I’ve noticed that a lot of people are looking for make do and mend articles at the moment. I haven’t got around to doing any sewing recently, but when I do, I’ve always found the Burdastyle website to be really helpful.
It has lots of tips and ‘how to’ videos which make everything seem really simple and you’ll find that it is useful whether you are a beginner or an expert at sewing.
This recession seems to have awakened a new enthusiasm in people to fix and re-make things rather than just chuck them out.
At least it keeps fabric out of landfill sites, which had apparently been causing problems before.
My friend Annella was having a clear out recently, and she gave me a bundle of beautiful broderie anglaise material, which she had no use for. It had originally belonged to Annella’s granny, so it must be really old, as Annella is 83. I think that at one time most of it had been made up into underskirts, as there was one intact one in the bundle, and another which had just had the waistband removed.
I wore the intact one under a flimsy skirt when I went shopping in Edinburgh on Saturday. I think it must have been the “Sunday best” underskirt as it seems like new and the material is very sturdy. It certainly stopped my skirt from sticking to my legs and made the skirt ‘hang’ better.
broderie anglaise underskirt
underskirt detail
So, being of a waste not, want not turn of mind, I thought I would make the one which had just had the waistband removed into a summer nightdress, as it was more than half way there already. As you can see below, I simply gathered the top edge, and then bound the edge with lace which I already had in my stash. I’m quite pleased with the outcome.
broderie anglaise nightdress
nightdress detail
Although, I must admit that this was my second try at it. I actually went to the trouble of making pin tucks at my first attempt of the nightdress, however that all went sadly wrong when I accidently cut through the material when I was cutting the lace edging. Honestly, I couldn’t have done it if I had tried, but – hey ho – you know how it is and I couldn’t face making the pin tucks again.
Now all I need is some summer weather in which to wear a nightie. I’ve just changed over from the winter duvet to the summer one today as it has been too cold until now, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if I had to pile a quilt on top of it tonight. Well, that’s Scotland in June for you.
Angelique Chrisafis of Paris had an article published in The Guardian on Saturday, 30th May, in which she reported on an exhibition at the Jean Moulin Museum. Apparently the exhibition shows how women reacted to the Nazi occupation, using clothing to boost their self-image, amongst other things. It explores the ingenuity of ration book fashion. Of course, much the same things were going on in war time Britain, although admittedly we didn’t have the added problem of the Nazis requisitioning materials such as wool and leather.
We’ve all heard the stories from mums and grannies of gravy browning used to dye legs (very popular with dogs) and beetroot to dye hair. No wonder the Americans were so popular, with their nylons and lipsticks.
Fabienne Falluel seems to think that French women don’t necessarily know how to sew nowadays. However she believes that this will change during this recession, and that people will soon start learning to sew again.
It was a surprise to me that the French seem to be so far behind the times. In Britain, over the past couple of years the sales of sewing machines have increased enormously. I know that young girls here have always customised clothes to make themselves a bit different and add some of their own personality to their style. I know that I have a dread of meeting someone at a ‘do’ who is wearing the same outfit as me, and I’m pretty sure that that is a universal horror for women.
Well, it just can’t happen if you make your own things or at least customise them. The Gok Wan fashion programmes are giving people the confidence to have a go themselves too.
Part of the attraction in sewing is the fact that you can take something that is quite worn out and turn it into something new. It’s all very green and good for the environment, and it saves you money too.
It can be taken too far however. My mother-in-law was a Make-Do and Mend teacher during the war and she carried on with that same attitude to everything for the rest of her life. Like many people of that generation they just got into the habit of saving everything like string, elastic bands and wrapping paper.
Sending the kids to school in patched clothes shouldn’t be an option nowadays as the whole thing gets too Dolly Partonish for words. (See the video below.)
But there surely comes a time for every piece of fabric when the best thing you can do with it is turn it into a cleaning or polishing cloth.
Getting back to the subject of fashion. Just why do the French have such a great reputation for being well dressed? The last time I was in Paris I only saw one well dressed woman the whole time I was there, and she was a lady of a certain age, harking back to that era when no lady would open her front door unless she had her lipstick on, at least.
I appliqued the middle of the blue fleece material with circles of red fleece. The middle circle is a bit bigger than the others. I attached the circles by hand using black embroidery thread and a stem stitch. The design on the circles is inspired by the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Glasgow rose design. For some reason this photograph makes the roses look quite small. In reality the roses are a lot bigger and bolder. I added a second, larger backing of red fleece material and simply folded the edges over the blue then machined around the edge. I should probably have taken the trouble to mitre the corners – but you know how it is and that will be for the next one. As the corners ended up a bit fat and bulky I added nice shiny blue buttons to them to flatten them down. Well I’m quite pleased with it. The fleece material makes a nice lightweight quilt and it is lovely and soft so it is perfect for using as a play quilt for wee ones, easily washed and warm for little bottoms and knees.
I’ve managed to get a close up on the roses here now.
