linen yoke dress

Do we feel the weather is sufficiently mild for me to show my latest make? I don't want to render anyone an unwelcome return of the chills but the temperature is being good to us this week and I'm hoping that's an end to the cold.

Yep, it is indeed a second linen dress .. and more neckline experimentals too. It has the same three quarter sleeves and easy a-line shape of this dress but a wide yoke which I'm really rather liking. The fabric, which isn't so easy to pick out from afar, has the tiniest of variegated blue checks on a pale blue background, really fresh and Spring/Summer-like .. ok, so probably not what you would want to put on today after all, but close your eyes and imagine those lighter, brighter days, the warmth on your skin, coat firmly back in the wardrobe. But you know, never more so than with this post have I kicked myself for forgetting yet again to iron a dress before modelling it. Drat!

Anyway, our Half Term is happening this week so I'll be taking the time off to entertain the kiddos. In the meantime, thank you all for your comments on my 1950s cushions, you're all most kind. Also for the encouragement about my impending news and I've got to say I love, love, love Karen's idea of having a cyber opening evening over a glass of vino. Can you imagine that? What a hoot that would be!

Have a great week, everyone.

1950s vignettes

I've been having another cushion fest recently. I love making them, I love that there is always something big to show for surprisingly little work. Once the cutting out has been done, of course, because that always takes me a while to do. I like to get as much goodness out of each piece of fabric I cut, so there is never one that looks more desirable than another.

I mentioned recently that I'm attacking the fabric stash and these are the results of some of the vintage pieces that have been sitting on a shelf. You know the one. The shelf that holds the fabrics that, once in, rarely make it out again .. we've all got at least one of those!

This boating vignette scene from the 1950s makes me so cheerful. I was originally thinking of making a couple of girls' skirts with the fabric, but on retrospect I think it's more suited to cushions and I managed to get four satisfyingly good squares.

These stylised wading birds flying through the marshes remind me of flying wall ducks that were so popular during the 1950s and 1960s and have made a resurgence, along with all things retro.

The poppies in these photos came from a 1950s linen tablecloth. They make me happy too, with their pop of colour that will work well with any style or any colour scheme.

Finally the Viyella check (1940s or 1950s, I'm not sure which), that you may remember me using here. The fabric feels lovely and soft and these two now sport ecru vintage doilies which pick out the cream in the check. The one I made back then sits quite happily amongst my red-toned French cushions, breaking up the 'sameness' on my sofa.

It goes without saying that these will be in the new shop, opening on a computer near you, very soon.

It's + 12 degrees here today, the sun is shining, I have taken off my hat for the first time in some while and am feeling ready for Spring now. It's time for it, don't you think?

Happy week, everyone.

feline valentine

At sixteen months, these two are just as loved up as ever. Hoping your day is just as sweet.

Happy Valentine's Day!

new from old

You're going to have to scrap everything I said in my last post about how I was hopeful of the advent of warmer weather. The snow came on Saturday, bringing with it deep grey skies and fff-freezing temperatures and as a consequence my latest dress is going to have to wait a while because it makes me feel colder just looking at it!

The children and I had a great fun time in the garden yesterday, lobbing snowballs at one another. No photos to show, just a couple of melting ice mountains and a lot of damp clothing hanging off radiators in a bid to dry them off.

And I'm not sure what's come over me, perhaps it's the thought of spring cleaning that's on my mind but I'm suddenly in the mood for decluttering the fabric stash. All those lovely vintage pieces that have been squirrelled away need, and deserve, to see the light of day so I'm gradually going to be turning some of my ignored fabrics into a variety of things new and, hopefully, they'll be appreciated even more.

Take this salmon-pink French cotton, for example. It's been in the cupboard for a very long time and I remember being really excited when I recently saw the very same in Enrica Stabile's brilliant Comfortable Country. Whilst I didn't have enough to cover a whole chair as per the book, I thought perhaps cushions might be good so I made up a couple, using interfacing to add a bit of body to the fabric and cutting into one of my unused French metis sheets to use as backing. Metis is a linen/cotton blend, depending on when it was produced it has a cotton warp (lengthwise threads) and a linen weft (threads running at a right angle to the selvedge) and begins life, very much like linen, in an ecru state which gradually lightens with washing. It's lovely to sleep under but it also works well for decorative cushions!

These will be going into my new shop, not long now (fingers crossed)!!

Finally, you must check out this link from Pinterest, I guarantee it will have you reaching for the ice trays (as if there isn't enough ice around already). No recipe needed, gently melt your choc, minimal brushing of oil in the mould, and get pouring. My children are going to go wild when they see this!

Have a lovely week, bloggy pals.

PS. Thank you for your lovely comments on my dress last week, and all the slipper love too!

irish linen dress

Thank you so much for your concern for my arm, you're very kind. Of course I have ignored the ice pack advice (not a chance until it's warmer), although I have been thinking about how I really must start up the exercise plan!!!

I've been playing around with dresses and experimenting with necklines and sleeves in particular. I fell in love with this Irish linen recently, which feels lovely and soft, has a wonderful drape, and will be so comfy in the warmer months. I'm imagining a pretty petticoat underneath, a little lace poking out at the bottom and then some sweet mary janes to round it off.

I love the fact that the checks are not uniform and there's a large repeat in the pattern but because of this, decided to keep the style as plain as plain could be. Round necked, which is interfaced and top stitched and nothing more. The launch of my new website is getting ever closer, with excitement levels akin to the children counting down to Christmas and this dress will be among the first on there.

OK, so it's way too cold to even think about wearing this right now but the Husband and I had a jolly old time with our little modelling shoot yesterday. The sun was very kindly shining brightly and given it was its first appearance in a while, there was very definitely a case of 'now or never'. It was a bit of a struggle getting changed though, especially since I was cosied up under a multitude of layers at the time.

I'm feeling so cold at the moment but the sun is back with us today, which makes me feel hopeful of warmer days to come. Having said that, I think we are getting snow this weekend. Oh well, you can't win 'em all!

Keep warm, everyone.