Landing in France

Bonjour Tout le monde! Hello Everyone! I arrived in France during the dreary, cold wet time of the year. They say that's the best time because going forward, everything becomes more beautiful everyday & it's so very true. As the place has opened up with the sun, so have treasures around the garden and in town. I've discovered I'm surrounded in a city of roses. What a difficult thing to manage.

Our things have still not arrived although this photo doesn't make that seem true. The house came with the armoir. I couldn't believe it or understand why anyone would leave such a thing behind until we tried to move it. Seems it may stay there indefinitely. I started by adding this table which we found at a recyclery (used items) for $70. With leaves it extends out over 15 feet and is sturdy as an oak tree that it may have been carved out of. At first I spent days and weeks designing and then one day we got word that our container would take another 4 months... at the earliest...no guarantees on that date. One never realizes how much something has become an integral part of one's life until it is taken away. The sewing machine was that thing.

So with our town's market literally outside our front door on Saturday mornings, and a Singer vendor there I had to take a look. I thought about it for a day or two and decided I couldn't wait the 2 weeks till he returned to our small market. So we tracked him down at another market town one & a half hours away in Loches. Unlike our small market, the market at Loche is much bigger with vendors lined in open places & down winding streets. The Singer vendor was at the very last winding street we turned on at the very end of the street, the very last vendor possible! I opted for Madam 2. She works perfect for what I need.

Now to find fabric. Oh my goodness. Ladies, be ever so grateful for that stash that you have. We have the best selection with our fabric manufactures in the US. It's not comparable here. I was feeling guilty & a tad over zealous with the boxes of fabric I packed and had placed on the container. Now I wish I had brought more. I use to wonder why people spent so much money to have fabric sent overseas & now I completely understand. I had Laurie send me a box last week & it cost $150 in postage & another $150 in duties. Big sigh. BUT, it was worth it! And I found a small 6 FQ Tilda bundle online which I'm too embarrassed to say how much I paid for it but also well worth it, even if it just sits in it's pretty bow-tied state for me to look at.

So the start of the sewing/design room has begun and I'm excited to finally have the time to write & share my discoveries that I make when designing & testing block after block. I hope that you find time to follow along. I'm excited to share several new designs & a new trick I just learned yesterday when you are very, very short on fabric & need to figure out how to make it stretch further with the same end results on the block. For next time...

As always, Happy Sewing

À Bientôt! ~ Cherie

Little Mia keeping watch over Madame 2. While it may not look like it, she's a good proofreader of all things...or so she says.