Handmade Holiday

I've just returned from a short but intense week-long holiday to Belgium and France, during which I set myself a challenge to wear at least one handmade or refashioned item everyday. 

Day 1 - London to Brussels (by Eurostar, so glamourous)

Sunglasses - op-shop

Faux leather jacket - Primark

Vintage silk scarf - Wimbledon car boot

Refashioned grey dress - op-shop (originally handmade by someone else too!)

Vintage canvas bag - op-shop

Vintage Coca Cola duffel bag - op-shop

Tights - 60 denier Pretty Polly black tights from Sainsburys

Shoes - Black school plimsolls from Bata, Singapore

Day 2 - Brussels to Bruges (taken at the Atomium)

Sunglasses - op-shop

Red silk blouse - op-shop

Rust brown corduroy shorts - Handmade (finished the day before I left, and yet to be blogged, but pretty much the same pattern as these shorts, except with slanted pockets)

Canvas bag - op-shop

Day 3 - Bruges (excuse the fluffy post-wash no hairdryer/comb hair)

Sunglasses - op-shop (same again...)

Refashioned gingham dress - op-shop (also finished just before I left so as yet unblogged)

Pasty white legs and bruised knees - all mine, baby, all mine. They have seen no sun for about 5 years. Nice

Canvas bag - op-shop (it converts into a backpack too!)

Black trainers - 10 euro purchase from a random shop in Brussels because my plimsolls were hurting me. 

Day 4 - Bruges to Lille (sweating it out in front of the Frietmuseum, which we did not visit)

Sunglasses - op-shop

Blue cotton shirt - stall in Bangkok night market

Yellow shorts - handmade

Canvas bag - op-shop

Day 5 - Lille (much cooler weather so the legs went back into hiding)

Sunglasses - just kidding, didn't bring them along today!

Faux leather jacket - Primark 

Blue cotton shirt - Bangkok night market stall

Green rayon blouse - handmade 

Rust-brown corduroy shorts - handmade and as yet unblogged

Black tights - Sainsbury's Pretty Polly

Pink socks - Bangkok night market 2nd hand stall

Black trainers - 10 euro purchase from a random shop in Brussels (these were my first purchase in Belgium)

Day 6 - Lille to Calais (with special guest star Peter Falk aka Columbo)

Sunglasses - same old, same old

Faux leather jacket - Primark

Red gingham dress - Refashioned vintage dress, found in op-shop

Canvas bag - op-shop

Red belt - vintage, MVE

Black tights - Sainsburys

Shoes - random shop in Brussels

Day 7 - Calais then back to Blighty

Sunglasses - same as above

Blue cotton shirt - 2nd hand stall at Bangkok night market

Red silk blouse - op-shop

Yellow cotton shorts - handmade

Black tights - Sainsburys

Pink socks - Bangkok night market stall

Black trainers - random Brussels shoe shop

Whew! A whole week of mostly handmade, remade, vintage and secondhand! I try to pack as lightly as possible for trips, hence the constant repetition of several pieces, but I'm happy to report that my handmade items held up brilliantly throughout a very active week. 

More photos of the trip to come soon...

Underworld

Jellyfish at Underwater World, Sentosa, Singapore. January 2012. 

Young Bill

Aren't these photos just excellent? I love how forced the boys' smiles are - almost like the photographer threathened to take away their ice creams if they didn't smile for the camera.

This photo makes me a little uncomfortable though. The 'snow' looks so obviously fake, and the way it falls reminds me of dandruff. Great big balls of dandruff. No wonder he looks so uncomfortable.

But I'm a brave little girl, so I gritted my teeth and made myself a balaclava using that very pattern as a base. It's actually not so much a balaclava, more of a hood. The thing wouldn't come in very useful should I decide to rob some banks or a jewellery store.

Since I can never leave well enough alone, I ended up modding the pattern. Instead of seaming up the neckband, I decided to add a button tab by adding 10 extra stitches which were bound off before I started on the hood section. Because I LURVE buttons.

The button tab also makes it a lot easier to get the thing on and off your head without messing up your make-up.

The other modification I made to the pattern was to do the hood section in a lacy wave stitch instead of the recommended stockinette stitch. I found knitting straight stockinette terribly yawn-inducing, and since I'm going through a major lace phase right now, I'm taking this opportunity to lace up as much as I can get my filthy mitts on.

It's not quite winter now, but I'm thinking this be great to wear while cycling during the colder months. And it's such an easy pattern that I'm already itching to knit up several more - in different colourways and lace designs - in preparation for when the cold hits.. I'd also like to make the button tab a little longer. More buttons, more fun!

Monogamy

Confession time.

I've been unfaithful.

I've tried so hard to stay true to this relationship, to commit to my one and only. But maybe what they say is true, and that familiarity really does breed contempt. But you're so lovely, though, and it's not like I don't ever want to see you ever again. I just need a break, something new and exciting. Just for now. It's my fault for straying, and now there's not just one, but two others. Who knows what'll happen in the future? I may return to you, if you'll have me back...

Anyone else have this problem? You're working on something, and you promise yourself that you'll finish it this time - no interruptions, no getting bored and shoving it in a corner, no two or three other projects all competing for attention.

Then, halfway through (more or less), you pick up a different skein of yarn, or a yard of exciting new fabric, and you just have to start working with it. RIGHT. NOW.

So you drop the other project, and start fooling around with your new fling...

Then along comes another fancy-pants project that catches your eye, and suddenly, you've got two other little bits on the side that demand your time and attention.

So yes, I do have three items on the needles right now. With a fourth one that I just finished blocking. All these in the last three days. And my fingers are already itching to start making a new apron. What a slut! I should be ashamed.

Halloween

Good ole Craftcult. When I noticed that my reversible cape had seen a sudden increase in views, I wondered why, and promptly headed over to Craftcult to find out. Turns out it's been included in Etsy's Halloween gift guide. Woo!

There's the most awesomest My Little Pony tunic on the same page that I desperately want, except my birthday is long over and Christmas is still months away. I'll have to hatch an evil plan to convince someone to buy it for me. Anyone?

Something Blue

Playing around with Poladroid when I really should be writing and sewing.

If you're in Manchester this Saturday, come over to the Antifreeze show at the carpark of the CHIPS building and say 'hi' to me!