The Patternless Top

I finished a top! I started and almost finished this top over a year ago, then the baby bump and newborn days got in the way so it was left almost-but-not-quite finished state until yesterday when I finally bit the bullet and finished it off.

I bought the fabric from a discount bin in Kings Fabrics in Glasgow about 18 months ago (yes really!) and it languished in the fabric stash for a while. Then I thought about copying a top from GAP that I really liked so with great precision (not really!) I put the bought top on the fabric and drew around it, in a wobbly line. Then with a shaky hand I cut out two layers of the fabric. Then I cut the wobbliest bits off. Next step was the sleeves. I genuinely have NO recollection how I did the sleeves other than i know I wanted puffy sleeves, so must have planned it out as it’s happened.

As it was over a year ago, I assume I pinned it all together then stitched it. Double stitch along the back collar to neaten it up. And that’s how it sat, in a little almost finished bundle until yesterday.

I tried the top on and realised that there was NO WAY the top would fit because of my chest and because I hadn’t done anything fancy like darts or what have you. So I just cut down the middle of the front to about half way. Easy. I tried it on and it fitted. Woo! Next step was to finish off the raw edges round the front collar and the opening. I decided to face it – or possibly it was a half attempt at binding? I dunno. Anyway, I used some offcuts of the fabric and put right side to right side, stitched close to the edge, then folded it over and top stitched it (get me with my lingo, assuming its the right terminology…) then top stitched it again so there was a double stitch all the way around. I think it looked pretty neat. And I will wear it. Outside!

picture time:

The fabric is a sheer grey with pink butterflies. Don’t worry, I’ll be wearing a vest underneath…

A puffy sleeeeeve

Double stitching. I tried to neaten up the facing/inside fabric. But cutting it with a wobbly hand. Ach, I’m not bothered and it’s not a big deal.

I tried the top on to show my husband and he said that “it almost looks professional” which is a win in my book. Hooorah!

Cake in a mug. Beginning of the end…

I’ve just made a cakeinnamug. Nutella chocolate cake in a mug.

It’s 94% likely I will now spend the next three months making and eating cakeinnamug.

Maternity top to comfy baby trousers!

I blew the dust off the sewing machine and made something today. Wooo! well, I did the sewing today, the cutting out and hard thinking I did a good few weeks ago. But never mind that, I made a thing! With the sewing machine!

Aaaaanyhoo. The idea came about from me sorting out my maternity clothes. I don’t need them so decided it was time to try and sell them on (if anyone wants to buy them, that is). While sorting them out I realised that my favourite top had seen much better days. I loved this top, and wore it LOADS and somehow ended up staining it when doing some cleaning, so it wasn’t fit for passing on. And I was Really sorry to see it go. So I decided to try and make something with it.  After a bit of hard thinking, I hit upon the idea of using it to make some comfy trousers for the baby.  this website Make it love it baby boho leggings gave me the inspiration and how-to. Have a look! The hem of the top would make the trouser hems, so it was a matter of cutting out and doing a bit of stitching. Easy, yeah?

surprisingly… It was! I know, I’m as gobsmacked as you.

Now for the pictures:

favourite top. It was so, so cosy and comfy.

Pattern for the trousers came from me just drawing round a pair of trousers already bought for the baby in the next size up. (Confession – he is now in this size, that’s how long it took to actually sew it all together!) i tried to place the pattern on the top so as to minimise how much of the bleach staining came through on the trousers. I think I managed to avoid it all.

I cut both sides of the trousers at the same time. Slightly wonky crotch area but…I’m not bothered!
I double stitched each stitch line as I was a bit concerned it might need the extra reinforcement, and the waistband is just the unfinished top folded over once, leaving a channel to thread a lace through

I used a lace as I had one handy but also so that I could bring the trousers in depending on whether I’ve got him in a disposable nappy or a cloth nappy. Some days are more Eco friendly than others…

Done! New pair of trousers for the baby.

Winging it almond biscuits

I decided at 9pm tonight that I would make some biscuits. Almond biscuits. Because… I’m not entirely sure why it had to be almond, to be honest. I baked the sponge for a birthday cake earlier today and decided to have biscuits to accompany it and just settled on almonds. But no recipe to use.  That’s as much thought that I’m capable of this week – the baby has just cut his first tooth (see Havekidswillrun, my running blog for this week’s RUN FAIL) and I am shattered.

Time was slipping away so I just googled almond biscuit recipes. Came up with one and started to bake.  But I didn’t agree with the recipe. It called for approximately a thimble full of flour, handful of ground almonds and a sack of sugar. And two egg whites. And some butter. (Amounts approximated for effect). Only I couldn’t be bothered to separate out the egg and it was only a matter of time before the baby woke so I just bunged in two full eggs. And ended up with a runny recipe.

TOO RUNNY! 

So I added things.  Like much, much more flour. And a lot more ground almonds. And some icing sugar. Then more flour and almonds. Until the mixture stopped being runny and started looking like biscuit dough.

i then spooned little heaps out and stuck a whole almond in the middle

And now for my close up….

The original recipe called for 8-10 minutes in a 160* fan oven. I ended up with peelly-wally biscuits. So whacked it up to 175* and kept them in till they started to turn golden at the edges.

Some more golden than others….

but do you know what? They taste lovely. I got 19 biscuits out of this Frankenstein recipe and the baby didn’t wake up (much). I call that a BAKE WIN in my books.