More autumn berry shades.

A while ago I was tempted to purchase one of the Japanese Stylish Dress books, of course, after seeing some beautiful versions on blogs.  In my sewing naivety, it hadn't quite dawned on me that I may not have the ideal shape for this type of style. The book is the Stylish Dress Book: Wear With Freedom by Yoshiko Tsukiori.

Having flicked through the photos of the pretty, young petite models which, of course, all looked beautiful in the dresses, I wasn't too sure if they were for me.  However, I was quite taken with the neckline of Dress 'T'

The style is meant to be loose, but I decided to modify it slightly!

I know, maybe I spoilt it, but I just didn't think the gathers were going to work for me, but I do really like the curved neckline.  The main fabric is an organic cotton crossweave in night red colour and the contrast is a red herringbone fabric, both from +Organiccotton Uk . The crossweave is literally that, a mixture of a red and black threads and the herringbone has a tweedy look.  It would probably make a lovely skirt too.

So overall I am quite pleased and I was able to get boots that match almost exactly from Whitestuff, so not a bad addition to my autumn wardrobe.

Now, I think I will get back to some knitting, it is getting to that time of the year after all.

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.

This morning when I looked out, the normal view of the hills had vanished, everything enveloped in a thick fog.  I guess it comes with the season, the good thing about this time being, of course, the harvest.
This is the first year since I seriously started to grow our own vegetables that nearly everything sewn and planted has done well.  I am chuffed!  Now what to do with it all, namely the courgettes and squash.  It's amazing how many courgettes are produced by one plant once they get going.

Maybe it is autumn and all the lovely burgundies appearing in the garden, but my autumn attire is reflecting this slightly.

Not exactly burgundy, more a fuchsia pink and blue.  I made this April Rhodes Staple Dress late August, it's great the weather is so mild as I can get a bit more wear out of it.  This pattern is lovely, a pdf download with very easy to follow instructions.  I got to use elastic thread for the first time, very well explained in the pattern, although I don't think it is at the right level exactly. I will modify when I make another one.  Overall very easy to wear, can be casual or more dressed up and, more importantly, can be winterized, by wearing a long sleeved sweater underneath.  I would say it is a good all rounder.
Looking forward to an autumnal Date night dress now.

Pattern: April Rhodes, The Staple Dress.

An anniversary walk at Glenariff

Today, it was the 22nd wedding anniversary. Hubbie took a day off (woo, hoo!).  There was talk of a shopping day, but it did'nt really entice me.  Anyway, we decided to go to Glenariff Forest Park, which is where we went 22 years ago, the day after our wedding. The weather was great, however, a lot of the forest trails were closed due to either snow damage from April or the disease which hit a lot of trees this year.  Anyway, we managed to do one trail and see one waterfall..... it is beautiful and only a few mile up the road.

Almost as good as 22 years ago, of course, we both have a few extra ponds on us.  Anyway, today was the perfect day for wearing my Jamie Christina Sol Hoodie.  This is a great pattern and I will definitely be making it again, it was a pdf pattern which I really like.  Sort of goes against the grain because they use up quite a bit of paper to print out (not very 'eco') but I love the fact that you have it there and can make multiple sizes if you so desire.

I made it in blue fleece from dragonflyfabrics.com, which was a bit more pricey for fleece, but it is gorgeous, very cosy and great quality.  I wasn't too sure about the cuffs with their little thumb holes but the other morning they were great when there was a nip in the air (but really too early for glove-wearing(

I also trimmed it with Amy Butler ribbon, which really was an indulgence.  I thought it might have been a bit 'twee', but I actually really like it. When you consider that functional, sporty fleeces average about £100, and mine cost approximately £25, I think I did quite well.

Hubbie also had his fleece on today that I made a while ago. His was a Kwik Sew pattern 3817, the fleece was from @ukfabricsonline, a navy fleece (a little bit cheaper than mine but very warm) and the pattern was a quick make.  Overall he is very pleased.

There you go..... all fleeced up on our anniversary!  Shucks.

A leap into sewing blogland!

In spring 2012, I started sewing clothes. I have always loved style and clothes. My maternal grandmother was a dressmaker, so my mum and her three sisters all had great handmade clothes.  I remember when I was very young watching and 'helping' my gran when she was sewing, but that was it.  I had knitted on and off over the years but never sewn anything.

As a holistic nutrition & lifestyle coach, I had come to prefer more natural products in food, beauty, household cleaning, so my next aim was to try and do the same with clothing.  It was starting to annoy me having to pay £40 for maybe a blouse that was made mostly from polyester or a jumper from acrylic.  I was also inspired by an article in +Country Living magazine about Carolyn Denham and her business Merchant&Mills and proceeded to order two of her patterns, The Panel Dress and The Dress Shirt. That was the start of it and I basically haven't stopped sewing since.

Having gleaned an awful lot of inspiration, information and tutorials from sewing blogs over the past year or so, I thought I might share some of my experiences, so here I am starting my blog journey.