Hello again. Back from hols , a long weekend here in Aotearoa and I made a dress. We arrived back from an amazing six weeks in the UK last weekend, after jet lag and approx. 400 loads of washing I’m finally back on track, so I thought I’d share the first make from the wee stash of fabric I brought back (yes the suitcase was a tad heavy…)
Always good to have a plan
The fabric is Henri from Merchant & Mills, a gorgeous linen with a subtle green & brown check. I chose a Fielder dress , a pattern I have used before and really like. The rib knit is from Miss Maude , the bronze I used is out of stock but I think the tan would work well also. The bronze does have a slight sparkle which I really like with the more rustic linen.
Every outfit needs a cat brooch…
I sized up with this one as I wanted quite a loose fit for Summer (in case we actually get one this year) , I’m usually an 18-20 in Merchant & Mills but this is a 22. I like the neat fit around the shoulders, often patterns that fits around a larger bust assumes you must have rugby player shoulders to match, reader I do not.
The only adjustment was adding 4cm/2 inches to the length, that’s quite enough lily white leg on show already (my friends Dad called them milk bottles…harsh.)
Annoyingly I stretched the rib unevenly at the front (why does I always make my mistakes at the front?) so it has pulled the linen slightly, honestly, I can live with it.
I’m calling this my Toast dress. We stayed in delightful Marlow for a couple of days (if you want an absolute treat & fancy splashing out I can’t recommend the Gastronomic Escape here highly enough, worth turning 50 for! )
Now we’re talking…
The Toast in Marlow is a lovely store, my sisters & I spent a fabulous hour or so trying on lovely clothes, I may or may not have brought fabulous cords and a denim dress. Toast has a certain “look” which I wanted to channel in my dress, gorgeous fabric , a simple shape with a twist .
Speaking of fabulous, how lucky was I to visit the mothership? Merchant & Mills have their store in Rye on the south coast of England, in the County of Kent. Rye is a gorgeous town, “proper historic” as my husband said. I mean seriously, just look at those streets.
Admittedly a tad hard on the ankles, worth it nonetheless
But the most exciting part?
Show me the linen baby! Yes I do sound a bit excitable, but I’ve loved the Merchant & Mills aesthetic for a long time, the Trapeze was actually one of the first patterns I brought and made.
There is also a microbrewery next door, which was of great interest to my husband and Brother in Law…
The shop itself is a joy. Gorgeous fabric and notions, knowledgeable friendly staff, even the shop dog is a cutie
Sisters doing some focused shopping!
We stayed at the delightful Fig on the High Street in Rye, the rooms are lovely and the plant based breakfast is a delightful change from the usual full English (which I love, but need a break from now and again)
I can’t resist one last holiday pic (bare with!), the divine Hever Castle, Anne Boleyn’s childhood home. I’ve wanted to go here forever, and it was absolutely worth it. I shall bore you with more pics another time but for now…
Hello friends, please excuse my absence, I’ve been moored in the snot filled world that is Sinusitis for the last 8 weeks or so and can I just say, DO NOT RECOMMEND.
Apologies for using the S word, but honestly, it’s been a ride. I managed my first fifty rotations of the sun with nothing more than the odd cold (touch wood, I’ve never even had Flu), then suddenly I’m waking up every morning feeling like I’d been punched in the face eating a freezing cold ice cream while my wisdom teeth come through. Miserable much. Especially when you cant even taste anything delicious to cheer yourself up, gah!
Anyhoo, I’m on my third round of antibiotics & while I don’t want to think about the state of my gut by now, at least I can smell and TASTE again, yeow! In between generally feeling rather sorry for myself I’ve not done as much sewing as I would like, BUT I have managed to finish something. Something I actually really love, so double win.
The Paint is a new pattern from The Fabric Store and friends, it’s a corker. So much on brand when I wore my new top into work a colleague immediately asked where my easel was? I’m an artist with spreadsheets kid…
I really love this top. It’s comfortable to wear, swishes in a pleasing manner, does not care if I’ve had a rather indulgent lunch, it just swings on down! I went down one size which I’m happy with, next time I would gather the neckline a wee bit more so it sits slightly higher too
The Fabric Store linen is Military Green , the rib knit I added ’cause I’m a crazy cat who doesn’t follow rules* is from Miss Maude , I loved the way the colours echoed the beautiful Walker & Bing scarf my bestie gave me for my birthday .
So in between wafting around channeling Monet and blowing my nose, what’s been occurring ?
Very lukewarm reception…
I made a couple of cushions. Apparently Tuppence isn’t wildly impressed…
I’m quite pleased, the linen backing is offcuts from a dress, the buttons from a worn out blazer of Mr D’s. I do love nice cushions, but I’m also aware anything on our couch is subjected to extreme claw action from three cats, in which case spending $100 plus on a cushion feels rather silly…
Moving on from sewing, I’ve really enjoyed this book. Maybe it’s the sinus meds but I haven’t had my usual attention span lately, so when I spied this short story collection at the library I was tempted. I don’t normally read anything vaguely horror or short stories, so trust me when I say I love this book and was deeply surprised by that! I really enjoyed her novel The Drift too.
