How to cover a lamp shade in 30 minutes

Ignoring daft advice (37 weeks)

Before I get down to the business of what this post is about, I'd like to draw my readers attendion to the latest wisdom on what mothers-to-be should be aware of according to the peeps at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists last week. Just in case you need a laugh, that is.

How the RCOG suggests pregnant women can reduce exposure to chemicals

• use fresh rather than processed food
• reduce use of food and drinks in tins and plastic containers
• minimise use of moisturisers, cosmetics, shower gels and fragrances
• avoid buying new furniture, fabrics, non-stick frying pans and cars when pregnant or nursing
• avoid paint fumes
• avoid garden/household pesticides

Really? I think I have ticked most of those in the last week alone! Avoid buying new fabric???? Ha, ha, ha. Daft, I tell you. 

So, in response, here is a picture of me pausing during a painting session. 

But look - it is a nice wholesome banana I am holding (although a nice cold can of Diet Coke was next), so not all bad, eh? And upon reflection, I think I have probably minimised my use of moisturisers, cosmetics, shower gels and fragrances, but for reasons of laziness about my appearance whilst trying to crack on and get on and get jobs done around the new house than anything else.

As you can gather, I am rolling my eyes at all this, and struggle to see how this news story is helping anyone. I cannot even be bothered to break into a proper rant about it.

Moving on.

Got a spare half hour?

Here's how I covered my new lamp shades.

I found the cheapest ones I could. Admittedly, you could get something for less if you had the time and inclination to search a few charity shops - but I wanted two the same size.

Iron your fabric, wrap it round the lamp shade, and cut it out to a size that allows about 5 cm extra to the height and about the same for the diameter, paying attention to how/where you'd like the pattern to overlap.

I had this close to hand, so thought I'd give it a whirl. It worked a treat.

Slap it on!

Take your fabric, carefully press it onto the lamp shade. Make sure the edges are even at the bottom and top, and keep smoothing the fabric out as you go to avoid any wrinkles.

At the join, carefully fold the fabric under and slap on a bit of extra paste to make sure it stays put.

It looks patchy at first - fear not. It dries clear, and has well and truly stuck the fabric and shade together.

Ta-dah!

One satisfyingly easy project to make that allows you to enjoy the pleasure of some lovely fabric to look at on a daily basis.

And, in the case of my two lamp shades and metre and a half of fabric (with still enough for a couple of cushion covers if I'm careful), the cost was little over £30. Not bad.

The cat seems more settled into the new house now, and as bad as my middle girl for forcing her way into every picture she can.

They fit!

We've been in our new house for nearly a fortnight now. And the verdict? Oh I like it. I like it a lot. To the point that, if the old place had feelings, it could well be justified in being hurt at how quickly it has been forgotten.

Roman blinds, made with Sanderson Fitzroy in Apple

Best thing is the extra space. And having multiple toilets. The novelty of cleaning them has not worn off. Yet. Although the youngest member of the family does instantaneously adopt a laughable shoulders dropped and arms swinging low to the ground stance whilst whilst loudly bemoaning the fact she is "too tired!" to walk up/down a flight of stairs each time she realises one of her sisters is in the loo closest to where she happens to be at that point in time. 

Part of the reason for the quietness on the blog front is that I have wasted no time in getting started on some decorating, beginning with my bedroom. With the opportunity of an empty room (new furniture for it was being delivered a few days after moving in) and the motivation of wanting to see my beloved green blinds up, I threw myself into painting the walls white. 

Not that there is anything wrong with lilac. But, having had to wear lilac coloured blouses everyday for five years at school, along with a purple blazer on top, it would never be my colour of choice. Photos of me in this said uniform? Ha. No chance.

There have already been lots of lovely moments to have happened in the new house - family coming to help us settle in; friends and neighbours popping round to see us and say `hello' (not overlooking receiving some great presents and cards - almost worth moving just for that); the girls having fun playing with empty boxes and playing hide and seek; and, the moment I put up the blinds and realised they were a perfect fit. Hurrah. Hurrah. 

Oh how I love love love the blinds. 

Lesson from this is that it is worth buying the fabric you really love when it comes to something like a blind - especially if it is one that you are going to look at every time you sit in bed. Worth every penny, because I am so enjoying looking at something I consider to be so beautiful.

Although, not worth every penny to the extent I have felt the need to point out to my husband how much the fabric would have been had I paid full price for it (I got an end of roll bargain). 

