Becoming a sew and sew

There used to be a time when I made most of my clothes but for some reason I stopped.  I actually gave away many of the fabrics that I had in store because I knew that I would never get round to using them ... and then ... I got the quilting bug!

I was staying in the city of Bath for a few days last week and over the weekend just gone and I wandered around the compact Georgian city searching out fabric shops.  They are few and far between these days, but Bath has some great independent shops including Country Threads http://www.countrythreadspatchwork.co.uk/ which is an absolute Aladdin's Cave of material delights.  It is one of those places where it is actually really difficult to make a decision about what to buy.  There was so much in the reception area, and then you can go down a narrow passage to a large room full of bolts of materials that could make your head spin.  I especially fell in love with the Sakura Park designs by Moda.

Where do you start?  What colours to use?  What pattern to use?  Argh ... I'm melting ...

Another project that I have been volunteered for is to make a christening gown for Sophie (great niece) because Vicky (niece) wants to have her christened soon.  Evidently she had a large shawl that came with her wedding dress and is in the same fabric and Vicky wants me to make an heirloom gown that can be handed down.  So on Sunday we are going pattern hunting.  I was the last one to wear the family christening gown 53 years ago, which my mother always said she gave back to my aunt, but my aunt says she doesn't have.  Mind you my grandmother lived with my aunt towards the end of her life and she had dementia so who knows ... she once gave a diamond ring to the milkman who was honest enough to give it back to my aunt!

I don't think I will ever go back to making my own clothes, but I am determined to have some fun with the fabrics I have already gathered together ... and that is without touching the very favourite designs I kept back; though I guess I will have to hope that the moth didn't get to them first.