When Liz was 3, Bob was at College and money was tight. There weren't Charity Shops on every other street corner then - so I made lots of her clothes from remnants and scraps. Laura Ashley sold lots of gorgeous cord dresses and skirts which I could not afford. But they also sold bags of the odd shaped leftover pieces from the factory. For a couple of pounds I got loads of small cord patches. I made Liz a little blue jacket, and appliquéd houses, and Big Ben, and on the front, a cloud and the sun. On the back, above the houses, I put stars and the moon. The cloud and moon were scraps of my wedding dress fabric. Liz called it her sun, moon, stars jacket. I gave it to her for Rosie, but it was just before lockdown, and Rosie never wore it. But this weekend, Liz showed it to Jess, and she adores it...
It is so lovely to see the little jacket being worn again
That is going to be an heirloom jacket! It is gorgeous 😍
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DeleteThat jacket is gorgeous. I remember buying Laura Ashley scraps and making a patchwork bedspread as a wedding present for a friend when I was skint!
ReplyDeleteThey were such a bargain!
DeleteThis is a joy to read! Maeve xx
ReplyDeleteJess is one unstoppable bundle of joy!
DeleteWhat a lovely jacket. You are so imaginative to make a couture garment out of scraps! Charmaine
ReplyDeleteThank you! It is fun to make one-of-a-kind items.
DeleteAdorable - both the jacket and Jess!
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ReplyDeleteWow-that little jacket is unique and much appreciated by its wearer. Well done for keeping it safe and to Jess explaining for it all to you. Catriona
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad Liz hung on to it
DeleteThat is so sweet and how wonderful Jess loves it. Both my boys when young loved to wear clothes passed down from their older cousins. We were hard up when our sons were young it made me inventive about making clothes for them, I got a lot of things from jumble sales and unpicked them to remake into clothes for the boys. Regards Sue H
ReplyDeleteI have a wartime book which lists how you can remake a garment over and over for adult, then child, then baby...then dusters and rags...
DeleteI love the little jacket and it's so satisfying that another little girl loves it now too. Jess looks beautiful in it :)
ReplyDeleteAngie x
She is so cute (and she knows it)
DeleteAbsolutely the best!
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DeleteHow lovely, a proper family hand-me-down heirloom.
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right there really weren't many charity shops years ago were there. I've never really thought about it before, but we all had a lot fewer clothes and wore them until they fell apart so I doubt there would have been much to donate.
Sunday best, school uniform, a party frock, and "old dresses" for weekends
DeleteJess looks like the best kind of handful.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing that you not only brought together a wonderful garment out of scraps, but that you brought joy with it. It's a lovely jacket and Jess is lucky to have it.
Jess' joyful jacket....
DeleteWhat a lovely little jacket. No wonder she loves it!
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DeleteWhat a gorgeous little jacket, I bet it got a lot of positive comments when it was worn earlier and now too! You are so creative! Also a wonderful idea of L A to sell scraps like that. JanF
ReplyDeleteI remember it being admired by other mums at playgroup.
DeleteSuch a beautiful jacket ,stitched with love by Grandma. No wonder Jess is so happy and wants to dance around wearing it.
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DeleteOh that is a GLORIOUS jacket! I'm thrilled that Jess is such a fan as it deserves to be celebrated!
ReplyDeleteWe loved L A but also couldn't afford much. I bought a cornflower blue beret from there when I was 8. Saved all my money for it. I am now the proud owner of all my mum and recorder teacher's LA dresses!
That's lovely
DeleteHow utterly charming and sweet!
ReplyDeleteHugs!
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DeleteMums that can sew can really take advantage of available fabrics. You did a fantastic job on Liz's "designer" jacket and now Jess is enjoying it and I'm sure it attracts attention when she wears it out and about.
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteThats just lovely, and made well to last. I still love Laura Ashley fabric and have some bits of fabric in my scrap bag!
ReplyDeleteIt's very distinctive
DeleteThat jacket is utterly gorgeous and all those memories attached to its making and now your littlest granddaughter gets to wear it - the joy on her face just says it all xx
ReplyDeleteSo joyful!
DeleteWhat a lovely jacket! And lovely model, too! :D
ReplyDeleteMy mother made all my clothes when I was a child (there were no "ready made" dress shops at that time and in that place; the only options were making them yourself or having them made by a dressmaker/tailor).
Handmade clothes are special
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