Author: Thimberlina

The Colette Wren at The Yorkshire White Rose Awards

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On Monday we attended the White Rose Awards at the Leeds Arena.  It is the largest celebration of tourism excellence in the UK.  The dress code was black tie.  I didn’t need any more encouragement than that to fire up my creative juices and make a new frock! I’ve already written a post about my first and second muslin of the new Wren dress pattern from Colette.  I had 5m of this sparkly silvery ponte knit from Minerva.  I originally bought 2m to make my sister a coco for her birthday but then couldn’t resist and had to buy some more for me. I intend to write a full post later about the nitty gritty of the other changes I wanted and also needed to make to the pattern so it would be perfect for my chosen fabric and the occasion! This post is all about the finished dress and the awards ceremony. All dressed up and somewhere to go!!  Hubby scrubs up well too, don’t you think?! Wahay! Look at that thigh high spit! …

#SundaySevens Week 61 (me 36)

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It’s that time again – here’s my weeks in 7 ish photos.  Head over to Natalie’s blog at Threads and Bobbins to read more. Before I start on my week I’ll mention the photo above.  As those in the UK will know it’s Remembrance Sunday.  We had a good turn out in our parade today and as usual accompanied by the pipers.  I might be wrong but I think they’re the West Yorkshire Fire Service Pipers (The WYFS HQ is in our village). 1  Chilli from the freezer – defrosted leftovers for tea. I got engrossed in my sewing (the Wren and it’s nearly finished!!)  and didn’t leave enough time to cook anything.  Thank goodness for microwaves! 2  Had a bit of a revelation.  I usually use scissors or my dads guillotine to trim 2 sides of my PDF patterns.  The rotary cutter is much quicker! 3  Whilst working this week I was sent to a call at Bradford Interchange (buses and trains).  In the main foyer was a Boar made from sand. (I took the …

When One Thing Leads To Another – The Colette Wren Part 1

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My big sister (older by 10 days short of a year) celebrated her birthday at the end of October.  Two years ago I made her a leather bag and last year I made her a Coco.  This year she said she would like another Coco and chose this sparkly ponte knit from Minerva: It does change colour a little bit depending on the light but this gives a fair idea of the fabric.  It took a bit of tweaking before I was happy with this photo. So onwards and upwards.  I completed her Coco in about 1 1/2 hours (I’ve made a few so can almost do them with my eyes shut, they seem to be our family uniform!). It was just as well that I got a photo of her new Coco on Gertrude as these were the best of the photo shoot in the pub: Anyway, she loved it! I loved it! I wanted to keep it!  But instead I ordered another 5 metres of this gorgeous fabric just for me!  I was thinking …

The Worldwide WordPress 5k – #wwwp5k

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As part of the Worldwide WP 5k 2015 I’m sharing with you what I got up to last week when I did my first ever 5k run. As some of you already know on the 24th August I decided it was about time I got off my crafty but and did some exercise. I downloaded a couch to 5K running app on my phone and off I jogged. At first I thought my lungs would explode after just a minute running but it got easier, and I even started to enjoy it.  After only 4 weeks I’d clocked up of 40 km! But then disaster struck (only a minor one).  My achilles tendons were giving me some trouble, especially first thing on a morning.  So I rested for 2 weeks and rode my bike to try and keep up my slowly developing fitness level. I was soon up for running again, but didn’t feel I could carry on from where I had left off – I’d built up to running for 10 minutes.  So I …

#SundaySevens Week 60 (me 35)

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Hey! Don’t you just love Sundays and catching up what all the other Sunday Seveners have been up to?! It’s not nosy (Teresa!), it’s just good to see what else goes on when we’ve not got a hook or a needle in our hands. If you’d like to read more about the Sunday Sevens and fancy joining in head over to Natalie’s blog at Threads and Bobbins and start sharing 7 photos of randomness amongst your fellow bloggers. 1  My new washing machine arrived! It’s been not stop all week trying to catch up! 2  A very common position that H has been in this week in the school hols – xbox with Rory sat on his knee! 3  Miserable day but still went out for a short run.  Managed to slip on some leaves and went flying.  A photo of the sheep instead of my gravel rash. 4  My new (to me)dress .  Felt strange wearing something I’d not made, but now I want more wrap dresses, so I’ve bought the new dress pattern …

