old man in a natty shirt

This week I went to my favourite place- the wonderful Eternal Maker fabric shop, 

http://www.eternalmaker.com/

mostly to buy some cuddly brushed cotton for the back of the steam car quilt:

(tick!)

...but unusually this time I was accompanied by Mr P who has got a bee in his bonnet about me making him a shirt, something I haven't done for many years. He has been seduced by all the beautiful new fabrics available now so he wanted to see them for himself.

Here's the fabric he chose after much deliberation:

(Oh, and I couldn't resist this print which will hopefully become a top for me, after the magnificent shirt of course!)

The Eternal Maker magic wove its spell over him and he had to be pushed out of the shop saying 'Oh, but that one's nice, and I didn't notice that one.... etc'.

I managed to find the aged shirt pattern I last used- dig that crazy 1980's moustache!

I'm making a trial shirt from an old sheet to check the fit, as shirts and indeed also Mr P have changed shape in the last 30 years. In Mr P's case he has probably shrunk a bit due not only to wear and tear, but also to many hours cycling up things. Its The Chilterns this weekend- I do like a weekend on my own with the cats, I can loosen my corsets and do lots of sewing whilst surviving on a diet of tea and toast and jam..

.. and carrying on the velvety black theme, I couldn't resist these beautiful petunias for the garden:

roll on summer!