Hope your week is fab, perhaps lean into it like this little cutie…
Miss Lemon does not like being woken unnecessarily…
Have a good one, I’m just off to find another box of tissues
Kristina
* I think we all know I’m pretty much a rule follower…sigh
Waiting. Waiting. Waiting some more. It’s been a weird old weekend, with Cyclone Gabrielle bearing down on Aotearoa. I felt like I was in holding mode, restless, and unable to concentrate. Like Covid lockdown but with more candles and crappier weather. Well, Gabby’s well & truly arrived, its raining, grey as heck & the wind is REALLY picking up. I normally love all the trees on my little street, not so much when you worry they might be coming to join you on the sofa. I try not to bang on too much about the weather, but suffice to say this summer has been pants!
A lot of the area is still getting over the flooding from a few weeks ago, so not best pleased about more rain, plus storm force winds to boot. We have moved all the outdoor furniture to safety , stocked up on food, candles, water and wine (priorities people!) , not much to do now but drink tea (then wine when the non existent sun makes it over the yard arm…) and wait.
Tea & Jaffa Cakes , very soothing
So to divert my mind from the precarious state of my neighbours gazebo (which I very much hope does not end up in my garden later this evening) lets talk sewing, much less stressful.
Some sleeve action…
This is The Assembly Line Cuff Top pattern . Now you may be noticing the lack of a cuff? Well yes, several choices there. One, I didn’t actually have any appropriate elastic (kind of a game changer on this one) but also, the width and structure of the fabric. I brought this beautiful Japanese linen cotton blend from Miss Maude without paying much attention to the width , a measly 109 cm. Hmmm, what could inattentive, and lets be honest not teeny tiny Kristina make using 1.6 m of not terribly wide fabric?
My Not Paying Attention Face…
I have made the Cuff Top before, but obviously had to make a few adjustments for my lack of elastic/ability to measure fabric so we ditched about 10 cm of sleeve length and the cuff. As you can see, due to not having to encase the elastic the sleeves are still a totally acceptable length. I actually like the heft the linen cotton provides, giving more of a structural shape to the sleeve. A win in my book.
It’s also been a useful exercise in thinking a bit more laterally, I have some lovely vintage fabrics and silk in my stash that are quite narrow widths, I need to think about how I can use them with my existing patterns.
As you know I do love a good brooch, this is one I found in Melbourne back in 2009 , I remember because we were on hols for a long weekend and it was the day Michael Jackson died . Mr D had gone to watch the first half on an AFL game at the MCG* and I stayed behind in our hotel watching endless media coverage of Michaels death and remembering how much I loved the genius of Thriller and how sad his life had become. I’ve never had a TV in our bedroom so watching anything sitting in/on a bed is such a novelty! Yes, I should get out more 🙂
Anyway, at half time we had organised to meet at Greg Malouf’s fabulous Lebanese restaurant Momo for dinner. I remember being so pleased wearing my lovely new brooch, brought at a little antiques shop near the Hill of Content bookshop, where we spent a very happy hour browsing. I brought a book on French embroidery which I still have. I’m not a huge shopper, but I do love when I’m on hols buying something I know will last, and remind me of the place I’m in every time I use/look/smell it. Every time I wear my little Bakelite flower brooch I think of that lovely day, and the amazing meal we sheared. Ok and Michael Jackson. Can’t win them all.
Speaking of amazing meals (did you like that seamless segue?) , here is one I prepared earlier. Ok amazing is pushing it, but comfort food par excellence and healthy to boot .
This is a Rick Stein recipe, from his wonderful India cookbook. Obviously I can’t speak to authenticity, but it’s flippin tasty and just the ticket for my Mum and three sisters who all had Covid, boo! Lentils are a great source of protein, and I know if I’m feeling a bit rubbish, soup seems easier to manage than a full meal. A tarka is just a garnish that is fried at the last minute then topped/stirred into a dish, I stirred mine in as I was delivering this to eat at a later date.
200g yellow tur dal, soaked in cold water for 1 hour, then drained 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 4 green chillies, slit lengthways (I used one as Mum isn’t a chilli fan) 2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole small handful fresh curry leaves (or from the freezer…) 1 tsp salt ½ tsp ground turmeric
For the tarka
2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 tsp black mustard seeds 2 shallots, finely chopped (could also use a small red or white onion) 4 dried Kashmiri chillies, each broken into 3 pieces (or a good pinch of dried chilli flakes) about 15 fresh curry leaves (again, from the freezer) handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped, to garnish Method
Put the dal into a large saucepan and add water to cover by about 4cm. Add all the remaining dal ingredients, bring to the boil, then lower the heat to medium and simmer for 45–60 minutes. The dal should be soft but still with a little bite. Use a potato masher to break up about half of the lentils, being sure to leave plenty of texture.
For the tarka, heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, add the mustard seeds and fry for 30 seconds until they pop. Stir in the shallots, Kashmiri chillies and curry leaves and fry for 2–3 minutes until the shallots are softened and golden.
Spoon the tarka on top of the dal, sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves and serve.
I know, presentation is lacking!
I packed up the soup for the whanau, I had mine over rice with a boiled egg, a dollop of yogurt and some pickle for lunch, really tasty and sustaining. Vege soup and Butter Chicken completed the trio .
Tommy has all the feels…
I hope where ever you are its safe and dry, we shall ride out a bumpy night and see you on the other side friends x
Kristina x
P.S. AFL is Australian Rules Football, a descendant of Gaelic football, played on a huge field by impossibly fit blokes with impressive biceps (just an observation) . The MCG is the Melbourne Cricket Ground, one of the worlds great stadiums, highly recommend the tour.
