My sewing machine came to a very noisy grinding halt the other day. It was only a few hours later Polly’s vintage Husqvarna was humming along happily, finishing the quilt for my niece, and the Christmas presents that had been cut and overlocked – all waiting for finishing.

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Little double gauze and cotton jersey trousers – two pairs made, more pyjamas for Astrid, muslin wraps for the baby. All week I’ve been grateful I bought good fabric last year when I had some money. Things like nani iro suzuran field bias tape, a bolt of purple flower double gauze from Linnet, neatly folded italian wool carefully tucked into bags – one piece just enough to make winter trousers for a two year old, another perfect for a small coat, pink and white pindot voile for lining, a bit left over to make hankies, metres of soft, light organic japanese cotton voile, pretty florals and soft grey flanels, linens in rose quartz and mulberry for teatowels and napkins.

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Lovely treasures from Japan. Lovely treasures with which to clothe and surround ourselves with.

I bought a box from muji to file my yarn in. I’ll have to show you that another day. And the sewing. When the light’s better. And then I can tell you about meeting Melissa, who carried my muji shopping around Soho for me, about Yvonne coming to stay and our trip to Loop and Cath Kidston and Skandium. But now I’m going back downstairs to finish cooking dinner, to blow my nose another thousand times and to get some rest.