Saturday 31 December 2011

Goodbye 2011

Well friends, we made it ! Another year gone !!

I would love to be able to do a 'round up' post filled with all the garments I made over the last year - but I cant as I only made like 3 (2 Ginger skirts and a Sencha). I would be embarrassed to compare that to many of the lovely sewing people out there who have managed to conjure up clothing out of thin air ! (Thin air and LOTS of skill !).

Ladies (and man), I take my hat of to you - every single one of you inspires me daily in some way - and I thank you for that.

Mr P and I have decided not to go out, and rather to stay at home. So my friends, I am sewing ! I have just traced the pattern pieces for the Peony, and am just about to make a full muslin. As I have never made a dress before I am going to make a mock up of the full thing, so I can check sleeves, skirt length etc. Exciting !  Looking forward to sharing some snaps using my tripod - hopefully I can get it finished before I go back to work on Tuesday.

I hope that whatever 2012 brings - it makes you happy. I am raising my glass of bucks fizz to you all and am leaving you with my facebook status - which I like alot !

I hope that everyone has a wonderful New Year !!! Think of what makes you happy and resolve to do more 
of it in 2012. The new year can be a clean slate with which to redesign the story of life - make sure you fill every page with health, happiness, kindness and laughter. Time to forgive and start afresh. I wish you all the very best for the coming year ! xxxxxx

Tuesday 27 December 2011

Happy Christmas

Happy happy happy Christmas !

I hope everyone has had a very happy time full of love, cheer and the odd glass (or 3) of champagne.

Santa brought me the coveted tripod - so operation outfit is a go for the new year. I managed to take these pictures of my tree (but none of my family- doh !)



Colour theme - variations on silver and purple - with a hint of green.

We went to see 'the girl with the dragon tattoo' last night - and it was pretty darn good (other than a few parts where the old hands went over the eyes !) We were lucky to have got in as my 18 year old brother forgot his passport so we were all for swapping the tickets for Sherlock Holmes, until the cinema dude took pity after seeing our gutted faces and let us in - YAY !

I have leaked a few tears today as my mum and little brother left for their respective homes. I don't get to see them that often as the road system is not that great in North Devon, and most places, although not difficult to get to, usually take quite some time in terms of hours (and cost lots in diesel!).

When I was a kid, every time I left my granddad's house, he would always be crying over a bowl of washing up (to hide his tears). I seem to have taken on that tradition (sans the bowl to hide over) which is more than a little embarrassing seeing as I am a thirty something woman about town !

I made both my mum and little brother infinity scarves but did not get pictures of either the finished scarves or them wearing them. Friends I have knitted 3 scarves in the last 6 weeks and have given myself sore wrists in the process, I will not be knitting for a few weeks to come ! Lol, its quite funny that I have injured myself  making knitted Xmas gifts !!

Oh well, I hope you have all had the most wonderful of Christmases, and are looking forward now to a fresh New Year.

A clean slate with which to redesign the story of life.

People, look after each other and love and live life to the absolute maximum that you can. Take a moment to reflect on what makes you happy and decide that 2012 is going to be your year to make it happen.

On that note I am off to watch the 'Wizard of Oz' - man I LOVE that film.

With much festive love,

K xxx

Friday 23 December 2011

Burda Style January 2012

Hello friends

I have finished work now for Christmas ! YAY !!!

I do not grace my desk with my presence again until 3rd January 2012 ! That's what I am talking about !

On top of that I am sat at home after our boss gave us a half day - that's what I call getting into the Christmas spirit !

AND as an extra doubly bubbly - my January Burda style arrived !  So lets take a quick peek shall we ?

                                                     The source of all these lovely images can be found here

LOVE the ballerina style of this one !

Yes please

WOW this dress is FINE

What a pretty horse ! The cover-up is not too shabby either!

Think this is for sleeping in ? But it would make an awfully pretty summer dress.
WOW - Thank you Burda !

There are some beauties this month. Of course - these are only my picks of the bunch  - maybe you would prefer this ?  (LOL  :-)))

Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is to look like a massive raspberry !
Well, best go and do xmas stuff ! 

K xxx

Thursday 15 December 2011

The good the bad and the ugly

Sooo

As this blog is a journal of sorts, I am going to partly use it in the coming year to document outfits so that I can see what works on me and what does not.

A brilliant thing about having a blog is the fact that you can write like a diary AND add photos. Then you can flick back to see what you have been up to. I created this blog for myself, to see how far I could get with trying to make a wearable wardrobe that I love, making clothes that fit me well; as well as documenting things I am interested in. I did not start it up hoping to win popularity contests (although I feel very blessed when people make lovely comments and care about what I am saying or showing  - and I love the sense of community ! Sisters unite xx). I love reading other peoples blogs much more than you could ever imagine ! I especially love to see outfit posts and seeing how people are styling their makes and their wardrobes in general, it makes me feel inspired !

