Today will be a quiet Sunday, what with hubby working, oldest at Uni, middle studying for exams and youngest on camp. So I just took Sienna for a long walk and will be spending the rest of the day sewing, houseworking and trying to understand more about this blog thing.

My picture today is of my typical dogwalking gear, my blouse and cardi were made about a year ago. The blouse is Butterick 4985, view A sleeves and view B collar. Its been a favourite pattern, but even though I’m a size 10 by the envelope it swims on me, so I always take it in by about two inches each side tapering to normal measurements by the hip (I’m pear-shaped). I made it out of cream broderie anglaise cheesecloth, and randomly sewed on leftover bits of cotton lace from another project around the bodice for interest. I also added cotton crochet border lace around the front openings, and sewed on a waist tie of the same stuff to pull it in at the waist at front. The buttons were a rather lovely find; brassy type with like a blue jewel inset, rather like grandmother’s engagement ring. I didn’t hem at all, just topstitched the raw edges with pale blue stitching about 1cm in. I like this look more with each wash as it has frayed and rolled gently, sort of shabby bohemian.

The cardi was originally going to be something else clever out of crinkled polyester net. Ahem, unless you buy the stuff already crinkled no amount of boiling, scrunching or generally attacking is going to crinkle polyester net! There must be some special chemical process by which they achieve this! I eventually had to settle for an uncrinkled look, and finally traced out the pattern from a favourite Marilyn Seyb cardi I had bought in New Zealand and wore to DEATH (but can’t bring myself to ever part with). My version is two layered, the inner layer white net and the outer coffee, sewn together on the serger. The front opening is stabilised with white grosgrain ribbon, simply zigzagged stitched around up one front, around the back neck and down the other front. A single brass rimmed small white button forms closure. This cardi pattern I have used elsewhere and I love the simple open shape of it.

Other details:

Cargo pants: Ezibuy

Camisole: Country Road

Thongs(flipflops): Mountain Designs

Thanks to Tim for taking photo; note to self, must find out how to use camera auto timer…