My sari dressing gown

July 15, 2026

Back in March when I shared my non-quilty sewing plans for this year, number 7 on the list was ‘wearables’ and I also shared a picture of the already cut out summer weight dressing gown, using a sari I’d bought from eBay.

Well it is done, who knew it’d make it out of my craft room so quickly?!

Our new house is super well insulated, and every summer we’ve been here when it’s warm I think to myself “I need a lightweight dressing gown” and this year - we’ve been here three years now - I finally have one.

And it’s glorious, I’m so pleased with it - let me talk you through it.

I bought both the pattern and the sari on eBay, the pattern had the tie belt pattern piece missing but as I’d also bought the men’s version of the same pattern I used that one. As you can see the pattern was well worn, but it had the instructions and the pattern pieces themselves weren’t damaged.

As I said in March, I needed to get brave and start sewing. And those warm summer days spurred me on.

I’d already decided to make use of the sari’s pattern on the bottom of the dressing gown, and the bands around the neck and sleeves. This determined the length and I’d class the length as ‘pretty much decent’ if you know what I mean.

When I started to sew it came together pretty quickly. In my first sewing session I made the patch pocket, even though I was a bit thrown by the band instructions so may have improvised a bit, and then attached it to the front. The shoulder seams were sewn together and the prep work for the decorative band that runs down each front piece and across the neck were done, and it was pinned in place.

It was starting to take shape.

Next up, and on another day I attached the decorative band, and inserted the sleeves - and stopped to admire my progress.

Only briefly though as I decided to press on, and sew the side seams and the sleeves together - now it really was a garment.

The sleeve bands went on much more easily than the band on the pocket had, but I think I was getting the hang of what the instructions meant by then too. The tie belt was sewn, turned through and pressed and the hem was hemmed.

It was almost done. All bar the loops for the tie belt, and one to hang it on the back of the door. I searched my ribbon stash, but an emerald green was the closest I could get to the beautiful teal sari. And it wasn’t right at all.

Which meant I’d have to make my own loops, or otherwise I’d never be entirely happy with it.

And so I did, choosing a contrasting piece of material for the hanging loop, and the plain teal for the belt loops.

They were probably the most fiddly part of the garment, but definitely worth the effort.

Now there’s just the small matter of doing it all again and making MOH a summer dressing gown - I’ve got the pattern, and I’ve bought a sari which he’s approved, but first I think I might try my hand to a sundress - watch this space!

Post Comment Love 10 - 12 July

July 10, 2026

Hello there, welcome to this week’s #PoCoLo - a relaxed, friendly linky which I co-host with Suzanne, where you can link any blog post published in the last week. We know you’ll find some great posts to read, and maybe some new-to-you blogs too, so do pop over and visit some of the posts linked, comment and share some of that love.

Please don’t link up posts which are older as they will be removed, and if you see older posts are linked then please don’t feel that it’s necessary to comment on those. If you were here last week it was great to have you along, if you’re new here we’re pleased you’ve joined us.

We are in our third heatwave of the summer here in the UK, and I’m so over it. In fact I was probably over them midway through the first one in May, but boy it’s warm here in the East Midlands. I don’t even want to think about what the temperatures are like in London, but I’m oh so glad ours are not theirs!

I’ve been cat-sitting and garden watering for one of our neighbours, and unlike last time both cats are visibly present for conversations, treats and of course scritches, which has been fantastic! It’s also meant I’ve been out and about way earlier than I would be usually, though in this heat that is likely to have been the case anyway, and it’s meant some gloriously blue sky-ed photos, just like the one below.

the pineapple like flowers on my eucomis - or pineapple lily — FLOWERS ON MY NEW PINEAPPLE LILY - AREN’T THEY FAB?

Have a great week, and remember to hydrate!

Taking the train to Paris, Angers and Tours

July 9, 2026

At the very end of May we set off with a heavier than expected suitcase, a small wheely case and plans for a complete break. With MOH still on ‘light duties’ I think it was just the thing we both needed, especially for him as it was good for him not to attempt too much and jeopardise the holiday. Typically we’d booked this holiday just two days before any of this, so we were grateful that we were still able to go, even if that meant changing our plans slightly and definitely no cycling.

Newark to London and onto Paris

One of the things we loved about Newark when we were looking to move here was its connectedness, and the ease of getting into central London. Turns out that worked even better for getting to the Eurostar as it is just literally across the road from Kings Cross.

You can’t beat the Eurostar, and it’s been a while since we’ve been on it - but it is just fabulous.

