Simplicity 1080 Dottie Angel frock..... or as I call it marmite dress

I picked this pattern up  few months ago half price at hobbycraft. I needed more dress patterns as much as I needed a hole in the head, but got taken in by the chunky knit and boot clad girl on the cover, so in my basket it fell.
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 Not long after I saw it mentioned on one of the Facebook sewing groups with almost everyone saying it looked like a sack on them, the for was wrong as in the darts were in the wrong place, the arm holes gaped and the sleeves caused confusion. I promptly put Dottie to the back of the pattern box and forgot her. Then a week ago she sprung up again in a group and some wonderful pictures of the ladies makes made me dig her out and have ago. BUT.... me being me I had to do my own thing. So out comes the knit fabric. Hey why work with the easy well behaved cotton when you can battle with a stretchy misbehaving knit? 

I won't go into full pattern details as I figure if you are here you probably have it. So here's what I did differently

 The contrast pockets and ties in black cotton jersey. I added the band as instructions on the pocket and then overlocked around the edge. I love my overlockers and will use it whenever I can get away with it. Then folded under and topstitched the pockets in place. 

 The ties should be folded in. But jersey is a giant pain anyways and rolls and working on a thin strip would have ended in the whole project being put in the fib (fuck it bucket) so I folded in half and overlocked the open edge then turning blade off I overlocked folded edge too. Personally I like the look of the overlockers stitch so have no problems with that raw look.

 The bust darts/folds. I actually like this way of doing a dart and haven't come across it before. The end of the ties are sewn into them and adds a nice detail. Now advice on the aforementioned Facebook groups told me to check placement for us with blessed boobage areas. So lining up the shoulder I figured mine needed to be an inch or so lower to avoid sitting on bust. I think the knit is a little more forgiving than a cotton would have been on the bust. 

 Now sleeves, they are an all in one cap (I guess) style.  I wanted them to fall a little lower and although I could have extended the pattern and cut out of the fabric....honestly I forgot to do it so ended up drafting an extra bit in jersey and sewing on. Which big head and all I think looks brilliant lol

 So there we go. My take on Dottie Angel 

Maxie x

Pleat conundrum.....

I have a make it up as you go along approach to..... well..... Everything. Life, craft,cooking,my job.....
So I set out to make a pleated tartan skirt, easy right? Fold. Sew. Zip. Then rock with some thick tights and boots for winter....
Nooooooooo.... who knew deciding on pleat...errrrr. ...pleatyness  (totally the right word for it lol) was so taxing.... (fullness... Maybe that's the word I'm looking for)
Thankfully the pattern on tartan makes the process so much easier... but still... I don't want too much puff around the bum. So I figure not too many folds but I want it to look pleated at the end
Decisions decisions
Pleatyness and skirt update to follow

The martini asti rita

I found my newest favourite drink. And its wildly impractical to drink alone.  Well no its not. It just seems it to me! The martini asti rita.  Everyone knows I like me a margarita.  And im very retro 70s and adore a bottle of asti. The kind of drink where the first doesn't touch the sides. Sweet fizzy and moreish.  Just love it. And stumbled on a recipe that combines those two drinking loves
Started with my local coop having martini asti reduced from £9.35  to £4 way hey combined with a coupon I can get 5at £3 each
So the recipe. From martinis facebook page. Is in parts. So I equated a 'part' as 40ml. Obviously you can do any you want
So......
3parts martini asti (120ml)
3/4 part tequila (30ml)
1/4part orange liquor (10ml)
1/2part lemon juice (20ml)
1/2 part grenadine (20ml)
Shake last four with ice. Strain into glass. Top with asti
I don't know what it is but grenadine takes me right back to childhood.  Obviously I wasnt drinking cocktails back then!

Anyway. Its five something on a sunday morning.  I guess I should be asleep!

