Simplicity 3042

Simplicity 3042

Yes, I’m still here, just about. The last few weeks at work have been somewhat stressful, and I’ve spent a lot more time out of the Shed than I normally prefer, so things have been a bit quiet on the sewing front.

So, this is Simplicity 3042, a pattern from the late 1950s or early 1960s, in a Slenderette size 18½. Not my Holy Grail sewing pattern, because I wanted to make a test version in a size that should theoretically be absolutely perfect for me, so I could make the relevant alterations without too much guesswork.

Simplicity 3042

So, on the plus side, the fit of a Simplicity Slenderette size 18½ is indeed absolutely perfect! I didn’t make a single alteration to the pattern, the waist is in the right place (and the right size), and the length is spot on too.

On the minus side, I don’t really like this fabric now it’s a dress (maybe Paul was right about it looking like a sofa?), and there are quite a lot of mistakes that happened when I thought I already knew how to make a dress and so didn’t read the instructions properly.

Simplicity 3042

To begin with, I simply didn’t read the instructions for the front facing. That had implications for the collar, which now looks nothing like the illustration. I didn’t bother to unpick that, because I don’t plan to walk around with the pattern envelope pinned to my chest, so I don’t think it matters too much. Annoying, though.

The skirt, on the other hand… I knew I was going to need to make alterations to the pleats, because the side front/back panel piece was slightly larger than the fabric I had left… because I didn’t follow the layout given with the pattern. On top of that I somehow managed to sew the skirt to the top in such a way that it didn’t fasten properly, so I unpicked the waist seam and started again. I thought I’d done really well to get it to all fit back together again… and then I noticed that the left front (as you wear it, so on the right in the picture) has three pleats in the skirt, while the right front only has two. I also didn’t turn the binding of the skirt placket to the inside, so a) you can see it, and b) the skirt front doesn’t sit quite right.

Simplicity 3042

I am quite pleased with these cufflinks though. Two pairs of covered buttons, linked together by several strands of thread that’s covered with a simple buttonhole stitch. Now I just need to make the eight buttonholes in the french cuffs to fasten them through. Sadly I think that’s going to have to wait until tomorrow. The amount of hand sewing I can do in one day is gradually getting less and less. Making seven covered buttons and the three buttonholes in the front of the dress is all that I can manage for now.

This dress will be worn, mainly because I don’t want to waste four metres of fabric and two days’ work. I have a pink v-necked pullover that will go nicely over the top, and enough wool to knit a pink cardigan too. I’m also waiting for the arrival of another pattern, Simplicity 4838, which is a pinafore (jumper) dress.

Simplicity 4838

I’d planned to make a couple of these in wool or suiting fabrics, to wear over my smart shirts for work. Conveniently, it will also cover up the botched centre front of the dress I’ve just made, and lessen the impact of the sofa-like fabric. I think I even have some dusky green suiting which will go perfectly.

Next time, I might even read the instructions, too.

Charity Shopping

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I’ve lived in Reading for twenty years, and been driven past this shop countless times. Today was the first time I remembered to make a little detour and have a look inside. I think it should probably win some kind of award for Most Bonkers Place I’ve Ever Shopped, even by charity shop standards! Every surface is simply crammed full of STUFF. I wandered up a corner to look at some glassware, and when I came to wander out again, a lady had barricaded me in with a pile of briefcases that I had to clamber over. Bonkers.

I came out with a lovely selection of mis-matched decorated shot glasses that I plan to turn into little candles. I also found a set of 6 iridescent amber glasses that I think I might keep, just because they’re so pretty.

I do love a good charity shop, and I think this has to qualify as one of the best. Whilst I don’t mind the brand-name ones that have “vintage & retro” sections, with items priced accordingly, I do love the places that are more like a jumble sale, or an explosion in a grandmother’s attic. If I’d been able to concentrate enough to really look, I’m sure I could have found even more amazing treasures in the AUTISTIC SHOP. (Plus, proceeds go directly to the Berkshire Autistic Society, who do excellent work in the area.)

Glasses

These are just a few of the treasures that I’ve picked up in local charity shops over the past few weeks. All in need of a good wash, but beautiful nonetheless!

I think what I need to look for now is a really good jumble sale. Once I’m no longer working every weekend, I know of a couple of local church halls that I can frequent. If I can convince Paul that he wants to drive me there, a trip to the monthly Sue Ryder sale at Nettlebed might be in order too. Although their donations list does say that they don’t accept odd glasses and cups… which are the things that I most want! It seems criminal to break up a lovely set that could still be used, for the sake of turning them into candles. Much nicer to pick up oddments and give them a new function, I think.

Hop Pillows ready for the EMPORIUM

Hop Pillows

Remember the hops that I started making into pillows, way back in November? I finished one, for Sarah’s birthday, as she’d kindly harvested the hops for me from the skycarrots allotment. The rest have been sitting around almost finished, just waiting for the top of each pillow to be ladder-stitched together by hand.

Today, in a flurry of productivity, I’ve sewn them all together and wrapped them all up with labels styled for the INEXPLICABLE EMPORIUM. These prints aren’t particularly “steampunk”, but as I’m trying to recycle the remnants of my stash before I buy anything new, I decided to use them anyway.

You might recognise a few of these fabrics – some of them turned out to have been hanging around for rather a long time!

  • Koi fabric from a circle skirt and corset that I made to wear to a friend’s wedding
  • Sewing print left over from an ill-fated dress that I’ve never worn
  • Psychedelic design was the lining for my Beatles jacket
  • Sugar skulls from my favourite skirt!
  • Flames from Lettice’s skirt
  • Strawberries left over from a pair of BIG PANTS that went straight from my sewing machine to the charity shop
  • Rainforest creatures from a dress I bought that turned out to be so badly made that the only thing I could do with it was chop it up.

The clover & ladybirds print is the only fabric that’s never had any other incarnation. I bought it back in the days when I was making lots of tote bags, but it turned out to be a little bit too thin. I have a little bit left over (along with most of the other fabrics) that I’ll be using to make some matching lavender bags. I have enough dried lavender to fill a hundred bags, so that should keep me busy for a little while!

Candles & hand cream

Hand cream

Today has been mostly filled with making twenty-one candles in glass jars, and sixteen and a half tealights. Once that was done, I kept the bain-marie warm so that I could make some hand cream. I hadn’t done this for years, and I’d forgotten how easy it is.

Now that it’s just about cooled down I’ve tried it out, and I think it’s going to be a tiny bit too oily for my liking. It reminds me more of Neal’s Yard’s Wild Rose Beauty Balm than the kind of hand cream I’m used to. This might be because the soya wax is softer than the beeswax recommended in the recipe, so the cream doesn’t set quite as hard. Having said that, it sinks in really quickly, and the geranium essential oil (my favourite) makes it smell divine.

It took less than 10 minutes to make, with all natural ingredients, and was just enough to fill a little aluminium Lush tin. I’ll see how I feel about the recipe, and once I’ve perfected it I’ll share it with you! Now I’m looking on Ebay for either a pink frosted glass jar (that matches my dressing table set) or a white ceramic jar (that matches my bathroom), with a lid, that I can use for future creams and lotions.

Also, have I mentioned how lovely my husband is? This morning I grumbled that the most time-consuming part of making the candles was cleaning the kitchen before I could start. When I finally dragged myself out of bed, just after he’d left for work, I discovered that the previously messy kitchen was now absolutely spotless. Thank you, Paul!

Tumblr: February Archive

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