Cornish Blue

A holiday to Cornwall, where, for once, it hardly rained at all!

Bexhill-on-Sea circa 1969

Wow, 1969 really is alive and kicking in Bexhill-on-Sea!

Our reason to go there was to visit the De La Warr Pavilion, a beautiful 1930s Modernist building by the sea, to see the fabulous Richard Wilson roof installation - the precariously balancing coach from The Italian Job.

We then went for a wander around the shops which were a real blast from the past.  You can get yourself a lovely new nightie at Elizabeth's, get your hair done by Marilyn, then on to Wells and Sons for sensible shoes.  There's even a launderette still doing a brisk trade. 

But the biggest throwback to the 60s that Wednesday had to be the fact that many of the shops were closed for the afternoon!

Oliver & S Lazy Days Skirt

After the success of the Ice Cream Dress, I went straight on to make a Lazy Days Skirt.  A really quick and very satisfying project. 

I used another piece of fabric bought in Japan, 30's Collection by Atsuko Matsuyama.  For the ribbon trim, I picked up on the turquoise blue.  I thought finding something to wear it with amongst my daughter's wardrobe was going to be tricky but luckily the green t-shirt seems just right. 

Best of all, my daughter loves this skirt and is constantly choosing it as her outfit for the day. 

Oliver & S Ice Cream Dress

I'm ashamed to say it has taken me more than a year to make this dress. It was on my To Do list for the Spring Kids Clothing Week Challenge back in 2011!

It lay around, all cut out, for quite some time.  I eventually started work on it but, as the most complicated bits - the neckline and pockets - are tackled straight off, I got a bit disheartened.  I felt they weren't done well enough and that the dress was going to look very obviously homemade. So it lay in pieces for a few months more.

Once I picked it up again, I sailed through and was kicking myself for having waited so long.  Of course, my little girl has been growing taller in all that time and the finished dress only just fits! It's fine with white leggings so she should get some wear out of it for a little longer.

I absolutely love it and, because the Oliver and S patterns are so well thought-out and explained, I like to think that the finished article, at least from a distance, isn't too obviously made by mum! 

The fabrics were bought during a visit to Japan.  I didn't have enough of the orange to make the top sleeve section so used it just for the lining.  During wear, the font v folds over a little and I like the way the orange fabric just peeps out, giving a bit more interest. 

I want to make another version, this time in View B, with four bands of plain fabric.  No doubt it will be various grades of pink if the small person has any involvement! Next time I'll try to get those points and curves to look rather more precise. 

Wisley's Flavoursome Fridays

 

 

Apples and tomatoes were laid out to sample at this week's Flavoursome Friday at Wisley.  

Unfortunately, as we have had far more rain than sunshine these past few weeks, this first crop of apples were low on sugar and very wince-making. Luckily my sunglasses hid my winking left eye!

London Olympics 2012 - Sailing at Weymouth

As we were spending a few days on the south coast, we decided to make a little side trip to Weymouth.  The sailing was taking place at Portland, just around the corner from Weymouth beach and so just out of sight but I'd read that TV screens were set up on the beach to follow the action.  

I'd imagined that the screens would be visible to the whole beach and that I could glance up from my ice-cream to check the latest whilst my little girl enjoyed the sand and sea.  

Instead, there was a ringed enclosure at one end of the beach, with portaloos, plastic matting walkways, lots of grey metal fencing and people corralled in and sitting in the sand.  It was grim, like an airport when all the planes have been delayed! Bit of a shame.  

The beach was much more fun!