Hurrah! Comments are back! Thanks to some awesome work by my brilliant webmaster, who figured out what the error was and did the way-beyond-my-capabilities fix that was needed, you can now see comments, and have conversations, and do all that stuff that makes blogging good.
To celebrate, a blog post about someone who I met because they are an awesome commenter & community member.
Lynne’s been following my blog and commenting and supporting since the very early days of my blogging. She joined back when the blogging world was tiny, and you felt like you knew everyone. It was so long ago going to meet an internet person in person was totally normal and not scary and potentially dangerous!
So when Lynne asked me to come visit her, I went – and she’s been my costuming fairy godmother ever since. I had two lovely long visits amidst her beautiful gardens in Ashburton. I’ve since made lots of things from the gorgeous fabrics she’s gifted me (like this fur muff, and the wool for the fantail skirt I’m wearing in these photos, and the wool for my Waiting for Bluebells dress).
She moved up to Christchurch and I’ve been wanting to go visit. At the end of August a work trip and minimal Covid restrictions in Wellington & Christchurch came together to allow me to spend four fabulous days with her.
In addition to lots of talking about books, enjoying her new garden, and sharing recipes and film recommendations, I made her a robe.
Making Lynne wrappers is what I do when I visit her. I like a good tradition!
She’s been tinkering with a robe pattern for years, getting it just right. I used her pattern as a base, and made some further adjustments she’s been thinking of. The fabric is a lush Indian block printed chintz.
It’s heavily based on traditional Japanese kimono patterning, but with more of an overlap, alterations to the sleeves, and all machine sewn.
I’m an active relaxer, and I prefer hanging out with people and doing things. It was perfect to be sitting in her lounge cutting or stitching along on her lovely Bernina while chatting.
We taught Jack, her cat, how to be a sewing cat.
He had no experience in that area, and wasn’t sure about this new role, but he caught on quickly He mastering the basics of lying on fabric right when your person wants to cut it, rucking up the neatly spread out fabric, trying to eat the sewing scissors, and chasing extra fabric strips.
Clever boy!
I hope Lynne enjoys the robe in Christchurch’s hot summers.
How lovely! It looks so light and breezy.
“A robe like the ones the Dreamstress makes for Lynne” has been on my dream sewing list for a while now, but alas, the list is long and my sewing is slow (possibly because I intersperse it with knitting, gardening, et cetera). I’m thinking a nice light one for summer and a thick snuggly one for winter wear. Delish.
P.S. Well done Jack – an apt pupil!
Leimomi, if Lynne agrees you may have another potential Scroop pattern on your hands here. 😉
What a lovely idea! It has been tinkered with enough in its progress from the original Japanese yakata I was given many years ago for it to be considered a new thing, I think. And it has been product tested to rags, in several manifestations.
Oooh, yes please!
What a wonderful surprise to find this blog! I am still cooing at the robe, and have bought it a new nightie – all tucked and embroidered and finely cottoned. I so enjoyed your visit, and so did Jack – I think he still pines for his ‘second lady, the young one…’ Thank you for the beautiful photos. I am honoured and so happy to be your friend – yes, one made on the internet, with absolutely no down-side and no scary bits!
Oh perfect for swanning! Both for Lynne and Jack the Cat.
It is a wonderful thing to have friends with whom you can spend long visits relaxing and chatting. Very different than forced family functions! Although on the other hand, those functions are how certain cousins become your favorite cousins and then you can go spend relaxing time with them later.
Those colors are one of my very favorite color combinations. Funny, this whole blog and comments are about combinations: Colors, friends, and fabric piecing.
Active relaxing is awesome! And the robe is very pretty!
Love this piece, and delighted that Jack has found another admirer. I don’t know why it is Lynne, but your robes always remind me of your mother Flora. I don’t recall her ever wearing anything of the like, but perhaps you carry them with an echo of her panache
Aww, looks like Jack’s on the right path to become a master sewist soon! I mean he’s totally nailing the getting to grips with the fabric part haha 😉 Absolutely love the combination of the pattern and the fabric – looks stunning and so comfy!
Jack is a very clever cat, and Lynne and you were lucky he caught on so quick and could properly supervise and help you.
Beautiful fabric, and beautiful use for it!