In our garden here, Spring means the wild garlic comes up, and the bride tree flowers, and tadpoles starting in the pond, which is all lovely to see. 

I have been doing some sample sews for workshops and classes but did manage to get a few things made this month, and for the most part its been all green! 

This bag was in the textile waste/recycle, I noticed it down the bottom of the recycle bag and took it as the hardware looked interesting. As the bag was leather, I figured I should try and clean it up and put it back into use. It was pretty ‘ick’ and the before photo here doesn’t show the chewing gum (big ick) stuck inside one pocket or the make up that seemed to be in all the other pockets. The leather was dried out too.

I put liberal amounts of conditioner on the leather and had it stuffed with newspaper in the workroom for a few months. I finally got to it a few weeks ago. Cleaning the gum was a matter of just scraping bits off and keeping at it, and I washed the lining as best I could to get the make up out. While the lining is now clean, it still has marks left but this is fine with me. For the leather, I used Angelus. I never used this before and really impressed.. I picked a shade of green and dabbed this on and wiped off as I went. I think the green matches well but looks flat so I am going to get an avocado shade and go over parts as well as trim paint… but in all, glad to have ‘rescued’ this one.

Another simple mend was this blouse. There wasn’t anything wrong with it, apart from stains and missing 8 of its 15 buttons. Luckily I was able to get similar buttons, so I moved all the original buttons together for the top 7 on the blouse, and put the 8 new buttons on sleeves and lower front. This green to the front isn’t a make, but a refresh as it ended up back in the sewing room as it didn’t fit me a few years ago. However, it fits now (I dropped a dress size with cycling to work in the last 18 months). So I laundered it and sewed back in a dart I removed! Its a remake I did some years ago in a green raw silk. So its now going back in the wardrobe 

Crochet Tank – I have not been crocheting much since last year. I was offered this yarn at the textile recycle which came in as a donation, but no one had time to unravel…so I nabbed it. Its full on green, and there were 2 shades.It feels like its an old style shade as well as an old wool. It has the roughness (which I like) of a traditional yarn – which coincidentally is more suited to our weather, but probably not our warmer houses – which is why I figured a vest was best. 

I unraveled the lot and figured to make a tank out of half it…. I didnt put much thought into it as its fairly chunky and very green, so I did a half double stitch in the round with size 8 hook. When I got to the arms, I changed this to half double and single crochet rows and guesstimated the fit. I am pleased with the simplicity of this, and also how it only took a few days. I might make another in a worsted purple yarn I have

The silk scarf (and wool end) – I started this last Friday, and still have to do the hem and the back buttons and loops but already its a winner. Its a vogue LaRoche pattern I have for a long time – and possibly the most dramatic pattern post. The front is bias cut and the rest is on grain so you really get the best of both worlds here, the drape of the bias, and then each seam is easier to control as it attaches to an on-grain piece. Its very simple, and as I didnt bother with an all button back, my version is simpler again. I had intended to wear the green silk above to a wedding next weekend, but really prefer this top. I had an end bit of wool here, so I used it to try another pattern I have for a while. I really wanted to see the sit of the neck dart as I am thinking of using this dart for a velvet top. For this jacket, I omitted the cuff. I thought it made the jacket a bit fussy and heavy looking (for me).I will wear it with my Granny’s porcelain broach… I don’t think this was ever worn much (if at all) but it was in a ‘bureau’ at home for years in a box – so I think its time it got to go out!

Wishing you all a very happy easter