Tank Tops & Cakes in Jars...

There are 2 things that are taking up my brain spaces at the moment...
Sewing a tank top
and
Baking cakes in jars.

Firstly lets start with the former...

A couple of weeks ago I went into a frenzy of downloading free sewing patterns online, I went to Burdastyle and Simplicity (I found a free pattern download for pyjama bottoms) and wherever else I found great patterns I liked.

I came across this very cute and yet simple Sorbetto Tank Top pattern on the Colette Patterns blog , Coletterie I had seen if before on The Sew Weekly when Mena had done the 7 Days of Sorbettos challenge (that lady is a-ma-zing), but hadn't done much about it. When I found it again I thought it would be a nice way to get into sewing clothes for myself.

So I printed off the pattern and assembled all the pieces and cut out the pattern.

Here is the pattern just as I was starting to cut the pieces out

Here are the pattern pieces ready to go!

I was thinking about what fabric I would use to make this tank top. I figured the weather is about to get stinking hot as summer approaches and I don't have a lot of nice cool tops that I can schlep around the house in that I wouldn't feel ashamed to answer the door in.

I have had some lovely black lightweight kind of broderie anglaise fabric for years and years and I thought it was about time to do something with it. So I washed it this weekend (I still have to press it though, naughty! Heehee) and I hope to get snip-snipping one evening this week.

Here it is...

The fabric I want to use.

You can kind of make out the embroidery.

Now, on to the other thing that is swirling around in my head-cakes in jars.
I don't know how, as it usually is with the wonderful art that is surfing the internet I came upon the craze that is Cake in a Jar.

Holy delicious and conveniently packaged to transport goodness!

There are sooo many creative kitchen magicians out there! I think these small jars of sugary loveliness are just the right thing for me. You see, the Mr doesn't eat cake...this makes me sad because I can't share any cakey goodness I bake with him. So if I make a for-no-reason cake I end up eating it all myself. Good for my lips, but terrible for my hips. Some people say these cakes could last for ages without even being in the fridge! But I think I would put my jars of delight in the freezer and bring them out when I want a treat.

I'll have to buy some Wide Mouth Preserving Jars, if I can't find them anywhere else I could buy them from here. According to a couple of sources (angry chicken, about.com) the wide mouth ones are better.

Also, here is an Instructables article about Pies in Jars - how great! Fresh pie whenever you're heart (or tum) desires.

Talking about cooking cakes in small receptacles there was a craze awhile back for 5 minutes mug chocolate cakes you can find the recipe here at Not Quite Nigella or here at All Recipes

So that's what's swirling around in my head at the moment. What's in yours? Leave a comment :)