Well its been quite the weekend here in Tamaki Makaurau, a summers worth of rain fell in approx. 15 hours on Friday, roads were flooded, houses inundated and my husband and sister still thought it would be a grand idea to attend the Elton John concert. Seriously.
I dropped them off as close as possible to Mt Smart stadium , complete with plastic ponchos* and already wet feet in rain I would describe as biblical. The three km ride home was hair raising to say the least , only to discover five minutes after walking in the door the concert was cancelled. Gah! In hindsight it was a blessing, walking home after several more hours of deluge would have been a disaster, and emergency services were already well pushed. Tragically four people have lost their lives, which rather puts things into perspective.
I’ll admit I moaned like a champ when we put the fence in down the side of the section and the volcanic rock our part of Auckland sits on meant a digger we booked for half a day took three (at eye watering expense) But what may be hard is also porous and we have been very lucky not to experience any flooding. So what to do when it just won’t stop raining? Sew of course.
I made the Factory dress a few years back, and have worn it to bits, so was very keen when Merchant & Mills released a digital addition to the pattern, a top version I knew would get plenty of wear.
Hurry up before it starts raining again…
It’s a simple shape, but Merchant & Mills patterns are all in the detail. The front split hem, rolled sleeves and lovely collar all make it feel a bit more special.
Hmmm…
It’s a fairly simple sew, I only come a cropper slightly when I realised Lazy Kristina had not changed the thread on her overlocker and it was not a great look on the turned back sleeve!
So instead, I turned the hem inwards and then folded it back on itself, stiching around the cuff to secure.
I don’t think it looks quite as good as the original cuff, but does have the benefit of a) not unfolding, b) not requiring me to unpick overlocking, which is always a good thing for my blood pressure and marriage.
Can you tell from my hair its rather humid?
I’m really pleased with the finished top, I really like the utility look with pants and sneakers or jeans. The linen is Sea Green from The Fabric Store and yes I do look a tad crumpled. We went out for a family lunch to celebrate my sister & Mr PK’s birthdays, a long leisurely Sunday lunch is so much fun, and not something we tend to do at a restaurant, so this was a treat.
Ibis
I also got to wear a Xmas pressy, a new brooch from Erstwilder !
This is an Ibis, part of the Egyptian revival range, resin with lovely gold detailing. Ibis were under the protection of the deity Thoth, responsible for among other things writing, mathematics, measurement and time. Rather appropriate for a sewist accountant who likes to blog yes? I love wearing brooches, and have a collection, including some fabulous Erstwilder numbers I shall post in coming weeks. Old skool, like watching an episode of your favorite show then wait a whole week for the next one. Does anyone remember that?
Porn Star Martini baby
I have to share the most amazing cocktail I had at lunch today. We went to Oyster & Chop , after a Crayfish Bisque and some banging steak I was rather too full for pud (I don’t have much of a sweet tooth anyway) but on tasting my sisters Porn Star Martini (yes…) I had to have one. Vanilla Vodka, Passionfruit liquor, sugar syrup , lime and a little shot of sparkling wine, OMG seriously yummy. I shall be making these at home, although I will be changing the name…
I received a lovely Xmas gift from my sister in law, a subscription to Dish magazine. I’ve tried to limit my magazine purchasing in the last few years, they had built up and I realised I would never look through all of them , let along read/cook everything. But Dish is so beautifully photographed, and I never fail to find several, if not many recipes in every issue I want to make. The food is a good mix of quick and easy and more complicated dishes, plus drinks and places to visit. Its also bi monthly, so each issue feels like a real treat.
Helpfully the new issue has several yummy tomato recipes, look at that haul, not bad for one plant I put in myself (called Tommy Toe because how could I resist??) , and one which self seeded from last year.
I picked this up from the Library during the week, you know when a book just speaks to you. I’ve only just delved in but already it’s just glorious, wonderful writing and delicious recipes. Chicken Kiev oozing garlic butter, Creamy Mashed Potato ( I had a fairly frank exchange of views with a colleague on this one, unless vegan of course, why would you add olive oil to mash when you could add butter???) , Cacio e pepe with butter, heck yes please!
In other news I shall be starting back on my exercise routine next week. I promise.
I hope wherever you are it’s safe, warm and dry, take care friends
Kristina x
* My sister Dette & I were stuck in a mighty rainstorm in Venice, we swallowed our inner fashionista and brought plastic ponchos, which was great until Dette discovered hers had a hood…it was filled with water which she promptly tipped all over herself. I would have helped with the dry off but I was laughing to hard too stand upright..
Well hello again, thought I’d start the new year with an actual honest to goodness no frills proper blog post. Apparently Instagram is dead, Twitter has sh*t itself & blogs are coming back.* While I’m not sure this is quite the case (although the Instagram algorithms are enough to make a girl drink) I do miss the more detailed form of a blog post. I’m long winded that way…
So what’s been occurring here at Plum Towers ? Rain. Lotta rain. Almost Biblical rain. I may or may not be sending the cats for swimming lessons. But since the weather is rather a tedious topic of conversation (have I mentioned it’s wet?) lets talk sewing instead .
