I so love my morning read of other peoples blogs, it really sets me up for the day, and I also find the connectivity to other makers so rewarding – and inspiring. I set up this blog to both record my little project and to be part of an on-line sewing community (as I see it). And yet…. I am rather slow at updating my own!

My summer wardrobe is mainly made up of older makes, and I do enjoy unpacking them each easter as all my me-made, and me-altered clothes are so comfortable and -‘so-me’- and the same goes for my winter wear .Hence my must-make list is rather short, as I prefer to keep a limited amount of clothes in my wardrobe so everything gets worn.

I did find this summer, that I was short on summer dresses for hot days. We had 2 heatwaves here this summer, and while temperatures of 27C plus (up to mid 30s) were lovely at times, prolonged temperatures like this are not at all usual for the west of Ireland, and another indicator of climate change which is always an alarming prospect. How-and-ever…… I was sweltering in work ….. so I thought to make another crochet trimmed dress. The dress was one of those ‘cold shoulder’ designs, and rather short, but its cotton and the fabric is gathered so not clingy.

I did a basic trim at the hem with some 4 ply cotton, from left over bits from the fashion revolution project some years ago. I was actually glad to use the plum and purple shades as they didnt seem ever to fit anywhere else! For the neckline, I cut of the lace and straps on the dress, gathered the dress at front and back to bring it in, and then crochet trimmed with a few decreases here and there. The dress is unbelievably comfortable so I was well happy!

Other makes of the summer were this aysymetric skirt. I had been toying with a pattern here but wasnt happy with the fall of it. I spotted this one on Etsy, and liked the fact it was an all-in-one or could be divided, and while not exactly like what I had been working on, it was sufficinetly similar. I had some long left over panels of suiting fabric (sadly a polyester fabric not wool), so used this to try out the pattern. It was a quick make, and I didnt line it (which I may do later). I may make a small top (vest) to wear with it for this winter as there are tiny scraps left. I am also thinking of adapting the pattern with the pattern I drafted to make the style that was originally in my mind.

So now we are nearly October, and I will have to spend an afternoon or two in the garden. I tend not to do too much gardening and only weed/tidy about 3 times a year, but the passion flower climber will be moved to a different as it pretty much took over this year (as in background photos above – there is a small apple tree under that!)….. The frog pond I dug last year (as the site beside us where they had been living was built on so no frog home left) – the pond became the new home to a lot of tadpoles, which are now tiny froglets. I do have to figure a short term autumn cover for it this year as there are two large beech trees over head which will shed shortly! I tried a wire mesh cover last year which did not really work, and this year thinking of a tent type structure for the months of Oct and Nov….. so if anyone has done anything similar, do please share…. dreging out the leaves is a tricky business I have found!

My other big plan this year is – very slow sewing as I have started back doing embroidery…. so hope to have some makes to show by Christmas!

Happy making!