There have been low points too. One day, I will tell you the story of the cat and this new king sized bed. The cat survived the saga - but only because she can run fast. Needless to say, our new neighbours have almost certainly heard me shout, and I am not proud of myself.

That lilac lamp shade is going to go. (In fact, there are two of them in the room, if anyone would like them.) I'll show you my new replacement shades next time, along with simple instructions on how to make your own. Actually, embarrassingly simple.

And, a final favourite green themed picture to end on. We have a little fig tree. Very exciting.

The Making of a Polka Dot Dress - Days 4 & 5

Here you can see the silk tent is almost finished. Well, the bodice and skirt are attached, at least, allowing me to hang it off my shoulders for the photo above. But the back is very much still a work in progress that leaves my rear completely exposed, he, he.

So far, not so bad. I am pretty pleased with the bodice as a whole, although, as you can see from the picture, the gathers at the front have managed to come undone and need securing. I think this should be fine to do once the lining of the bodice has been sewn to the skirt, as there will be less pressure on those gathering threads then.

Hopefully, once I finish the back with a zip, and fix the gathers around the bust, the whole thing will look less droopy, and the overall look less tent like and more gracefully blooming like Kate Middleton. I can but dream! Mum mentioned she had spotted pictures of her sporting polka dots with a jaunty hat for a wedding, so I am clearly onto a trend - albeit in an entirely accidental way.

I've got an evening babysitting round a friend's tonight. Fingers crossed for the combination of sleeping children and me having enough energy to sit and sew the last bits up and have a finished dress to show off by tomorrow.

I am not going hat shopping until this is done and I have a wearable dress. Wish me luck!

The Making of a Polka Dot Dress - Day 3

Progress on the frock today:

Cutting out thin strips of interfacing and applying them to the edges of the neck and arms on the lining; making darts on the front and back of the bodice lining; sewing it together (more French seams!); and, tacking together the bodice outer and lining, ready to be stitched later.

Thoughts on today's efforts:

I am taking the whole process slowly. This is not my usual quick fix finished in a couple of sittings type of project. I really hope the finished dress will be worth the effort. And, more importantly, that it will fit. Oh how I hope it fits!

And, post sewing tea and raspberry jam toast enjoyed, I'm off to collect the littlest girl. Bye for now!

The Making of a Polka Dot Dress - Day 2

Having frittered my child free time this morning with a cafe catch up with a friend (long live squandering of time in that way) followed by some spontaneous bargain grabbing in a sale (new bed linen, in case you're wondering), today's sewing has only just been done.

The pouring rain outside didn't help spur me off the sofa, but the rubbish on TV did (thanks, Embarrassing Bodies). Then followed a good ten minutes or so of procrastination. Cup of tea, check. Texts to friends, check. Faff about changing the needle on the machine, loading the bobbin, and responding to more texts from friends. 

Oh, I realise. I am a bit nervous of actually sewing with this extremely beautiful and oh so delicate silk.

I test the tension out on a scrap. I re-read the pattern instructions. Deep breath. Go on, go on... Don't Muck. It. Up. Final check of phone. Slurp of tea.

Progress so far?

Tonight I have made the darts in the back bodice pieces; gathered the front of the bodice; sewn the sides of the bodice to the front with (drum roll) French seams. Oh, la, la. Feeling on a roll, I stitched the bottom front of the dress to the back pieces, with more French seams, before packing up for the night. Hurrah!

What I thought about as I was sewing:

Don't muck it up. Don't muck it up. 

What was it Julia Roberts said in Pretty Woman. This silk is the fabric equivalent of whatever it was she was eating. 

Slowly, slowly does it. 

Stop moving! (Yes, I am talking to the silk...)

Double check those tacks are in the right place for the back darts. 

Pleasantly surprised at how well they turn out once pressed.

Okay, so the darts weren't a disaster. Next up, the front bodice gather.

Oh, this is going to be really obvious if I sew a lopsided bodice. Must sew in a straight line and get those gathers even.

Will this rain ever stop? It will probably rain like this on special occasion number one (a garden party), won't it?

And, worse still, the baby could arrive early and I could miss both special occasion number two and three. 

Is there any point in making this frock?!

Check of instructions again. Decide against zigzagging the edges on the seams. Didn't Mum advise me to use French seams for a better finish? Think so. Let's do it. May as well push the boat out and try a bit harder than usual. It is extremely beautiful and oh so delicate silk, after all. And, I am sure they did French seams on The Great British Sewing Bee. I shall pretend to be just like those clever sewing peeps.

