6 PAC Spring

I have finally taken the plunge and joined in with Elizabeth's excellent 6 PAC. (http://artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php/topic,18592.0.html) Four times a year Elizabeth starts a seasonal 6 PAC topic and sets out the terms and conditions of the mini SWAP.  I have lurked and enjoyed reading about participants trials and tribulations and their eventual successes.  The appeal of this sew-along is the smaller number of garments required to complete.  The philosophy behind this is that it is more achievable for those that have limited time - 6 garments is doable in three months.  It is about time that I front up and actually participate.  The beauty of this 6 PAC is to produce 6 garments in a neutral colour and aiming to produce a "column" outfit.

I have set myself some other conditions - all materials that I use must come from the stash or collection. Patterns are decided on and then all other options are put away - this is necessary otherwise I will flit from pattern to pattern and never put scissors to fabric.  So after some pleasurable time fondling fabric and browsing patterns I have made a selection.

The backbone of the 6PAC is a tan polished twill weave linen purchased from a bargain store many years ago - the photo does not show the colour very well.   I have decided to use Burda patterns as I have had success with these recently and need very little alterations for a flattering and good fit.  I am hoping that some of these patterns will become TNT's that I will use over and over again.

This photo from Burda WOF 8/2002 is my inspiration (the colour of my fabric is almost this tan) and I will make up the jacket from this issue (134) twice, once in the tan and again in a heavily textured cotton knit with a little stretch.
The aim of the 6 PAC is to produce two mix and match outfits that are casual and comfortable but still stylish enough to wear in the classroom.

The second pair of trousers is in a silk tussah stripe that I purchased from Global many years ago when a very dear friend came out from Washington DC and we toured the fabric shops of Auckland.  Nancy was searching for Linen and found it at a much better price than in the States. I love the coral in the stripe and have saved this for when I ...lost weight...found the perfect pattern...etc,etc.  But no more waiting for that perfection, I am living in the NOW so after carefully measuring and fitting I am cutting into it.

Coordinating with these neutrals is a light coral silk knit that blends in well with the silk stripe and a nylon mesh paisley print.  I have decided to make the silk knit into a cowl neck top and it should be a snip to make up. Burda WOF 4/2012.

Next step is to copy patterns out now that I have the plan.  Watch this space!

Back to Sewing

Although I have not been posting I have been sewing.  I am at present testing the Style Arc patterns for fit for MY body having heard so much positive about them on Stitchers Guild and in the blogging world.  I ordered the Adele Tunic Top, Wendy  & Linda Stretch Pants and received the Ada Knit Top as the freebie.  It's a wonderful marketing ploy to offer the freebie pattern and I had to restrain myself last month for purchasing a pattern just to buy the Jodi pants freebie.  I am not sure that I will be able to resist this months Katherine Top that is offered, it is just too cute and could figure in my summer wardrobe.  But I digress, back to trying the patterns.

I made the Adele up in a stretch poly which was in similar weigh to that suggested and found that it fitted very nicely across the bust and shoulders.  I need to add more room for the biceps but reading the posts about this it seems it is a common problem, so now to try with a 'real' fabric (I cannot wear poly's as the build up of static produced turns me into a electrode that shocks me every time I touch earth or metal.)

In the meantime I did some fantasy sewing; fantasy in that it is a ball gown and I am unlikely to ever go to another ball.  Initially I was to go to the Leaver's Ball with DH and son, son was not the problem he was vaguely pleased that we were interested ( the school is trying to encourage parents to participate).  However the DH was not keen and on the night had something else to do.  Never mind I have completed the gown and I am very pleased with it. It is from Burda Plus Autumn/Winter 2011 magazine model 426 made in a size 50.  The material is a bronze shot silk with a metallic chiffon wrap. Both pieces came from the stash and were part of a magnificent Michael's bundle I bought many years ago.  I was drawn to this pattern because of the wrap detail - I do not like baring my arms and thought this was a pretty solution.  I measured the pattern but did not make a test garment and it worked! This dress fits like a dream.

I did not follow the instructions as the photos in the magazine of this dress, and the variations show the shoulders twisted  and the gathers at the bust did not look very good.  I was very careful to make sure straight grain and bias were matched - the bodice has multiple layers. It took awhile to make but the end result is IMHO fabulous!! So if ever I need a dress I don't need a fairy godmother!!

Clouds and silver linings

It has been some time since I last posted but I have been busy in my life with all the intentions of making a post.  Guy and I went to the beautiful South Island to watch our boys (Cleave and Murdoch) row in Maadi Cup and had a blast camping around the area.  He was not keen but I think enjoyed the experience and had the chance to reconnect with some old friends while down there.  The boys rowed their hearts out but were pipped at the post for a medal by much less than a second and loved the whole team spirit.  Their school was lucky to win the overall trophy for most points as the competition gets harder and harder each year.



