We’re midway through August so I thought I should put up a July review.

I started the month with the intention of making several new pieces of clothing for myself … that didn’t actually happen. I bought patterns, got them printed, managed to get some fabric then funds ran out for the extra couple of bits and pieces. Hopefully we’ll see some new bits and pieces soon.

This week I finally took some pics of the jacket I made for myself in May. (A May make photographed in August averages out to July yeah? Lets go with that.) It is from a reused quilt. I really liked the design, drew out the pattern pieces bases on a jumper of mine, then after making a mock up, testing and adjusting it I was happy and cut into my fabric. I placed the pieces to capture as much of the colour changes as I could. Then using the lining and binding from the quilt cover I finished up the jacket.

And honestly … I kinda hate it. It looks pretty nice but I find it too bulky around shoulders. The fabric is pretty bulky because of what it is and it was cut large to allow for a thick jumper underneath, but yeah, not a fan sadly.

But I still have a lot of quilt to attempt a different style. We’ll see how that goes.

At the start of July I was making dragons. I’d bought a pattern from Lynne D Henson all the way back in 2013, because although I didn’t have time to make it then I knew I’d want to ‘one day’. She’d posted the pattern to Craftster, (Does anyone remember Craftster??) and I’d messaged her to buy it. But of course I couldn’t find the patten now that I wanted to make it!! So I messaged Lynne through Etsy to ask if she wouldn’t mind sending me another copy, but that I’d rebuy if I had to. She checked her records and found my order and happily resent the email.

I can’t say how happy I was that she resent it without charging me or anything. She did it with a whole hearted generosity that is rare these days.

I made the first dragon in black for the mobile of a friends, very soon arriving, son. (These dragons aren’t really suited to infants given the wires etc but I felt given it’s up away from him on a mobile it should be safe.) The second dragon was in blue and pink for a friends daughter whose birthday was in June (party in July). The third in a solid blue for my daughter (who wasn’t even a twinkle when the pattern was bought) who has since requested a purple one as well. I made a third blue one, and cut a green for my niece and nephew on my partners side but I did not yet sew up the green.

And today the lady I made the black one for has requested 5 smaller ones to represent this child’s other siblings on another mobile! so more dragons will be incoming in September I think.

At the start of July I started working on the large Elf Tent I’m making for Christmas markets at the end of the year. It’s a lot larger than the small one elf tent and will suit families with more than one elf, a large elf or a bougie elf that likes their creature comforts (a bed, desk and chest of drawers perhaps?). The pattern is nearly finalised and I hope to cut the final pieces soon.

The design went through a couple of phases. The initial frame I built has the peaks on the short ends, when I had planned on having the peaks on the long ends. So I recut the wood poles, and came up with a house shape with a base that was 45X30cms. I liked it, but wasn’t satisfied with the overall shape. The third version with recut poles has a base of 50X35 cms giving a little more space for a full bed. The cover has needed some tweaking and a new version will be sewn up this week.

Late July everything creative stalled for a few weeks during placement for my course. I’ve finished that now and have a mountain of assessments and a lot of sewing to knuckle down to.

And Book Week is coming. That soon.