way too small, lesson number 1 Vintage patterns are not the same sizing as todays size 12.How did women move their arms? They must have needed to in order to use a twin tub!

 

Number 2 lesson all the pieces are not always there so I was missing the sleeve piece which would have been my preference and the neck facings so I had to use bias binding.

 

First version was so tight!!!

 

Number 3 problem the tissue is so thin and has been folded so many times that my cutting out was not very accurate, I tried ironing the pieces first.

 

I think I have been spoilt recently with the patterns from Ottobre, they are designed for real woman who eat cake. I can make the patterns out of stronger pattern paper so they are more robust and the people in the pictures are real so it gives you a better idea of what an item will look like.

 

I am not much of a moaner but it is goodbye to vintage patterns for me for actually making garments, I wouldn't say no to some of the packet covers in frames though. On the plus side that half made, scrunched up tunic dress is now in my summer drawer for next year.

 

Have you used them? Do you now look like Joanne Lumley in 1967? Do you just get them out and stroke them? Let me know because there is much angst here and someone must be doing a great job of them.

 

Jo xx