My blog posts are like buses, non for ages...

Siouxsie Sioux make up practise

...and then this, and plans for more!
I last posted at the beginning of June and have every intention of writing at least one post a week, but life got the better of me. It's been a super busy couple of months. In fact, this year seems to have been the busiest summer term i've had in years!

It has been non stop! I was determined to make Pilates a regular thing on a tuesday eveing, but even that hasn't happened as I've had all sorts of work/ family and church commitments since the end of May and I haven't been at all. I really do need to get into shape and I think I might have to resort to my trusty fitness DVD's, I have a pilates one and a workout one, but they haven't had much use over the last couple of years.

The last 8 weeks have been full of good stuff. My hubby did some much needed work on the house at half term and me and the kids were his helpers - moving furniture etc. we still have a little bit of plaster work to tidy up, but that will get done over the holidays.

My Hubby and I went to his end of term college party in early June - it was 80's themed. He went as Morrisey and I went as Siouxsie Sioux. That was a lot of fun!

I joined the throngs of sewists up in Leeds at  Sew Up North - it was a great day and I came away with some great patterns and fabrics - and I won a prize in the raffle. I've also been running a Crafternoon once a month on a Saturday, in the school where the Church I'm part of meet. Through it I'm getting back into the crocheting!

I've also been on a school residential to a PGL centre with year 5 & 6; did the scenery for the school production, with the help of art club; written loads of risk assessments for our school trip to London next term. Had visitors over and made art; Joined in Northern Baptist College's community day at the start of July... and that is only half of it.

I have been sewing, but it's been just a few minutes at a time. I made a halter top from some fab red gingham I got at the fabric swap at sew up north. I used simplicity 1365 view c. It's not a bad piece, but I probably needed to make a couple more adjustments. I was going to include bra cups but decided against it as they didn't really fit the shape of the pattern too well. It is a very cropped top and I was concerned that as the fabric has some stretch it would roll up on the sides, so I added some plastic boning at the side seams just to help keep a smooth line - it seems to work.

A couple of months ago I drafted my own trousers as I wanted some cigarette pants. I started with a pattern from burdastyle, but the fit on me was so way out I couldn't use it. I have large hip to waist ratio (big butt) with about 13inch difference so drafting from scratch really has helped. I used the hack from Gerties sews vintage casual to make shorts. I made the inseam longer as I don't really like very short shorts these days!

I decided to make these up as a wearable muslin in brown linen - also scored from sew up north! The fit seems to be pretty good, but I need to take a small wedge of fabric out at the CB (swayback) I wanted to check my waistband draft was ok but think that is a bit to deep at 6 cm (this also adds to the sway back issue.) When I make the trousers I'll redraft to about 3/ 3.5cm waistband. I've bought some charcoal denim with a bit of stretch and the trousers are one of my next projects.
If you've drafted your own jeans is it worth putting in a back yoke? I'm going for slant front pockets and back patch pockets?
Photos of the finished items to follow!