Simplicity 9042

 

Way back in the depths of winter I was perusing pattern books at Spotlight looking for inspiration for a shirt.  Instead I came across a dress pattern, Simplicity 9042,  fell love with the sleeveless version,  and immediately decided to buy it.

After deliberating at a few fabric shops for the perfect colour linen, I found a beautiful soft smooth aqua linen at the fabric shop Otara.  

Fast forward to slightly warmer days of late November, I decided to make it. Version A the sleeveless option was my pick.   My measurements put me at a size 12 for the bodice and a size 16 for the waist and skirt.  Problem was my pattern only went up to a size 14.  After working out the finished size measurements I was able to grade from a 12 to 14 successfully. It also has tucks in the front and back, so I had a little bit of leeway to work with if I had needed to adjust the bodice a bit more

I've been quite spoilt making clothes from indie pattern companies, which give really detailed instructions and diagrams, I have to admit I did notice the difference using a pattern from an older established pattern company.

Overall the dress was a relatively quick and easy make, I'm really pleased with the fit and am looking forward to wafting around in it on warm summer days.

Brisbane

 

Scribbly Gum Tree

A couple of months ago, my husband surprised me with tickets to Brisbane to visit my sister,

It felt strange to board a plane and fly off to another country, after the past two years of not really being able too.

Needless to say, I quickly got used to the idea.  It was so lovely to see my sister waiting for me at Brisbane airport, and to feel warm temperatures. I especially enjoyed being able to wear a lot of my me made summer dresses and clothes.

Now that my sister's children are older and independent, and we aren't restricted to doing things in school hours, so we really enjoyed full days.

We talked and laughed, dined and drank cocktails, celebrated my birthday, walked for miles, visited beautiful gardens,  walked on a rather blustery Gold Coast beach, shopped, and I also enjoyed a morning trying out paddle boarding with a friend.

I'm back home now, back to the reality of work , family and and being a domestic goddess.

Weekending - Hiking in the Kaimai Ranges

 

Supplejack vines

Clematis Panuculata

Hurunui Hut

One of the shallower muddy sections

An elusive trail marker 

Mangamuka Hut

Over the weekend just gone, The Scout and I had a three day hiking adventure in the Kaimai Ranges.  It was my first multi day (if you can call a two night/three day hike that), starting at the Henderson Tramline North track through to Hurunui hut.

Day two: the North South track through to the Mangamuka hut. 

Day three : today the promised rain well and truly arrived as we hiked out via the TeTuhi track.

All up about 21 km, of some pretty gnarly tracks, up hill, downhill, plenty of stream crossings, sometimes swampy, and sometimes muddy, finishing off with farmland.

I will admit this challenged me, and I certainly appreciated my bed and a hot shower and flushing toilets once I got home.

Things Here Lately

 

 

There have been lots of things keeping me busy lately, I'm finding I don't really have time for detailed blog posts on everything, so here's a snippet of what is happening in my life when I'm not at work.

• I'm still making blocks for the new quilt I've designed.  There is a very rough plan drafted out, (which will no doubt be added or subtracted to) I have made a few epp blocks which will be appliqued to low volume fabrics. I absolutely adore how this mandolin block turned out.  It will be the biggest block on my quilt.

• My sewjo has returned, I've made some very basic but extremely useful black rayon culottes. These were drafted off an expensive pair I had bought and literally worn out,  I'm currently wearing them at work today, and with a stretch fabric waistband, they are very comfortable. 

• Another fantail top.  I fell in love with the floral fabric when I saw it in an online shop.  It was a little pricey, so I bought just enough to be able to use them as sleeves in a solid coloured top.  

• A beautiful cookbook finally turned up for me at the library - Saffron Swirls and Cardamom Dust, so far I've made two very delicious sweet treats from it - Persian Love Cake and Chocolate Cardamom puddings.   I've put the book on my Christmas list because I liked it so much.

• I still find time to read, usually lunchbreaks at work or last thing at night before I go to sleep.  Both of these books were wonderful reads.  

• While there is not much blooming in my garden at present, dahlia tubers have been planted, and zinnia seeds sprinkled in anticipation of a hopefully extremely flowery summer garden. These beautiful crabapple blossoms were flowering during one of my neighbourhood walks.

** Apologies for the slightly blurry clothing shots, It's harder to find a resident teen at home these days willing to take photos with a real camera, so I'm usually resorting to self timer selfies on my mobile phone.