The last summer visitors have left.
They ate and drunk impossible amounts, lay in until mid-morning, had to be driven everywhere, used my beautiful new bathroom and didn’t clean it afterwards, broke a couple of things and generally behaved as beloved offspring do when back in the parental home. (Edited in case my daughter reads this – I’ve just gone in to clean the bathroom and, actually, they’ve left it in pretty good order so I take it back. Haven’t been in her bedroom yet though)
I’ll miss them until the next time and so will the dogs.
Anyway, do you remember I bought a pattern for a jumpsuit from the French pattern company Deer and Doe? Nobody can accuse me of not trying to be ‘on trend’. If you recall, we had lots of discussion about needing a wee at inopportune moments and having to struggle out of it.
So, I made it.
It turned out really well but then it hung from a shelf in my workroom for ages as I couldn’t get up the enthusiasm to hem those legs which were, of course, too long on me.
So, when Mlle. Tialys the Elder was here she tried it on.
The décolleté which I was a bit concerned about for a woman of my vintage, didn’t worry her in the least.
So she’ll probably take off that press stud and decorative button I’d added to give me a bit more coverage.
How I love those pockets!
All in all though, I was really pleased with how this turned out. I enjoyed making it and it was a very good pattern as I have found to be the norm with Deer and Doe.
As for the wearing of it though, I’ll leave it to the super confident and the stronger bladders.
On an entirely unrelated note – because that’s the way my mind works – those coleus in the background have been the terrace potted plant success of the summer this year. Gorgeous splashes of colour going on and on and still going. Next year we’ll get even more.
O.K. Autumn, bring it on.
Tialys 
#1 by CurlsnSkirls on September 9, 2019 - 13:03
Glad to know the pattern is a good one, and that a relative is enjoying the fruits of your labour. 😉 Coincidentally we have coleus this year round the rental office and it is thriving. Grannie used to stick clippings in water to root for the next season. Have been dying to try with these… on a moonless night as pinching samples in daylight might not be a good thing. 🤣
#2 by tialys on September 9, 2019 - 14:53
I think it is fairly easy to take cuttings but then you have to keep and tend them over the winter. I think we paid about 3euros for a tray of 10 small ones so is it worth it?
#3 by CurlsnSkirls on September 9, 2019 - 22:36
Uh… not at that price! Shame it’s not universal pricing. 😉
#4 by Dartmoor Yarns on September 9, 2019 - 13:39
Looks fabulous! And how opportune it fits her as well as you. A shame though to put in all that work and not keep it for yourself – but then daughters are worth it – it’s just like all that cleaning up we do for them!
#5 by tialys on September 9, 2019 - 14:52
It was a surprisingly straightforward make, all things considered, and almost all done on the overlocker. I really like it but, after I’d finished it, wondered where I’d wear it. Maybe I’ll make another one and adjust the faux wrap a little so it gives a bit more coverage for the girls.
#6 by Dartmoor Yarns on September 9, 2019 - 19:06
Oh dear that’s sounds as sad as me, I’d have nowhere to wear it either 😦
#7 by tialys on September 10, 2019 - 10:34
Sometimes you just have to accept the lifestyle you have – which isn’t to say it’s one you don’t want but I do hanker after ‘getting dolled up a bit’ now and again. That’s why I like to nip down into Spain every so often where they get dressed up just to stroll around the place of an evening.
#8 by Dartmoor Yarns on September 10, 2019 - 13:20
Get you! Nip down to Spain.
I am soooo not a fan of getting dolled up, I’m very happy accepting the lifestyle – although a bit less mud on the way to the pub would be helpful.
#9 by tialys on September 10, 2019 - 13:36
I know 😎. I should ‘nip down’ more often really. Or I could nip up to Andorra in slightly less time 😂
#10 by Dartmoor Yarns on September 10, 2019 - 13:43
🙂
#11 by Dartmoor Yarns on September 9, 2019 - 13:41
PS It is a very lovely jumpsuit, are you sure your bladder couldn’t cope with you making a second one for yourself?
#12 by nanacathy2 on September 9, 2019 - 14:31
Jumpsuit and flowers very nice, but you have a swimming pool, how good is that!
#13 by tialys on September 9, 2019 - 14:56
It is woefully under-used by me as I like my swimming pool water to be blood temperature at least. Mr. T. uses it quite a bit as do any visitors and, as it was here when we bought the house the girls had a lot of use out of it when they were both still living here. It will be a good selling point if the French kick us out after the B word 😉
#14 by Laurie Graves on September 9, 2019 - 15:09
Mlle. Tialys the Elder looks smashing! I really do think jumpsuits are for young folks with young bladders.
#15 by tialys on September 10, 2019 - 10:53
She does look rather good in it and this time the challenge and the joy for me was in the making of it so I was happy to let it go.
#16 by craftycreeky on September 9, 2019 - 20:49
It looks fabulous, I remember jumpsuits the first time round, they were faffy then and my bladder is considerably older and not quite so patient these days 🙂
#17 by tialys on September 10, 2019 - 10:31
Exactly – these days jeans with a button fly are sometimes a step too far when the need is upon me
#18 by thecontentedcrafter on September 9, 2019 - 21:26
I suspect you made the right choice – which isn’t saying it wouldn’t look fab on you – it’s the other issue…….
#19 by tialys on September 10, 2019 - 10:29
Exactly. If I made another, I’d make a summery one in a much ‘easier off’ style.
#20 by sew2pro on September 9, 2019 - 22:47
I admit I was shocked at first at the news of the giveaway because I assumed you’d asked your daughter to put the jumpsuit on so you could pin up the hems on a living model… but she looks lovely and it’s such a contemporary design (love those pleats), it will hopefully get lots of outings this late summer and will rightly be much admired, along with the wearer. You can make another, next summer!
