No sewing ‘proper’ over the weekend as there was a lovely baby (7 months) to entertain. Happily, an opportunity for needlework was provided by his father whose favourite Guernsey sweater (a family heirloom) was literally threadbare and in dire need of mending. (Perhaps baby will inherit one day – who needs a Philippe Patek?)
While a little progress was made on his quilt,
…… Sebastian, and sister Marta, were also busy creating garments for their teddies out of old socks and nightshirts (see December post).
Sew-in-Company visited the EU Parliament in Brussels in January (takes a seamstress to stitch together a Brexit deal).
A fellow traveller recommended the most incredible fabric shop with cars, boats and repurposed snooker tables: Les Tissus du Chien Vert
Amazingly, only one zip was purchased!
Busy morning!
Sebastian’s quilt design (minus the bottom rows).
And in the afternoon, two blue cushions with Katie!
From the dull – a new zip …
Tip: attach a second zip under the broken one – it looks fine!
Via the mundane – a shortened (but very chic, silk) skirt …
Tip: where hems are delicate, shorten by removing the top.
To the ridiculous – tailoring a pair of fancy dress trousers to fit!
FRRL Textile Group has created a banner celebrating ‘100 Years of Women’s Suffrage’ in Cambridge.
Sew-in-Company’s contribution is a square based on the cover of a book by Clara Rackham (1875-1966). Clara was an astonishing suffragist, local councillor, magistrate, factory inspector, suffragist, educationalist and prison reformer in the early 20th Century. Her civic legacies are numerous around Cambridge (even the swimming pool by Parker’s Piece was one of her achievements); she was also one of the dignitaries present at the opening ceremony for Rock Road Library in 1936 – one of the Rock Road Library’s first ‘Friends‘!
A school traditional story day – perfect opportunity to try out a ‘Sewing Bee’ children’s cloak pattern using some old (rather moth-holey) woollen crepe.
My favourite nightshirt (September 2016) ripped down the back on Christmas Eve – fabric fatigue – so I have replaced the top half with a shirt purchased from a charity shop – I think Sid approves.
The shirt was new so will hopefully last a long time – perhaps longer than the white skirt section – which, of course, I will replace!
PS Needless to say that the scraps of my favourite blue stripe have been saved to make bunting.
There were three jolly sew-days during the festive season – alas I had neglected to remember the third and was still slumbering when my sewers rang the doorbell!
The ‘multicoloured dream gown’, white blouse, toy bag and Sebastian’s quilt all made progress.
… and two elephants and a simple back-pack were created.
The skirt of an old dress has already been turned into two skirts – October 2017 – now the bodice has been turned into a padded jacket to wear on my bike (somehow the bright shade of purple no longer pleases me for more general wear) – the Liberty lawn used for the lining has also appeared before (March 2017).
Construction was a major, but enjoyable, challenge (not helped by Sid) – achieving a padded lining without raw seams and hidden, zipped pockets.
1986 Original Top Half of Maternity Dress
