Where did the time go?

Blimey has it really been two weeks? Work has been very busy and the weekends have passed with a blur.  The TV at home seems to be stuck on either BBC HD or ITV HD and the World Cup - my conversations with The Boy seem to be limited to half time or full time and I am missing him a bit.

However, he loves football and I knew that when I hitched myself to that wagon so no complaints here.

So, what have I been up to.  Well there was another trip to Geneva, then we went to Scarborough for the weekend - the weather wasn't great but The Boy and I had a great night out (here we are before the wine  was consumed):

The next day I indulged my love for Asparagus once more with parma ham, roasted asparagus and poached duck eggs (on nom nom nom):

I made gifts for my friend who's baby girls is due soon:

Inspired by the pretty fabric I finally got around to making myself a dress from some fabric I bought last year.  I am so pleased with the result and wore it to work on Tuesday with a little red cardigan - many compliments were made:

So here I am again, two weeks later.  We've been to the coast again this weekend - making use of the flat we have there as we promised we would this year.  Today is chore day but not too much cooking at The Boy is in London for two days and Glasgow for two days so he only need food one night.  I have a pile of ironing and am back down south this evening but that's okay.  The weather is a little disappointing but the good news is that we are off to see Mum & Dad next weekend and their weather is fab - huzzah time to warm our bones.

Finding my inner domestic goddess

So I got a new sewing machine and decided to go for it I've been knitting again since the beginning of the year and wanted to do something else. I have never been what you could call creative being more of a practical sort but recently have wanted to create something.

So after knitting a few scarves (mothers day gifts and my first darn awful attempt for the lovely JD) I decided to sew a dress. I got the pattern from Ebay, it's an original 1950s one. Got my material from the only material shop in Leeds that I knew and set about making. You know what for the first dress I have ever made it's not too bad, I even sewed in a side zip:

It's purple linen, took about 6 hours total and whilst not perfect it fits and I felt pretty proud of myself.

So I decided to make another dress. This time a new pattern and in red linen:

I had to adapt the pattern slightly to fit but again it fits perfectly (both bust and hips) and makes me very happy. If I am honest I have a little bit of finishing to do on it, and with hindsight wish I had lined it (though I still could line it I suppose) but all in all a very good second project.

So what was next, well I went on a trip to John Lewis in Sheffield and treated myself to some lovely materials to make some gifts (yes friends you will be receiving some homemade Christmas gifts this year - apologies) and some suiting material to attempt to make a shift dress for work.

Then I decided I wanted to make a patchwork quilt. We were in Scarborough and nipped in to the lovely Bespoke Country on Bar Street and I picked up some fat quarters of homespun fabric; ordered a large piece and some wadding on line and made this:

So what do you think? Next I will be starting on the aforementioned gifts and my work dress...watch this space.