Model & Muse: Esme, Libra, 4 3/4 years old.

Esme and I started talking through a head shaped hole in the hedge during lockdown (to the left of her in the photo). 
I asked her to model for me and made a mini ESME version of the Nostalgia Twinset.

Esme is very good at modelling, as you can see. She told me she had worked on her poses, and was also now training Max (adopted sausage dog working through his abandonment issues) to pose and also perform circus tricks. She hummed me the tune she uses to encourage Max to jump over the garden hose pipe - apparently he loves it and “goes crazy”. Her current most favourite thing is playing with her new Syrian hamster, Pippin.

Esme has quite a lot of animals in her garden: rabbits, hens (two of which move in absolute synchrony, like clones), two dogs, some cats (including Leo, whose leg had to be pinned back together after being caught in a trap; and cool Arthur - who is totally asocial, even by cat standards. With me at least.) Maybe also some ducks. And last year for a while two orphan sheep, who were amazing and who we all missed when they graduated to a field. Esme is very adept at handling them all, though recently she had a severe allergic reaction to a yellow furry caterpillar. So please be careful.

Esme taught me the difference between a Unicorn (a horse with a horn on its head), a Pegasus (a horse with wings), and an Alicorn (which has both horn and wings). Which I am happy to share with you in case like me you were in the dark on this. She also has a newish collection of Scruff-a-Luvs (big eyed matted fur creatures you have to soak to separate - ad tag line “Who will you rescue?”). I recently spent 10 sunny minutes playing catch with them over the hedge, saving them from tree top and flower bed jeopardy.

Sometimes Esme dresses as Elsa from Frozen - mauve velour maxi dress with brown faux fur collar - hair plaited. One day she was dressed as a cat - black dress with tail, headband with ears - and gave me a demo, jumping all over collapsing garden furniture, paws out. (Her cat name is Wonder Panther). She also has a giraffe dress - skirt in to-scale print, top appliquéd with giraffe’s head. But mostly she wears very well co-ordinated outfits –  shoes, handbag, hair accessories, jewellery. She sometimes corrects my description of the pieces - “no, this is an all-in-one” etc. She styled herself for the shoot.

Esme made me a necklace and bracelet with my initial on - which I love. She also told me I speak like Siri, which was pretty astute. It’s quite hard to hear accurately through the hedge, so I often have to ask her to repeat things.

Esme likes to go on family bubble picnics with her cousin Freddie to Nanny Woof-Woof’s (nine dogs). I have not met cousin Freddie but Esme told me he is very nice and maybe next time he comes over she will get him passed over the hedge so I can see him. 

Esme is going to school in September, virus permitting. Before this she went to play school, which has closed “because they can’t keep the food fresh”, and early on a group where they encouraged children to play with mud, which I would have liked to attend.

The ESME Nostalgia Twinset:

Soft Tie-neck Jacket High gathered adult size sleeves on child size bodice. Oversize 3D pockets. Fabric cut on reverse wth external french seam, binding and pin hem detail. Raw hems. Super tiny poppers attach through centre front. Worn with matching 3 panelled A line skirt with Frill with elastic waist band.

Made in remnant Navy Flower print Viscose fabric. Sewn on a domestic sewing machine using traditional dress making techniques. No overlocking. Hand sewn finish.


GARMENT CONSTRUCTION & MAKE


PATTERN MAKING:
JACKET & SKIRT, made to measure, 3.5 DAYS

CUTTING & SEWING
JACKET: 14 HOURS 

SKIRT: 4 HOURS

FABRIC CONSUMPTION: 3.5 METRES APPROX

The BLANCHE…

Named for my paternal Grandmother, Blanche Evelyn - Scorpio - long time (cyclist) Post lady and poetess. Who wrote to me throughout my wanderings, in vanilla and pink envelopes with cash notes and always cheering news. Who lived through radical bouts of cancer, but never ever gave up on life.

Soft V necked Jacket with a separate modesty neck tie featuring detailed gathered sleeves, pattern elaborated from a 1930s blouse, which are faced and open and attached to bodice at shoulder only. Oversize 3D breast pockets. Tie back allows jacket to adjust across sizes, and to be worn pulled in at waist or with relaxed fit. Hand sewn poppers to attach through centre front. Worn with matching classic darted, hip curved, roomy Pencil Skirt with back split and metal zip.

Made in remnant Navy Flower print Viscose fabric. Sewn on a domestic sewing machine using traditional dress making techniques - including french seams, binding and pin hems. No overlocking. Hand sewn finish.


GARMENT CONSTRUCTION & MAKE


PATTERN MAKING:
JACKET 3.5 DAYS
SKIRT 1 DAY

CUTTING & SEWING
JACKET: 20 HOURS 

SKIRT: 4 HOURS
FABRIC CONSUMPTION: APPROX 5 METRES

…the EUNICE

Named for my Great Aunt, Eunice - who through lock down I thought of often as I ran by her tiny terraced cottage on my route. She lived there even after it was burnt out, with newspaper wallpaper and blackened walls, the stairs collapsed. Cooking on a primus stove. A great solo walker and free wanderer. And like her sister, a seer.

TWINSET
Soft Tie-neck jacket with high gathered sleeves. Sleeve pattern based on vintage blouse research. Sleeves are open and attached to bodice at shoulder only. Multi panelled and darted bodice. Tie back waist allows jacket to adjust across sizes, to be worn pulled in at waist or as relaxed fit. Hand sewn poppers to attach through centre front. Worn with matching classic, double hemmed darted A line Skirt with metal zip.

Made in remnant Navy Flower print Viscose fabric. Sewn on domestic sewing machine using traditional dress making techniques - including french seams, hand made binding and pin hems. No overlocking. Hand sewn finish.

GARMENT CONSTRUCTION & MAKE


PATTERN MAKING:
JACKET 4 DAYS
SKIRT 1 DAY

CUTTING & SEWING
JACKET: 18 HOURS 

SKIRT: 4 HOURS
FABRIC CONSUMPTION: APPROX 5 METRES