Gare du Nord to Montparnasse

We stayed in Paris overnight close to the station at Montparnasse where we’d pick up our train to Angers the following day. People often say that Parisians are unfriendly, or brusque but I found exactly the opposite, especially with the suitcase and stairs on the Metro and more than once. Those people who offered to carry the case don’t know just how grateful I was.

Staying in Paris also meant that we had the perfect excuse to revisit our favourite Parisian restaurant, and even though it had changed hands it was just as good as we remembered. I’ll share more in a future post on this and another bouchon we visited when we returned to Paris, but in the meantime, here’s a glimpse of why it’s so special.

Montparnasse to Angers

The next morning we were at the busy Montparnasse station earlier than we probably needed to be to make sure we could locate our train to Angers, which of course we did and was easier than expected. We settled in to our upper deck seats, yes the case came up the stairs too, and after a short taxi ride, arrived at our base for the week, a very pretty little chateau.

It was perfect, and our room had a great view of the garden. It was a little out of town, but we knew that - and let’s be honest, not many chateaux are in the centre of town are they.

From here we explored the Jardin des Plantes with it’s spectacularly shored up tree and so much more, dodged a brief rain spell and discovered another art deco gem in a department store and saw the new bedding purchase which beat us home!

We visited the cathedral with its newly opened porch which was built to protect the fragile and deteriorating facade following the removal of the mediaeval porch. I didn’t realise at the time, but it was only officially opened in April of this year and was designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. We explored the town and I was unexplicably drawn to these large apples by Bruno, which were almost 2000 Euros and nonchalantly on display outside the shop.

And we enjoyed walking beneath the floral arched tunnel alongside the river on our way to the Castle, though MOH and his hayfever possibly less so. The Castle gardens were impressive as I peered in and looked over the wall, but those on the ramparts were even more impressive and I’ve more to share from this visit, including the vineyards on the ramparts and the Apocalypse Tapestry - the largest medieval tapestry known in the world.

Another day we left the hotel on foot to explore the nearby Ile Saint-Aubin and marvel at the Bac, a small chain operated ferry which is the only public access to the island and its 600 hectare nature reserve.

We went along to the Museum of Fine Arts which was fascinating though both MOH and I preferred the contemporary pieces, and then we spent a full on day at Terra Botanica which if I’m honest I wasn’t sure about beforehand. Afterwards though I’m a complete convert, and we had a great day - though we walked just under six and a half miles that day, including getting there and back to the chateau. It’s billed as a theme park for gardens, which was what put me off, but it was brilliant - and I haven’t yet worked out how I can share what I saw there yet, we saw so much.

It was our first time in Angers, and it was brilliant - there was so much to see and do, and it definitely lives up to its reputation as France’s greenest city, but it was time to move on.

Angers to Tours (via Le Mans)

We were back at the train station, this time heading to Tours for the second main part of our trip. We needed to change at Le Mans, so we got to see some more of the French countryside on our not quite so direct route. Once in Tours, a city we’d visited before, some ten years ago we immediately noticed some changes, and yet familiarity too.

We took the tram to our next hotel, also a chateau but more along the lines of a larger corporate hotel, but no worse for that. We came to Tours for one main reason, and that reason was to revisit the Chateau de Villandry.

In 2016 we’d arrived by bike, and that was our original plan to for this trip - but as we couldn’t a taxi did very nicely, and much more comfortably instead. Again I’ve much more to share from Villandry, and somehow I never shared my photos from there before, but this sneak peek will explain why I was so keen to get back there for another visit.

Yeap, it’s a wow of a garden isn’t it? Wait until I tell you that the section at the top right is a potager and is filled with edibles, yes my mind is blown too. It’s probably my second most favourite garden ever with Huntes Garden in Barbados firmly in number one spot.

We also found time to celebrate our nineteenth wedding anniversary with a spot of wine tasting, as you do - and it was just as well that MOH insisted on bringing his wheelie case as that went home three bottles heavier. Well, when in Rome and all that…

Tours to Montparnasse and onto Gare de l’Ouest

Just a couple of nights later we were back in Paris, arriving once again at Montparnasse and this time taking the Metro to our hotel located within walking distance of both the Gare de l’Ouest and handily for the next day the Gare du Nord. We also found ourselves in another Bouillon which was just as good as the one we knew and loved.

Paris to London and home

With supplies of baguette and pastries secured the night before we back at the Eurostar to start the final leg of our journey home, but there was still the chance to put some final holiday stitches into my holiday embroidery project. It’s far from finished - and of course I haven’t touched it since we’ve been home - but I’m loving how it’s going so far, and it’ll be a great keepsake to have of our trip.

I’ve plenty more to share from our trip and I’ll do that over the coming weeks and months, and as and when I do I’ll add links to this post so eventually the story will build up with several layers.