I am excited as I am pretty sure that Santa is bringing me a tripod ! So outfit photos should be much easier to snap than they are currently. I feel a little self conscious in front of Mr P and the snaps invariably make me look more than a little gormless when trying for a 'show and tell' style pic.

I am finding that sewing my own clothes has returned to me an interest in what I am wearing. Clothes are often an expression of the self and this last couple of years my expression has not been one that I feel happy with.

I used to wear such lovely clothes, working in London money was no object for clothes buying (this sounds so arrogant ! YUK !! but I merely write it to illustrate a point )  and people outdid themselves to win in the style stakes. Since moving to Devon my style has become somewhat 'laid back' in nature and altogether not very well thought out ! (and MUCH CHEAPER as I now work for a charity !)

This negative reflection of myself in the last few years is highlighted by the fact that all my clothes are on the floor in jumble sale like piles. My beautiful collection of shoes are all packed away god only knows where. Add this to the fact that my body has also changed over the last couple of years (due to under-active thyroid and little time for exercise) and I feel not quite so stylish as I used to - not so well thought out or put together.

Friends, I don't want to win any fashion contests ! I don't even hanker after people telling me that I look nice. I am not 'in it to win it'. I just want to feel stylish and well dressed for myself. It makes me feel good to wear nice things, and I have more of an 'eye' since I have been starting to make my own clothes.

I need to marry together what actually works on my body with what I think looks good. And for this I need photo documentation. It's just not the same looking in a mirror. I think its more subjective when looking at yourself in a picture.

Sooooo, rather than make a new years resolution, and feel gutted when I fail, this year I am going to make one resolution that I feel I can keep. I am going to document my outfits so that I can see what looks good and what does not. Then I can have guilt free 'culls' of clothing without worrying that I am chucking away the wrong stuff and I can hopefully get a clearer picture of what suits me and see where I have wardrobe gaps.

(Then maybe, just maybe I will actually purchase a wardrobe ! Or something else other than the floor, where I can keep my clothes).

I am hopeful that this time next year, when I am sat here reflecting on the year just passed, I can notice that I am altogether a far more stylish person then than I am now. I can read this post and think, HA, made it !

Not for anyone else but myself.

Much love

K xxx

Saturday 10 December 2011

It's only flippin Saturday !!

Why hello there my favoured sister of Friday !

Today I will be making up the Jasmine in some sari fabric as a trial run. The sari fabric is the closest in drape to my actual fabric so I am going to give it a go !

I am also in the process off finishing up my second scarf as a Christmas gift for my younger brother (not sure he will like it as not 'labelled' but if he doesn't then I will keep it !). Its made out of a dark blue wool with turquoise and red flecks, slightly thicker than the wool I used to make my green infinity scarf. I am only using knit stitches this time (I think this is called garter stitch?) rather than the curling 'stocking stitch' (one row knit - one row purl).
I think I prefer the feel and the look of the garter stitch.

In other news, last night I created a new cocktail (well for me anyway). It was delicious ! I used gin, tonic and a splash of elderflower cordial. It was scrummy !

Also my copy of the Colette book arrived = one very happy and excited lady !

Well, best get on, I have lots to do this weekend as next weekend I am going home to Bournemouth for the weekend and so I have limited time for Christmas shopping. Hoping to get my tree up and all my Christmas shopping done by tomorrow :-)

Hope you have all had cracking weeks and are looking forward to a happy weekend !

K xxx

Monday 5 December 2011

From here to infinity

Hello !

Well, after buying this .....




And watching these ....






And using some of this.......


image source

I made this .....

And a view from the side ....



It's my version of an infinity scarf / cowl (which I originally spoke about here after feeling inspired by Tasia)

I LOVE IT !! It is by no means perfect - but then neither am I      :-)   However, I could already see a difference in my knitting skill by the time I got to the end of the scarf. Tres excitmon !

Overall I am quite pleased with it as a first project, and pretty much cant wait to start something else. I have literally knitted non stop since Thursday to get it finished up.

I didn't use a pattern, I just casted on 46 stitches and kept on going (and going and going and going  - you get the drift). I knitted one row of knit stitches and one of purl in a continuous cycle. It is lucky that knitting is fun ! I used exactly 4 x 50 g balls of wool/yarn. I am going to make a few versions of this type of scarf as I always wear scarves in winter and this particular type of scarf I love alot.

It is very satisfying to see the creation of a fabric right under my very fingertips !

Next project for me is the Jasmine for sure.(er - maybe after another scarf !) I have seen lots of pretty versions of Jasmine made up on blogland, and you can see it is a very flattering top. Feel quite frightened about working with silk though - have read quite a few horror stories !

What has everyone else been doing ?

K xxx

Thursday 1 December 2011

Knitting update

Hello there

Well, just a quick line to shout out that........

I. TOTALLY. LOVE. KNITTING !!!!

OMG - I was not expecting that. Not sure why I left it so long to pick up some knitting needles, but oh my gosh it was worth the wait !

Hope everyone has had a great day !

One more sleep - then it's only flippin Friday. YAY

K xxx