It’s been a bit of a dry few months, sewing-wise. First, I moved countries, leaving my much-sworn-at sewing machine in the hands of a good friend. I have now procured a new, vintage, and slightly more sophisticated Necchi machine (more on that later), which needs an MOT before I can start using it.

My old Singer has gone to a better place

My basic and over-excitable Singer, photograph courtesy of the very talented photographer Kendal Montgomery.

Then I flew back to England for the first time in three years to spend Christmas with my delectable friends and family. It was a bit of a struggle at first speaking to people in my first language, but once I got the hang of it I was making enthusiastic conversation with shop attendants and bar staff all over the place. Sorry about that, chaps. I know it’s not The Done Thing in England.

I've been downgraded to a tourist after taking this photo. Sorry, London

My previous three Christmases were spent variously in the jungle, at a pig barbeque, and in a completely deserted Santiago. There’s nothing like a wood fire and some mince pies to get the Christmas spirits really flowing. Marsala – I’m looking at you.

Luckily for me, my family has been keeping up with my re-found love of all things sewy, and gave me some really terrific fabric for Christmas.

Liberty tana lawn

On the first day of Christmas my sister gave to me, some lovely lovely polka dot fabric from Liberty. I’m distressed to say that I didn’t manage to fit a trip to Liberty into my holiday, but this more than made up for it. So SOFT. So PRETTY. And POLKA DOTS. I can’t find it in their online store but there’s plenty of other fabric to drool at.

Vintage Liberty open-weave cotton

On the third day of Christmas, my aunt came over and informed me that she was swapping this incredible vintage Liberty fabric (it’s priced in shillings!) for a crazy 40s hat I own which actually looks far better on her. Evidence of it looking crazy on me below.

I’m not entirely sure what you’d call this fabric. It is a sheer, open-weave cotton. My aunt, also an avid Liberty fabric fan, guessed it was lawn, but other possibilities I’ve considered include voile, gauze or organdy. Any ideas?

My aunt told me that she received this fabric as a gift herself and has kept it for many years, just taking it out occasionally to admire. It is a very nice artefact but I hope I will find the right project to inspire me to cut into it, as it’s so lovely it seems a shame to let it languish in a cupboard.

See how it looks like an exploding brain?

I can’t remember where I got this beauty but it became known as “the goldfish hat” because it makes one look a bit like one of those goldfish with weird lumpy heads. But it looks seriously snazzy on my aunt, the lucky thing.

More prints please.

Finally, when I returned to Argentina, it was time for Christmas with Mr Dressmaker. He bought me two lots of fabulous patterned chiffon, ideal for some kind of kaftan or other loose, flowing ensemble that might be of use in this INSANE HEAT. I’m talking 37 degrees (centigrade) here! How can the human body cope with this torture?

Another tasty print

Oh, and last but by no means least, I might have accidentally got myself a little Christmas fabric present too – I bought this printed cotton when I gave the lovely Sarai from Colette Patterns a whirlwind fabric shopping tour of Buenos Aires’ fabric district Once when she was here on holiday. Sarai posted some beautiful photos from her trip on the Coletterie yesterday!

I certainly need to get my new machine up and running now, before I’m crushed to death under a pile of fabric. It’s hard to come up with projects at the moment that aren’t just summer dresses (the HEAT!) but actually, why shouldn’t I own 500 print cotton summer dresses – who’s to stop me?

I hope you all got something nice in your stockings!