A busy week - stitching away.

Completed jacket.

That silly brooch.

The past week has been very busy. My dress for the wedding is complete and so is the jacket. I even made a jokey brooch to go with it. It is rather over-sized, though and will probably end up as a decoration for a hat I haven't yet had any time to go and look for.















I've been busy completing the next piece for the Chinese Whispers challenge. I can't show it to you since the whole project is a secret and the unveiling happens later this year. Now, I really am looking forward to the unveiling since I really don't have any idea what the themes were supposed to be for any of the pieces I have worked on. But then, that's the fun of the game. You will find an explanation here.

The other things I have been working on are to do with the Festival of Quilts which is just over a week away. I can hardly wait. I've been making some more of the book wraps for the Tombola, which is being organised by Contemporary Quilt this year. I really am not sure how many I shall manage to complete in the remaining time I have left. After all, next weekend is my nephew's wedding! Which, of course was why I was making myself a new dress and altering that jacket.

Ah well, back to the sewing. I shall take some photos of the book wraps before I take them down to Festival.

Dressmaking again, again

Finished dress.

Well, I finished the dress this week. I was really quite pleased with the fit. It is rather a good design which I shall definitely be making again. I shall probably do one of the sleeved versions next.

Dress with jacket - this will be trimmed with offcuts from the dress.

This is the simple black jacket I intend wearing over the dress. It just needs trimming since it is rather a drab piece of clothing otherwise. It started out as one of those tops with a false top beneath. I cut off the false piece since I found it rather ugly, and I really found myself wondering why I had bought the piece in the first place.

Bits and pieces waiting to be put together.

Jacket awaiting trimming.

I finally managed to take a photo of the two animals together. This was their evening meal. Luckily, last night was much cooler and they were really hungry, so they were quite happy to ignore me as I took photos. Both animals are really getting on quite well now. Ella is a little cautious of Coco, whilst Coco tolerates Ella's presence in the house.

Tea time.

Dressmaking again

Back garden - bird feeders.

It is hard to keep focussed with the weather being fine outside and a dog wanting attention. We have got into quite a pleasant routine here. Each morning, Ella goes for a walk before the weather gets too warm. She goes out with either my husband or myself, or quite often both. We then all enjoy breakfast before Ella has a rest blocking a doorway. She loves to be close to us. Coco seems to have settled and developed a taste for dog food. It has proved rather difficult to take a photo of Ella watching her food being eaten by Coco who has pushed in front. Ella is very patient and lets Coco eat before claiming the rest of her meal.

In the evening, when it become much cooler outside, we all go out for another walk, returning to find Coco waiting for us by the front gate. Once back inside the house both animals have their meal and we all settle down for the evening. It is nice that Coco generally comes for a cuddle while Ella flops down and has another snooze.

Ella - having just woken up.

I've started making a new dress for myself. It is intended for a wedding I shall be going to at the beginning of August. There is a second pattern and fabric waiting just in case this dress doesn't quite seem right.

Quilters cotton fabric.

I couldn't resist this fabric when I saw it. It is really a quilters cotton fabric, but is once of those soft cottons which can also be used for dressmaking.  The pattern I am using is one I used some time back. I had intended to make the open neck version with short sleeves, but hadn't noticed that the design really only works in one direction. As a result I am making the version shown on the package once again. 

Using A as shown.

I've loved wearing the first dress I made, so will be happy to have the same design again.

Sewing and some mending.

Well, I haven't done very well this week. I have been trying to get back into sewing after finishing off my Horizons quilt. These two bags are the only new things I have completed.

Little bags

The bags were bought as a kit from the Quilt Museum in York. There is a shop there and I really couldn't resist getting the materials to make these. 

Dragonfly bag, opened to show lining

I'd never worked with these fastenings before, so thought the kit would be fun to get started. I bought a couple of extra mechanisms to make some more bags. They are of the type which you push to open. 

As you can see from the photo at the top, one of them holds my iPod and the earphones too. There is space inside for the charging lead for when I am away from home. So useful. The pretty red bag holds a pocket game - Sudoku. The instruction leaflet lives in there too. I found this on sale on a Charity stall for 50p, so couldn't resist. I'm still trying to learn how to use it.

Apart from sewing these together I really haven't done much. I looked through my mending pile to see what needed doing and managed to replace a zip on a pair of jeans. Two more zips are waiting for me to get around to replacing them. One is for my favourite skirt, so I really should get around to doing that one.

There has been no contemporary style quilting, sadly. I do have a number of projects I have almost ready to start in my head. Unfortunately the fact that there is a list is putting me off doing anything at the moment. Did I ever tell you that prevarication is something at which I excel?

Ah well, I'd better get started on those zips before the mending pile falls over again.