A pattern from Idee Fixe, Spring of 1987

Martie was in France for her annual skiing holiday in January and spent some time in Paris too.  She arrived back in Johannesburg armed with a box of sublime Laduree macaroons, foie gras and gorgeous bits of french fabric for our quilt group.

What a stylish way to start our 2015 quilting year.

That got me thinking of my years in France, shopping for fabric, sewing for myself and the littleys. One particular memory is captured in this letter to Mom on the 2nd February 1987. 

'I  found a delightful shop called Idee Fixe.'

Idee Fixe, Spring Catalogue from 1987

I recall how enchanted I was with the shop, the hand made patterns, the gorgeous children's seersucker, poplin and cotton fabrics. I had chosen the pretty pink and white candy-striped 'pique' for a pair of pants to make for Shawni and I see that I dropped a little swatch into the letter too.

The left-over fabric was slowly incorporated into quilt projects over the years.

How I loved this fabric.

What a delight to find the 1987 Spring Catalogue from Idee Fixe in a cupboard.

While in Barrydale before Xmas I saw some old sewing patterns that had been framed, so my plan is to get the catalogue book framed for my studio here at home.

I will keep the pattern to make some pants for another special little girl one day....