Options, options: it can be hard to choose, but it is nice to have them.

A soft purple washed silk sash added to a flowery cotton dress.  Long enough for a big bow. Washed silk, so it can be popped in the machine on a gentle cool cycle if sticky fingers leave dotty little prints on it.

The high necked cotton voile dress with giant purple flowers. A big semi-circle skirt falls elegantly below knees scraped while playing with her friends yesterday.

A thin self-fabric sash ties the bodice smoothly against her delicate chest.

100% cotton, fully lined with invisible zip at centre back.

Monsoon blues and pretty purples for warm summer days..

..with a v-shaped back to slip over independent heads, letting Mummy steal a few extra winks.

An empire-waisted bodice with an a-line skirt let little legs run free in the garden and over three metres of ruffle flutter softly as she moves.

The exposed seams are clean finished or bound with hand made bias binding to match the dress.

The dress is 100% fine cotton with a soft 100% cotton lining.

A little grey dress with a splash of colour for girls who like to be girlie, but like to stand out next to their friends in pink.

A semi-circle, the skirt flares open from an empire-waist for hours of twirling in the garden, while not opening too high, making sure she is still proper for tea with Great Aunt Maud.

This dress has 100% cotton outer and 100% soft cotton lining with a zip in the centre back. All exposed seams are clean finished. The pattern is drafted by me.

Front of dress

A roomy lawn cotton dress with a nearly hidden pocket for little treasures..

Back of dress with deep v-neck to slip over head

..with no zips or buttons, so it’s easy to put on without Mum’s help..

Clean-finished seams

..and as beautiful on the inside as it is on the out.

Pattern by Burda.

Oh my goodness! I just realised I was boasting about how much sewing I was doing and how I was going to share photos..and then didn’t! Forgive me.

I was sewing. Then I stopped. I decided to get into action (of another sort) and organise a shop. It’s nearly there, so I should be able to share it with you in a couple of weeks.

So for now,  I leave you with this small Christmas skirt. It’s made of snuggly medium-weight velvet with a slight stretch, perfect for keeping little legs warm while playing in the snow.  Best of all? It’s my own pattern.

I started making this as a quick project. Just a few hours. Then I realised I’d made the fundamental mistake of not having enough fabric for the original pattern.

Determined not to give up, having cut and sewn the bodice, I modified the pattern and added a ruffle.

It’s my first..and I have a feeling it won’t be my last!

I recently had the opportunity to help transform a room for a party.

A large ghastly red door needed to be prettified, so a large piece of grey cotton neutralised the offending colour.

Party-goers helped make the handmade cotton flowers and attach them to thick satin ribbon.

This is a reconstruction..everything was carefully ironed at the time!

A little change after so much pink! A blue so-deep-you-can-get-lost-in-it feather to peek out between gentle blonde curls.

A handmade pure silk hair rose.