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.

I’ll be back  soon with a wee selection of photos from two recently made dresses.

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.

Of course, were I super, dooper organised I would order some of the fabrics on show (Anna Maria Horner especially) to Europe in time for holidays in the old world, but I’m not that organised. Shipping to Egypt is far, far too expensive to even bother ordering anything from here, never mind customs duties payable on arrival. I’m sticking with shopping in the Egyptian fabric market and drooling all over my keyboard!

..and came back with t-w-e-n-t-y s-i-x m-e-t-r-e-s

(yes, that’s 28 yards)

of fabric she wasn’t looking for. Hmm.

Fabric gluttony? Or perhaps just someone whom experience has taught that if it’s in the market now, it won’t be when she’s looking for it?

Either way, aren’t they beautiful?

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.