Art Schools

Bob & Roberta Smith

It's drawing close to the end of the summer term and with just one week to go, I can safely say this term has been very busy and I'm very tired. The last few weeks have seemed like a treadmill with no time to really relax.

 

In my head the summer term should be a lot more laid back and chilled - in reality, it's probably one of the busiest times of the year. Reports to write, tests and exams to be sat and marked, new students to meet and some to say goodbye to. Last week the year 6 SATs results came out and it brings into focus for me the imbalance in the educational drive of the UK.

We have great Arts education here but is under threat as more and more schools drop the creative subjects at primary level to focus on English and Maths in order for children to "pass" their SATs. At GCSE level, schools are directing students to take Ebacc subjects which have resulted in some high school arts course completely folding. I hate it! I actually get quite angry when I hear of this happening and the arts being sidelined as subjects you do if you 'cant' do other subjects. I know from my experience that those children who engage with the arts generally do well in other subjects and have a different way of processing information and are more able to think outside the box.

As you can tell I'm passionate about arts education and last week I had the opportunity to take some of our students to London for an arts enrichment experience. We had a jam-packed three days and saw lots of stuff. It was hot and tiring - but brilliant.

44 students and 5 staff set out early from school on Thursday morning, we travelled by coach and checked into our accommodation at 4pm before enjoying a meal out and off to the Cambridge Theatre to see the production of Matilda. Our Friday activities included the Tate modern, a tour and drama workshop at the Globe theatre, focusing on Macbeth and a visit to St Paul's Cathedral. The whispering gallery was the highlight for most students here. We finished the evening at the Underbelly festival seeing Circolombia - the most jaw-dropping acrobatics I have ever seen!

Finally, our weekend culminated in the Royal Academy Summer show. I wasn't quite sure what the Children would think of it. But they really enjoyed it. I'm hoping to go back again over the summer to see it again with my husband. I'm also hoping to see the Frida Kahlo exhibition at the V&A.

Our Arts experience didn't end there as on return to school on Monday I was put to good use finishing off the backdrop for the school show. Plenty of our students took part and were amazing in their performances. 

I'm so thankful that the school I work in values the arts and I know the students got so much out of it. I just hope this doesn't become eroded away under pressures from the government.

Minerva Makes

Here's a sneak peek of my review of this fantastic fabric for the Minerva crafts blog. Pop over and check it out.

A win and a lose

This week I have sewn two patterns from Burdastyle magazines - one a resounding success the other a fail.

First up  - the win!
A friend gave me this fabric that was light furnishing weight. I think it's IKEA. I had 1.5m and it was 145cm wide. I thought it might work quite nicely as some culottes. This is a trend that I'm still not 100% convinced is me, so sewing up something in a non-precious fabric from the stash seemed like a good idea.

The pattern is 114 from the 03/2016 issue of the Burdastyle magazine. I cut a straight size 38, which is my normal size for Burdastyle, although I sometimes grade to a 40 at the hip on slim fitting styles.

The pattern came together really well. As usual, it's drafted well and was a good fit straight out of the box. I did pinch in a couple of centimetres at the centre back - both the back pieces and the waistband. If I sew this again I'd change the straight waistband to a curved one. I just didn't have enough fabric this time.

As usual, I sewed the hems by hand and also the inside of the waistband. I considered topstitching from the front but decided that a hand-sewn waistband would look better and I think it does. The stitches are all but invisible.

I'm pleasantly surprised with how much I like these. It's a bonus that I didn't need to make a load of adjustments to the pattern.

Secondly the fail - and I really thought I was going to like this. This was style 111 from Burdastyle 05/2016 it's a simple cami top with an inverted pleat at centre front. Easy right?

Yep. Easy to make and sew. It all came together really nicely the bias binding was easy to make and the fabric behaved itself - but...

I hate it. It gapes under the arms. the strap placement is too narrow and it looks odd on my frame. It's already been relegated to sleepwear form my daughter.

So why did I not alter it? TBH I really couldn't be bothered. I've tried a few cami tops and often find them too narrow. I do have broad shoulders and I think that the only strappy thing I've ever made that has been the right width is the Butterick B6453 Gertie princess seamed sundress.

I think I'll just stick with my tried and true Sorbetto tops, I'm wearing one with the culottes in the top picture. I love this pattern - we don't see many around the internet these days. It's such a versatile top and really should still be up there with some of the more recent offerings, it's been updated and there are several different options for it now -  and it's FREE. If you've never tried the Colette Sorbetto - you can download it here.

Burdastyle #116 07/2012

This simple top is becoming one of my favourites.

In the Burdastyle magazine, it's a double layer top and made in a very drapey fabric. It has raglan shoulders and a front/ back - simples. I've made this 4 times now and I have a few tweaks to the pattern.

The neckline is gathered all the way around -I've always done this, but it can make the shoulders a bit bunched. So in my next version, I'll take some width out at the shoulders and leave the gathers at the front and back only.

I also taped the front and back shoulder pieces together to create a single piece, it means cutting out can be a bit quicker.
If I sew bias binding at the armhole I usually take about 1cm of the whole edge to account for lack of hem. I leave it if I am going to hem the edge.

I always finish the neck edge with a bias binding and this cotton is brilliant for making your own. It presses well and keeps the crease - very well behaved fabric but still soft and smooth. I bought it from The Sewing Box in Morpeth - they're moving premises on Monday so do pay them a visit if you're in the area.

I extend the bias binding to form ties. it makes for a quick and easy fastening and means I don't need to bother sewing rouleau loops or using plastic buttons, so this is a plastic-free make.

I also sew the back with a Centre back seam. Again this is laziness on my part and it just makes making a keyhole opening a bit quicker and easier.

All in all this make took about 1.5 hrs from cutting out to final try on and I did redo the armhole binding as I forgot to take the hem allowance off the first time. I've already worn this to work this week. I think it will be in heavy rotation.

Fabric 1m £6
Thread from the stash
Pattern from a Burdastyle magazine I already owned.