Instead Of The Phone Dump

I really didn't have 15 photo's on my phone this week, to do a Friday Phone Dump (see last Friday), so instead I thought I would show you the things I picked up in the charity shop today. There are 6 charity shops on my way to and from nursery and I do pop in to them fairly regularly. I also moan quite a lot about the pricing in 4 of the 6 shops because I feel they are far too over priced. The Salvation Army shop seems to be the best for bargains and that's where today's purchases are from.

Striped tablecloth - £1.99
I know it is spoiling the look by plonking a big monitor on top of this, but the room is also a functional room and  this is what we do in here (download things, watch TV, and tucked underneath is a PS2 and a PS3).

Clock £1.99
Would you call this a starburst clock? I guess it is sort of. Anyway, it suits the room very well, and so far seems to keep good time.

Glasses / Egg Cups - £1 for the set
These London Monument glasses were so cute I couldnt leave them behind at £1. When I was very young, I was given a lemonade in a tall gold rimmed glass and cordial undiluted in a glass just like these, every New Year. It was the children equivalent of  'a pint and a nip'. I may have to reinstate it for Oscar next New Year.

And finally since I don't much like putting photo's of myself up, I will slip this in at the end, a vintage style 'Skating Hat' I knitted for myself in a couple of hours (I can see myself knitting up many colours of these for next winter).

If anyone wants the pattern, let me know and I will write it up.

Have a lovely weekend
Valerie

FRIDAY PHONE DUMP

Here are this weeks phone photo's. Have a lovely weekend.

Valerie
xxx

Simple

I have noticed a trend lately where people are always boasting about being too busy. I understand that life is busy these days, and especially so for parents who both work (outside or inside the home), but I wonder why it has turned into a competition? I see it on TV, on social media websites, in emails and even on the bus. It has turned into a major competitive sport, and sometimes I get the impression that people want you to be grateful they have even take 30 seconds out of their busy busy busy scheduled to nod to you in the street. Bothering me more is seeing children being literally dragged up the street to school/nursery, their mothers having a firm grip on their forearm and their little feet hardly touching the ground. I expect that says as much about the lack of flexibility with employers as it does about frazzled out parents? Anyway, I hope these busy busy people find time to relax a little and enjoy life, because it is inevitably the simple things which give us most pleasure.

Valerie
xxx

BEACH DAYS

4

 Photos On  FLICKR

sheer nightie tutorial

2 meters of chiffon = 2m long 36 inches (90cm) wide.
2 meters of satin ribbon
1.5 meters of white elastic 3/4 inch wide
Matching thread

First I zig-zag stitched up both raw edge widths, to stop any fraying.

Next  I folded back a 1 inch hem on one of the lengths. I am not that great at sewing so I tacked mine first, then machined it.

Make sure your elastic will fit inside this channel. You may want to turn it back twice, if your fabric is very sheer and you don't want to see the elastic through it (I wasn't too bothered about it).

Next I sewed the two widths together, without sewing over the hem for the elastic (or the elastic cant go in).

I then cut the elastic to size by trying it around me going across my chest around my back, including  under both arms. It has to be tight enough to keep the negligee up but elastic going around your body and under your arms (in the position that the top of a boob tube would sit in), should never been too tight.
Once the elastic is inside, sew the elastic ends together, and stitch up the open end of the elastic hem.

Next I attached two lengths of ribbon for straps. I put the negligee on and pinned where I thought the straps should be. I then took it off and evened the pins up (equal distance from the center on the front and the back), and then pinned the ribbon in place  on the inside, to act as straps.

Sewing the straps on will stop the chiffon from sliding around the elastic (too much), so make sure the chiffon is evenly distributed around the elastic before sewing the straps on (machine stitched is probably best).

I had some spare ribbon to make a little decorative bow at the front, which I quickly hand stitched in place.

Because the selvedge was used at the top and the hem edges, there was no need to hem it. If you wanted a shorter nightgown it would be easy enough to hem (and make the off cut into a scarf tied around the head in a pussy bow of course).
So there it is, all done. By no means perfect, but extremely easy, and extremely cheap.
I get my fabric from HERE it may not be the prettiest website, but the prices speak for themselves.

2 meters x 36' chiffon - in Med Blue - £4.98
2 meters x 0.5' Satin Ribbon - in Navy £0.78
1.5 meter x 3/4' white elastic - sold in meters - £1.00

Total = £6.76
Postage for this weight was £1.35, and only took 2 days to Scotland, bringing the total to £8.11, still coming in at well under £10.

snow days