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Spring & March's Make.

April 12, 2010 By 3 Comments

It’s been a busy month at Joleo Towers, some of it good and some of it not so good (another bout of the winter sickness bug anyone? Sheesh.) There have been hundreds of photos taken, but I refrain from posting them because who needs to see billions of pictures of Fitz chomping on pear or broccolli or pasta or peach or yoghurt? Aside from proud grandparents and obsessed parents naturally – look! he has a mouth! look! he puts things in it!

(Although his ability to eat a peach is quite spectacular…)

Simnel Cake

We did make another simnel cake this year. Instead of moulding eleven balls of marzipan to represent the apostles (minus Judas of course), myself and Mr J, godless people that we are, take the opportunity to mould animals and bottles of wine. We also added a baby in a moses basket, in honour of our Easter guests, who are expecting a baby in the summer.

As for A Make a Month, you can also see that in this picture. Yes, the table cloth is a piece of oilcloth that has been sitting in my stash for almost two years, so even though I technically didn’t make anything, I did unfold it and put it on the table for Fitz to smear with fromage frais. I’m staying within the rules (just), since the aim of the game is stash busting, and this piece is now well and truly busted. February’s make is also almost complete (oh a long sleeved knit just in time for the warm weather), and I have turned my attention to April’s project. You should expect that sometime in June I think…

Filed Under: A Make A Month, Life - 3 Comments

Plans. Best laid and all that.

February 11, 2010 By 3 Comments

When it comes to plans, I’m pretty good. I’ve got tons. One evening I sat down and quickly wrote the things I could be doing if I wasn’t writing down the things I could be doing; I ended up with an 8 point list, and those were just the projects at the forefront of my mind. I didn’t go anywhere near the back, where the dusty projects lie, having been overtaken by other newer shinier ideas. Project butterfly, that’s me. It’s not very productive if I’m honest, especially not now.

Since the sewing needs to be slotted in rather than pounced on in every spare moment I’ve realised that what I need is much more detailed planning. Unless I head to the sewing room with a clear idea of my objectives I’m much more likely to faff about stroking ribbons and pulling out the fabric drawers one by one (a common complaint), and since I notice that we’re sliding towards the middle of February rapidly if I don’t make some sort of plan soon, then I’m going to be scrambling for a make on the 28th. Now the boy naps for a maximum thirty minutes, so five minutes rooting around in the pattern stash, and another five in the fabric…

There’s an upcoming family party, and it will be the first time Fitz meets some of Mr J’s extended family. I am still cultivating a mum tum with restorative Kit Kats (so hard to give them up when you’re tired), although battling the same with the help of a pedometer. I walk everywhere with the boy in his buggy and I love it, although since I can’t do one thing without something else falling out of balance I feel constantly guilty about not using the car enough to justify the expense, and worry that the battery will die. We will have to go to Ikea for a rug to redress this. This is a roundabout way of explaining that I want to have something to wear but am unwilling to spend money in a shop, since I feel my shape is in flux.

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The red jersey was bought with the intention of becoming a second cosmo dress, with long sleeves this time. Then it got stuffed in the stash because I was up the duff (a legitimate excuse!). Now I can’t decide if it should be the cosmo dress, or become a delicious dress, which I would wear as a tunic (and thank you to Lisa for tweeting the suggested combination of tunic and trousers.) While I was debating, I realised that whichever I chose I would be partaking not just in a Make a Month, but also in Experiments in Dressmaking, which is Florence‘s new obsession (so thrilling considering how she always said she couldn’t do clothing). Not as experimental as making my own patterns, but it will do.

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And so my next thought was that if 2010 should have sewing themes (because I don’t want to be left out here) then my theme ought to be finishing. I mean that in both senses; actually completing projects, and also completing them with care and precision. So often when I make things for myself (not for others I must add) I slap dash my way to the end because I get too excited and want to use whatever it is I’m making. It’s unsatisfactory. I also think I’m not learning anything new by ploughing on like that, so a bit of additional care and attention, and a little use of a sewing bible, even when I think I know something, might prove illuminating. I think as well it might help to restore some of the lost joy – sewing for the fair felt too much like work, and I’m not in it for that.

All aboard. I’m going to Finishing School.

Filed Under: A Make A Month, DK Sewing Book, Finishing School, Sewing - 3 Comments

A Make A Month – January

February 1, 2010 By 8 Comments

I’ve decided to join Helen‘s challenge for the year to make something every month using the stash. Oh the stash. Back when I first started sewing seriously I used to see people talking about their fabric stash, but at that point I was still buying for specific projects and had no idea how you could amass a stash of fabric and notions for which you have no plans. It seemed ludicrous and yet, here I am several years later, with a cupboard full of fabric, for which there are mostly no plans. Here’s how to go about getting your own stash if you don’t have one:

1. Become excited about your new sewing hobby & buy a book of projects, perhaps by Amy Butler or Amy Karol. Or both.
2. Earmark several projects you want to make & make a shopping list.
3. While you’re at it you might as well come up with several ideas of your own for things you want to make.
4. Expand shopping list accordingly, and add some things you know will come in handy one day, like zips, buttons, interfacing. (Yes, you should have learned to love interfacing by now)
5. Order some stuff online from your favourite retailers. Don’t worry about the extra stuff that falls into the basket because it looks interesting / inspiring
6. Make one project at the weekend instead of six because some friends came to stay and you went to the supermarket and you stayed up late watching a movie you’d already seen half of and you decided to make a cake and you went shopping for shoes.
7. Buy another sewing book and maybe some patterns by independent designers, because everything looks so interesting now your skills are improving. Make another shopping list.
8. Meet up with like-minded chums specifically for fabric shopping. Buy fabric for things you’ve already got fabric for because you forgot about the internet shopping you did. If the chums pick up anything nice get some too, and don’t worry what it’s for.
9. Decide it’s time you gave up buying small amounts and never get less than a metre of anything.
10. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Helen is right. It’s time to stop saving for best.

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My first make for the year had to be a swift one because I came late to the party, so I settled on finally running up the ‘taggie blankie’ for the boy. Fittingly Helen herself provided two ingredients for it, in the minky for the back and in a sample of wadding she sent me last year, which I impulsively decided to use when I thought it ought to be slightly padded. I also used the fabric Kyoko sent as a present for Fitz’s birth, which seemed only fitting.

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One thing I’ve always had trouble with is cutting into the precious Trefle tape, since it is so difficult and expensive to get here, but once you start it’s surprisingly easy to carry on, perhaps in this case because I was doing it for the wee one. How nice to see the various bits of ribbon, ric rac and tape sticking out ready for inquisitive little fingers!

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This only took one episode of Grey’s Anatomy (yes I’m sewing to a box set again) thankfully or I’d never have finished it in January (Helen said I could have an extension but I like to play by the rules). February already, I see, and it’s a short month, so I’d best not take too long to figure out what I’ll be making next…

Thanks so much to Helen for the inspiration and starting the flickr group!

Filed Under: A Make A Month, Finished Things, Sewing - 8 Comments
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