Block

I mentioned before my trip to the library to get some sewing/ dress making/ pattern making books. So I thought I would read up and try and work on improving some of the sewing I do and how I do it and hopefully learn a few things.

I decided I was gunna make a pattern block. I have been basing my patterns so far on a basic dress pattern and adjusting it, but haven't made a block that is just right. So I thought I would do it properly and follow the instructions.

I used a standard pattern sized up to make one set of blocks, I then followed this method of measuring the body and drawing it all out. I then adjusted this one on both my model and by trying it on myself.

This is my block so far on my model. It still needs a fair bit of work, cutting etc and then drawing out onto paper.

I have been doing a lot of pinning and adjusting to try and get it just right.

I think I might test this out, once it's finished, by making a black dress for work, so watch this space.

Recipe book stand

I got a pressie the other day from my Nan- a book rest for my recipe books, so used it for the first time today.

New shoes

I bought some new shoes: flowery brogues! They were too cute, I couldn't resist!

I made Jam

We have a plum tree in our garden, it's only a little one, but the amount of plums that we get off of it is amazing!

So we stewed somefor crumbles and froze them and I also made jam. It came out well, I even had it on toast this morning.

I've been to the library

I took a trip to the library as I have a bit of time over the next few weeks and wanted to get looking at some pattern books for dressmaking. I wanted to improve my techniques a bit and so I rummaged through the library for pattern making books.

Some of these books are better than others, some are a bit old.

But I have been looking at how to make blocks, there seems to be a couple of ways to do this, either following the mathematical approach or doing it on the model. Now I am trying a few different ones, a couple of the 'make it on paper' types and also using on the model ideas.

I'll keep you posted on how it all goes. So far I have been cutting out lots of versions of paper patterns on newspaper and have made up one in fabric and am altering it on the model I haveto get it just right.

I made cake...

I saw a picture of a cake I really wanted to make a while back, I just needed an occasion to make it. So my Nan's Birthday.

This is a test run, just to check it wouldn't be a total disaster at the last minute when I didn't have a back up plan (often a problem I have!!) But it wasn't and am quite happy.

I think I'm gunna make it in shades of green, my Nan's fav colour. There'll be pics of that 2, so fingers crossed it's successful.

I also got some icing tools when I was out shopping (it is what I used to do the icing on the cake), but I also wanted to try and make some chocolate shapes (another idea that I saw recently). I just did some test runs of hearts and stars, but worked ok. Just gotta make sure I don't get too impatient and touch them before they r properly dry!

I just tried them in my cake, think they look cute, might add these to the next cup cakes I make, now there's an idea!!

A day of making

If you have been here before or are a regular reader of my blog, u'll know by now that I love to make thing. It may be clothes, jewellery, sewing or it may be food, but I love to make.

So I spent a free day making lots of things in the kitchen. I made Ice cream (mint choc chip and chocolate), lemonade and macaroons. Yummy.

Buy it here

I have just added my little owl to my Wow thank you shop, check it out here:

http://www.wowthankyou.co.uk/surf-jewels/products/eco-owl/