I am continually amazed by the number of brilliant creatives who live in our neighbourhood. Artists, sculpture-ers, singers, seamstresses, writers, you name it we appear to have them. The best part of this is that they all appear to be willing to share their knowledge, especially with the younger members of our community. Continue reading “Arty Crafty”
How often do you go to Black Tie events? If you are anything like me, the answer is probably once in a blue moon. Last week that blue moon happened.
Steve is away, the house is a tip, the bathrooms need cleaning, I need to go food shopping and yet I have not got the energy to move beyond this, not particularly comfortable, office chair. I am totally shattered. This week I have been learning something new. I have been learning the basics of Pattern Cutting at Bath College. Continue reading “Pattern Cutting and Loving to Learn”
Many years ago* I bought a pack of bunting with which to decorate our garden. Last year it adorned our balcony in Switzerland but, sadly, it is to be its last to bring joy to our home.
Now I know what you are going to say: “get a grip woman, it was only bunting.” I know that I may be sounding a teeny tiny bit dramatic, but that bunting has been with me through A LOT. I mean that bunting has witnessed the toddler years and if something has come through that with you, well it is a very fine thing indeed. An attachment has developed.
Last week I set myself three tasks the first of which I blogged about in Handmade Tale – Baking – hop on over and take a look I won’t mind (and it includes a link to a wonderful lemon and raspberry cake recipe from Richard Burr!).
The second and third of my personal tasks were sewing based, something that my Mum taught me many years ago. I remember a beloved polka dot circular long skirt that I wore and wore and wore that Mum had made for me. Simple but perfectly proportioned, it made me feel like I was 5 foot 10 instead of the diminutive 5 foot 3 and a half (don’t forget the half people, it does make all the difference!) as it swirled around my ankles. Then, there was the ball dress Mum made with a red silk dupion bodice and short layered chiffon shirt that Mum hand hemmed and which took her hours and hours because it was so full. The school ball turned out to be a disappointment as my then boyfriend got hideously drunk and ended up spending the evening in the toilets, but the dress. Oh, I loved it, more than the boyfriend by a long stretch, and it made me feel positively beautiful. I still have it hanging in the wardrobe, along with the Liberty print hand smocked dresses Mum had also made when I was a child. You’d have thought that with this maternal influence I would have regularly sewn clothes for myself and my children but sadly I have never made time to do it. I have however regularly lusted after the fabrics sold at Millie Moon in Frome and the gorgeous retro kits from the legendary Clothkits. I have even devoted many evenings to knitting jumpers and cardigans for the children. I realised recently that I now have the time to sew and the Great British Sewing Bee had motivated me enough to get the sewing machine out of its rather dusty box.
Life of Ryrie 