Elastic for the win…
First up is an Assembly Line Cuff Dress. Since I made this Easter off the Cuff top I’ve wanted to make the longer dress version. The key is to use the correct elastic for the cuff (soft) and a firmer elastic for the waistband. I also made sure the elastic sat at the correct spot on my waist. I have a short waist, so I raised the bodice approx. 5 cm, which looks way less frumpy than having it lower down. Despite my measurements putting me in the XL range I actually made a Large (nothing to do with me being a tit & buying the wrong size pattern of course…) I’m actually really happy with the fit, comfortable without being ridiculously oversized.
I have an audience!
The fabric is a soft yet slightly structured Japanese seersucker from Miss Maude, I love it and willfully made absolutely no attempt to pattern match the squares.
Always with the hemming…
My next project is a combo of sale finds and reusing fabric from a doomed make. It pains me to discuss but suffice to say if you spend ages hand sewing the neck & sleeve binding of an (expensive) linen top, don’t then machine embroider the front and back together. Also don’t compound the issue by attempting to unpick it. Instead have a nice comforting swear, pour a bucket of Chardonnay and put the offending item in the corner. A few months later pull out said item & cut it up!
Ok it was starting to rain at this point…
This is the College Gather Top by the Matchy Matchy Sewing Club. Terrible name, great pattern. I’d seen some lovely versions on Dead Insta, and thought it a perfect pattern to use fabric leftovers (which I always seem to have) . The combo here is linen from The Fabric Store in Maple, Sea Green and from the Top of Doom mentioned above, Antique Cream, which I’m not sure they do anymore.
Shake shake shake…
The pattern comes with a cute little drawing to use deciding which fabrics to place where (and individual cut out labels for each piece which is actually super helpful when dealing with different front and back pieces)
Who could resist?
As you can see from above I also added length to the pattern, as I found the front quite short. Fair cop to Millennials but this Gen X gals crop top days have well sailed.
Who doesn’t love a fresh new diary !
I did manage to spend a sunny (yes!) morning out on the deck planning my year. Well, drinking coffee & thinking about planning my year. Mostly just drinking coffee and reminding Mr D he needs to stain the outdoor furniture.
Sixth member of the Band, Organised Spice!
I like to spend at least one day of the Twilight Zone between Xmas & New Year organising my kitchen. Cleaning out the pantry, throwing out anything out of date, reorganising. It sounds terribly Rock n Roll (not!) , but I love heading into a new year with a tidy inspiring space. I can’t control much in life but hell yes I know where the Chai Masala is when I need it!
Xmas haul, yeow!
Speaking of inspiring, check out my Xmas book swag! We have a family tradition started by my English teacher sister of giving each other a book on Xmas Eve (some interesting info on the inspiration for this here ) But of course one is never enough, so I always have a book or five on my Xmas list also.
The Language of Food is right up my alley, history, food , recipes, ELIZA ACTON, what is not to love? Review to come.
I’m aiming to up my hand sewing skills this year , so Make Sew and Mend is the perfect choice to help with that.
I will admit I didn’t get into the Seven Sisters series, but Lucinda Riley’s first and only murder mystery, The Murder at Fleet House certainly has me intrigued. I’m a sucker for anything set in Norfolk, see also the wonderful Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffith.
Ottolenghi needs no introduction, this book is another corker, I’ve already cooked several recipes, and there will be more. Over the last six months or so we’ve slowly changed our eating habits to include a bit less meat and a bit more vege, having inspiring recipes really makes that easier. I just wish eating more beans and cauliflower were easier on the digestion, Wind from the South ain’t just for Mahjong kids…
Regula Ysewijn (aka Miss Foodwise) first came on my radar years ago when I was blogging about food, she takes wonderful photos and really enjoys talking all things food and history. Her book about British puddings , both sweet and savoury is a joy, I may well make every single one. Ok maybe not the kidney one but everything else…
Simple Fancy is the latest from The Two Raw Sisters, to be honest I think the name does them a slight disservice, this is a not a “raw” cookbook, but another lovely collection of delicious fresh recipes that are heavy on the plants. I have made loads from their earlier book Salad, so anticipate lots of lovely goodness from this one too.
A long way from a café in Paris but rather lovely just the same…
After all this talk of vege and salad virtuousness of course there must be cake. Or in this case sweet little madeleines. In the great Kitchen Clean of 2022 I went through all my baking drawers and rediscovered my darling madeleine tins. For a not very sweet tooth like me these are such a prefect delicate little treat. Brown butter and Sea Salt madeleines, perfect with a cup of tea in the afternoon or a dollop of cream and some berries after supper. Or contemplating life and memories in a Paris café obviously.
I hope wherever you are, 2023 is easing in with appropriate fabulousness. If not, I certainly hope things improve . Between work, personal stuff (for those of you approaching/in the trenches of Menopause I can’t recommend this book highly enough ) and just THE WORLD FFS I’ve found 2022 to be a bit of a slog at times, so here’s to an improved 2023. And lots more blog posts.
Kristina xxx
PS. Given I have four sisters and many misdemeanours against all I REALLY hope none of them are writing a book in 2023… 🙂
* I actually do hope blogs make a comeback. Long winded is good . Unless you’re a Prince maybe?
Ok, I was going to start with a hearty Happy New Year, but honestly, how about We Made It, Go Us instead? Crawling into 2021, doom scrolling Twitter, and wondering, between the shocking events unfolding in the US and the terrible Covid situation what the heck is next. If this were a Gerard Butler film I’d be yelling at the TV “no, its too much, so unbelievable”!
