Monthly Menu Plan - September/October

Ahh, spring is here, and my thoughts turn to...greenery! Roquette, asparagus, dill, grapefruit, mint - I want fresh, vibrant flavours to wake up my deadened winter palate, and make my coat shiny and my eyes bright. I also want loads of veggies, and to be as plastic-free as possible, and totally unrelatedly, a new red dress. I fear all this probably says more about my scattered ping pong ball system of thinking than anything else, but there you have it. The thoughts and desires of Jorth laid bare for all to see.

Hmm. Not very deep today. Onwards to the menu plan!

Week One
Monday - Pumpkin and pearl couscous tagine
Tuesday - Lentil spaghetti bolognaise with rocket salad
Wednesday - Spring chicken stew
Thursday - Potato and yellow split pea curry
Friday - Lentil sausage rolls with garden salad
Saturday - Roast chicken
Sunday - Dinner out


Week Two
Monday - Creamy chicken and rocket pasta
Tuesday - Salmon, pea and potato cakes with green salad
Wednesday - Harissa roast carrot, quinoa and haloumi salad
Thursday - Asparagus, feta and dill tart with garden salad
Friday - Spaghetti and meatballs with rocket salad
Saturday - Beetroot ravioli with sage and poppy seed burnt butter sauce
Sunday - Roasted and spiced vegetable tacos


Week Three
Monday - Curried butternut and red lentil soup with silverbeet
Tuesday - Italian beef casserole (half in freezer) with sweet potato mash
Wednesday - Jamie Oliver's spring minestrone
Thursday - Spiced carrot fritters plus quinoa salad with asparagus and feta
Friday - Spicy kumara sausage rolls with chunky garden salad
Saturday - Zucchini pasta with asparagus, smoked salmon and rocket
Sunday - Tofu burgers with coleslaw and wedges


Week Four
Monday - Spinach and ricotta cannelloni with chunky lentil sauce
Tuesday - Italian beef casserole (from freezer) with garlicky mash
Wednesday - Creamy silverbeet soup with savoury scones
Thursday - Jamie's vegan burgers with red cabbage coleslaw
Friday - Roast vegetable pasties with salad
Saturday - Pizzas on homemade honey and wholewheat bases (roasted veg + feta, Hawaiian)

Summer Camisole and French Knickers Set

Eeek! Feeling ever so slightly (read: incredibly) nervous about posting this one, because I'm basically going to be showing you my smalls! But when your smalls - also known as your new summer pjamas - are made out of the cutest Liberty lawn print imaginable, it feels like a duty to show them to your sewing community so everybody can make themselves a pair! They are so light and comfortable to wear, which will be perfect come the searing heat this summer. I see another pair, plus a nightie from the same pattern, in my future. And not in slithery old silk satin, either - it's crisp and cool Liberty allllll the way!

Ok. Enough of the stalling. Here they are!

Ergh. I feel like the naffest pj model ever! And my photographer forgot to notice that the lace on the back had folded itself down, so please excuse that and my blindingly pale winter skin. The pattern is an old 1980 Simplicity pattern that I had in my stash, and I can tell you, the model on the front looks pretty darn cool in her version. No feeling naff for her! And the drawn models are practically oozing sex appeal. I should probably take lessons from them!

But seriously, how cute is this pattern? I don't even remember where I got it from, but it had been languishing in the stash for ages. I always knew I wanted to make up the camisole and French knickers set, but it wasn't until I spotted this particular Liberty print from Cutting Cloth that the dream pjs came together.

The pattern was so economical on fabric - the set took only 1 metre in total, and that is despite having the camisole cut on the bias. Even making it out of Liberty, it was still a steal! The sewing itself wasn't hard - just a bit fiddly sewing on the lace, but it turned out so well. I am pretty chuffed with my lace attaching skills now. Watch out, I'll be putting lace on everything now!

The only part that gave me any trouble was the v-point on the centre front of the bodice. I really suck at these, and it took a few unpickings to get a nice smooth finish. I was actually a bit worried about the fine lawn fabric, as it didn't take kindly to unpicking (and I unpicked 3 times) but we got there in the end with no lasting damage done.

So there you are: my super cute (and kinda sexy) summer pjs. Short version of the nightie next, but with the straight neckline lace trim. We're in for a hot, hot summer!

Project Details
Pattern - Simplicity 9859 (printed 1980), size 10
Fabric - 1m Liberty Tana Lawn from Cutting Cloth
Notions - 2cm wide lace from Rathdowne Fabrics, elastic for French knickers