winter whites

After all the fun on Wednesday, when much rolling around in the snow happened in between the odd snowball fight, the children got to school on time yesterday. They were thrilled - I think the thought of yet more snowman making - this time en masse - was almost too much to cope with!

It isn't quite so much fun building snow people on your own, I decided, and besides, I was longing for some "me" time right here, in the warmth. The heating in the house has been on constantly since our return from Dorset on Monday but parts of it, particularly downstairs, are still ice-box cold. Apologies for the carbon footprint but quite honestly, and I dare say you'll agree, now is not the time for any of that. Instead, I reached for my trustee old friend, the sewing machine, who despite coming away with me remained in a bag all Christmas long, poor thing. Now as it happens, and how fortunate is this, one of the warmer rooms in the house is my very own sewing room and that's just where I headed yesterday morning, only to re-emerge several hours later.

With all these wintery colours staring me in the face of late, I reached into the stash for this Japanese fabric bought early last year.

It's one of those lovely soft fine needlecords, absolutely perfect for making something from this fab fab fab book that landed on my doorstep only two days ago. But because there are plenty of tempting projects inside to make, what a difficult choice it was deciding on which to plump for first.

Would it be this Dapper Day Bag?

Maybe this Farmer's Market Bag?

Or even this cute childs' apron (such a clever idea to use a velcro fastener)?

What a dilemma. But actually, it is this one - called Blossom Blouse. There's a pattern for both big girls (such as me) and little girls and the moment I set eyes on it, I knew my search was over and because I'm a relatively new sewer, the little one was the perfect way to go.

The whole idea of the book is incorporating appliques into your work but I have a confession to make - I'm not too sure how I feel about that. I've never really got them and thought them at time a trifle twee - sorry. I'm sure I shall be converted one day, and who knows, perhaps this book will be the one to do it. But for now, I've just used the pattern. What do you think?

It has really pretty sleeves, only I made these longer ..

Other projects feature a ladybird bag and a squirrel similar to one I've used in my online shop (she puts hers on curtains, mine are on bags) so it must be a good book, teehee.

And now, our wheelie bin outside has frozen shut so, coat and scarf to the ready, here I go ...