An upcycle - sewing for myself

 In my blogging absence I have made a few things, though not many. The absence has reflected my lack of doing and creativity in the craft sphere and feeling completely overloaded and overdone. I've finished my contract and am taking a deep breath, (she says as she is studying at Massey and frantically doing assignments).

A year or so ago my sister gave me some pink merino that she felt was too bright for her and I have used that for the main body. Rather than making new sleeves I chopped sleeve off a grey merino jersey that had holes down the front. I got the sleeve length a bit wrong so I used a bit of elastic, of the correct length, and sewed it down the sleeve seam. This has resulted in a gathered look that I really like.

Pink and grey is my favourite colour combination. The design was taken from a shirt I bought from C.REED. She is the designer of Minx shoes and designs and makes a capsule wardrobe. I was lucky enough to be in store when she was. She's a very interesting and vital person and has a style I like.

For those who follow me on facebook you'll know we have a new puppy - Pepper. She is so gorgeous and giving heaps of pleasure. So I'll finish with a photo of her.
Linking to these places

Woo hoo - A Tramp

Last weekend we had no boys and I have been feeling better so off we went on a tramp. It was amazing!! I cannot describe how being out in the mountains again makes me feel. Mr Awesome enabled it. He was my sherpa and carried the load, he was the cook and he was my guide and water level tester.

Lots of river crossings as we went off route and made a beeline to make it a manageable day for me. Water no higher than the bottom of my shorts (brrr very very cold though). 

 

We got to the hut and Aaron pulled out my knitting. Such a surprise. I always knit tramping as you can do it by candle light, but with Aaron carrying the load he had refused. Et Voila - he sneaked it in. Love him to bits. 

A bit of crafting

I've been completing only a little sewing lately. Mainly a block a month for a quilting block swap. The windmills are for this months swap. The crosses were for February and somewhere there is a photo of the Holly Hobby (aka sunbonnet sue) from March. 

I also went to a charity knitting event at Knit World in Christchurch. A Christchurch midwife is coordinating it as so many babies leave hospital with no wool and they cant regulate their temperature will fleece and synthetics. I made a hat that night and am on my third.

I had an awesome weekend last weekend tramping with Aaron. He had said he wasn't carrying my knitting and then at the hut he pulled it out! What a sweet man and great gesture. So I finished another hat in the hills. 

Having fun out on a buggy with Colleen.

Awesome breakfast in bed. Hot rolls.

Clearing the vege beds for winter.

Three hills in four weekends.

Well last weekend I made it three hills in the month. Eli was at a friends so Jakob and I took Aaron out to experience the off grid hut we stayed at recently.

Lovely to have Aaron home. Last time I walked to the fenceline, this time I walked to the top of the hill on the property which is a 240 metre climb and I did it OK. I considered going up the hill on the neighbouring property but am trying to temper my enthusiasm and be sensible. This was still 100m more than I had done before.

I was really pleased the next day that we had not gone further. I felt not at all the thing so on the way home we did a short flat walk and that was not a success for me. So still struggling with activity two days in a row. But you don't know until you try.

Aaron took this photo of Jakob and me heading back to our accommodation by torch light. The rest of the photos are a few random ones in the hut. The last you need to look hard, but reflected in the secondhand window leaning against the wall is me in my PJ's making coffee in the morning. 

So happy with my sewing and fit

 I'm so happy with this top I finished just in time for work on Tuesday. The pattern is from Twig and Tale and is their driftwood blouse pattern. I had previously made a trial short sleeve version (about 6 months ago), so I knew where I wanted to tweek it and I am so so thrilled.

I have found sewing for myself difficult in the past. I don't like the finished garment often or the shape or the hang etc and get put off. I have no waist so lots of stuff looks awful. But this pattern just works. I knew it wood when as soon as Lisa put it up for sale as I have quite a few tops purchased that have a similar look. I cut the pattern out as is and then cut 2cm from around the neck once it was sewn together, I wanted a slightly more open neck area. I extended the binding a bit. It did mean that the gather at the front was not as much as normal at the binding, but I don't think that affects the look.

A while ago I tried shirring for the very first time, to mend a top and was happy with the result. I knew that I wanted to alter the driftwood blouse pattern a bit. I shirred four lines at a point halfway between my wrist and elbow to give a retro look to the sleeve. I also shirred three lines around the base of the shirt as tucking in looks ghastly and leaving it hanging looked like I was trying to hide my tummy!

A couple of process shots.
Linking to these places and a few others.

Fantastic off grid camping

Thanks to our awesomely generous friends the boys and I had a 20 hour break away that feels like a long weekend. I'm relaxed and ready for another week.

Yes that is me at the top of a HILL

We had rugby Saturday until 2pm and by then I almost didn't feel like going. But a quick pack and we were on our way. With Aaron being away it has just been in the too hard basket for us to holiday too and I have really missed the escapism. But here we were in an open sided hut with hot running water, a flush loo (such luxury) and a bedroom with a door to keep out the cold. 

 With the help of my bodyguard? Sherpa? I climbed my second hill in two weekends. Again not having any breathing issues. Such a miracle. I got to the fence line. Now this is not all the way to the top but we didn't set out until 5.30pm and as you can see light was fading fast.

I had carried a cereal packet all the way up, to use to slide down on the grass. Well first attempt and it just split in half. So using my jeans down I went.

Now said Sherpa always scoffs at me sliding down the hill on my bottom. Well he kept slipping so decided that it was best to stay on his bottom too and then you couldn't stop him. It was a great laugh together. He got the advantage of sliding in my wake and by golly he went fast!!!

The photo shows the building we were staying in. On the bottom left is a big 40 ft extra height container and the small building on the right was our stables.

A dinner by candlelight and then a great game of Settlers of Catan finished the night. 

  
Me being me I still haven't learnt to pace myself, so I headed of up the hill again in the morning. Got 3/4 of the way up and decided that I really should learn not to push it. I don't want to go backward again. But what I did do when sliding back down the hill was come to a crashing halt twice!!! on very sharp little rocks. I think my bottom will truly be black and blue tomorrow.

Finished - recycling my upcycle

A couple of years ago I made this seat from an old bed end and head. At the time the whole family helped strip off the stain and then I polyurethane it. I was never that thrilled with it though as it was just boring pine and I felt it made it look like a park bench that anyone could make and not celebrate the upcycling and recycling ethos. Anyway, after being in the garage for about 8 weeks and slowly doing it bit by bit, here it is. Chalk paint and waxed. 

The picture on the left is how it started life after my original recycle. The update now has it matching the headboard I recently redid. 

To finish the post here is me having climbed without trouble for the first time in months and months. Very happy about that.

Linking to various places here.