growing...

Last weekend it was time to repot my tomatoes. They have come a long way in the last few weeks

I only got 3 plants from my 5 seeds, and one is quite small so i've put her in the middle to help a bit. I got this big trough for them so i hope it will be enough space for them. 

Now i just have to wait for some fruits!

the plants are in front - but this does just look like a picture of the houses across the road!

Also i am really pleased because my wax plant has blossomed. i love these little flowers so much. so so pretty:

And this evening my mum gave me a piece of her moth orchid - there are no signs of flower stems yet but i would love to see that bloom.

yours blooming marvellously,
Emilia. xxx

My Dieppe Dress

A couple of weeks ago Rich and I went on a trip to Dieppe. I decided this was a very good occasion for a new dress, and the perfect oppertunity to use my blue linton tweed. 

This fabric sort of reminds me a bit of some of the under the sea inspired items from Chanel's spring/summer show so i thought a very good choice for our sea voyage.

I decided one of the objectives of the trip was to eat a lot of baguette and cheese and so i decided an easy fit style would be best (also for optimum comfort whilst travelling) I used my easy fit block and cut in a V neck and moved the shoulder dart to create a french dart (what else?) 

Here i am in the finished product - with mouse!

I had a bit of a glitch at the neck line when sewing in the facing as the weave of the fabric is quite large and i got one of the warp threads caught up which has created a bit of a distortion. I am a bit worried about making it worse though so hoping it will stretch into place with time. for the time being i can just keep my cardigan on! 

and here i am ready for the voyage

I am really pleased with this one. I love the fabric so much and it really is so comfy.

This morning i have been enjoying catching up on my blogs and found this post and all the comments about the proportion of clothes home-seamstresses aim to make very interesting. My hand making challenge is going well i feel - i am not missing shopping at all and i think not having the shops to fall back on is really helping me be more careful in my sewing and making every piece count.

Yours blue bell,

Emilia. xx

Pin tucks and button holes

Another term of dressmaking has begun tonight so i must show you what i achieved last term with my spring term project - my chiffon blouse.

Let me remind you of my original imagining:

And here is the result:

I am really pleased with all the new things i learnt. Although i have made costume blouses before, it was quite different making this blouse for real life wear.

• Welt seams (probably not the best choice with this fabric, but pleased to incorporate a new technique!)
• Peter pan collars (properly faced and finished)
• Button holes - my sewing machine is capable of automatic buttonholes - this was a real revelation.
• Cuffs and sleeve openings. On the costume blouses the openings were in the sleeve seam, but I learnt how to construct and finish them properly.
• Pin tucks (i did these here before i did the lilac blouse for the show)

A really good term i'd say! And i am really pleased to have a new blouse. And one that fits so well - with shoulder seams on my shoulders and sleeves the perfect length!

I am keen to make a version of this blouse in silk next - now that i am more confident with what is involved, and that my pattern is a goodun. And perhaps a couple of sleeveless cotton versions for the 

summer. Hurruh!

Tonight i went back to evening classes for my final term and started to draw out an easy fit jersey block. i think i want to make a cardigan and have found some lovely jersey fabrics online. but perhaps i should start basic until i am confident.

Yours buttoned up,

Emilia. xxx

If at first you don't succeed

Surely you are wondering by now - what are you knitting?!

Well, after success with my previous reknit, i decided to take on another of the recycling projects in my stash (have a few- op).

I had this colinette jitterbug about 5 years ago. my mum has made a few of a feather and fan design cardigan which i think is just the best design for this blended yarn. After having a close up look at one of hers, i decided that i wanted to try one myself.

I remember i had knitted myself a jumper from a pattern before this, but this was definitely my first encounter with 4 ply, and so the first instruction in the pattern: 'cast on 148 stitches' - was quite overwhelming and instead i made the decision to only cast on 108. I was also quite hesitant to spend my money on wool then so really made quite a scrimped version of the cardigan, and although it did fit, it wasn't the same at all.

So although i did think it was pretty, i never really wore this one. And made the decision quite a long time ago that i would reknit it properly this time!

And so i have started. You can see it is a feather and fan lace pattern which means that although the rows are quite long, there's a bit of variation. And the colours make it quite exciting too.

i'm pleased i have made a start on some more reknitting. I loved the wool when i first bought it, and it is disheartening when projects don't work out first time, but this is lovely to see new things come of those old balls of wool.

Yours feathered and fanned,
Emilia. xx

squares

Although i did find my last quilting project a little bit of a chore, i have decided that i am going to have another go to make some cushion pads for our wooden dining chairs. I just love the finished effect - even if i don't find the production quite so much fun.

I got this beautiful fabric from my friends Marian and Hellen for my birthday last year. Marian is a quilting guru so i am trying my best to make her proud with this project.

I am really pleased with progress so far.

First i cut the fabric into small squares:

And then i layed them out into the four cushion squares. This picture looks like quite a big mess, but hopefully soon you will see some order appear...

I have done really well sewing the squares together - here you can see they are in slightly different stages of development.

I am enjoying this project much more than i expected. I think now i have a good method of production, and i think because the fabric is nice and crisp and the cushions are all quite small, this has been a nice pastime for the evening.

I think soon i'll be finished!

Yours patchily,

Emilia. xx

Diamonds are forever

I am really pleased with this dress i made from some of my new spring fabric.

I love this diamond pattern so much.

standing up straight (the dress doesn't have sleeves - i am just wearing a vest)

I was having a bit of a brain dead day when i decided to embark on this project and cut out my pattern pieces in a very strange way. it meant that my skirt ended up a tiny bit shorter then i would have liked and my diamonds don't really match at all. I was quite annoyed with myself at the time as this fabric is so amazing, ad i wanted the dress to be perfect too, but as ever, time is a healer and I am starting to forget those gripes and really love this now.

I want to make another linton dress in time for easter, but i am running out of time i fear! Perhaps good friday will be a good sewing day. wait and see!

Yours diamond light,
Emilia. xx