Retreating to my sewing room, I spent an inordinate amount of time rearranging fabric (almost like a completely separate hobby from actual sewing, and so relaxing ), finding a lovely piece of Spotlight rayon left over from a previous project. I had just on one meter, enough for another Muna & Broad Nullarbor camisole, I think my fourth now?
I love the colour combination on this fabric, and realized it would work really well with this linen I also found in my stash. I clearly had something in mind when I brought over FOUR meters of it…but have no idea what. I know, ridiculous…and gosh I hope it was on sale. Anyway it turns out it is perfect for the Peppermint Pocket Skirt , a collaboration between Peppermint Magazine & Paper Theory pattern.
While I love the shape of the skirt, I wont lie, I was a tiny bit concerned about pockets you could fit a small child in. But given the way the year is shaping up we could get hit by a zombie invasion next week, so it seemed like a good time to try something new! This is a really quick & easy sew, the pocket construction is clever, I was quite intrigued to see how it looked on.
Hmmmm.
I tried it on for Mr PK, his face was a picture. “those are some big pockets…they sort of sit on a wide bit” *makes hand motions indicating the not ungenerous width of his loving wife’s hips* Then in a moment of clarity regarding just how terrible his 2021 was about to get, he followed up with the immortal “if you like it, that’s what counts”. Indeed.
I think in a softer fabric the pocket would have a softer drape but in the heavyweight linen the effect is a bit exaggerated for me. Because of the way the skirt is constructed taking the pocket off wasn’t really an option, but a wee pleat? Now were talking.
I ended up doing an inverted pleat, then embellished with a simple embroidery cross in green thread as a wee detail. I think the effect is charming, and I’m aerodynamically safe to go out in strong winds. The skirt as per the pattern is very long, I took a good 7″/15 cm off , I would probably leave the hem a little longer next time.
I had actually intended the skirt to be a new years day lunch outfit with this top, a new pattern from The Fabric Store
Sparkle sparkle…
I love that neckline! It’s a quick make, I made the 3/4 sleeve but took about 2″/5 cm off to make it more elbow length. I like the fit, not to tight, but not baggy. The cotton is from Spotlight, it it probably slightly thick for this time of year but I couldn’t resist that print.
Apparently I can only look one way in a photo…
The elastic waistband is comfortable, I would not wear it sitting as high as the pattern pics, I’ve tried but it feels very odd to me!
Hysterical 2021 style laugh…
So how about a few other fun distractions to stop, or at least reduce, daytime drinking?
On Netflix, the brilliant Bridgerton, this is so much fun! Romance, gorgeous costumes, wit, charm, did I mention gorgeous costumes? You can read all about them here.
I went to the cinema last week with a pal & saw The Dry, so good! I really enjoyed the book, the movie adaptation is very true to the novel. Eric Bana is brilliant in the lead and lets be honest, brilliantly attractive also!
Speaking of daytime drinking, water definitely tastes better off a hydrangea leaf…
Why use the three water bowls you already have…
I hope where ever you are you’re safe and able to squeeze some joy out of the coming year, we deserve it!
So when life gives you lemons, the accepted wisdom is to whip up a batch of lemonade yes? (or in my case, slice one & add to a G&T). Here in Auckland life is giving us day after day of blue sky, heat & humidity. While it’s churlish to complain (you can totally throw this back at me when I’m moaning about the cold and rain in July) , over 40 days without rain is a national record. I draw the line at watering grass , but I have been out watering our new garden, those plants costs a fortune, it would be to awful to watch them all die. Lets see if I’m still thinking that when the next water bill comes in shall we…
Anyway, the coolest room in our house is my sewing room, so guess where I’ve been holed up?
Behold, a couple of new tops. I was so pleased with my first Torrens Box Top that I decided to make a couple more, adding a contrast sleeve detail, inspired by this RTW top of my sisters.
I cut out same size as my previous Torrens top, just changing out the fabric for the sleeve piece, cutting on the selvage as per the pattern.
The fabric is gorgeous linen from The Fabric Store, I think the colour is Brick? It’s a lovely rich red with a brown base. The sleeve detail is a mystery vintage fabric I got from my sister’s deep, or in her case, endless, stash. I love the colour and print, but it feels very poly, (I wouldn’t stand anywhere near a naked flame!) Not something I would wear as a full garment, especially in the heat, but perfect for adding an accent. The linen was giving a slightly more structured feel than my previous rayon version, so the floppy sleeve is a nice contrast.
Because it was so slippery, not the most fun to attach, thankfully the linen at least was nice & stable. And wine.
It was basically a race to see who would win, me attaching the sleeve, or the sleeve fraying into nothingness. I won, yessss! The method of sleeve attachment is pretty different, but having done it a couple of time, I can see how well it works. I’m not a speedy sewist but even I can make one of these tops in an afternoon.
This was the beginning, you can imagine what the fray was like at the end…
The neckline facing has a couple of small ripples, I’ve run out of my favorite interfacing and the shop that stocked it has closed, boo. So I’m using a very much inferior version that does not stay ironed onto the fabric (despite having the iron at just under nuclear). To be honest, while it’s annoying, I’m not going to lose sleep, hopefully your looking at the sleeves instead?