Logan and Cleave showing grit and determination.

We got back from the holiday and the husband set off back to Ethiopia and the salt plains in the Danakil Depression.  He was lucky enough to spend some time touring around Axom and Lalibela before he left the country and the job contract.  The rest of us got to stay home and dream of summer as autumn and winter closed in.  And it is the subject of seasons that is the reason for the title of this post.  Along with beautiful leaves, autumn crocus's and apples we get an onslaught of field mice looking for a warm place to hole up over winter.  The bee hives were protected, the cat was on patrol in the house but not in the sewing room! One morning while looking for some interfacing what should I find but the signature calling cards of mice, I opened the cupboards to find that a family had moved in to the shelves of the fabric stash.  They had spent alot of time moving between the shelves picking the best place for a nest. So it all had to come out and be washed and all at at time when getting normal washing dry is a challenge. So what is the silver lining you ask?  I have had lots of time to revisit the material and remember the plans and patterns for each piece and what started as a chore has become a process of sorting and reviewing.  Not all will be replaced back in the cupboard when I can be sure that the infestation has been removed as we still have not isolated where they managed to gain entry. So for the moment it sits on the bench in the dining room.

It has been a trip through memory lane as some of the material I am ashamed to say has been aging in the stash since before my oldest was born.  I am now onto sorting the other cupboard of fabric out.  I normally have it shelved in colour groupings - these are the browns greens and whites shelves, with the coating and denims shelved together. How do you store your fabric?

Just recently I discovered the Sorbetto Top via the TAM discussion at Stitchers Guild.  I was impressed with the variations that had been made.  The top looks like it would be a very versatile garment for my wardrobe. I downloaded the top and stuck all the A4 sheets together.  The first thing that struck me was that I am not a size 18 the largest size this top goes up to - I did not measure to check.  So I looked in the collection and came up with a top from New Look 6920 

I love the jacket in this pattern but have yet to try it out.  I copied out a size 22.  Next I also copied out a top from a Burda Plus Magazine from Summer 2007  - although not exactly like the Sorbetto I thought I could alter it if it fit.

 

I discovered that the Sorbetto top was around the same size as these two so I made all three up in some ghastly polyester (I cannot wear polyester - I turn into a static light bulb!!)

Here are the results :-



New Look - too big under the arms but

the darts are nice (hard to see here)



Burda fits much nicer in the underarms
and has a closer fit compared to the New Look,
but needs a swayback alteration as shown in the next photo.

Finally the Sorbetto Top

Front

Back
I had some concerns about the fit of the Sorbetto - the armholes were a little loose and the shoulders had a tendency to fall off - I changed the slope of the shoulder seam and adjusted the armhole a little. 

I dived into the stash and found a beautiful silk crepe remnant from Donna Karan via the heavenly Global Fabrics which had been aging for an number of years and made it into this...

I had lots of fun with this fabric - not only did it have the normal vices of silk crepe but it was from the beginning of the roll and so was off grain which resulted in a scalloped hem which the photo does not really show well.  Here it is on me -

It looks ok - but I do not think the shape of the armhole is correct for my shape - it has a tendency to "flip out" so I had to fold the binding inside and stitch down - it still is not perfect but doesn't look too bad.  I am going to remake this pattern using a Burda top from Burda Style 2/2011 140.   Compared to the Sorbetto, Burda's armhole shaping is much more sloped rather than straight up and down.  So onto the next challenge!!  The good thing about this exercise is that I am now down 4 bits of fabric from the stash!!!



Jam jam jamming!

Great fun in the household - son #2 had a friend over and they grabbed the Apple and the guitars keyboard and spent the time creating - I have yet to hear what they ended up with - I went to bed with earplugs but they were very happy with themselves.  I am happy as with all the money we spend on music lessons its nice to see it alive and well.  I do not think #2 should give up his day job - the White Stripes he is not but he loves his guitar and jamming.

Jamming of another sort was today when I cleaned out the freezers and boiled up all the berries I have been saving for Three Berry Jam.  A favourite with #1 son always turns out well.  I made a large quantity - 2.5kg Strawberries, 2kg blackberries and 1kg raspberries, juice of 2 lemons and 5kg of sugar -  which takes a long time to boil to setting point.  I find that smaller quantities help preserve the wonderful flavour of fresh fruit but just wanted it over and done.  Three Berry Jam is a family favourite only topped by Raspberry Jam which has to be guarded.

It is very satisfying to enter the kitchen and see all the filled jars waiting to cool on the bench - I have plans to bake Louise cake with one jar of the jam from the Edmonds Cook Book.  This is my husbands favourite treat and he is returns from work on Friday.

