Happy New Year!

I wish you all a Happy New Year, with Health, Love and Fun.

snowmen

Merry Christmas

I wish all my blog-friends a

Merry Christmas!

Animals

There is a new element in the Nativity...

No danger that someone steals my knitting...

Happy week to all!

weekend

It has been bitter cold here this week. The greatest part of France is under snow and ice. We had a few flakes on Friday, but it did not last. Instead, the Mistral wind has brought a bright blue sky, and very,very low temperature.
I went to Marseille to visit an outdoor designer market. I had my camera with me, but no, sorry, no pictures. I could not bring myself to take my gloves off. I felt so sorry for the sellers here, it was cold, and the items kept flying away...
I was glad to be back home, and not to have to go outside again. Instead, I did a little bit of sewing.
First I wanted to make a pyjama top. I had purchased some knit fabric and needed a pattern. I had also received a pattern fromVogue which I wanted to test. So the pyjama top would be my muslin as well. I just made it longer. I will had pants in a few days.
I like the unusual turtle neck. Easy to sew, but not everyone's :-) I'll make some more, well as soon as I find the time.

Pattern Description: 

Semi-fitted, pullover tops A, B, C have raw, unfinished edges, asymmetrical collar and long sleeves. Wrong side of fabric will show. A: contrast collar, one contrast sleeve and partial contrast hem band. C: top applied hem bands on sleeves and lower edges.
Pattern Sizing:
Y(XS-S-M), Z(L-XL), I made M. It fits perfectly without modifications.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes. I just made it longer.
Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes very easy, with useful preparation and sewing indications
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I like the unusual collar.
Fabric Used:
Light knit.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I made it longer. In fact, I was doing a muslin and a night gown at the same time... Otherwise the size is perfect and I'll probably use it as it for the "real" project
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I'll certainly make several more.
Conclusion: 

Easy to sew, yet original with the neck and the possiblities of contrast and hems.

I also made a sarouel for me:

This is a sarouel as proposed by Valérie of Le Parfum du Ciel. Do visit her blog, she is very talented.

Mail

Received from Solange (Les Passions de Solange).
Isn't it beautiful?
Thank you very much Solange!

Cats

They like to spend as much time as possible with me, whenever possible in front of me.

Osiris waiting for me at the PC

Choupette on my lap. She hurt that leg a couple of months ago. She is always glad to stretch it this way.

and waiting for me at the PC...

The last picture was not taken today. In fact it is rainy and not warm at all. Snuggling is THE option of the day :-)
From here I can watch the birds in the garden. They are glad to find the feeder, even the new one, the one with peanuts. They are discovering it and are not yet sure that they like it...

Burda World of Fashion November 2000 - pattern 122

This is what I made yesterday afternoon. Very quick to do. The vaccuum that follows the cutting is the longest part of the process!

The original pattern has a sport look. I just kept the shape of the top, not the spirit...

And don't worry, this is faux fur!

Pattern Description: 
Comfort vest, made in3-layers fabric (nylon, polar fleece and fleece)

Pattern Sizing:
34-42 - I did 40

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Not at all, because I used faux fur instead.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Did not follow them, in fact. I was interested in the shape only.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
Quick to sew, 5 seams+ Hems
Fabric Used:
Faux fur
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
No pocket, no apparent stitching
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes, it is perfect for a "snuggle top"
Conclusion: 
Quick project, the fabric makes it all!

Creche - continued live

Provence Creches has posted pictures of last Sunday, where people gathered to relive the Provence of the past.
You can see the "santons" in live. Beautiful clothes, and beautiful pictures.

Marseille by night

Thank your for your comments on the bag. It was a great pleasure to make it, and even more to see that you like it. Its recipient too liked it :-)

I've been busy last week, going out twice. Hence the lack of posts...

One of the night out was a bit amazing. We had the visit of one collegue, from far away. He wanted to see a bit of our country, but his timetable was such that we did not manage to reach Marseille before 9:00pm one evening. Of course, the evening started with dinner, so it was very late when we started our tour. Here are some pictures:

La Bonne Mère, the church that protects all the fishermen in Marseille, (and even all the non-fishermen);

A monument on the sea front, in honnor of all the soldiers from our colonies who died to protect France.The lights behind are those of the jail of Monte-Christo.

