Me-made Malta

Me made in Malta
The Dress That Nearly Wasn’t, dress!

We only just came back last week but wow!… our trip to Malta seems a lifetime in the past.

First time any of us had ever visited the island. Or at least spent any quality time there. And the first time ever we have all been abroad, together as a family! So it was a very precious week indeed.

We stayed in the north, in Mellieha in a beautiful villa with a private pool. It was hot hot hot, even on the day of the storm. Such a fierce one in fact that my eldest daughter’s flight had to make an emergency landing in Sicily, poor love! But all was ok in the end and we certainly made up for lost time when she eventually touched down!

I’m not going to harp on what larks were had or how divine the country is; it’s fascinating history or how peaceful and it was and how immensely friendly the Maltese are… I am simply using this post to express how delighted I was at having some functional me-mades in my suitcase.

It will probably come as no surprise that the top one, and the two following below are all based on the Elisalex dress by By Hand London!

Love of lawn dress
For the Love of Lawn dress. And a rare picture of me and my lovely, care of smallest dort!
vintage rose Elisalex dress
Vintage Roseprint Elisalex Dress
First Summer dress
First Summer dress: Simplicity 2442
70s Dress in Blue, McCalls 2399
70s Dress in Blue, McCalls 2399: A rare picture with my teen son, Alfie

The ubiquitous scabby doorways are so fabulous for showcasing outfits! I wish I could find just one street load of these in London. Ones that wouldn’t have a grumpy resident chasing you off their doorsteps would be a bonus too!

Asides from the usual swimming, sun-worshipping, reading, eating and drinking (sometimes we just changed the order), I did actually manage to get a little sewing in too.

A lickle bit of hand embroidery on a shirt that shall be revealed in all its entirety at a later date:

embroidered initials
Hand embroidered initials

I’m bracing myself for normality next week: kids back to school (yay!) and me back to work (boo!) And I’m getting excited about Autumnal projects. This chilly weather can do all it likes to try and dampen my spirits but it will not triumph over the joy of sewing new things that will keep me warm!!

Happy sewing, peeps! x

24 Replies to “Me-made Malta”

  1. Looks like you had a great time and all your dresses look wonderful. Love the photo of you and your Mister together – I know he’s the one who usually takes the pics isn’t he so it makes a change. Funnily enough, my daughter insisted on taking one of Mr. T and I together yesterday as she says we haven’t got any recent ones but, when I looked at them afterwards, I remembered why! He’s 6’4″ and I’m 5’3″ so photos always look a bit odd – I must remember in future to only have ‘sitting down’ ones taken.
    Never been to Malta – never really fancied it – but you make it sound fabby fab so I might reconsider.

    1. Thank you Tialys. It was a fabulous time indeed. Malta is such an interesting place. The language is a strange fusion of Arabic and Italian. It’s steeped in history and the food is amazing. (assuming you like seafood!). Probably the quietest place I’ve ever been re no hoards of tourists in fact not many around per se, no built up areas, mostly traditional buildings, guaranteed sunshine. And its a short ferry ride from Gozo which is an eco-island! My only regret is that we just missed one of their largest ‘festas’ of Santa Maria. They do festivals very well, apparently!

  2. Ahhh you look so lovely and gorgeous in all these pics. I love that first photo so much! Such a chic, glam Mama. Can’t wait to see you and that ‘mystery’ shirt 😉 xx

  3. You surely had a great holidays! *^o^* And your dresses are always so floral and beautiful! I’m looking forward to your Autumn projects, I need inspiration since September over here is already windy and definitely colder then a few days ago, and I need to work on my Autumn wardrobe.

  4. You must have had local chasing you around and patting your gorgeous dresses – you are one classy chick. No wonder your bloke looks so chuffed to be hanging out with you and even the mysterious teenage son agreed to a photo – mum is cool!

    1. Haha. Not quite. But it did feel good to be swishing around in a dress rather than the usual shorts and Ts! Alfie will never ever believe I’m cool but one photo a year from him is better than none!! 🙂

      1. I once got a serve from my eldest because apparently she came out of class one day and all her friends were saying “Look Zoe – there’s your Mum!!” she was terribly embarrassed because everyone knows who I am. I suggested it might be because I was a ‘cool dresser’ ) I was wearing a LBD, patterned stockings, heels and a trench. She assured me “that’s just not possible Mum.” LOL

    1. Thanks Gail. Looking back at the photos, I think I like that one the most too! Funny how things work out! lol… yes my son knows of two dogs called Alfie. One was actually named after him. He is quite happy about that but he does get rather bored of all the grown ups singing ‘What’s it all about….’ to him all the time!! 🙂

  5. Janene, you would have been the best dressed lady in Malta whilst you were there! I love your style and you look great whether you are in London or Timbuktu.
    Holidaying as a family is the best and the memories will be with you all forever.

    1. Bless your cottons, Marj! I didn’t quite realise what this holiday meant until we did it. You are absolutely right. It is a holiday firmly nestled in my heart already! 🙂

  6. Wow, you are such a fashionista!! I mean I knew that already, but you really look incredible! I love all your makes but seeing them all in one post is kind of mind blowing!! 🙂 What an amazing holiday – and how lovely to look stunning in every single photo – I’m sure that helps sweeten the memories LOL. I love love LOVE the pic of you and your hubby – it’s got to be the cutest thing ever!! 😀

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