Photobomb central…
My other version is in a sunny Tangerine crepe from Miss Maude, sadly this colour has sold out, but there are several others I have my eye on (the Ochre for Autumn is calling to me). The softness of the fabric gives a different silhouette to this one, so for the contrast sleeve I used a rayon from Spotlight . I made a second Springfield top from this fabric, it’s heavier than the standard rayon, with a lovely sheen, I couldn’t bear to throw my scraps out. The weight of the sleeve was a nice contrast to the drape of the crepe.
Two tops, one I can’t wait to wear to work, one that is perfect for the weekend, result! Such a good pattern , I’m already thinking a contrast hem band would be really cute too.
Winning at life & sleeves…
I’m not sure Tuppence fully approves however…
Little Miss Judgey
So what else has been occurring at Plum Towers?
When not in my sewing room I’ve been sitting under the air con glued to The Stranger on Netflix. Have you seen it? If not please immediately move away from this blog & watch, its FAB! And Richard Armitage…need I say more?
Also enjoying the air con at the cinema watching Emma, what a delight. The costumes are glorious, and Johnny Flynns Mr Knightly is a hero we all need. I had thought Toby Stephens’ Mr Rochester was my favorite Austin bloke but I think his crown has been challenged…
I’ve just finished The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley, great read, a modern Agatha Christie locked room mystery, she has a new book coming out on my birthday, guess what will be on my gift list
So it seems even when I’m not sewing I spend a lot of time sitting around on my backside?!
Hopefully where ever you are the weather is amenable, if not, treat it as a perfect excuse to get into your sewing space. I can recommend it , especially with a G&T 🙂
My Father had the slightly unusual habit of naming some of his clothes. Especially if they came from far flung destinations. The purple shirt I sent back from the UK was forever his “Chelsea shirt” (I’m not actually sure where I brought it but he knew the footie team!) . The green number my sister picked up when she worked in Aussie was of course his “Sydney”, occasionally paired with the tartan cheese-cutter (NZ speak for a flat cap) sent all the way from Scotland . He may well have been drinking some of the same. Anyway, in the spirit of my dear Dad & his wonderful eccentricities I give you my Nantucket dress.
Now despite having no actual connection to Nantucket , I think its a perfectly appropriate name. But first the details . If you are a regular reader (thanks!) , you will recognize this as the marvelous Merchant & Mills Dress shirt, which I have made several times before, here in paprika linen and here in navy blue linen. Can we see a theme?
Linen. My most favorite fabric. I know for a lot of people the wrinkles are a problem, but I love it in all it’s forms. Crisp Irish linen, lovely soft laundered linen, creases & all. The simplicity of a white linen shirt . Ok I don’t actually wear white linen shirts (except when I’m in an Italian restaurant about to eat some drippy & loaded with tomato, when it’s weirdly inevitable) but I love the look.
So when I saw this glorious soft striped linen at Marthas I knew immediately it would be perfect for a summer garment. It wasn’t cheap, but because its curtain fabric, it is 2.7m wide. Yes, unlike this garment, where I was accused of cutting up the curtains, in this case I really AM wearing the curtains. I’m fine with that thanks.
I had originally intended to make the Caroline PJ’s, but rather than looking like an extra from Prison Break (“pass me the mint sauce kids, I’m on the lam!”) I figured a gorgeous shirt dress would be prefect.
Me wishing I was on hols right now…
So why Nantucket? Mr PK & I spent a blissful few weeks in the USA a couple of years ago driving from Providence , Rhode Island to Boston, with stops in Newport & Hyannis along the way. We’d celebrated a friends 40th birthday in New York, then my sister traveled with us to Washington for a fabulous few days visiting museums, eating & drinking. She left us at Dulles, (after realizing she was actually flying out of Ronald Reagan airport , whoops) & we flew to Rhode Island. Like many I’ve always been fascinated by the Kennedy’s, Jackie O and the whole Camelot story. Hyannis was a must stop. I’d heard about Nantucket, it sounded a bit like visiting Waiheke Island here in Auckland, good food & wine, nice scenery , so we rocked up for the 10 am ferry on a gorgeous September Sunday.
I like ferry’s. I’m not a sailor, I like my boats BIG, preferably so big I don’t really realize I’m on the water but ferry’s are usually not going too far, not going too fast, and they often have a cafe/bar. Nice. So very soon after the ferry left the dock & I saw an orderly queue forming I figured that must be the cafe, we could enjoy a coffee* & watch the sights. I was a tad slow, there were already 10-12 people ahead of me. I didn’t notice immediately but after about the fifth person ordered a Bloody Mary, I began to wonder. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m no judgy judgy type when it comes to booze, I like my tipple (or ten) as much as the next girl. It just wouldn’t have ever occurred to me to order a cocktail on a 10 am ferry anywhere. Naturally my FOMO* kicked in, when I got to the front of the queue of course I forgot the coffee and ordered a Bloody Mary.
Well! How often in the average bar to you get asked what vodka you’d like in your cocktail? Because you do on fancy pants ferry’s down Nantucket way. Each cocktail was made from scratch, customized & delivered to your hot little hand pronto. I was MOST impressed. Of course when I got back to our seat Mr PK was most perplexed. Not just because there was no coffee forthcoming, but also because I don’t actually like Bloody Marys. But if I did, I’d get on that damn ferry every weekend!
I know, those stripes…I tried ok!
