Yeah, I know it's already 12th January! My children didn't finish school and college until 23rd December, which means they only went back to school and college on Monday...is it really only four days ago? Why am I so tired?
Poor Eden had to go back to college on her birthday! She was less than impressed to say the least. I now have two adult children, since Eden turned 18 on Monday! It's a strange feeling.
Christmas was quiet (well as quiet as it gets around here!), and I did a lot of cosying up on the sofa, a bit of crocheting, but not a lot of anything else, which felt good. In fact so good I'm finding it rather hard to get back into the normal routine. Grey January skies certainly don't help.


I've been working on updating my wardrobe with clothes that feel good lately. I designed this dress to wear to our WI Christmas party. The bodice is princess line, and the skirt is full circle with extra panels and box pleats at the hips. The fabric is a waxed cotton. The dress uses a full 6 metres of fabric, most of which is in the skirt! I am also wearing a full petticoat in these photos and a store bought bow belt.
This feels fab on, really swishy and feminine. I love it! Of course as usual I want to tweak certain things.( but that's for another post)



I used the same pattern to make this dress. This time the bodice is lace underlined with black jersey for the main bodice, sleeves just lace and the skirt is made with some gorgeous vintage pinstripe suiting.
Again worn over a petticoat and with a belt.



I put in an exposed zip this time to juzz it up a bit. I think this is the least successful of the two dresses, but it will be a good addition to my work wardrobe.

I'm trying very hard right now to stay body positive while writing this. The reason I need to update my wardrobe is quite simply that nothing much in my existing wardrobe fits me anymore. I could easily (too easily) sit here and write an entire blog post about every flaw I can see when looking at these photos, but I wont.






Happy New Year lovely readers. Don't forget to follow me on instagram

I don't always blog everything I make, but I do usually share most things on Instagram
With February almost here...how did that happen? I thought I'd just do a quick and dirty blog post of my January makes, the good, the bad and the downright disastrous!
Firstly the Doris Sweater above. I love this version so much. The fabric is a super soft loosley woven wool blend, and it is so cosy. I feel the cold even in this mild winter we are having, so any excuse to cosy up is most welcome.
It's been a bit of a Doris'y month actually because I also ran up this quick Doris Dress from some vintage fabric I found in a charity shop while visiting my Mum who lives in Somerset.



And this Doris Dress sample for Ministry of Craft.



I also ran myself up a lovely wool blend A line skirt. Fully lined in some pretty ditsy print cotton.


And finally this disastrous dress.


I have rather sadly gained too much weight for my bodice block, and have had to re work it, this is the first dress I have attempted with my new bodice block, and it just doesn't work. My own fault really, I was in a hurry and didn't toile the dress, and now I have something that needs completely reworking or chucking in the charity bag...I haven't yet decided which it will be......