If you live in the UK, you will know what I'm talking about, I'm so ready for Spring! We had one day last week which was lovely and teased us into thinking this was it, and now what, it's going to snow today and tomorrow, I usually love the snow but I'm so sad, I want spring!
I'm not necessarily a pretty cotton frocks type, but I do like spring/summer clothes more than winter, and I want to wear them now!
I had a taster of this recently as I went to Spain at the beginning of February for the Rockin Race Jamboree. The weather was lovely, nice enough for capri pants, nice blouses and a light jacket, I need to do this again now. Look how happy the sun make British people, we see it so rarely, it's makes us totally happy and smiley!!
I didn't get a pic of me in one of my favourite summer blouses I made but I have one of it, I do love this blouse and just don't get the opportunity to wear it enough!
I also dragged this out of my closet as it's now too big but I want to take it in and wear it again, so it's now in my alteration sewing pile, mmmm maybe I should just sell it on and buy something else, my alteration pile is stupidly big, but I LOVE this print, so summery!
I also want to wear this again, the little number that I ran up last year, although again may need taking in now, I love it cos it looks like a dress but it's a top and skirt so I can mix things up.
Instead this week it looks like I'll be wearing something closer to this
Hello all, I'm sneaking back in, I want to start blogging again but it has been sooooo long I'm slightly ashamed to be sneaking in like this!
I'm off to read all your blogs soon too, though clearly can't catch up, it's been months and months but I have been thinking of you all and missing you all.
So what have I been up to, well lots of interesting and lots of not very interesting.
Recently I went to the Rockin Race Jamboree in Spain, it was an absolute ball and so fantastic to catch some winter sun, as you can see from the picture above, my husband caught it a lot than day and damn him, if he didn't wake up the next morning with a fabulous tan!
I had fun with friends, met some news ones, soaked up the sun, wore lovely clothes - all of which I had to take in (yes the weight loss battle continues to be won!) and generally had a lovely restful and partying time.
Yes this is early February in Southern Spain, sooo lovely and warm! However when we arrived back at Gatwick it was a horrible shock to arrive to temperatures of -1 and snow eeek!
Ok I'm going to leave my sneaking back in at that and hope to see you all much more in the next couple of weeks. Of to catch up on your news xx
Hello, I'm back and I've missed being here so much!
I would like to say I've been to exotic destinations and so busy I haven't been able to post but in reality I've been watching the Olympics and Paralympics. I love it and it's so blumming inspirational but I'm glad today is the last day as I want to get my life back!
How are you all? What have you been up to?
I've been up to some other things but not much. We haven't had a lot of summer in the UK this year, in fact it's been pretty dire but a few weeks ago just before I went back to work after my knee op was a beautiful day and off we went to a local antique centre for a browse and a coffee out in the sunshine. Nice but even nicer I got to wear a blouse I've never worn and LOVE! When I made it originally I messed up and made it too big, then I gained a bunch of weight and haven't been able to wear it, now it fits beautifully - well actually now since that photo it's a little loose but hey that's all good!
I know it looks like a car park but it's not, it's very beautiful, the building the antique centre is in a 17th Century Mill Building, so it's an amazing setting!
During the summer I also scored this fantastic coffee table.
I've been after another 50s coffee table for a long time, we used to have a gorgeous one but it sadly met a sticky end. This one is ideal though, it matches our living room curtains beautifully, it's always worth waiting for that piece you're looking for, I also got it very cheap too at £15!!
Well I think that's enough for now, I'm back and hopefully posting much more again and reading and commenting on your blogs again.
I have my sewing mojo back so more on that and I have lots of decorating to do too!
oh and sadly I'm having to get password put back on my comments, apologies but I've had sooooo much spam comments lately :o(
Well I'd like to say I've been busy whilst I've been off after my knee op but it's taken until the end of last week to feel normal again, I was awfully tired most of the week. My knee is really getting better amazingly quick, it was a keyhole op so I know it would be fairly quick but it's been a lot quicker than I thought, it's still swollen so I'm not back to normal and I'm certainly not as flexible as normal but I'm getting there. Back to work Tuesday, shame, just as the weather in the UK is set to get gorgeous!!
Anyway I had an idea what I wanted to sew but actually only got one thing done, however I'm super proud of it.
Do you remember this fabric I bought from a vintage fair? It's a beautiful vintage polish cotton, I couldn't have worked with a nicer fabric!
I've been wanting to make this pattern for a while, it's so summery and versatile as I knew with this fabric it would look like a dress when worn together but I can wear it apart with different blouse or trousers/skirt. Obviously I didn't want to add the ric rac as it's too patterned and I also didn't add the pockets for the same reason, although I'm so happy with the outcome I may buy some solid colour cotton and do another set with ric rac and pockets!
And the final result! I'm really happy with it. It's so summery, just in time for our week of summer in the UK!!