Nantucket was glorious. In fact if someone had popped out from behind a hydrangea & yelled “cut” I would not have been surprised , it does feel almost like a movie set. The church was setting up for a wedding, flowers everywhere , but we were allowed to go in & wander around. The organist was finishing his practice & stopped to say hello, as soon as he heard our accent he asked if we were from New Zealand. He had traveled there as a student & had a lovely time. I brought the church fundraising cookbook (I LOVE them, and pick them up wherever we go, such interesting social history as much as anything) . Now I won’t lie, it sure isn’t diversity central, and to be honest I’m not sure I’d actually want to live there (as I’ve said about many wonderful spots we visited), but for a fun day looking at houses & a Ralph Lauren fantasy lifestyle I would never afford it was fascinating.
So in her honor, my lovely frock is the Nantucket, to be worn while riding a bike past ridiculously lovely houses (we did hire bikes & rode around the Island, wow!) , down to the water & to sip wine & eat seafood , oh yes.
Me riding around Nantucket!
I made the same adjustments to this one as my paprika version, I was worried the extra length could get me into night dress territory but I think it’s ok. Instead of a front pleat I gathered the fabric, I wasn’t sure how the stripe matching would work on the front bib with a pleat. As we can see it didn’t work anyway, stripe matching ISN’T my forte and lets just move along shall we? I thought it would bother me more, but the casual style of the fabric & the dress means I don’t think its a huge problem. If it is making your eye twitch just looking I apologize profusely.
Tommy on his fav spot on the pizza oven…
I’m really looking forward to swanning around in my dress this summer, in my head I’m visiting a cute farmers market before picking up a bottle of something delicious & wandering home to throw together a simple yet exquisite lunch, which we eat in the garden over witty yet relevant conversation.
In reality I’ll be trawling the aisle at my local New World & sitting in a humid heap on my deck eating yet more bloody ham with a not very worthy book (and a glass of Rose) but hey, we can dream yes?
Have a marvelous week, and remember, if you cant be bothered ironing don’t. Own those creases!
Kristina x
P.S If you love linen as much as me & you have little people to buy for do check out this GLORIOUS site, Heidi has exquisite taste, and uses the most delicious fabrics, makes me wish I were a child !
* I don’t want to cause a diplomatic incident, and I think things have improved dramatically but I drank some pretty terrible coffee in America. Like, really bad, and I’m not even that picky?
I’m a child of the 80’s. Perched on the couch in my Pick-a-berry tee shirt and toweling shorts (I remember a lot of toweling clothing in the 80’s?), watching The Dukes of Hazzard and Magnum P.I (Tom Selleck is still one of the most aesthetically pleasing men to ever don a pair of high waisted jeans ). I was so excited watching Dynasty when Blake & Krystle Carrington named their daughter Kristina , spelt correctly! Smurfs and Scooby Doo were Saturday morning cartoon high points. It was the glorious hey day of the Mini series , Saturday night watching Lace , wholly inappropriate for an 11 year old but hey, in a big family if you stayed very quiet Mum would forget she hadn’t ordered you to bed. Who didn’t love Against the Wind and The Man from Snowy River, ? What a time to be alive! *
So when Sew Me Something released their new pattern, the Hippolyta, I had a few nostalgia flashbacks, won’t lie. Batwing sleeves!! Whose Mum didn’t have a batwing sleeve sweatshirt, preferably very bright with some kind of loud floral print on the front? Actually I remember Mum making my sister a pale blue batwing dress with a mesh overlay for work. Yeow!
While I really like the details on this one I wasn’t sure how it be look made up, would I be swamped in fabric & ready to bust out some Culture Club at a moments notice?? Which thinking about it wouldn’t be a bad thing really. Resisting the urge to whip out the toweling, I instead forged ahead with a lovely light linen from Drapers Fabrics and I’m so glad I did, this dress is ace!
Yes alright, but how could I resist ?
It’s hard to tell on such busy fabric, but there are interesting seam lines & pockets on the front and back. I actually cut this out several weeks ago, but sadly halfway through top stitching the yoke my machine went on the fritz , gahhh!
I got her back yesterday (although there is still getting knotted bobbin thread so back to the shop this week, boo!) and managed to finish my dress. Okay the hem is wonder webbed, please don’t judge, I will stitch it when I have my machine back to full health, promise.
Checking out a not tight sleeve…or another weed?
I cut a straight size 20, I could probably go down a size but the whole point of this style is the loose fit. I really like how the hem tapers in , which stops it veering into sack territory. This is a great pattern for a beginner, the sleeves are not set in, and there are clear instructions for how to make the collar, so you end up with a garment that looks a lot more complicated than it actually is, win!
So roomy!
As expected with a bat wing, there is plenty of room through the bicep , and the cuff is a really nice touch.
As usual with her patterns, Jules adds really nice details , I love this loop on the back yoke.
I’m a rebel & I’ll never be any good
Now I will admit I did cheat a little here. The placket has three buttons, but to be honest I will NEVER button a shirt right up, I have a generous bust which looks much more proportional with some decolletage on show, buttoned up I ain’t baby! I was already getting bad vibes from my machine & thought buttonholes would push it over the edge so I simply added the single button for interest. Just don’t tell Jules ‘kay?
Plenty of room through the back and no annoying butt cling, yay!
Walking somewhere with purpose…? (the fridge probably!)
