I have been feeling a bit ‘blah’ or ‘meh’ for the past few weeks. I guess it’s to do with the weather and the post-Christmas blues that many people get. I have had no enthusiasm for anything, but lots of things I would like to do. Time seems to go so slowly, yet I get nothing done. Hubbie keeps asking whats wrong, but I’m not really sure. I just don’t feel like the me I think I am (or maybe the me I want to be)

This week the blahs got a bit of a shake off.

Niblet and I did some baking on Thursday afternoon. Niblet made a loaf of bread and I made a couple more, we then made some yummy honey & cinnamon spelt biscuits. (Photos of Niblet’s bread & biscuits)

I also got round to some sewing.

Due to the fact that Hubbie will come to the end of his contract in a couple of weeks (earlier than expected) and is trying to find a different job, we will basically be broke. So I am trying to use up more of what we have (I have lots of material hoarded and am always picking up ideal birthday gifts at great prices).

With this in mind, I decided to make my dad’s birthday present. (He is unlikely to ever read this, so I have no problems showing you what it is!!)

I took a skirt I picked up in a charity shop, some material left over from making this shirt for Niblet’s friend last year and some interfacing I had in my stash and turned it all into ….. well, take a look

I searched online for how-to’s and patterns. I found a few, but the one I used was here. I thought the instructions were fairly simple and quite clear, it gave a pattern, not just measurements to try and make your own pattern.

I forgot to take pictures of making, until I was at a frustrating point and needed to take a break!!

When I came to pin the front and back together, the front was twice as long as the lining – AAAGGGGHHH!! I pushed and pulled and got it all to fit – I guess it was just to do with it being cut on the bias!!

Most of it was easy and quite quick, but the final stage involved sewing the entire length of the tie by hand, which took a couple of mind-numbing hours.

Still I am really quite impressed with the finished product, especially since I never made one before.

The rest of the men in the family are not so easy to make things for, so this could be a challenge, but I will have baby things to start making soon too, as my brother and his wife are expecting in June!!! That should keep those blahs at bay.

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I have recently become aware of adverts appearing at the bottom of my posts. These are nothing to do with me, I don’t know why they are there or indeed how to get rid of them. I apologise.