Introductions

I remember when I was about three years old going to bed at night and waking up to find that Nanny had made my favourite doll, Baby Rose, a brand new dress.  Sometimes it matched a new dress for me, sometimes it was knitted, other times it was a dress that I had specially asked for and one day it was a dressing gown instead.  There is one dress though that was particularly special.

I was very much a Nanny’s girl and of course wanted to be just like her, so when Nanny was sewing I wanted to sew too.   So at the age of three I decided to learn smocking. (A brief explanation for those of you thinking of shirring or in shock that a three year old wanted to smoke, this is a form of embroidery worked over pleated fabric)  Nanny pleated a piece of material with her pleater for me (with help of course), threaded a needle and showed me what to do.  I stitched a couple of brown blobby things, declared myself an expert and then wandered off to do something else.

Nanny carefully put my smocking away and when I was asleep, turned the brown blobs into rabbits, filled in the rest of picture and made Baby Rose a dress.  To this day I remember waking up and finding Baby Rose wearing a dress that I had made and I remember Nanny’s pleasure in my happiness.

I still have that dress and Baby Rose now lives in my sewing room.

Everyone should have something that has been made especially for them.  Which is why I am starting yet another sewing blog.  I can’t promise that it will teach anyone much, although I’ll try, but I do hope that it will inspire someone to give sewing a go.  This is something that has been an integral part of my life for many years and having recently had the pleasure of helping my Sister-in-law, Mother-in-law and five year old niece start to sew and hone their skills I want to share it a little more.

Happy Sewing

      Natasha