I would definitely make this pattern again although as with any sewing I learnt a few lessons as I went along which I'll share as I always think it's useful for other people who sew. I'm short and really I need to alter all patterns accordingly, this means altering the length of the blouse and the skirt, I didn't do this as I cut the pattern out and I wish I had as this would have been an even better fit than it is if I had!
What I did do this time that I rarely do is I did everything properly. I have sewn for more years than I care to remember but I'm a sloppy, I sew for me, I have never cared about technique or the finish, but I have decided I want to improve as people are starting to ask me to make for them, however I'm not happy with my finish yet, so I'm improving my finish on all my garments, then perhaps I'll start making for others.
Anyway things I did for this that I don't normally.
1. The pattern didn't have facings for the collar and armholes and I thought it needed them so I added them and I'm glad I did
2. I've always struggled with hemming fuller skirt so I found this tutorial
on Gerties Blog for Better Sewing and followed it, it was great and I'm so happy with the result, so much so I'm determined to make more full skirts.
3. I ironed seams at EVERY stage, not just when I had to, preparation and thoroughness in sewing leads to a better garment all round!
Ok so that's what I'm proud of, what am I extra proud of??
I fit back into one of my favourite vintage dresses, a 1950s gold lurex dress, I am chuffed beyond belief, I am overflowing with joy, now I need to go somewhere to wear it again!! It's a little tight still, it could do with being a little looser but I'm in it dammit and that is HUGE for me :o)
Apologies for the slightly blurred photos of my outfit shots, I have no idea why they did that, working with a timer confuses me, I must have pressed something else too!!
So it's been another few weeks since I posted, sorry!
Anyway I've been busy, still getting used to full time work, doing lots of stuff I wanted to get done before my knee op (which is this coming Friday eek!) and I've been sewing - as well as continuing to exercise and lose weight :o)
As you know I'm losing weight - over 1 1/2 stone right now, a scrape under 22lbs to be exact! - and my clothes are getting bigger so I needed to make a new blouse for work. I have loads of green gingham sitting around in my stash so thought I would use that. It's so nice to be wearing something that fits rather than too big, I'm also 2 vintage jeans sizes down, just got back into these jeans for the first time in years!!
I also made myself something I've been promising myself for a long while, not an essential piece of clothing but a make up coverall! I am one of those people who is forever dropping make up on myself, it drives me crazy. I know some people are great at this kind of thing, me, not so much. So I made up a 50s apron and I've had no make up down the front of my clothes for over a week now YAY!
I've also scored big time on fabric lately, at some great great prices too! All great prints, pretty much all tropical/hawaiian and I can't wait to make them up, but I'm going to wait until I get to a weight I'm happier with so it make be a little while til you see the final product!
The first 3 I bought from the same seller in the US, I think it's repro as it's in such good condition, but it arrived and it's 36 inches wide and feels vintage, I'm really not sure now. Anyway I don't care cos it's AWESOME!!
I got this really cute fabric from a US seller to for next to nothing, it does however smell a little - only of old peoples houses, like moth balls or something - so I'll be washing it before I use it, but very carefully!
This fabric I bought from a UK seller and I have lots of it, enough to make a dress. It is far better in the flesh, for some reason photographs don't do it justice, even in on ebay it didn't look as good as it is but I thought it might be, so again I got it for a song!!
Last weekend I swapped my old office and sewing room round, I put Paul and all his art and painting paraphernalia in my office and I went into his old art room which is now my sewing room. Once I've sorted it fully I'll take photos. When I was moving my stuff I found a stash of UFOs (unfinished objects for all you non-sewing types), this gorgeous blouse was amongst them. I remember starting this several years ago before a holiday but then just didn't have time to finish it, I think it went wrong and I abandoned it. Anyway I have dug it out, it's still too small right now but I will finish it up, it's stunning fabric, and I will fit it soon :o)
And last but not least, please don't be scared he he! I have a bigger bust it's no secret and every time I try to fit something to my tailors dummy it just doesn't hang right as all my measurement is at the front, not round the back. So I decided to get a bra out, fix it to my dummy and stuff it, it's not glamorous, but boy what a difference it's made! Sadly my waist isn't quite that small yet, but that's as big as this dummy goes, but it will be soon, they are however my hip measurements :o) I wanted to show you this as this is a good idea for those with a larger bust who are trying to fit clothes better!
So as you see I've been up to a lot. As I said I'm in for my op on Friday, so you'll probably hear a lot more from me during that week cos I'll be off work.
Hope you're all well, sorry I haven't been able to keep up with my blog reading but I mostly caught up today.
I know from previous posts that the readers of this blog LOVE old pictures, I always get such a response from posts like this, so when I was looking through some pictures the other day for something in particular I scanned a few in for your enjoyment!
I thought I'd give you a bit of insight into what life was like being in a band and on the road. It was a long time ago, it was fun but sometimes the long hours on the road in the van with a bunch of blokes just all got a bit much, but mostly it was fun!
