ATM

At the moment I am sewing a dress from a pattern for the very first time! I have sewed things in the past but never from a pattern. I'm attempting Burda pattern 7113 which is a re-release of a 60's pattern for a dress, cape and bolero (I'm just sewing the dress).  I would have picked something a bit less involved than a fully lined dress however my Mum convinced me to go with this. She obviously has more faith in my abilities than me!

Burda 7113 New Vintage Pattern

All cut out

Apparently Burda patterns are a bit different to others in that you have to add the seam and hem allowance (they aren't included in the paper pattern). This took me soooo long, it was a real pain.

I'm also crocheting a bikini from a vintage German pattern. This is definitely diving into the deep end with my level of both German and crochet. It took me ages just to work out the diagram was in cm and not stitches... I do like a challenge though and this is definitely keeping me on my toes.

I also have some amazing pieces for the shop and am waiting and hoping for some sunshine so I can take some decent photos.

xx

The Worlds Most Beautiful Spring Garden

If you didn't know, Keukenhof is a big garden (32 Hectares!!) situated in Lisse, not too far from Amsterdam in Holland.  It is touted as the worlds most beautiful spring garden and after being there I believe they could be right.  Holland is famous for its tulips and at Keukenhof it's all about the tulips. They do also have daffodils and hyacinths but the tulips are the main attraction. I never knew tulips grew in so many different colours, shapes and sizes!

The park itself is full of beautiful trees, water ways and meandering paths creating a perfect backdrop to the flowering bulb display. We almost went there a few months ago but were told the tulips weren't in flower and I'm glad we waited so we could see the full splendour.

The weather was overcast and threatening rain when we went, which I think was actually a blessing as the crowds didn't seem to be too thick. And then the sun came out in the afternoon.

There are also lots of flower fields in the area, where tulips, daffodils and hyacinths are grown for their bulbs. This means you can see the fields in flower. After the peak flowering, the flower heads are cut off (or vacuumed off in some cases!) so that the plants energy goes into growing more bulbs and not into seed making. The bulbs are mechanically harvested and then separated by hand. I'm sure if you know someone from Holland, they will have done this as holiday job as a kid/student or know someone who has!

If you get the chance I definitely recommend visiting Keukenhof and the surrounding fields in springtime.

xx

Leiden

Last weekend we went to Leiden, Holland to see the Tulips in bloom at Keukenhof. Leiden is about 25 mins away from Keukenhof by car and is connected by buses which run around every 10 mins. So it makes a perfect base to see the tulips.

Leiden itself is also really picturesque with windmills and canals aplenty, and worth visiting. It has a lovely market on Saturdays, with fresh produce, cheese, stroopwaffels, clothing and fabric (I got some pink tulle).  Small enough to wander around by foot Leiden is still big enough for a nice selection of restaurants and shops. It also has a lot of museums, but we didn't get a chance to see any of them.

 This was the canal we could see from our hotel room.

DO NOT PRESS! Installation 

Close to our hotel we saw some great art installations -This one was my favourite, who could resist a big red button and "Do NOT Press" sign....
xx

Birdy

Here is a little birdy for you...

xx

Free Shipping in Germany!!

A couple of German based Etsy sellers have come up with the great idea of holding a joint promotion to highlight the growing number of German Etsy shops. Participating shops (including mine!) are offering free shipping for orders within Germany for the whole month of March (I got in on the action a little late...).
Just use the coupon code "versandfuerumme" when checking out for free shipping anywhere in Deutschland!!

These are some of the great shops I've discovered through this initiative;

 Room For Emptiness

batisRIKE

SilberFischer

What are you waiting for - get shopping!

xx

Plait Ear Warmer / Headband DIY

Growing up I had a beanie or two, I used to wear them in winter sometimes. They were more a fashion statement than anything else though. It wasn't until I moved to Germany (ie a climate which has really COLD winters) that I actually "got" what the beanie was about. That is was actually a very functional accessory, necessary to keep you from getting brain freeze (which doesn't only occur from eating ice cream I have discovered!) and to stop your ears turning into lumps of ice.  Then I discovered ear warmers. The beanies little sister, when you want to avoid aforementioned ice ears but perhaps aren't feeling the commitment of a whole hat. So naturally I wanted one, but I had also just discovered crochet and wanted to make one myself. And so can you!

Step One -Choose your yarn, I went for two colours but you can do three or one...

Step 2 - Crochet three long strands using double or triple crochet -you want them longer than the circumference of  your head.

Step Four -Plait the strands. I used a peg to secure the ends while I did this.

Step Five - Sew the ends together so its one continuous plait.

Done!

Now enjoy your warmer forehead and ears!
xx

Cowl Neck

Here is my first attempt at a cowl scarf thingy....

It was simple to make just using granny stitches. I love how the stitches and colours came out but the size is all wrong -its too big to fit snuggly round your neck but too small to go around it twice.
You live, you learn!
xx