Louise Cake


Ingredients
75 g butter
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups Edmonds plain baking flour
1 teaspoon Edmonds baking powder
1/4 cup raspberry jam
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup coconut

Method
Cream butter and first measure of sugar until light and fluffy
Beat in egg yolks
Sift flour and baking powder together
Stir into creamed mixture
Press dough into a greased 20 x 30 cm sponge roll tin
Spread raspberry jam over the base
In a bowl beat egg whites until stiff but not dry
Mix in the second measure of sugar and coconut
Spread this meringue mixture over jam
Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes or until meringue is dry and lightly coloured
Cut into squares while still warm.

Makes about 24

Shirt a Month Club - Stitchers Guild

This year I have decided to become a more active participant in things I enjoy doing.  I am very involved in my children's rowing, as a committe member and camp mum but have let slide things for myself personally.  I love sewing but really spend little time for myself on this.  My space allocated for this shifts around the house depending on season and family activities.  My husband is finally converting his shed into more than a storage area and is spending time and money so he can finally work on his beloved motorbikes.  I have one bay in the shed but this has also become a storage area with the intention of walling the area off for a craft room and an upstairs teen room.  Money pressures have put these plans on hold but I need to stop waiting for the upgrade and just set up and SEW out here.

As a result of these thoughts I have joined the shirt a month club or SAM http://artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php/topic,16492.0.html.

 My first has been a shirt for my husband using the Simplicity pattern 4760 and some Kiwi themed quilting broadcloth we purchased last year.

Green is a family favourite for some reason and we both liked the pattern.  The pattern had a few glitches - I read the instructions wrong and cut off one of the bands so had to add it back on.  I decided to do it in the contrast colour and now wish I had done the same thing to the left side as well.  I have yet to add the buttons but now have them waiting in the wings.

I like the finished shirt and hopefully the husband likes it too.  At present he is working in Ethiopia but will return around the 20th of January.  I can not wait to see him again. 

Well thats enough for the moment off to complete the buttonholes and sew the buttons on.  I think it is a good start to the SAM and have quite a few more shirts on the design board.

Two years on - nek miunt 2012!

Once again I am trying to blog. Maybe I am more a reader than a writer, I keep up with lots of amazing blogs and feel a real connection with the writers as they share aspects of their lives.

Weather has been on my mind lately as we have had so much rain that in some areas of our beautiful country the hills have been sliding down. In my neck of the woods the rain has turn our picturesque valley into a garden paradise. Trees, shrubs and flowers look freshly minted like a enchanted forest. The vegetable garden is full and all the plants are flourishing. Unfortunately this also means the weeds are giving their best, but I console myself with the thought that they will help the next years crop as compost!

With all this rain the Christmas Plums have been slow to ripen and are full of juice and splits. I have given up trying to get jam to set from these fruit and have made Plum Butter. This is a wonderfully rich and lucious tasting spread but with less sugar than jam. It is wonderful on vanilla ice cream and a friend is going to use his pot as a base for his famous Hot Plum Salad (no he won't give me the recipe but has promised to cook it for me so I'll construct my version then). Next up in the kitchen is some Plum jelly as I think by adding lemon juice I might be able to get this to set. Plus we have plenty of Plum Jam left from last years crop.

Plum Butter

 

This recipe is very simple but time consuming.

Wash and sort plums - if they are large enough, cut up and take out pips. If not just put in pan. Quantity does not matter but the butter keeps its beautiful colour if made in smaller quantities (max 3-4 kgs). It is best to use a heavy base pan to stop the bottom catching.

Do not add any water other than what is clinging to the plums from washing - slowly sweat the plums to bring out their juice, once there is some juice at the bottom turn up the heat and bring to the boil mixing the plums up to cook them all. Stir frequently to stop the bottom plums catching and burning.

When they are all soft and pulpy either push through a sieve to separate stones and break up the skins or if no pips blend. Measure the sieved pulp and for every 2 cups of pulp add 1 cup of sugar. ( I prefer this lower amount of sugar but you can add up to 1 3/4 cups of sugar for every 2 cups of pulp).

Return the pulp and sugar to the pan and bring to the boil stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. Boil the mixture for another 15-20 minutes stirring regularily until the mixture is thick and gluepy ( the more pulp you have the longer this will take and can result in caramelisation of the sugars and changes in the taste.) To test if the butter is ready have some small dishes in the freezer - take one out and carefully drip a small quantity onto the plate. If it is ready it will cool to a thick gel and hold its shape. My children always seem to appear at this stage and love to be the taste testers.

Bottle into sterilised jars and cap with lids or covers.

To sterilise jars wash them and rinse, invert them but leave them with a film of water. Place jars in an oven set to 120C for 45 minutes. I place lids into a pot of water and bring to the boil for 10 minutes.

I store my preserves in a dark cupboard and have had no problems with spoilage following this method but if you are unsure you can keep this butter in the fridge. It is necessary to keep the butter in the fridge after opening as the sugar content is low.