Spotty Coco

Yo yo yo

How's it hanging guys? Sorry... this is my attempt to use the cool lingo... but this isn't the 90s and I'm not on the set of Clueless so sad as it may be time to shut it down.

So anyway, where was I? Oh yeah! I made a thing! Those of you with unfathomably long memories may rememebr I mentioned Mr T has given me the odd afternoon off to get a bit of sewing done. This was the first thing I made on one of these afternoons!

I wanted something satisfying to make, that was simple and pretty speedy for a bit of a quick fix. So I used my previously adapted Coco pattern, that has a more a-line shape at the bottom. I used the cuffs on this version though, rather than just turning under the seams.

I hadn't written on the instructions whether I had removed the seam allowance or not, so I sewed it together with the pattern pieces edge to edge, and unfortunately it came out a little big. I know for next time to remove the seam allowances on anywhere that their is a join. I can leave the hems as they are. 

Saying that, I absolutely love this jumper. It is comfy, cosy, and feels classy without being formal. It's nice to have something that makes you feel that way when it is so tempting to just wear pyjamas all the time. I don't really wear pjs in the day, but comfy clothes are definitely high on the agenda. 

E had her injections on Friday and in a fit of bad timing, I was working at the handmade fair. Mr T took her to the doctor for the injections which I believe was pretty harrowing. He brought her to the fair so I could give her a feed, and she seemed happy enough, but by the time my workshop was taking place she must have gotten a fever, and she was just inconsolable. I had to run out of the workshop and give her a five minute calming feed which worked, hoorah! 

The rest of the handmade fair was awesome, I got loads of Christmas shopping done, chatted to loads of makers, did a wreath-off with Lisa Comfort and Ellie Jarvis, (both draws, because crafters are fair that way) and made mini stockings with Ministry of Craft. 

I've come away from the weekend feeling like I want to knit, sew and embroider all day long, and it just re-iterated to me that crafters are the best, period.

So anyway, here's the back of the jumper... not so great. I think it's because I have added the extra room at the side seams rather than adding them to the centre of the pattern. So it's a bit tight on the old bum cheeks there, which creates that pooling at the back. I don't mind though, it's not like I spend long looking at my own bum. 

So yeah! Love this jumper, and still attempting to fit sewing time around the rest of life. I'm loving my days out teaching and demo-ing though. They provide me with my creative outlet as I await the free time to make things at home.

Birthday Xerea

Hallo, How are we all? I am doing well, tired but well. Little E went through a stage of sleeping for long periods of time recently. They call this sleeping through, it's not exactly a whole nights sleep but it's certainly better than nothing.

However, last night she was restless from about 2.30am so I'm pretty tired! However, I am very much enjoying baby time. We've been going to groups in the local area, I've met lots of lovely mums and am beginning to feel more like myself. I am however both an introvert and extrovert (I always come out exactly in the middle on those personality charts), and though I am getting lots of quiet time, it is not truly relaxing alone time. I'm not sewing or chilling, taking a bath or being calm. I am keeping active, trying to fill Baby E's day with interesting things which is its own kind of exhausting.

That's why when Mr T takes the little one out for an afternoon, it is the most relaxing time I can have. My shoulders relax and I feel like myself for a little while, and I get to sew! I've made a couple of things this way, and will have those to share with you in the future.

For today, I want to show you the last piece of sewing I did before Baby E was born. A birthday dress! At the time I was struggling with understanding what to make for breastfeeding, and had been making bigger and bigger maternity clothes. I was fed up of constantly making the same thing and was itching for a different silhouette. When I saw the new Pauline Alice Xerea pattern it answered my prayers, a completely different silhouette, but it looked like I could fit it over the big ol' bump.

I bought this fabric at the knit and stitch show that was on at the same time as the Sewing Bee, I walked around with Ryan and chatted with lots of enthusiastic people who commiserated with us, and told us all about their sewing lives. It's one of my favourite memories of that time, and now I have a dress that represents that time for me. 

Because I had such a big bump when I made this, the skirt seemed pretty short, so I added the gather panel at the bottom. To make this more of a feature I added lace along the edge. I'm not sure if it has now made it a bit long as I'm no longer bumpy, but I think I need to wear it a couple of times more before I decide. 

When I printed it, it was wrong by about 1cm off, so I tried to adjust it. I shaved 1cm off the pattern on all pattern pieces, but it wasn't the most accurate of adjustments, so I think the yokes at the top are a little too wide for my shoulders and neck. So I'll probably reprint the pattern for future makes just to make sure I get it right. 

Well, Baby E is making those... I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad noises so that's my cue. Hope you're having a lovely weekend guys, happy sewing!