change :: August update

Praia de Leça

I loved August. Much more than I could ever have hoped I would. Much more than I dreamt I would. So much changed in August and I barely noticed; most of these changes were little things, the same small things that really make a difference. And some were big.

I was home for a few days over my birthday. I am now 33 and a few days and all I can say is: things do change, but more on that later! Home was amazing. Michael came home with me, met everyone and enjoyed Porto. We had a wonderful time there and I truly made the most of my time at home. I spent time with my parents, as well as time just with Mum and time just with Dad. I spent time with Little Brother. I squeezed the cats and saw the family. I ate; oh my, did I eat! I was a tourist in my hometown to show Michael how great the place is. He agrees! Job done!

In making the most of my time at home, I also enjoyed life, really, the full of it. And it stayed with me throughout the month; for my second birthday party, with my friends and family in the UK; for my unplanned blog break; for my chilled bank holiday weekend; on my cycling commute; on my knitting; on my morning runs.

August, you were pure love!

Nós por cá, todos bem

Sometimes (arguably, a lot of times), I have nothing to say. Frequently though, I have a lot (or something, at least) to show. My love of photographing little snippets of life should have a place of its own on this blog, a place which is largely text free. With that in mind, today I’m starting a new series on the blog – Nós por cá, todos bem – which will largely be little snippets of life in images. A small window to what is happening around here right now in my corner of the world made universe.

Nós por cá, todos bem is Portuguese for we’re all fine. This expression is the title of a Portuguese film from 1978, which has a song with the same name by one of my favourite musicians, Sergio Godinho.






a little bit of Porto I

Porto in August. Love. Porto anytime of the year. Love.
One of the main things I love about photography is getting to live the moment twice, three times, forever!

Ponte D. Luis in Porto

Normal day in downtown Porto

Douro and its boats

Old tram

Notes on an unplanned break


I went on holiday to Portugal and shared my awesome feet fashion murder photo to say so on the day I left. Before leaving, I prepared the tunic post (still getting used to this planning-posts-ahead business) which came out while I was on holiday. Since then, I have been silent.

I hadn’t planned on doing a blog break. In fact, before going away I had plenty of ideas for posts I would like to write and things I wanted to share here. However, the beautiful Portuguese summer took me for a wonderful ride and I forgot all about the online world. Unbeknown to me, it would appear I was in need of a holiday even more than I thought; a mental break, a let’s-really-switch-off break.

Interestingly, one needs a holiday even from things one enjoys doing, like writing here. I finally got why some bloggers take a break over the summer; it’s good to switch off and clear your thoughts and quite frankly, think of nothing for a little while. I shall be doing that this Christmas*, oh yeah!

*First mention of Christmas 2013 in August… preoccupying?

the story of a tunic


As my sewing improved, I wanted to venture in the exciting world of dressmaking. I have booked myself onto a course but it’s only in the Autumn and although I’m sure it will still be very useful, I really could not wait that long to give it a go. And there’s something very special in trying something new without having learnt it before… I believe it’s called a challenge!

One Friday afternoon, I sat in Waterstone’s Costa with a bunch of dressmaking books in front of me.
I fell in love with three and brought two home, thank you Michael for the contribution. The minute I set eyes on the tunic in this book I knew this would be my first project. It just felt right and I clearly believe in *love at first sight* projects. Small setback though – this book helps you design your own patterns and that would be a step (or several) too far for me at this stage, so… I needed to find a tunic pattern that resembled the one in book. I did.

Meet Simplicity 5197 6 easy tunic patterns, View D. It has raving reviews throughout the sewing community and was described as easy to follow, make and adapt (thinking ahead, peeps, thinking ahead!). Could I ask for anything better?


Tunic love

:: The fabric and how cool it looks on.
:: The well-thought out details.
:: How comfy it feels.

Tunic dislikes

:: I didn’t get the sleeves quite right. From reading the dressmaking book above, sleeves are tricky things to attach to the main body and in spite of all my reading I still couldn’t avoid a bit of ruffling. I assume my technique will improve with time and experience, as I have done all the steps to avoid this… probably just not very well. Such is life.
:: I think that while the tunic is lovely and comfy and very flattering on the neckline, the waistline could be better. I cannot work out if this is how it’s meant to look or if it’s due to my sewing or pattern tracing abilities (or lack of). Or if my body covers two different sizes pattern sizes and I should reflect this on my traced pattern. I guess I’ll find out as 1. I learn more about dressmaking; and 2. sew more of these tunics.



Thoughts on the pattern (view D)

Overall: I like it. It gave me a cute wearable tunic.

Pros

:: Simplicity knows how to write patterns for newbies. The instructions are very clear and really well explained so I felt I could do it and I did.
:: The pattern is so well written that includes all the little tips I found in the dressmaking book to ensure best look, including how to tackle the sleeves in order to not get the ruffles I end up getting anyway (all fiascos in that department are my doing).
:: The tunic details are lovely and really add to the final garment’s look.

Cons

:: Neckline: according to my Mother, it’s too conservative. Her daughter agrees.
:: Adding interfacing to the sleeves ads a bit of unnecessary weight to them, in my opinion.

What I would change in a future tunic from this pattern

:: I would make the neckline a bit deeper and a tad bit wider, turning it into a more obvious V-neck.
:: I would leave the interfacing out of the sleeves, I’m sure this would make them lighter and overall nicer. I would then finish the sleeves as you do the bottom hem.
:: I would look more carefully into this waistline bagginess. Is it meant to be like this? What’s causing it? And then fix it.

Do I recommend it?

Most definitely!


P.S. - The photos... well, they have a story of their own really. I left it to the very last day, it was grey, I felt grey (and lazy!), I had just washed my hair the wind was blowing. I also need to work on the pose, it's so unfair on the garment that I look like I'd rather be doing something else... like knitting!

::inspiring Mondays::


... deliberately on a Tuesday. For this week really starts today, for me.

P.S. - yes, there's some fashion murder going on on my feet, but desperate packing requires desperate measures! And those socks will come off as soon as my Portuguese blood thinks it's warm enough.

August goals


My birthday month - August. If I were to have a favourite month, it would be August. I was born a month earlier and I'm pretty sure it was because the outside just looked too good to be missing out on! There's summer and magic light evenings and somehow the glow-y promise of new beginnings so far along the year.

In January I embraced change. In February I created change. In March I somewhat learned to deal with change. In April I accepted change. In May I (let myself) enjoy change. In June, I settled in the change. In July, I ignored change. In August, I want to live with change.

The only two things I want to achieve in August are to enjoy life, really, the full of it, and make the most of my time at home.

So simple and yet I can't think of anything more important than those two little things.

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You can read all my monthly goals posts here and my change :: one little word posts here.



change :: July update

Oxford and its magic light

July brought an unexpected summer, in more ways than one. This was a full and happy sunny month and more than just my goals, I’m grateful for it all.

Once again, I achieved what I set myself out to do and the feeling is so good I’m addicted to it! I did run 13K, even if I became a pathetic Joey waving her arms randomly in the air screaming she couldn’t it for the last 100m until she cross that line; oh if only one could see oneself on these occasions, one would have endless hours of fun. I did adhere to a photographic project, albeit not a very intensive one, but one which gives me the time and flexibility I need right now to reconnect with my beloved D90. And the pièce the resistance… I have sewn my first ever garment – a tunic. I will dedicate a full post to it as soon as I get some decent photos of it, but here’s a sneak peak photo.

In case you’re wondering, I have also been quite cheerful this month… it was easy! Unexpected summers, literal and otherwise have this effect on me.

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