The fabric of life …

I seem to be able to weave fabric into all aspects of my life and my latest (non sewing) project was no exception …

Here are some pages from a Blurb book that I recently made for my Lovely Dad to celebrate his 70th birthday. It’s a family photo album with the earliest pictures dating from 1891, and look …

… I managed to include the Welsh patchwork quilts that have been in our family for years and years …

My father is Welsh and his family history is a BBC drama waiting to happen I can tell you. In fact, I may just pop the lid on my sewing machine and start writing a screenplay this very afternoon.

Do you recognise this fabric?

And here is my Grandma’s Welsh wool blanket (moth holes and all) featuring my very handsome grandfather…

Almost all of the 72 pages have a piece of fabric included as part of the design of this book, from lace for a wedding spread, to a scrap of an old 1940s apron on this page where my dad is cute and cheeky …

This project was incredibly absorbing for me (hence my absence of late) and I can’t tell you how satisfying and enjoyable it was to do. It was also very moving (my Lovely Dad was only 6 weeks old when his father died at the end of the war), a tale of family, love, loss, betrayal and mystery. Right where’s my pen, I’ve a screenplay to right and a ‘final show’ dress to sew for my Lovely Girl (made from a pair of old curtains of course) who is about complete another chapter in her young life …

He loved the book by the way.

 

 

Nose blowing for fabric lovers …

There are lots of things that make my heart skip a beat. Loved ones aside, this mainly involves sea views, parma violets, charity shop treasure finds and babies (hormones are cruel at my age). Vintage patterns are a major heart racer (pant pant pant) and also of course, vintage fabrics … Excuse me while I momentarily day dream and stare open mouthed at an imaginary pile of precious fabrics right here beside me.

Wake up! If like me you love vintage fabrics, their colours, their patterns and their general vintagey vintageness, then you will love this book.

The Printed Square by Nicky Albrechtsen (Thames and Hudson) (£14.95) is basically a handkerchief sized book of vintage handkerchiefs in all their beautiful, colourful (and clean) glory! I’m not reviewing it (in case you were wondering), but I thought I would spread the word of its loveliness around a bit.

Just for inspiration it’s a gem, but if you ever need a little help in deciding which colours work well together then this is a great reference book.

Don’t you just wish you could get handkerchiefs like this nowadays? Actually, sod the hankies, just to buy metres of fabric like this would make my heart explode!

Now for vintage patterns of the other kind, I have just spotted Marie’s Vintage Sewing Pattern Pledge over at Sewing Odyssey. I’m probably the last to join in (as always) but it’s a great idea and just what I need to get me sewing up my stash, so  …

During 2014, I, Amy of Sylkotwist, will try (very hard) to sew up at least three of my vintage patterns.

There, I’ve made my pledge, now I just have to decide what to make … Bye for now!

 

Summer skirt and missing my boys …

Well, a weekend of just me and my girl while the boys are at Wood Festival. I am missing them lots and it’s only been a day. My girl is busy revising chemistry and English Lit, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to post a picture of the skirt I made. It will take my mind off the quietness.

It was so simple to make and I even used French seams (I’ve impressed myself!). I incorporated the piping to match the buttons and of course added pockets because I just have to have pockets! The fabric makes me all nostalgic as it had been in my Mum’s fabric cupboard for years. It was meant to be a dress for me when I was about twelve, but I think I turned the offer down as I suddenly felt too old for it. Ironic that I will be wearing it in my forties! The buttons are also a hand me down. Last year for my birthday, Mum gave me some cards with her beautiful buttons and buckles sewn onto them, it was priceless to me, so many memories and lovely of my mum to do that for me.

Hopefully the sun will stay out enough this summer for me to wear my Lotta clogs as seen in the pic, they are so comfy and make me a good inch taller which isn’t a bad thing! I love them!