I really like this pattern, perfect in linen for over jeans or leggings, and I’m already thinking something even more drapey like silk or rayon would be fab with sandals for work. Or if I need to break out some Mel & Kim moves…
It turns out I’m not the only one hanging in the garden, Tommy is admiring the new plinth, I think he suspects it would be a much better posing plinth for him than a silly place to put a sun dial…
Stupid sundial…
Off to make dinner now, have a lovely week & remember, keep cool ’til after school kids!
Kristina (correctly spelt) xxx
*It’s hard now in the age of TV on demand, streaming services, & the ability to watch TV almost anywhere to remember what it was like to have TWO channels, which stopped screening around midnight. My aunts & uncles were early adopters of VHS (complete with a corded remote control), but even that had its limits. I remember one particularly fiery exchange of views when a crucial episode of Coronation Street had been taped over…
What’s in a name? I read recently that Margaret Mitchel’s original choice of name for the flawed and rather magnificent Scarlett O’Hara was…Pansy. I kid you not. A very pretty name, but can you think of any character less “Pansy” than Scarlett? Would we buy into the myth of the travelling loner Jack Reacher if our 6 ‘5″ 205 lb hero introduced himself as Gerald Ramsbottom? Closer to home what was my father thinking when he decided Kristina , ensuring for the rest of her life most anything with his daughters name written by hand would begin with a “Ch” clumsily changed into a K . He then played a blinder and gave me the second name Catherine…not with a K (cue more correcting!).
I came across the Deer & Doe Nenuphar jacket when a friend of mine sent me the link to a pattern she was keen to make, the Mysostis dress. It looked super cute , but the name?? Who names a dress after a skin condition? Ok, it ISNT a skin condition…but it does bring one to mind yes? When I actually looked it up the name relates to a branch of plants including Forget Me Nots. ( but we’ve still renamed it the Psoriasis dress…) The Nenuphar is a water lily, so in honour of the finest I’ve ever seen let me introduce you to my Monet jacket.
Pockets!
Its a simple unlined jacket with no fastenings, a cute back gather detail & two sleeve variations. Oh and pockets. I knew I had some soft laundered linen in my stash from my fav store Miss Maude that would be perfect, this colour is Oxblood from Merchant & Mills.
MEASUREMENTS
Size
34
36
38
40
42
44
46
48*
50*
52*
Bust (inches)
31½
33
34½
36¼
37¾
39½
41
42½
44⅛
45⅝
Waist (inches)
23½
25¼
26¾
28½
30
31½
33
34⅝
36¼
37¾
Hip (inches)
33¾
35½
37
38½
40¼
41¾
43¼
44⅞
46½
48
Finished garment
34
36
38
40
42
44
46
48*
50*
52*
Bust (inches)
38⅝
40⅛
41¾
43¼
44⅞
46½
48
49⅝
51⅛
52¾
Hip (inches)
47¼
48⅞
50⅜
52
53½
55⅛
56¾
58¼
59⅞
61⅜
Length A (inches)
23⅛
23⅜
23⅝
23⅞
24⅛
24⅜
24⅝
24¾
25
25¼
Length B (inches)
24¾
25
25¼
25⅜
25⅝
25⅞
26⅛
26⅜
26⅝
26⅞
I cut a size 52, I’m an inch or two outside the size range but as you can see there is plenty of ease. The PDF came together really easily, I made Version A, which is shorter & does not have the sleeve frill. I actually cut 3 inches/6 cm off the sleeve as I felt they were too “flappy” alongside the loose fit of the jacket. I’m very happy to report no full bicep adjustment required!
Picture number 467…I’m having fun, can you tell?
I particularly like the back gather detail, it makes the jacket feel a bit more special. I’ve also seen a fab version online with the gathering replaced by an inverted pleat, you know I love those.
I love this back gather detail!
Did I mention pockets?
I’ve not made Deer & Doe patterns before, the instructions were great, really clear, and everything came together easily , not something I often say when making a jacket, however simple! I certainly made life easier using a stable linen, but I do think a rayon or double gauze version for Summer would be lovely.
There is something about a soft crumpled linen jacket, I feel like I should make one in navy linen, after my most fav gardener, Monty Don.
I showed my Mum and she was most impressed (that isn’t easy, trust me!) We visited the garden center today. Since November last year we have been working on the outside of our little house, replacing the fence, adding approx 2000 sq meters of decking & landscaping. When I say “we” I mean people who actually know what they are doing. Which isn’t Glenn & I. I know that makes us sound like insufferable wankers, but honestly, paying the coin if you can and letting people who know what they are doing, do, is a great way to get a decent result. And stay married.
I was most pleased with our landscape designer, and am waiting with anticipation for Spring to really kick in & everything to come to life. Not so my darling Mum, who certainly does know a thing or two about gardening. I’ve been told multiple time I “need a bit more colour”. Given my instruction to lovely Melissa our designer was “I like white & green…and may a bit of cream but don’t go silly” you can anticipate why my garden isn’t exactly technicolor . This is my mother’s. She is now in a retirement village but our house growing up was on a 1/4 acre with the most FAB garden, all done on the smell of an oily garden glove. She is the real deal.
You can see where I get my love of mustard clothing…
So you can imagine the discussions that took place at the garden center today, when we went to have lunch & pick up a “couple of Lavenders” (me attempting to add a splash of colour…)
As am I in a fabric shop, is my Mother in a garden center. Isn’t it great to have a passion!
Have a fab week (in the garden, the sewing room or all points in between)
Plum Kitchen 