Summertime and Creative Pursuits

I haven't been blogging for a very long time.  Real life and my teacher training commitments zapped any energy I had for anything creative for almost a year.  I had zero energy and for the winter, life was literally, teaching on my teaching placement, preparing for my lesson, doing university and little else.  My teaching placement was also a regular pain in the backside to get to and it meant I was out of the house for 6:15am five days a week.  I had so much to work to do that none of my school holidays felt like holidays, just extensions of lesson planning, preparing my teacher training portfolio and working on university work...the only difference was I could do it from the comfort of my own home.  However, there was a light at the end of the tunnel and I am now officially a computer science teacher in Secondary Education.  Hooray!  

I do have things to prepare for over the course of the summer but for me, there is something ever so nice about having free time.  I almost forgot what that was.  So far, I've made 4 tops for myself, done a vine lino print and I'm currently sat here with a nearly complete cardigan on my lap.  I'm currently piecing it together and I will no doubt have to watch some youtube tutorial on how to do the neckline. How did I ever learn anything before the days of youtube videos?  They are my problem solvers videos to any things that don't make sense or I do not understand in sewing or knitting patterns.

Owl top number one.

Flowered top number two

Here are two pictures of two sleeveless tops I've made.  They only took an afternoon to make.  I have also made a long sleeved and short sleeved version, pictures should eventually follow.  One of the things that has transformed my bad attitude to pattern cutting is a rotary cutter.  How on Earth did I manage before?  It is so much easier and more precise.  I don't think I could ever go back to using scissors to cut out a pattern.

Normal life has been fairly stressful.  I have a new teaching job in the Autumn but it is the most awful place to reach by public transport.  We are currently house hunting and you know what stress that brings.  We are also on a time scale, no pressure there.  I wonder if we are being too picky or if we got lucky with this house (apart from one set of neighbours).  The houses I see are either too small, wrong location, out of budget, no parking, fixed furniture, kitchen with not enough room for our fridge.  Then when I see a suitable house, bham!  It's gone, let already...so I continue to look.  I feel like I spend far too much time trailing through houses to let...I see the same old houses with stupidly high rents still sitting there because someone won't lower the rent and the rent is just too expensive for most people.  There has got to be something out for us...

It's been a long time

I haven't blogged for a very long time as life seemed to take a turn and get terribly busy.   I knew this year would be difficult with my son doing his AS levels and me on my teacher training course.  However, it's been too busy to the point of being a bit unhealthy.  I only have 13 or so weeks to go...and I will be glad when it's over.  I have things to post...a few items of clothing I've made but I'm making dinner.  I just didn't want people thinking I vanished into thin air.

Back To School

I have been very busy lately, adjusting to my new life of being a student again.  I'm doing my teacher training to be a Computer Science teacher in Secondary Education.  As it is a postgraduate course, I hit the ground running.  There is tons of reading, assignments, lectures, observations and countless other stuff.

It has been a whirlwind and I'm trying my best to maintain some kind of work/life balance thing.  Of course, this is no easy task as it's hard to know when to stop, how much to do, etc.   However, yesterday I was very focused and spent the entire afternoon doing subject based knowledge revision so tomorrow I only have to modify/update/proof-read my final version of my coursework that is due on Tuesday.

Which means today I have a FREE day!  Woo hoo!  I'm actually very excited about this.  A guilt free day to indulge myself however I see fit.  I am going to go out shortly with my son for a long walk, possibly to Salts Mill.  Salts Mill is definitely one of my favourite places in Yorkshire.

Books, books, books!

Hopefully, I'll have a bit more free time to do some sewing as well.  I had a sewing frenzy two weeks ago and completed two nice tops as well.  I need to post images of those but every time I remember this, one of them is in the laundry basket or the ironing pile.  I promise to post pictures of those very soon.

I also want to watch the Matthew Collings show on Abstract Art on the iplayer later today. I find what Matthew Collings has to say about Abstract Act absolutely fascinating.  It is so hard to believe that art was once so influential and had such an impact on society.  Today we seem to be immune to the messages of art or numb or something.  It makes me sad as I find art so inspiring, it leads me to different paths and trains of thought in how I feel about life and myself.  Art should never be ignored.

Tops!

Last week, I went to the Hepworth Museum in Wakefield with my son.  I wasn't overly impressed (beautiful building with mediocre exhibitions) and we both saw everything there was to see in 45 minutes so we decided not to eat in the cafe there (who pays £8 for a BLT sandwich???) and go to Leeds instead...especially since it was on our way home.

