All sewn up ...

♥ 

It doesn't happen very often these days but every now and again my sewing machine

gets to have a little day out from its cupboard under the stairs.

Its usually for nothing more exciting than whipping up a pair of curtains

but on this occasion it was for a bit of a 'winging it' project.

A friend had recently given me a really pretty dress in a beautiful ivory kind of 

broderie anglais fabric and as much as I wanted it to look really amazing on me it

just didn't as the style is quite fitted with darts and zips and the like.

I'm more of a smocky, loose dress kind of person so after a bit of a think I set to.

 

 

I love a project like this but its always a bit nerve wracking making

 that first cut with the scissors.

 

 

But cut it I did ... eek !

Right across the middle.

This sounds like I was terribly hasty - but infact rather than scissors I used a

quick unpick, and whilst it wasn't particularly quick it did what it was supposed

 to do and unpicked very nicely.

 

I took out the two bust darts and the back zip and

cut about 3" from the bottom of the bodice part.

 

This is my little pile of surplus to requirement bits.

 

And this is what I was left with.

 

 

I then made a small opening at the back so that the dress could be slipped

on,edged this with ribbon to finish it off

 

and reattached the skirt to the much shorter bodice.

 

Usually I'm a bit impulsive and don't bother to pin and tack but this time I made myself
take that extra bit of care as I so wanted this makeover to work well.

There were several quick try ons to make sure it was all working as it should and
then the final stitching took place.

 

And here it is .... ta-dah !

Now its so much more me - and I love it.

( I am happy about it truly - just apparently not that smiley

 at the moment this picture was taken ! )

Anyway, as they say, one thing leads to another and before you could say cotton reel this

 low waisted denim pinafore dress had become a little summery smock.

 

And the cut off bits of fabric ...

... made the perfect frill to edge my new denim shorts with.

 

Ta-dah number 2 !

All in all a good day out for my sewing machine and three

 newly up-cycled bits of clothing for me.

♥ 

 

Of course my week would not have been complete without a little crochet action and I have been happily hooking away at my second  Little Woollie cushion cover.

 



 

Once I have finished this I'm going to sew both covers up and do a whole cushion inspired post

- so until then I'm afraid its just the one photo for now.

There's also been a spot of blocking taking place...

 

 

and once fully dry this little blanket will be pretty much cooked.

 

 

♥ 

But far more exciting than any little crafty projects that have taken place this week ....

my Giveaway prize from Mitzi at Lazy Days and Sundays at The Willows arrived this Saturday !

 

Mitzi began her Blog about the same time as I started mine and we have followed each other throughout each of our first years of blogging.

One of my favourite things that Mitzi has made is the beautiful Homecoming from Afghanistan Afghan blanket. Mitzi made 182 squares to make this blanket, the exact number of days that her son was serving in Afghan. The finished blanket is so stunning and so very special in so many ways.

 

The Giveaway package that Mitzi sent me arrived in this lovely hessian bag decorated

with a photo of a poppy that Mitzi took in her garden.

 

Inside there was an assortment of poppy bits and bobs , from a notebook to some poppy

 ribbon to one of the beautiful handmade poppy brooches that Mitzi makes,

to a little packet of poppy seeds for my garden. 

There were also two balls of DK wool in exactly my colour

 ( I'm already thinking over what I can make with these .. )

and all of this was topped off with a bag of scrummy strawberry sweets.

It was like Christmas all over again !

Thank you so much Mitzi.

♥ 

Anyway ..... probably time I got on really... but before I go I'm going to send you

 all a virtual bunch of roses that is currently in a jug on my kitchen table ...

I just wish you could smell them,

 I cant even describe it ...

 its just totally and utterly the smell of all things Summer.

 

G♥ O♥R♥ G♥ E♥ O♥ U♥ S

 

 

♥