Another skirt

Well what with the unexpected hot weather I’ve had to cave in and wear a different skirt today.

This is a self-drafted four gore skirt, a self-stitched Made By Rae Spring Top without the ruffles and, of course, self-stitched undies.

I’ve enjoyed thinking harder about what I wear this month although I haven’t managed to sew any new items for my wardrobe at all. I think October may bring more new garments but I still feel pulled by my uniform habit and lack of urge to have hundreds or even tens of different garments to wear and store somewhere. I blogged about this last year and my feelings are broadly still the same. I am thinking about replacement items rather than new ones and some of my long sleeved t-shirts are definitely looking towards retirement due to spillages that are not resolved by magical washing products. I will be looking for nice knits in Birmingham next Saturday for sure.

In other news, I have been peeling, coring and slicing apples with a fantastic new gadget and have boxes of frozen apple purée in the freezer to show for it as well as some apple rings hanging on thread in the airing cupboard to see if they dehydrate ok.

Miss Froo is covered in chickenpox which she has already shared with a neighbour despite us not knowing who shared them with her in the first place. As a result we have been going out to places where there are no people to infect and we have seen some beautiful days.

Autumn is on its way.

I’ve Been Mostly Wearing the Skirt

I think I have worn the grey wrap skirt of the previous post almost every day with a selection of jumpers, t-shirts, fave tops, vests and waistcoats. It hasn’t been exciting but it has fitted the bill weather-wise.

Self-stitched September has revealed some large gaps in my warm clothing collection. I need to sew some long sleeved shirts and some more woolly, or thicker, cardis and waistcoats. I have one of Mr G’s old jumpers ready-shrunk to cut into something warm and some wool I bought last year that I might sew another skirt from.

I have been itching to sew something from a new book I bought with some birthday money from my mum. I’ve been wanting to buy it for a while then it was out of stock and I was dithering about buying it from YesAsia or not. I love Japanese patterns as they are made for smaller people with a small bust. I have never had to adjust a Japanese pattern to get it to fit me, which is a joy!

Have any of you sewn anything from this book?

Another bit of birthday money was enough for anew bike rack and panniers that I found in Lidl at a ridiculously cheap price. Here I am with my capacious new panniers on my ancient bike with ancient basket in the skirt and jumper – again – and in front of our petrol guzzling family car. I am trying to use it less so being able to carry more on my bike is a good thing although the car does come in handy for carting all six of us about or lift-sharing with other families to get to home ed things.

Mmmm what shall I wear tomorrow?

What are the scores then?

Monday 5th
ss undies, ss grey wrap skirt, thrifted t-shirt, thrifted grey Gap cardi
Self-stitched 2 Thrifted 2.

Tuesday 6th
ss undies ss grey wrap skirt, purchased long sleeved t-shirt, upcycled waistcoat
Self stitched 2 and a half Purchased 1.

Wednesday 7th
Sportswear (none of it self-stitched at all!) then later, ss fave top v2, thrifted trousers and jacket to garden party
Self-Stictched 1 thrifted 2

Thursday 8th
ss undies, ss fave top v2, ss new look blue trousers, ancient brown jumper
Self-stitched 3 Purchased 1

Friday 9th
ss undies, ss grey wrap skirt, thrifted cardi, purchased t-shirt
Self-stitched 2 Purchased 1 Thrifted 1

Saturday 10th
ss undies, ss grey wrap skirt, angora hoodie (rescued from house clearance rubbish bag), purchased t-shirt
Self-stitched 2 Purchased 1 rescued 1

Sunday 11th
ss undies, ss grey wrap skirt, ss vest, ss fave top v1, thrifted cardi.
Self-stitched 4 Thrifted 1

This week I have been mostly wearing a grey skirt. We were away this weekend and it was so easy to just pack two tops, two jumpers and some underwear (including leggings) in a small bag and know that I had most weather possibilities covered. I like putting the same thing on each day and this skirt goes with anything. I can wear it with t-shirts, fave tops, jumpers, crocs or boots and it looks ok.

You may have noticed that I am listing pants and vests above but no bra. I am a 34AAA, if not even less, and I can’t bear being strapped into something round my ribcage to make my boobs look bigger or smoother or whatever. I am not ashamed of my chest or feel the need to hide it but I do find it hard to make some things fit which is irksome. The shift dress I plan to sew as a winter tunic has long hip to bust point-ish darts and I’m dithering over moving them or leaving them. I’ve done a muslin and the darts don’t look to excessively pointy so after the Sorbetto bust palaver I think I will just leave them where they are.

Here is today’s score:
purchased undies (eek!), ss grey wrap skirt, ss vest, rescued hoodie.
Self-stitched 2 Purchased 1 Rescued 1

Photo credit Miss Amoo- they are getting better! Did you notice the slight Fast Show reference? Check out Jesse’s diets or Jesse’s fashion tips.

September?

How did that happen? Where has this year gone?

The house is tidy and I can walk from the front door to the kitchen without treading on or over anything. This is something of a miracle as the house has fallen to rack and ruin over the past few weeks and things had got quite ridiculous.

Of course this didn’t happen by magic and it was prompted by the last minute planning of a 5th birthday party for Miss Froo. She has been planning a pirate party ever since we went to a history workshop about the Georgians and their piratical ways in May. We managed to walk the plank in the garden, make treasure boxes, hunt for treasure, stick about 4 tattoos on each child who came and eat plenty of cake. My understairs cupboard is jammed closed and there is a lot of recyclable stuff in the wrong bin outside but hey ho. It was either that or everyone would have had to find a bit of clear floor to stand on all afternoon and give up on the idea of sitting down at all.

I have been sewing but it hasn’t been exciting. I dithered over what to do with the super-wide lapels on the black and white dress and ended up inpicking them then sewing them back on but with a good three inches of width taken off. I wore it with proper ladies’ shiny shoes to Mr G’s Auntie and Uncle’s 50th wedding anniversary party and I was not under dressed in the slightest!

Then I sewed another Fave Top out of some (new!) dark patterned jersey for a sombre occasion and the shoes got their second outing in a week.

I have signed up to So Zo’s Self Stitched September and promised to wear more than just self-stitched underwear every day. Oh, you know what I mean: more self-stitched items than just underwear….! I need to sew some more trousers and I really want to make a wool tunic which I think will be good for layering as it gets cooler. I saw this one ages ago and it spoke to me. It is almost waistcoat time again too and I might add a new one to my collection of two although it might be upcycled or refashioned rather than completely self-stitched.

Getting to the sewing machine might be problematic for a day or two as it is hidden in its cabinet and the girls have commandeered the lid as office space for their fledgeling news broadcast service. Items recorded today included the announcement of lost teeth in Tooth News and also the death of a neighbourhood cat complete with interviews with ‘residents’ who knew her (having only one eye makes a cat pretty easily identifiable). It always surprises me that they can go for weeks without picking up the camera then all of a sudden find something they really want to record for ever and ever.

Today I am wearing a Next t-shirt and my own New Look 6190 trousers with bought undies (shock horror!) Self-stitched 1 purchased 2