It turned out to be a worthwhile trip as we had a super cheap lunch for £4 for the both of us and I got some lovely fabric for £6!  It wasn't enough for anything big and exciting but just enough to make a sweet little top.  Here are the results below:

Lovely soft cotton

It only took me a day to make, in between various jobs around the house (heaven forbid I stay focused on one activity at one time...that just seems to be beyond me.  I get so easily distracted.) ...so I'm pleased with the results.  I hate tight fitting clothes on me but equally, I have this fear of things looking like tents on me.  Yes, I'm closer to fifty but that doesn't mean I have to wear clothes that make me look shapeless and without any personality!  I'm starting to gain more confidence with modifying patterns to suit me more.  A nip here, a tuck here, etc.  It's been a process but a worthwhile one.  I have another top I'm making and will, hopefully, finish today.  Then I can post those results as well.

I've been looking on pinterest for sewing and knitting inspiration as well as tumblr.  I have to say I like the look of tumblr better than pinterest but pinterest wins hands down for dress inspiration.  I found a wonderful clothing designer with lovely timeless dresses in Liberty fabrics and my head was spinning with ideas for clothes for the Autumn.  I really need to be on the ball for the Autumn.  I keep reading up on my dress code and course expectations and I really, really, really do not want to be in bland, awful, dull clothes but still look smart!  I want colour, I want timeless, I want dresses, not plain black trousers, black cardigans and plain shirts.  Oh my.  I do have a lot of work to do, don't I?

Finished Dresses

As promised, two photos of the finished dresses.  Both are pink flowers.  One is a lightweight fabric and the other one is a sturdy cotton.  I added belts to both of them to stop them looking like tents.

For your viewing pleasure, I give you dress number one:

Yes, I make a rare appearance in this photo

And now for the second dress (minus me):

A pale pink but heavy sturdy cotton.

I have to say I like the second one better than the first.  I think that mainly because the second one the fabric is a good quality cotton while the first one, I'm not sure what the material is but it is very lightweight and feels flimsy in comparison.  I'm sure that both will grow on me.  I'm getting there with my hand made wardrobe...slowly but surely!

Sewing Project Update

I've been busy with life and sewing.  I'm currently in the process of making some dresses for the Autumn.  I spent time researching and looking for a dress pattern that I would like and finally bought what I thought was the best pattern.  However, there is still a lot of trial and error going on with the sewing process.

The first dress I have made is with some fabric my mum bought me from Liberty.  She says its a cotton but it has a strange silky feel to it and I can't find it any where on Liberty's website to verify what it is.  I did wash it first before sewing as it stank heavily of perfume!  The fabric is a little too light and floaty and creases incredibly easily.  I still have the edging to do on the little capped sleeves and make a belt for it.  I took it in yesterday to stop it looking tent-like but it still seems that bit too wide.  I need to find a balance between it looking too floaty and clinging to the wrong parts of my body.  We don't need to emphasize some aspects of growing older!

The second dress is made of cotton, 100% woven cotton.  This dress already feels much nicer and since the cotton has some weight, it hangs much better.  I only have the sleeves left to do on this dress.  Both dresses are actually pink flowers.  I am not normally a pink person, I'm trying to step outside my comfort zone and have more of a variety of clothes in my wardrobe.  We'll see.  I prefer my blues and greens.  This said, my next dress will be a pale blue with Paisleys.  I think this dress will have more of an appeal to me.  Who knows?

But for now, there are no pictures as they are works in progress.  But I promise to post them as soon as the dresses are finished.  It won't be long now as I spent all of yesterday sewing and plan to continue today.  The weather forecast is wet and overcast with grey skies so it is always encouraging to do my sewing.  Also, my other half has taken the PS3 down to London with him while visiting his family!  Noooo!  I was playing "Dishonoured" and loving it....so yeah, no distractions so I am being on the ball with my sewing.  Of course, you all knew that there had to be some hidden factor behind this sudden burst of "motivation", didn't you?  You know me all too well.

Bags and Fun

I finally finished work for the summer last week.  It was, without a doubt, one of the best weeks I've had in a seriously long time.  I had a friend visiting from the States.  I haven't seen her in 25 years!  She's currently touring around Europe and I was on her list of people and places to visit.  I was hugely flattered she took time out to visit me.

She was sick of cities so we went on day trips out to surrounding towns and little villages.  We went to Saltaire, Hebden Bridge and Heptonstall.  The weather was gloriously sunny and warm.  It was fabulous to catch up with everything that has passed over the long period of time.  I knitted her a lace scarf on her visit as well.  I really should have taken photos of it but I completely forgot.

However, I have some photos to share with you of a finished project that was a collaboration between me and my other half.  Its a bag for a friend in the States:

The exterior shot

The interior with pockets and lining

Isn't it sweet? I'm also working on a light weight summer cardigan but I'll save that for later.  Hope your summer is as lovely as mine has been.