#21 by tialys on September 10, 2019 - 10:28
She is very chuffed with it so that’s better than having it hanging up waiting to be hemmed on the off chance I’ll ever get round to wearing it. I enjoyed making it and, like the coat, it was something I’d never made before, so the experience was good for me.
#22 by katechiconi on September 9, 2019 - 23:14
So, summer visitors making off with loot as well! But it does looks smashing on her… It’s a shame you can’t grow croton in areas that get frost, as they’re perennial and just as colourful as coleus. You could have them in pots and bring them inside if you have space, though…
#23 by tialys on September 10, 2019 - 10:26
Well, we used to overwinter certain potted plants in the conservatory but that space has become the domain of the cats – there is a cat flap that gets them that far into the house but no further – and they tend to treat the pots like indoor toilets we have installed especially for them during the winter months so we don’t do that any more.💩
#24 by katechiconi on September 10, 2019 - 14:57
I can well imagine…. I don’t suppose cat poo is all that brilliant for potted plants, let alone the unique aroma…
#25 by kathyreeves on September 10, 2019 - 04:34
Our whole neighborhood has shared a coleus! I think the original has had six cuttings taken, and we have three here now, having sent one home with a piano student! It’s like Friendship Bread!!! The jumpsuit really looks great on your daughter, I am afraid My jumpsuit days are over, unless I see one that is easy exit.🙂
#26 by tialys on September 10, 2019 - 10:23
Easy exit is the way to go. I think those summer ones with tie up straps on the shoulders and an elasticated waist would be the way to go 😉
#27 by nottaholiday on September 10, 2019 - 05:57
What a glamorous model you have there! I agree – hemming and buttons are the worst. and maybe zips
#28 by tialys on September 10, 2019 - 10:22
I really need to sit down and work out how to do a blind hem on the sewing machine. The diagrams in the manual never make sense to me so I’ll have to find a ‘blind hemming for dummies’ tute on YouTube.
#29 by nottaholiday on September 10, 2019 - 12:15
I used to do it a lot. its a weird folding regime which means you are sewing into the actual hem (as in the bit which will be inside the garment), and every few stitches it jumps into the guts to hold it. Useless explanation but thank god for Youtube. We have learned lots of things including how to install a toilet thanks to Youtube, including what not to do when the guy broke something and had to go buy a replacement.
#30 by tialys on September 10, 2019 - 12:24
I’ve just been watching a couple of videos and, although one ended abruptly and then you had to pay to see the rest, I think I’ve got the idea now.
My husband did the installation, plumbing and electrical stuff in our new bathroom mostly thanks to YouTube – I haven’t disappeared through the floor yet so, hopefully, it’s all good.
What did we do before the internet?
#31 by nottaholiday on September 10, 2019 - 12:32
how technology should be used✂️
#32 by Kim on September 10, 2019 - 10:29
Fabulous jumpsuit. Your daughter looks wonderful in it so at least you know it’s going to a good home . Easy access is certainly a consideration for me now or I would seriously consider that pattern 😁
#33 by KerryCan on September 10, 2019 - 12:55
I think there are jumpsuit people and never-jumpsuit people and I am the latter, for a variety of reasons. But it is a tour de force of sewing and looks great on your daughter–happy ending! We, too, are big believers in coleus–they brighten shady areas so perfectly!
#34 by tialys on September 10, 2019 - 13:33
I think I was always a never-jumpsuit person really although I think I might have owned one back in the day – I have definitely always been a never-dungarees person so that’s not going to happen in any shape or form in my workroom. I liked the pattern for the jumpsuit and thought it had a certain elegance (as far as a jumpsuit can be elegant) about it – and also I was in my phase of tackling garments I’d never made before (like the coat and the jeans). Still, I’m over it now and it will be worn and appreciated.
#35 by claire93 on September 11, 2019 - 11:29
oh Lynn that jumpsuit turned out splendidly! A shame you decided it’s not for you, after all that hard work, but Mlle Tialys looks very pleased with it, so you’ll be pleased knowing it’ll be be worn (and admired).
I don’t think I’ve ever owned a jump suit although I did have a pair of hotpants as a child and a pair of dungerees as a teen. Then the boobs grew and clothes like that just didn’t sit properly lol.
#36 by tialys on September 11, 2019 - 12:11
Well, she will get much more wear out of it than me so I was happy to hand it over.
You know I like to say ‘never say never but I’ve never had a pair of dungarees and never will.
#37 by lovelucie1 on September 15, 2019 - 09:32
I’ve never owned a jumpsuit. I think I may have some some dungarees when I was 12. I love the thought of a jumpsuit, however I think it would look ridiculous on me! Yours looks fabulous on your daughter. At least you’ve made one and so can put a defiant tick in that particular box!
#38 by tialys on September 15, 2019 - 11:31
Yes, I was in my ‘let’s make challenging things’ phase at the time although this was actually fairly straightforward. You could make one for your daughter though – she’s about jumpsuit age isn’t she?
Saying ‘jumpsuit age’ – after another comment on the blog made me feel a bit meh about even thinking about wearing one myself I went searching on the internet for women of a certain age wearing jumpsuits. To be honest, there weren’t many to impress – even Jane Fonda spoilt hers (in my opinion) because it was a bright candy pink. Then I went to see ‘Late Night’ with Emma Thompson and she looked absolutely amazing wearing one – although she was showing her bra and it was obviously couture. Sadly, I won’t be going down either of those roads in this quiet corner of France. I can’t find a full length photo of her wearing it but you can see it here