Across from the monument is the prettiest village of fishermen, right in the middle of the city, very amazing

Talking of far away, have a look at Amandine's blog, she's got nice photos, daylight photos...

Bag - tutorial by Laura and Linda Kemshall

I'm in XMas mood. the weekend was perfect for that: 3 days at home, the weather from not that bad to completely insane.

I had seen this tutorial in Quilting Arts Gifts Winter 2008, and had wanted to make it, just had to find the time.

So it started with a square sandwich (lining, batting, support fabric, pieces and bits of fabrics, covered with chiffon.

I wanted to quilt it "kantha-like", with a fine yellow conton perlé. Ouch, it is pretty, but my fingers were a bit sore at the end :-)

Once the quilting was finished, I grabbed my machine to do a bit of embroidery:

Then folded the square into a triangle, kind of

for the trim, I used a bias, adorned with buit-in stitches.

Garden tour continued

I know you liked the tour of last week. This rose tree has never had so many roses yet. The picture was taken last Satturday.

 

Wildlife is still thriving:

Have a nice week all!

A gagner - giveaway

Not from me, but from a few beautiful French blogs.

The first, about little cloth dolls:
Le premier sur des personnages textiles

http://potironetviolette.blogspot.com/

To celebrate the 20 000 the visitor, there is a kit to wing. Go there and click on the banner.(I translate the rules: you post the image of the banner on your blog, with a link to the blog, then leave a comment to say you did so.)

Pour fêter 20 000 visites, il y a un kit à gagner. Rendez leur vite visite.

Go and discover a complete world of small people, fairies etc...

Allez vite découvrir tout un monde de petits personnages, fées, etc...

The second one, about fancy jewellery: (just leave a comment. You can also post on your blog to forward the information)

Le deuxième, sur des bijoux:

http://grenouillelune.canalblog.com/

Creche - nativity scene

Since you requested that I display mine, here it is:

The buildings first:

yiu recognize the hen pen from previous post, and a traditional well.

This is a traditional home from Camargue.

Now you have a windmill and below a "borie", that is a shelter for the shepherd.

is a pigeon hen

Overview: this is 1.50 meter long (3 feet)

Now let's populate:

The fisherman and his wife, the gardian (cowboy from Arles and the Arlesienne (the lady from Arles) and the Tambourinaire (traditionnal drum player)

some farmers and old ladies chatting at the well

Of course, the Mayor and the Priest, and again old ladies bringing food

Gypsies: they too are linked to Arles, more precisely to Les Saintes Maries, a town on the sea where the three Maries are said to have landed. Gypsies held festival in Les Saintes Maries every year.

Overview:

The beautiful creches are made with building and santons of different sizes, to give an idea of perspective.

The Provencal Creche represents all the little people going to celebrate the Nativity. All activities are represented, and they revert to the 18th century. Now you can find more contemporary figures, like actors who have celebrated the Provence, but most of them are from the past. Traditional santons are made of red clay, during the winter months when the farmers had some spare time. (that's the way the lady with the olive tree works) You can buy them painted or bare. Mine Are 10 cm high (4"), those are tall ones for painted santons. You can also find all sorts of animal, food, etc...

I've just found this blog Provence Crèches I know most of you don't speak French, and even less Provencal (nor do I), but the pictures are worth the look.

Santons

XMas is soon here. So this is the Santons season again.

There is a market in my village on the third weekend of November. Maybe not the biggest Santons market (Marseille and Aubagne are larger), but it is nice because it is inside, with plenty of room, and the sellers are all friendly. I try to go each year, often buying a piece. Up to now, I have not bought any Santons (little saint), because my grand-father left me a large collection, and I have never found other Santons of the same quality. Mine have pretty faces, well painted, at least in my opinion.

Instead, I buy houses and accessories. This year, I found a nice hen pen.

I was going to leave with it, when a nice lady bragged she had the bestest olive trees of the room, yes, not the best but the bestest. I think she was right. She was also funny and nice. And I did not have trees yet, so I purchased one.

While she was packing the tree, I saw those stairs. I found they were cute and would be perfect for Monsieur le Maire.

