A tale of two stitches

I've been wanting to have a go at sewing something wearable for a while and I got a load of fabric off Mark's auntie a few months back, mainly for finishing cross stitch items but, there were some larger cuts of fabric in there too. 

I chose this pattern by Tilly and the Buttons because it said it was a beginners pattern, it takes you though all the steps from cutting to assembling and sewing.  I also liked the idea of a tunic as I do wear them a lot.

Tadah!

I did it!

I set aside last Tuesday when I knew I would have no distractions, and good job I did because it took me most of the day :-)

Now I'm not saying it's perfect, but for a first attempt I'm pretty happy with it and....it fits.  If I wanted to be really picky about the fit,  It could do with taking in a smidge, but I could still do that If I decide I want to.  

I've also been stitching on and off.

I haven't been feeling like stitching lately but I did get Autumn Dream out recently to see if it would spur me on.

This is where I'd got to when It got put away.

And this is how it looks now it's had some attention.

I'm going to keep plugging away at this though June in the hope I can get it finished, although If I'm honest I don't much like stitching on it, I do however love the design so it needs to be finished.

Today is another Bank Holiday here in the UK and for once the weather is beautiful, not that we are going anywhere, I would imagine there are crowds of people out and about today because of the sunshine, so I'd rather stay at home.  We've worked in the garden all morning before it got too warm and enjoyed a quiet afternoon.

Mark is back at work tomorrow and as it's half term I won't have to pick Oliver up from school so I have the rest of the week to myself :-)

-X-

My Monday

Jenny and Arty now join me and Bonnie on our Monday outings, we pack a picnic lunch and usually head off midmorning, today we visited Witley Court again.  At this time of year the rhododendrons are in flower and I wanted to see them this year.  There is also plenty of space for the kids to run around.

I never tire of Witley Court, even though it's a ruin I still find it beautiful, you can easily imagine what it was like in it's hey day and the grounds are stunning at anytime of year.

These two rascals had so much fun running round, hiding in bushes and playing on the playground, they get on really well, Arty is the dare devil and Bonnie is the cautious one, it's lovely to see them playing together 💗

Of course because we've had so much rain there were quite a few large puddles, which, as you can imagine, kept them happy and entertained.

Hope your Monday was a much fun as this puddle 😂

See you soon

-X-

Eenie meenie miny mo

  Since lockdown ended and more shops opened up I didn't feel the need to go shopping for the sake of it and have still only been going to the supermarket for food shopping.  But, last Thursday I had Oliver because the schools were off for voting and as I was going food shopping anyway I suggested we have a mooch around the charity shops in the town.  Oliver loves looking at the books on offer, he is an avid reader and is in the advanced readers at school, he comes out everyday with a book tucked under his arm and when I pick him up we have conversations about what book he is reading and what he is going to read next on the walk back home.   I'm glad he is interested in books, so many boys don't like reading so I'm happy he has inherited both his mums and my love of books.

Usually I find it's slim pickings on the books but I was very lucky in the first shop we went in and bought three for 99p

I found The Other Passenger for £1 and got the other three for 99p in another shop.

Oliver was a bit put out because all he managed to find was a Minecraft book but I came away quite chuffed with my bargains.

I hadn't bought any books for a while but the week before these popped up on Amazon so I treated myself.  So together with my charity shop haul I think I'm sorted for reading material for a while.

I've just finished reading Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, (another charity shop find a while ago), and really enjoyed it, If you have read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry I think you would enjoy this book. 

Isn't it lovely having a nice pile of books to choose from?

-X-

A new venture and a catch-up

 Hello, I'm back.

  I didn't plan on being away from my blog for this long, it just sort of happened and I must confess that I haven't been visiting or reading any of your blogs either, I plan on trying to catch up with all your goings on this week though.

Today is Bank Holiday Monday here in the UK and as is usual on a Bank Holiday the weather is pretty dismal, looks like rain has set in for the day.  We have never been ones for planning outings on BH weekends anyway, when I was going out to work that bonus day off in the week was a chance to just be in home and do what I wanted, plus the roads are always busy at these times and sitting in traffic is not my idea of fun.  Of course this is also the first Bank Holiday since lock down eased and I have a feeling every man and his dog will be heading out, so it's another day at home for us.  I'm resigned to stopping close to home now if I'm honest, I still haven't been to any shops other than to do my food shopping, I think I may be in danger of becoming a recluse!

I can hardly believe we are in May already, we did have a lot going on in April which is probably why it flew by, although I do thing the older you get the faster time goes by.   In April, as well as Easter we also celebrated Arty's 3rd birthday and my youngest daughter, Stevie-Leigh turned 27.

Jenny and Oliver made him a Dinosaur cake

No parties of cause for either one of them but I did get to share in Arty's birthday tea and I went out for a meal with Stevie and Darren for her birthday, (Mark was working away on both birthdays).

 

 For Stevie's birthday she booked a pub meal and of course we had to sit outside to eat, it was boomin freezing and lol. 

I made her a cake and Oliver decorated it.  It was a red velvet cake, but I've just remembered that I never did get to taste it, I'm sure it was ok though.

Stevie and Darren also had a new addition to their family.

This is Ralph :-)

Isn't he sweet! You can see he has already found the comfy blanket on the bed, lol

There has been a few problems since he arrived.  The people they bought him off were not entirely honest about his health. 

When Stevie went the vets to register him and get him checked over it was discovered that he had an infection in his nose and was swabbed for ear mites, (the swab did confirm ear mites the next day).

Stevie did say that the woman they bought him from took him into another room to wash him before they went away.  I thought that was strange and the vet, without Stevie saying anything said that his ears had been cleaned with something.

 

   Stevie messaged the breeder to tell her what the vet had said but she denied that there was anything the matter when he left her and was quite rude.  Once it was confirmed he definitely had ear mites Stevie messaged the woman again, because if  Ralph had ear mites then so must her other cats and kittens because apparently it is very contagious and so thought she should know.   At first she ignored her message but then said she would refund her £150 (of the £200 they paid for him).   

He's settling in lovely now and making himself at home as you can see :-) 

I didn't do much in the way of stitching or knitting during April but I did do a lot of sewing.  

I have thought for quite a while that I would like to open an etsy shop and so this weekend I took the plunge and did just that.  I'm very nervous about putting myself out there and not at all good at self promotion so I don't know how things will go, but if I don't try I won't know will I?   

At the moment there are some project bags and a few fabric baskets/pouch's but hopefully I will be adding more things in the next couple of weeks.  If you would like to pop over and have a look what I've been making you can find me by searching Mayfairstitches on etsy.  

I hope you have a lovely week and enjoy this Bank Holiday whatever you are doing.

See you soon

-X-