I love this one of me and Paul
On the road on our first ever trip abroad many many many years ago
Our second trip abroad to the rather glamorous location of Nice, however sharing a room with 6 other blokes wasn't so glam!
When you travel with a band most of your life is spend in the van, it's like another member of the band!
You do get to visit some lovely locations though, that is definitely one of the upsides!
You do spend a lot of time just passing the time though, one of my favourites was table football, bet you didn't see that coming!!
Backstage is for downtime and getting out of sweaty clothes after a show, I do love this shot, just shows how hard the guys worked that night and how hot it was!
I really love this shot, getting ready before the curtains open, people don't often see this. I also love that dress, is was an apricot silk organza but was so delicate it just starting falling to pieces :o(
And last but not least an onstage shot, this was one of my favourite dresses ever, it came to a sticky end when I tore it on the drum kit, how sad is that. This was the point I started to have dresses custom made for onstage as wrecking vintage ones saddened me so much!
I know I'm behind the times a little with my posts and apologies for this. I went to the book launch of Naomi Thompson's Style Me Vintage: Clothes last weekend - not the one just gone!
But I spent all my time chatting and didn't even get my camera out so I had to wait until a couple of other bloggers got their photos up and asked if I could steal them, too much chat not enough picture taking.
The party was fun. It's not the sort of thing I've been to a lot and although I'm a very sociable type I was slightly worried that it would be more networking than chat, my fears were unfounded!! I had so much fun meeting lots of people I'd only ever met online previously.
There were some very stylishy dressed people there with all decades represented! Naomi seemed to have fun but looked rather dazed and overwhelmed, I'm not surprised, a successful book in print and lots of friends to help her celebrate her success, it was rather overwhelming!!
This is one of my favourite pictures, these girls are all lovely, but when asked to pull a bitch face they do it to perfection, love it ha ha!
It had all got a bit much for Paul at this point but I was still standing!
Another of my favourites! I do love it when people are dressed up beautifully but pull faces! The lady on the left is from Naomi's publisher but in the middle is Gemma from Retrochick and the very fabulous Margaret from Penny Dreadful Vintage pulling her best gurning face he he!
It was a great great night and I hope to meet up with all these lovely ladies again soon!
Whether we know why or not we always have certain styles we particularly are drawn too. I know I have a few vintage obsessions, and so I thought I'd write about one of mine today. Linen dresses, usually straight with some type of embellishment at the neckline and if you are lucky elsewhere, usually sleeveless but not always.
I don't know why I am particularly drawn to these, I love them! I do own about 4, but don't have any close up photos of them sadly so I'll leave that for another day. So I thought I'd have a trawl on ebay and etsy to see if there are any that take my fancy at the moment, of course there are, none in my size or in my budget but it's nice to look anyway. Click on the desciption to go to the item in ebay or etsy!
The first is my favourite type of linen dress, nice neckline, good embellishment including on the skirt and a bit of sparkle! Shame it's not my colour, size or in my budget ha ha!
Finally you can't see it very well but this is me posing in the Arizona desert, in the hideous heat, wearing one of mine!
And last but certainly not least I am loving these shoes on Etsy, they are super cheap, pale blue AND lurex but they could even be a squeeze for me, I'm so tempted but I don't have money to spend on things which don't fit, erm I don't have money to spend on things that do fit, but you know what I mean. They have been in the sale ages as they are tiny, should I, should I?!!
As some of you already know, I do some freelance work for Miss L Fire and I've been dying to share their Spring/Summer collection for ages now! However now they've officially put pictures on their FB page I feel I can finally share my love!!
The hardest thing about working with such a great company is seeing all the gorgeous shoes and wanting every last one of them. So I'll show you some of my real top favourites. They won't be on the website until the end of this month but that gives you time to choose and set up a savings plan ha ha!
Betsey
Capri
Miranda
Songbird
Dottie
And those are just my absolute favourites, there are more I love
I'm kind of a lucky gal really as not only do I work for Miss L Fire but I also work for Shona at Heyday. I spent Tuesday with Shona discussing the future moving forward and of course looking for inspirations for new designs, of course that was our favourite part of the day, I honestly think we could spend a whole week doing that. If you want to see one of the new designs on it's way have a look at In The Heyday blog it shows a gorgeous new coat that is going to be in the Heyday range. In fact here's a picture from the blog, sorry for stealing Shona, but you look fab!
What a gorgeous coat and photo isn't it?
Lastly I just want to apologise about my lack of posting, I'm having continued problems with my knee - ongoing since October - I finally see the consultant on Monday but I'm in quite a bit of pain and it's leading to lack of sleep and extreme grumpiness, which as you know is not my general mood so it's been hard to feel motivated to blog, but I do miss it so I'm going to try to make myself more often. Oh it also means I've been to grumpy to sew too, although I did start on a pair of trousers last weekend so I might have them finished this weekend and will show you!
