Refashion

Do you sew? If so you may be familiar with the sewing magazine Sew Hip. I picked up the August edition today after I spotted an article featuring a smock top. I've been wanting to make a top like this and had even tried to make my own pattern from an existing top I own but using the pattern in the magazine seemed a much easier option.

The top in the article was refashioned from a skirt, shirt and headscarf. I was going to make mine from scratch but I didn't really have any suitable material then I discovered a long forgotten skirt at the back of the wardrobe.............
Instead of a headscarf which is threaded through the neckline to make the straps I used the fabric belt of a dress. I'm not absolutely happy with how it turned out as the material is a little see through (the skirt had a lining!) but now I know it fits ok I'll make another and choose the fabric more carefully. The top in the magazine also had a waist channel with ribbon threaded to tie at the front and was a little longer than mine. I'm not sure if I'll make any changes to my orignal other than the fabric - we'll see.

Tip: I traced the pattern from the orignal onto some tissue paper with a Sharpie.

And having seen Julie's post today her fabric brooch would go very well with my refashioned top :)

...........and totally unrelated I thought I'd share these photos of Dracunculus Vulgaris sometimes called a Dragon Lily which grows in my garden. I can understand why it's 'vulgaris' as when in flower is smells like rotting meat to attract flies which act as pollinators. yeeukk!! How can something so exotic looking smell so awful (and believe me it does)? Sadly, or maybe not, the flowers haven't lasted long in this heat. But then I think we've all been wilting in the heat this week........

Sew Many Ideas

Say hello to Stanley.........or as he's been rechristened in our house 'Bob'. If you are familiar with Cath Kidston then you'll almost certainly recognise him. I got the template from my Make It book full of Cath Kidston projects. I'd already cut him out ready to sew before my knee operation so all I had to do was put him together. I chose a duck egg blue linen background to show him off and for the back of my cushion which I made as a super simple envelope type I used some red gingham. I suppose I should have used some spot print fabric or some of the cute mini stanley fabric......... After I'd finished him I wished I'd given him a jaunty neckerchief a la 'Dangerous Dave' - maybe next time. This little project has kickstarted a couple of sewing projects which I hope to share over the next few weeks. I feel inspired to make an apron after visiting the Anthropologie website there are so many to choose from I want them all and they have such wonderful names.

I thought I'd leave you with this photo, the roses are finally coming into bloom do you think that means summer has arrived.......

Take time to appreciate

Clematis - Crystal Fountain

Things have been kind of quiet here on the crafting front during the last week. This is down to the fact that I've had a knee operation so I've been forced to take things easy. One advantage has been that I have so much more time to appreciate just what a lovely home we live in. It's easy to take things for granted but this week has made me realise just how lucky we are. This time of year the wisteria is in full bloom on the front of the house, it looks absolutely beautiful and has such a delicate scent............ which if you are recuperating on the sofa and it's warm enough to have the windows open you can fully appreciate.
So as I don't have anything crafty to share and the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has been taking place this week I thought I'd take you on a tour of my garden and show you what's in bloom like the clematis at the top of the post planted last year.

This is the montana around the back door there are just so many flowers on it and it's been like this for quite a few weeks already.

This is Ceanothus or as I call it Californian Lilac. It has got rather large and could do with a good chop but the bees and butterflies love it. I got very excited today as there was a tiny blue butterfly enjoying the sun on it but no sooner had I hobbled inside to get my camera so I could consult my butterfly book it had gone......no surprise there. It did look like one in my book called Amanda's Blue - however my book says it's absent from Britain! That would have been too good to be true. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled.

This amazing looking bird is an Indian Ringneck Parakeet. They are regular visitors to our garden and are really quite loud at times. They are the most vibrant green in colour that this photo just doesn't do justice.

...........once I've managed to get up the stairs (slowly) this is the view from my craft room. There are two types of Hawthorn in shades of pink. The tree with the yellow flowers is Laburnum. No doubt by the time I can drive my car it will be covered in a sticky mess so for now I'll just enjoy looking at the flowers. Hopefully my craft room will be back in use soon.

Now I just love gooseberries so I was pleased to see these little babies developing on the gooseberry bush I planted a couple of years ago. I hadn't had much luck up til now so I'm crossing my fingers they don't get eaten before I get to enjoy them.

This is one of the newest additions to our garden a copper duck with her three ducklings made by Emily Stone. One of the cats was a bit surprised when she saw it and tried to give it a fight but lost interest when it didn't fight back :-) Once I'm back on my feet proper we plan to visit The Secret Garden at The Salutation at Sandwich where there are full size creations made by Emily Stone.

...... and finally when the sun is out what better place to recuperate? Under the pergola with the scent of the Chocolate Vine. No, it doesn't smell of chocolate but has brownish-purple flowers which are vanilla scented. Now I just need the sun to keep shining.....