Baking and making

I've missed not being able to bake the past few weeks, but have made up for it by reading lots and lots of blogs and books on the subject.  A strange consequence of this is that I feel as though I'm a bit 'baked-out' - how is that possible?  But jam making is happening - blackcurrant, and my all time favourite - gooseberry and elderflower.  It's real alchemy adding some elderflower cordial to the gooseberries; takes the taste into the superb as opposed to just great! Overnight the redcurrants have been filtering through a couple of sieves ready to be made into redcurrant jelly. Yum.

 
(Sorry - no pictures of jam.  It's a bit dismal here today!)

The making in the title refers to sewing rather than jam though.  One of the things I wanted to try was making some pinafore style dresses.  Of course I sat for hours in the sewing room making up designs, drawing them onto paper, adjusting them, checking the sizes for everything from length to armholes etc, etc.  When I thought about it, I realised that I was trying to do something that others spend many years at college trying to master.  Pattern making is not straight forward - especially if you're looking for a good end fit.  In other words, why was I trying to re-invent the wheel!?  Honestly, sometimes I think I'm a little bit crackers.  So, I had a good look around at what was already available, and would be suitable for using as a template for my own design, and found this and a good source of them here.  Once I was visiting such a lovely shop, I had a little look round some fabrics too and was smitten with this:

Very sweet and will make a great little pinafore to go into Hayley's shop in August. Melly and me also have a blog - here and is worth a look see.

P x

 

Comments

[greenrabbitdesigns]

Mmmm your jams do sound delicious Pam!
My daughter did pattern cutting at uni (she did a fashion degree), it's quite technical isn't it! I'm sure your pinafores will be lovely, looking forward to seeing them. :)
Happy Sunday, hope yours isn't as wet as ours!
Vivienne x

[Pam]

Its very technical Vivienne, and I admire anyone who has mastered it! It has rained pretty much all weekend long, but right now the sun has come out and it actually feels warm again. Hope its the start of a better week for us all.
P xx
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

[P.K.]

It must be wonderful to make jam. I had a go at it and it was quite a disaster. Maybe one day I'll try again. I like the fabric pattern and colour. Cheers.

[Pam]

Believe me I have my fair share of disasters with jam making! Either its too runny or its too caramelised (burnt). But when its just right, its perfect. Yum.

P x