About two weeks ago I got asked if I could make garden aprons and bags for the charity Open Gardens/Jardines Ouverts.  Their marketing manageress saw my aprons at Petit Bazaar in La Souterraine and we met and discussed options.

Enthusiastic gardeners open their own private gardens to the public and raise funds for medical research and support.

We decided that I would seek out secondhand fabrics and for me that was great as I love florals from the 1940’s, though to 1970’s. These, along with my designs woukd go on jute bags. Plus I would be making heavierweight cotton aprons for gardening in with a central large lined pocket. 

Making and sewing is a long process and practice sure helps. My first apron took an hour and a half! The second, just 20 minutes. Having alot of projects needs me to be quite swift at sewing, so the planning stage is really important. But overriding the time is my love of fabrics.  They bring me huge joy. Can’t explain why.  They just do. And I love that I can give these offcuts and end of roll pieces a new lease of life too.

Today I went to one of Frances brilliant tisdus fairs and came back with a huge stash of 1940 to 1950’s fabrics. You can always tell older fabrics, pre-chemical inks, as the pattern is right through to the back of the fabric and the density of threads is very fine.

So I am always on the hunt for pieces and found that just north of La Chatre, about an hour from me was a huge fabric manufacturer, early 20th century and still producing today, Marcel Boussac, with Romanex fabrics. I found a piece today, a 1940’s piece, so that gives the bags some lovely provenance.

Below are a selection of today’s finds.