ScrapHappy # July (beware contains photos of dolls).

It’s 15th of the month, time to link up with Kate and Gun and share a ScrapHappy post!

Followers may remember some past clothes-making projects . . . which always provide many scraps for future projects.

Way back in June 2016 I made myself a wrap-around skirt

which left me with lots of scraps.  And in April of this year, I made a shirt

which also left me with scraps.

Both lots of fabric scraps called out to me when I saw a free pattern by Antique Lilac, to make doll dresses.  And since I had only recently unboxed some of my BJD dolls . . . it seemed like the ideal occasion to use a few scraps.  I had said I’d try and keep my doll hobby separate from this blog, and recently started a new blog especially for my dolls: Claire’s Collections.  But since today we’re talking about scraps . . . I’m afraid you have to put up with spooky dolls photos in order to appreciate the sewing.

Hence . . . one pretty summer dress in pink floral for Erin and one in more autumn shades for Kyra.

Erin, on the left, is approx 43cm tall but has quite a large bust. Kyra, on the right, is approx 45cm tall but has a very narrow torso and wide hips.  I therefore made alterations to the bodice part, as well as making a longer skirt for the pink floral.  Dolls look the same height in photos because Erin has proper BJD shoes with quite a thick sole & heel.

Whereas Kyra is wearing a pair of lace-up ankle boots I made, in the same fabric as her dress!  Found a tutorial for that here:  Sneakers.

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summer sewing with a smile (McCall’s M7458)

I bought a few more clothes making patterns recently, with our grand daughter, aka Baby Viking, in mind.  She’s 10 months old now and getting about on the floor as well as pulling herself up on furniture and trying to take a few steps.  So, with this pattern, McCall’s M7458, I decided to make view A (the short bodied tunic top) and view E, the 3/4 length leggings.  That way, her little knees will be protected, and the skirt part of tunic shouldn’t be too long that she’ll get her knees caught up in it while crawling about.

The leggings were ever so quick & easy to make and I made a fine job of them, even if I do say so myself.  Made in a lovely orange stretch cotton.

I invested in a special “twin stretch fabric” needle which was absolutely brilliant for giving a really professional finish to the top stitching on hems and waist band.

And for the tunic top . . . a minor pattern alteration.

I made a sleeveless tunic, and used a minty green bias binding to finish neck & armholes.  The reason I went for sleeveless wasn’t laziness, nor fear of sleeves (since I have now mastered that technique) . . . it was simply that I wanted to use this smiley print fabric, and I only had a FQ which was just enough to cut pattern pieces for the bodice front, backs & skirt, but not enough for sleeves.

And here is Baby Viking, modelling the tunic.  I’ve cropped the photo to respect family privacy, but that happy grin says it all really.

 

best layer of the month # June

It’s time to do a tot up of eggs laid in June!  I missed my monthly egg post in May since we were away from home for a week (attending sister’s wedding) and a neighbour kindly looked after the hens for us, so I wasn’t able to keep a check on eggs laid.  Anyway . . .

the hens have been moved out to the orchard now, in the shade of the apple trees.  Despite the shade these afford, hens don’t like the hot weather and I was expecting egg count to fall drastically.  Surprisingly, it didn’t.  Total egg count this month was 68.  Mauricette laying 21 of her very large eggs.  Miss Moneypenny (despite getting on for 5 years old now) valliantly laying 22 this month.  But it was our white Sussex hen, Miss Plumpton who wins best layer of June, with 25 eggs.

SAL update # Bag Ladies #13

I’m afraid to say it’s simply been far too hot in this part of France for much crafting.  So any hopes I had of having decent progress to show were completely frazzled, rather like myself, with the current heatwave.

Last time I was here

and the only progress made is this

Let’s see if other SAL members made better progress.

Avis,  Gun, Carole, Sue, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Helen, Linda, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Hayley, Megan, Deborah, Clare, Mary Margaret, Renee, Jenny, Carmela, Jocelyn, Sharon

And here’s hoping I have more to show on our next update which will be on 21st July.

happy retirement

A French blogging friend, La Pie Kikou,  has recently started a new chapter in her life:  retirement.

What better excuse (if excuse be needed) to send a little gift her way.  And as luck would have it, I had the perfect little card kit to stitch up for the occasion.

The design is by  Helz Cuppleditch, and kit was a freebie in Cross Stitch Crazy magazine.  Seeing this little mouse, relaxing, and twiddling his toes in his hamac, was perfect to wish a happy retirement.  However, I know La Pie won’t be twiddling her toes, as she will be busy settling into her new home, and (I hope) filling her days with crafting.  So . . . a mini charm pack of the range “Whitewashed Cottage”  was also sent, and I’m sure La Pie will make something fabulous with it.

it’s beginning to feel a lot like summer!

Well, it’s beginning to feel a lot like summer in my little corner of France.

And here’s me, in the shade, to show you that we set up our little “spa” in the garden yesterday.  I haven’t been for a dip yet, but it won’t be long before I do.  I even bought myself a new swimsuit for this summer and a pretty pair of flipflops

so I’m more than ready to take a cool, bubbly dip.

Other signs that summer is here . . . out in the veggie garden.

We’ve been enjoying fresh artichokes and plenty of fresh strawberries and raspberries.

In fact, the raspberries have been doing especially well this year! 

This lot picked in around 45 minutes . . . then 2 days later . . . there were even more

So, we’re getting plenty of fresh vitamins, but I’m also freezing raspberries with each harvest, as that’s a fruit I like to keep for yummy desserts during the winter months.  Typical me, summer has just begun and I’m already thinking ahead to winter! 

Beau & his Belle

In May, I showed you this photo

A little boy unicorn, I christened “Beau”, crocheted following the pattern by ANABU CROCHET, published in the book “Unicorns, Dragons and more fantasy amigurumi”.

Reading your comments, I realised I wasn’t alone in thinking that Beau needed a pretty lady friend to keep him company.  Unicorns might be mythical creatures, but they’re very sociable creatures, and poor little Beau was feeling very forlorn.  So . . . out came my hook, and . . .

Belle was born!  I chose a light purple instead of baby pink because I didn’t want to go for the cliché of “blue for a boy, pink for a girl”.

However, I did let rip with the really bright variagated Marriner DK yarn for mane and tail. 

Now, whether or not there will be any baby unicorns remains to be seen.  Beau & Belle have already left home . . .

but are living in the house just opposite, so I should get regular news.  Here they are, all packaged up as part of a food basket . . . a gift to our neighbours who got married on Saturday.  Neighbours being the parents of my little sewing apprentice, Cléo, and her toddler sister, Mona . . . and who, I am sure, will claim Beau & Belle as their own.