Thank goodness the slump didn’t last long. I was beginning to get on my own nerves.
I’ve had a refreshing trip out with a friend to a favourite shop… and I’m not going to tell you where it is dear reader, for fear of everyone rushing there and stripping it of all its gorgeous inspirational loveliness. It is full of clothing and textiles from about 1920 onwards. I could – and on occasion have – spend a whole day in there ferreting about.
When I went in I said I was looking for white ish clothes, that grew from child to adult, the thinner the better. What I actually came out with was something very different. As I was squeezing stuff out from between the crammed rails, I was not finding the white stuff inspiring at all and I’m not sure why… other than the white work has been a bit of a departure for me. I love using colour, like nothing better than putting a palette together, no matter what in: paint, crayons, fabric, clothes, threads, buttons in a jar…
What I did find inspiring were the clothes I have posted photographs of. I’m afraid my photography is less than inspiring, but you get the idea.
Item 1: Cream wool child’s coat (girl’s I think, but need to check the buttoning, doesn’t matter to me at this point), lined in cotton, looks home made, no labels, buttons and poppers hand stitched, sleeves turned up and hand-stitched, pearl buttons.
Item 2: Cream floral print brushed cotton dress, label says “la cicogna”, pink braid trim, pearl buttons, ties at the back.
Item 3: Boys suit, green wool (itchy) shorts and yellow stripy shirt, shirt front pieces cut on the bias and pleated, shorts button onto shirt, nightmare for quick trips to toilet, shorts fully lined in cotton, label says “Tick-A-Tee kiddies wear”
Item 4: Adult dress yellow linen with white trim, possibly 1940s home made, no label, some hand stitching. Beautifully pieced, some sections cut on bias, more pearl buttons.
I see these items as a family somehow… mother and children. I don’t know how I’m going to use them, but I love them. They are pinned on my wall for me to consider and admire. At some point I will wash them I expect, and iron them. I’m full of thoughts of who made them, bought them, wore them, and eventually saved them somewhere so that I could buy them decades later.
Someone has already mentioned that what I have thoughts about doing with these clothes is a bit creepy. Good oh! On the right tracks then!
PS I’ve been in the top ten every month since I started writing this blog. I can’t imagine why, as I just whitter on a bit, and others to me seem far more worthy! But thanks for your reading and your comments, it’s great to be part of this Big Conversation