Wow. One successful French seam done. No ragged edges, either. Wait until I show Mum. Shall we do another one...

Oh my goodness. Now I have sewn the bottom bits together, they resemble the size of a tent. Am I sewing a tent? This dress is enormous. Vast. But look how beautifully the silk tent drapes over my bump. Maybe I rather like making things out of silk after all.

You get the idea. I was talking to myself throughout. Doesn't everyone?

And, just for the record, this evening has confirmed I would be hopeless on the Sewing Bee. Pushing myself is one thing, and turned out to be enjoyable - but doing it under time pressure with cameras watching would have been disastrous. I don't think taking an entire week to make a dress would have made very good TV. 

Good night!

The Making of a Polka Dot Dress - Day 1

Special occasions - and by this, I mean the really fancy ones that give you an excuse to wear your best clothes and maybe buy a new pair of shoes or a hat - are a bit like buses for me.

I can go months, even years, without any. And then, three happen in the space of a few short weeks. And, being the size I am right now, I genuinely have nothing to wear.

There is nothing like a deadline to motivate me. With special occasion number one less that three weeks away, I need to make that dress. You know, the one I have gone on and on about making for quite sometime now.

And so, every day this week, I am going to aim to spend an hour or two on working towards having a finished garment in time. Having the (temporary) luxury of child free mornings whilst the littlest girl enjoys pre school fun and the baby remains in the easiest place in the world for her to be looked after, I intend to make the most of my time.

Progress this morning included: measuring myself (luckily, only bust measurement required as the empire line dress will hopefully just hang and glide over the bump in a lovely flowing sort of way); ironing and cutting out the paper pattern; adjusting it with tape so that it is appropriately sized for my shorter than average height; ironing and cutting out the lining fabric pieces.

With Radio 4 on in the background, it was a delightfully calm way to spend the morning, rounded off with some buttery toast with the last scrapings of the sparkly Marmite on top.

Time's up! And I'm off to collect my lively littlest girl...

Bedford's newest fabric shop

Good afternoon, fabric lovers. I have exciting news for you (if you live in Bedford, that is) - there is a new fabric shop in town!

Fabric World opened a couple of weeks ago, although, due to being preoccupied with the house move, it took me until yesterday to get there. 

It is the third shop of a family run business - and this one is run by Ben, who is the grandson of the founder of the original shop in Bletchley, which has been trading for 50 years.

First impressions are good - there is a team of friendly staff, who have the right balance of being helpful whilst letting you have space to browse and poke at fabric. There's a great selection of different types of fabrics, with more on the way I am told - definitely enough to make it worth my while going back on my own so I can have a proper look at everything.

It didn't take my young companion long to spot the shelf full of sparkly goodies. Nor me, to have an impulsive idea to make dressing up tutus with the sparkly fabric and netting to match.

Done. I am weak. In the face of extra time on my hands now the move isn't looming this week, I came away with enough supplies for half a dozen or so sparkly tutus to keep the middle girl and her birthday tea companions entertained. 

There's a great selection of trims and notions. Including some jumbo ric rac. And we all know how good a thing that is.

This display of embroidery silks would make a good house, apparently.

And what you see here is just a fraction of the rolls of fabric they have. Plus lots of upholstery fabrics upstairs, too - although, my young companion had run out of steam before I had chance to investigate this ("Cafe now, Mummy!" at an increasingly loud and frequent volume, with a tug of my arm so I took the hint).

The prices seem good, too. A heck of a lot of rolls were priced at £5 a metre or less.

Another very appealing set of prints for the littlest girl...

This is the place to come for dressing up costumes... I just know that, had I had the three of them all with me, my girls would have been in heaven in this shop - excitedly stroking the fake furs and coming up with endless suggestions of things they'd like me to make them. Probably for the best I only had one with me!

I didn't really get chance to look for dress making fabrics for myself - again, another thing I'll have to look out for when on my own.

The shop is located by the bus station in town - okay, not the prettiest part of Bedford, but one that might well work to its advantage in terms of plenty of passing trade and getting the word out. The place was nicely busy while I was in there on a mid week afternoon - and, with the warm welcome people get from Ben's team and plenty of stock to appeal to all tastes, I hope this gem of a new shop thrives and pulls people into the town. Good luck, guys!