Birthday Cape – Oliver and S Woodland Stroll Cape

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I had Birthday Cake – a HUGE one, and now I’ve got a Birthday Cape too.  As those of you who follow my Sunday Sevens will know I received a fabric gift for my recent birthday.  After much head scratching, googling and input from my wonderful imaginary blogging friends I decided to make the Woodland Stroll Cape from Oliver + S. Suggested fabric include wool coating, wool melton, velveteen, moleskin and corduroy.  Not sure of the exact make up of my fabric but there was definitely some wool content.  I opted not to pre wash.  Unusual for me, but my washing machine broke down a week yesterday so didn’t have much choice! Here’s my birthday fabric bundle.  Still not sure what the lips are going to be, maybe a pussy bow blouse.  I’ve been wanting one for ages! Once I’d set my heart on the cape I soon discovered I’d not got enough fabric – according the the fabric guide.  1 1/2 yards is needed, and I had 1 metre. Here’s how the 2 pattern …

#SundaySevens week 59 (me 34)

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Hi Lovelies! How’s your week been? Hope you’re feeling happy in whatever you’ve been up to!  I have, and I’ve actually made 2 garments.  Can’t wait to show you! In the meantime here’s my Sunday Sevens – my week in sevens photos, thought up by a very talented Yorkshire lass who now resides is America, and blogs over at Threads and Bobbins.  1  Remember my birthday fabric from last week?  Thankyou for all the wonderful suggestions.  I finally decided on the Woodland Stroll Cape by Oliver and S.  An especially big thankyou to the Prolific Project Starter for all her links and hints.  You can see the one she made for her daughter HERE. So cute! I decided to add one of my labels.  I don’t normally bother when I’m making myself something but I thought this was a bit more special and deserved one. 2  H’s football team spent Saturday washing cars at our local co-op.  They raised over £400 which is going towards some new kit. 3  We went out for lunch and …

#SundaySevens week 58 (me 33)

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Hello everyone! Just a word of warning – don’t read on if you’re peckish!  Sorry no links to the wonderful Natalie who thought up the Sunday Sevens – I’m posting on a mobile device and it’s a bit tricky (well it is for me anyway!). Previous SS posts have links so take a peak if you’d like to find out more. Thanks for all the happy birthday wishes!  I’ve had a lovely week and most of my pics centre around my birthday. I’ve only worked one shift this week, hence the abundance of posts, hope I’ve not clogged up your reader or mail box too much! 1. We took a lady in labour onto the delivery suit.  Some of the staff when on their break were busy knitting little hats for the newborns who would be delivered over Christmas. Here’s one nearly finished.     2.  There’s some stunning photos about of the Autumn leaves changing colour. I took quite a few whilst playing golf but unfortunately I couldn’t quite catch how colourful they actually were. …

Lekala 8000 – A Tale Of Two Frocks

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Well it’s one frock really, but due to it being far too tight and having giant ric-rac on the hem it was in need of attention before I could wear it publicly. Remember the Mexican party we went to? It was over the back holiday weekend in August which now seems ages ago.  I needed a Mexican outfit.  After much deliberation and with a hangover I began cutting out the Lekala #8000 – a free pattern that is made to measure my size (or yours)!  It was 4pm and we were going out at 7:30pm so I didn’t have time for fitting issues! I decided to use the raspberry stretch denim in my stash.  As you can see from the photo below it came very close to being another pair of culottes!  And it’s also what I used in my last post to make the personalised peg bag. The dress went together really easily.  I had it finished before 7pm but I did cut a few corners. I added a big red flower from my trip to …

Hand Made Photo Gifts 2

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You might be thinking I’ve a strange fettish for making peg bags.  You might be right!  As you know nearly everyone I know has a one of Thimbers Special peg bags hanging somewhere.  Not usually on their washing line – no one wants to use them as they’re “just for fancy!” This next one is for a lovely friends 50th birthday pressie.  I met her through cricket – her son played with H in 2013 + 2014 in the Yorkshire B team.  This year her son has moved up into the A team.  We’ve missed her and she’s missed being with us so I thought I’d make her a gift that she’d see every day and wouldn’t forget us. I’ll include a few pictures of the construction in case you’re thinking of making one. Select a smallish coat hanger and draw round it to determine the shape of the top of the peg bag. You need 4 pieces – 2 outer fabric and 2 for the lining. There’s no rule how big it has to be length wise – it’ll depend …