Monkeys for Christmas

I am in the middle of making some Christmas presents, which means I can't show them as the people who are to receive them visit this blog. You will have to wait until after Christmas to have a peek.

In fact I can prepare my posts whenever and plan for them to be published when I want, so it could be on the 25th December for exemple, when I will be eating all that lovely food, and very busy visiting friends and family.

Still I will show you my production from this afternoon, but Karine will have to keep it a secret to her little girl. I am thinking she is too young to visit blogs by herself.

On Tuesday I went with my friend Katherine to Bath, to see the Christmas market. We had a really nice day, but a bit cold as we were outside most of the time. And the people in their little Christmas sheds were not even allowed to have any heating, for health and safety issues.

I also visited the patchwork shop Country Threads, in Pierrepont Place, as I always do when I come to Bath. And of course I bought a bit of fabric, very reasonable I was, and that's the origin of the fat quarter used here, with the monkeys.

The drawstring bag measures 12 x 9 1/2" (30cm x 24cm) and is lined with some white cotton. And the zippered pouch is 7 1/2 x 6" (19 x 15 cm).

I do love this time of preparation for Christmas, thinking of the people we love and appreciate.



Country Threads

2, Pierrepont Place, Bath, Avon BA1 1JX
Tel: 01225 480056

There doesn't seem to be a website.

Marche Saint Pierre

Each time I come to Paris I visit the "Marche Saint Pierre", as I used to when I was living in the town. If you don't know the capital and come for a holiday, it is easy to find : next to Montmartre's basilic, built in white stone and offering a magnificent view.

You have to turn right just before climbing the steps up the hill to the white stone church. It is the traditional area of the city to find the fabrics for the house, dressing up, dressmaking, and of course patchwork. It is sad to see the place being overtaken by cheap tourist shop, but I suppose there is more money in it.

So I indulged in some retail therapy. First I went to Dreyfus, the man operating the lift seems to come from another time, and the choice is almost overwhelming, you can find some interesting prices for cotton fabric but you have to look a bit; there are also some patchwork fabric, but not a lot when I went as they were due to do their inventory and had not reordered.

Next I went to "Tissus Reine", it looks tidier, but the price is higher as well, better selection of patchwork fabric.

There are different shops everywhere, under different names. The ones that sell "coupons" can offer some bargains, like some liberty fabric I found.

And then I went to "Moline", they have different shops in the same street, and in the one marked "mercerie", which means haberdashery, you will find tucked away a good selection of patchwork fabric, plus lots of bits and bobs very useful.

It is hard to resist buying fabric in such an environment, there are displays everywhere. In fact I went twice as the first time I wasn't able to visit all the places.

Now I am back home in England, and the house is nearly in order. I shall be able to do some sewing again soon.

If you go to Paris enjoy.