Christmas Stockings, Ornaments, and Mince Pies, oh my!

Okay, I've been quite the naughty girl with nary a post for six weeks, but my 3 1/2 year old and 20 month old have been running coordinated circles around me! 

Sadly, I have not been able to complete my Ceylon dress for this weekend's anniversary getaway.  I so envisioned myself enveloped by the wonderful Colette Patterns' creation, but the time simply wasn't there.  It is still a project I shall carry on with, but, this time, perhaps without a set deadline, given the children and my grad work.  Not to fret, though, I shall still post updates and pics as I progress.

So, what have I been doing other than not working on Ceylon?  As I try to corral the children in our front sitting room on most days--baby gates STILL not up despite hubby's promise--I've taken to needlework when not occupied with papers.  Yesterday, following a template from Sew Magazine (sewmag.co.uk), I made a Christmas tree ornament with a beaded holly sprig, which I'm very proud of, on the front and 'Noel' embroidered on the back.  My daughter was just tickled with watching me make it, and was so excited when it was stuffed and sewn up.  Also, finding a gorgeous antique-looking fabric from fancymoon.co.uk, I made her a Christmas stocking with green lining, and her name embroidered and beaded at the top.  It's nearly finished now, and she just cannot wait to see it hanging up.  Stockings are planned for my son, and my husband and myself--just waiting for the fabric to arrive.

Lastly, after many unfulfilled promises, I made mincemeat pie filling for my husband, a recipe that can be done ahead of time.  My very English spouse adores mince pies, and, if unchecked, could OD on them every holiday season.  I'm not a personal fan of this dessert, and, not realising the vegetable suet contained wheat flour, my daughter won't be partaking of it either.  So, I can only hope hubby enjoys the pie--he'll be having it all himself unless our wee boy takes a fancy to it as well.  Here's a link for anyone interested in the recipe; it was very easy to put together, though I've no idea how it tastes!  : )

Take care all!

The Battle Goes On...

My progress has been slowed a bit by a virus and overt exhaustion.  All pattern pieces have been cut out of a second hand sheet and all bits of gathering have been completed.  I stitched the first couple of pieces together with no problems (though the thread kept bunching underneath for some reason). Now, though, I come to grading the seams, a problem I had the previous time.  Somehow, when grading this portion (which would accomodate part of the bust), I've given myself a silhouette akin to bullet bras.  It's all part of the learnign process, so I shall, in my acclimated-Britishness, keep calm (mostly!) and carry on.

On a lighter note, I've recently found the site for Denver Fabrics, an online store mentioned and recommended on a number of blogs and webpages.  The prices are great and the fabrics look amazing.  So many ideas!

Ceylon, Revisited...

Two posts in one day, astonishing!  I shall attempt to keep a log of my second attempt at the gorgeous Ceylon dress pattern from Colette's.  Not only to I simply wish to conquer it because of its vintage appeal (swoon!), but because I'd love to don it during my anniversary getaway with my husband.  We're planning a weekend trip to York, England to celebrate four years of wedded bliss.

My first step back into my Ceylon War started nearly three hours ago when I dragged out the pattern pieces.  As I mentioned in my previous post, being very new to sewing clothes, I cut my pattern pieces out and, as I learned when tracing them onto tracing paper this evening, found I initially cut out the WRONG SIZE.  In some cases, I cut two different sizes on the same piece [mentally clunks self on forehead].

But that is behind me now.  All of the pattern pieces have now been properly traced onto fresh pattern paper and cut out, with all of the appropriate notches and markings.  Tomorrow (if the kids go down for a nap [crossing fingers & toes]) I shall begin my second step: cutting pattern pieces from a used (but clean!) sheet from my local thrift shop for my muslin.  This time it's personal... : )

Ceylon, a Journey Yet to Be Completed...

Months ago, I spotted the lovely Casey, from Casey's Elegant Musings, sporting her version of the Ceylon dress by Colette Patterns:
Though I am but a beginner, I knew I simply HAD to make this dress, or drive myself crazy in the process.  Unfortunately, I did drive myself crazy in the process, very much so in fact.  Why?  Oh, so many reasons, but the biggest: not properly putting an effort into the muslin (this was a big NO-NO!!!!).  I don't think I can overstate missing this step enough.  Despite the pattern being explicitly labelled 'Intermediate', and well knowing myself as a beginner, I went ahead with it anyway, cutting my pattern out (which I will now have to try to salvage with tracing paper) and, in the process, wasting the beautiful cherry red linen I purchased for the garment.

      As it stands now, my failed first attempt at Ceylon now sits practically hidden in my sewing room, waiting for resurrection.  Since then I have made concerted efforts to improve my sewing skills, making three skirts (one patternless!), and even taught myself to embroider!  Now, with more experiences at my machine, and physical results of my efforts (one of which I wore on a girls' day out with my daughter and mother-in-law), I feel better prepared to retackle Ceylon.  Conquer it I shall...hopefully.  ; )

New Creations

I've been quite bad at updating my posts, but duty (my 3 year old & 18 month old) calls.  I'm on a sewing kick lately.  It's a hobby I love, but also find necessary as today's style isn't quite my thing.  Below are my newest ( mostly) finished pieces.

Based on the Ginger Colette Pattern 

My first patternless skirt!  This one is a nod to the Circle Skirt Sewalong with Casey of Elegant Musings.

I so love putting these two skirts together, and it's spurred me to do more of my own dressmaking.  Must go...fabric awaits...

Mummy & Me

Just got back from a fabulous date--with my 3 year old daughter!  She's absolutely nuts over Cars (or, Roary, a similiar British cartoon, as she calls it).  She was so well behaved, and had a blast.  Having never been to a cinema before, it was a sensory-overload for a spell, but seeing the smile on her face as she saw her favorite characters made it so wonderful.  As if that were not enough, lunch then consisted of McDonalds.  My little Daisy's Celiac's Disease, a gluten intolerance, and a low weight allows her a McD's treat every month, so she was elated.  Daisy not quite ever child; she couldn't care less about what toy lurks within her Happy Meal, as long as her chips as in there!

While we certainly cannot expect such good behavior each time we visit the cinema, it definitely made the date even better---and Mummy didn't have to tear any hair out.  Of course, there was the optional extra charge for seats in the back, but that's another story...

My 1st finished garment!

Ok, am very happy about this: I finished my first garment!  Thursday, with the kids at daycare, and me in need of a change of scene, I headed to Edinburgh (about an hour south of us) for a day out.  I knew that John Lewis (a huge department store) held a large sewing section, so I headed there for a look about.  Whilst there, I found some gorgeous vintage-ish looking pink cotton fabric, and though I just had to have it, have to make something from it.  Grabbing a Simplicity pattern 2609 and a matching zipper, I was all set to make a skirt.

Now, as I've mentioned before, I'm a beginning beginner, so the pattern I chose was labelled, "It's so easy!"  Well, it wasn't, not really.  For someone approaching the project with little or no experience, the pattern wasn't very explanatory.  BUT, with what I've learned so far from the dress disaster, and reading from sewing sites and blogs, I did it!  There are some little mistakes, but nothing that would really show.  I'm still new to making seams straight, but these are things, I'll admit, that won't be very visible.  I'm very proud of my skirt and am excited to wear it outside. Pics to follow!