Not a total write off…

In its usual, relentless, fashion the summer holidays have steam-rollered through July and August, resulting in the usual lack of summer makes. On top of that, while the children were away for the week, I developed shingles, and spent about 8 days flat out in bed. A week on, and I still haven’t made it back to the machine (tbh, been a bit busy – family days out, and all that).
However, before I was struck down I did manage to make a couple of things. First up was a dress for Piper (she wanted to be involved in making one from scratch). I used one my Mum’s uncut patterns from the 1970s and positively whipped up a little princess line number from a rose patterned St Michael’s sheet. And lined it with the final remnant of “the sheet which kept on giving” (off the top of my head, I’ve used it to make a toga, interline a bag and line three reversible aprons).

This was followed by a partially successful attempt to make my lounge curtains (I have had the fabric put by for a couple of years now). Our lounge is a through room with a bay at one end and patio doors at the other, so the plan was to make a wide pair for the bay, and a long pair for the doors. I (mostly) made the pair for the bay, and I am very happy with them. I just held off hemming them because I couldn’t tell how much they might drop. At this point I fell ill (and about time too – turns out curtains are really dull to make!) so the other pair will have to wait a while, just hopefully not another two years.

My highlight of the summer though is my Bronte top, in a dark murky grey, with mother of pearl button. As yet un-photographed (I tried a few mirror shots, but they always end up unflatteringly wonky), it has fast become one of my most worn t-shirts, and I already have the next one lined up to make. This top was brilliantly easy and the extra sewalong tips really helped as this was my first time sewing with t-shirting. Best of all my Mum loved it so much she has requested one too!