Cajun margarita. .... have to try

http://tideandthyme.com/cajun-margaritas/

Came across this via theberry, haven't yet but will try this one. Also remind me to ask if true blood is avaliable  on netflix, im off work alot at Christmas  and can get a month free trial :)

Homemade kahlaua via the berry

So im one for making something if i can, even if i only do it once ill give it a go. So many cocktail  recipes  i come across have kahlaua  in, which in my local supermarket  is quite expensive  so when  I  found this link, wayhay, now ive actually never had kahlaua,  but coffe and rum, whats not to like about that, so i set too.
Now follow theberry link and follow the link in that (if i can ill add that too)
Now i roughly tryed to follow the recipe, but i actually  didnt, i thought it was alot of sugar, so my recipe basically  came out as equal  volume measurements  of strong coffee,rum and sugar, with 2 fresh vanilla pods in a empty litre bottle. So...
My homemade  kahlaua
2 1/2 cups strong black coffee
2 1/2 cups rum
2 1/2 cups sugar
Vanilla pod split
So the recipe uses the american cup measure, but in theory any volume measurement should work. I used white rum, but imagine dark will be just as good, if not better.

Found at theBERRY: The perfect COCKTAILS for your Holiday party (20 photos + recipes) http://theberry.com/2014/12/10/the-perfect-cocktails-for-your-holiday-party-20-photos-recipes/

martini experiment

Saturday night and family are here, the little  dude is asleep, and the sis in law and i am on the cocktails, its always nice to make and share cocktails  with someone,  and makes me sound like less of a lush when i drink alone, so couple glasses  wine with dinner then the first cocktail  is a martenz (thats spelt wrong i know, but hey cocktails night) martini,
 the recipe
2oz gin
3/4 sweet vermouth
1/4marachino liquor
dash bitters
Twist of  lemon peel as garnish

Now i dont have  marachino liquor  but i have kirsch so use that instead.. now i like it, its very strong, can taste the vermouth above anything but as you get down the glass the sweeter it tastes and the more you taste the cherry flavour. My opinion  is that its ok, but gets nicer the more you have... but we are now onto the margaritas  :)
Tequila. ... it makes me happy

Old fashioned?

Noooo... not the cocktail. ...
Im talking old fashioned ways. Out dated I guess to most. Romantic I guess to me. Part of the ideal "perfect" housewife fantasy maybe!
Im easily distracted. So many things in my head at once. Mind goes here there and forgets on the journey!
So im at work thinking about my next crafty project. I have many many on the go at once. Hey im easily distracted. So my next one is something I've wanted to do for a while. A memory frame. I have a multi picture frame that after 18months ive finally got round to taking out the old pictures from when I was with the ex bf. No reason for the lengyh of time.  Just put it out of sight!. So I want to put in small objects, memories that I wany to look at but not havd to get out to see. So I thought id blog about doing my first section which will be the state quarters. I only realised getting home from America that the quarters have the different states on. Out of the 7-8 different ones I have none are from the 4states I went to. But. I decided to try and get all of them if I get to return.
So all of this got me thinking I actually never handed money over or received the change myself from the server. The American did it all. Even when on the most part it was my money. And I didnt mind. Old fashioned? Yes probably. But I liked it.  In a bar. Restaurant.  Walmart. I liked the roll that implies.
I like the traditional 'relationship' roles. If you go somewhere together he drives. Orders for you in a restaurant ( not choosing but asking me and then ordering) getting drinks in a pub. Those things. I guess considered domineering maybe in our women are equal world. And im not saying every woman should want and accept this or every man should do it. Just for me I dig it.
I shared a photo on facebook a year ago. A internet picture. Pretty dress on bed. Necklace and a note along the lines of "put these on and be ready at 8" I thought it romantic and would adore it to happen to me. But so many of my female friends were anti.  "No one tells me what to wear and do" kinda comments. Frankly that shocked me. I see it as a sexy romantic "what is going to happen, where we going" surprise and excitement.  So I get im in the minority on my thoughts on this one. I just like the man to take the traditional old fashioned role.  BUT im not saying a couple online conversations a date and a guy can start telling me what to do and be 'in charge' that way. Not just anyone can 'dom' me.
So thats out my head now. No doubt ill remember more things I wanted to say. Or better words to use. But for now that will do.... now where is the spell check. ...