Well, it would be time that I display my Santons for XMas, for real, I think I have enough houses to make a village. No more excuses. Maybe.

In fact, they are on display all year round, in a glass cupboard in my living room, but they deserve to have a real Santons "life". If they do, I'll take pictures, promised.

Garden tour

This is what was in my garden this weekend:
blooming yuccas

Blooming roses

and some wild life

Magazines sold out

Those magazines have found new homes already!

Hello to all!

I'm making room. So I have some magazines to sell.
Embroidery magazines, edited by the Embroiderer's Guild:

•  January/February 2007
• March/April 2007
• May/June 2007
• July/August 2007
• September/October 2007
• November/December 2007
• January/February 2008
• March/April 2008
• May/June 2008
• July/August 2008
• September/October 2008
• November/December 2008

FiberArts magazines:

• November/December 2006
• January/February 2007
• April/May 2007
• Summer 2007

They will be yours if you pay for the postage. One magazine to the US would be either 3 or 5,50 euros (economic or priority), to the Europe it would be 2,80 or 4 euros.

If you are interested, contact me by mail, I'll check and confirm the postage according to the number of magazines you want. Then you can pay through paypal and I'll send the magazines as soon as paypal has credited my account.

Australia bag

The galah Xstitch kit is a gift from an Australian friend. When it was done, I wanted to make something special with it. So here it is:
Plan bag, in organza, lace, embroidery and pearls.

En vente Aux Créations du Fil du Jardin

Provencal Knitting Bag

I had those lovely provencal fabrics in my stash, and a pattern by Bunny Hill Designs.

Here is the result:

A weekend in and near Paris

I've spent the past weekend in Paris, visiting my daughter and my sister and brother in law:

Note the boots! I guess there is something running in the family...

While in Paris, Emilie and I went to the Madeleine Vionnet exhibition. Unfortunately photos were not allowed... Apparently, Madeleine Vionnet made day dresses, because she had to, but her creativity went into the evening dresses. Creativity and techniques. They are gorgeous! And many of them would be a hit right now. I really loved the exhibition.

After that, I dragged Emilie to see the lights in Galeries Lafayette, THE shop in Paris. I love XMas lights:

and we ended the day by watching the Eiffel Tower show. I tried to make a video but you'll have a better idea here.

Bag

I've just read your comments on my boots, and I have a big smile on my face, you are all so supportive! :-)

I'm getting used to them, and walk confidently with them now. I'll try to have a picture this weekend, promised.

In the meantime, you remember my new coat? It deserved a bag, doesn'it?
On the other hand, I've spent all my money on the red boots, and still had not find THE bag I wanted.

The obvious anwer was "Go and create yours from your stash"!

Here it is, made from the leftovers of the coat, and a little bit of black left from another project.

The bag insert does fit in it. :-)

Red shoes

I was running some errands last week, Useful errands, not shopping for the pure pleasure of shopping. Suddenly, I spotted those red boots in a shop window.

(I kept the cat and the birds on the picture, to prove you that the witch of the previous post is really me)

I kept saying to myself that they were too fancy, perfect for my daughters but not for a 50something lady (or witch), that I had nothing to wear with them, etc... But if you have read tales, you know you can't resist red shoes. So I went back to the shop the day after, and tried them. At least, the story would be over since I can't find a pair of boots that fits me. I can't imagine those would fit. Well, you know how red shoes behave. They did fit. So, what was I to do?????

Buy them, and stop by the fabrics shop on my way home to find some "sober" fabrics to go with those fancy boots :-)

Pattern Description:
At work or at home, this bright yellow basic will chase away those storm clouds! The A-line shape, small patch pockets on the front, a front hip yoke and faced waist lend this skirt Sixties appeal.
Pattern Sizing:
size 40
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes
Were the instructions easy to follow?
In fact, I did not follow the instructions from the magazine but from Deb Thompson  who provided an illustrated step by step
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I like the A shape
Fabric Used:
Gabardine
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I cut the back middle in two in order to sew the zipper there.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I think I would use it again
Conclusion:
I needed a skirt in a hurry, and I made this one in one (big) afternoon. So it was perfect.