And Repeat.

It was wild and windy again this morning though the afternoon's rain was more of the steady sort that turned the world grey.

Today I have done much the same as yesterday- had a beach walk, baked a Bara Brith and sewn a cushion cover, but with variations.

 

As it didn't look like it was going to rain I took my camera with me on my beach walk.

In a small cove under the cliffs there was a huge mound of sandy sea foam fetched up against a tree trunk that wobbled like a cartoon jelly. (The foam not the tree.) Every now and again gusts of wind blew handfuls of foam across the beach.

I'd baked the Bara Brith straight after breakfast and before going out for my walk I made a pattern for the next cushion cover, cut out the pieces and set up the sewing machine so that I was ready to start as soon as I got home.

It was a fairly simple project, or so I thought but the zip took me a long time. While I often alter clothes I don't make clothing from scratch so zips are out of my skill set. But when it comes to making things be it cakes (wedding cake - sure no problem even though I only made very basic cakes), woodwork, curtains or most crafts (I can knit and crochet) I'm willing to have a go. And I've watched Sewing Bee.

I knew that it was best to set the 20" zip into the panel that would be the side of the cushion first. After a lot of thought I decided that my ancient sewing machine wasn't going to be much use. I think you need a special attachment and seem to recall mention of a zipper foot thought that seems like something you'd need to see a doctor about. Instead I did some very careful hand sewing. For some reason my stitches were minute maybe 2mm long. Not sure why, perhaps just because I could but it did take a long time. Eventually I forced myself to increase the size of the stitches which helped. Even better was finding that I could use the sewing machine for the other side of the zip. Then the two short seams at the front corners were a real challenge but it got done in the end. 

I bought the fabric when Laura Ashley were having their closing down sale in Barnstaple. Some of the other fabrics I used yesterday  were showroom display samples from a curtain shop. 

By the time I finished it was 6.00 and my back was aching because I was late with my painkillers but I would have hated to stop before finishing the job.