Me Made May Maker Feature: Lesley
Welcome back for our final Me Made May Maker Feature! This week, we're chatting with the owner and creative lead of DuckaDilly: Lesley McWilliams! In addition to her gorgeous archival Liberty stash, keen eye for color, and love of scrappy quilts, Lesley also enjoys a rich multi-generational experience with garment sewing. We're excited to share a bit of the story behind Lesley's life-long love of Liberty. 
DuckaDilly: How did your sewing journey begin?
Lesley: I started sewing with my mom when I was little. She taught me to sew as we made garments together. We would go to Britex Fabrics in San Francisco, and whenever we visited, she would always show me the Liberty shelf. I remember my mom making herself beautiful Liberty blouses with pearl buttons, and I fell in love with Liberty's gorgeous florals.
DD: Can you tell our readers a little more about your history with Liberty Fabrics?
Lesley: Years later, I rediscovered Liberty when I was going to school at Central St. Martins in London. During lunch breaks, I would often stop by the Liberty store to look at the fabrics. It was during one of these visits that I bought my first piece of Liberty fabric, Eve (from 2003). It was this piece of fabric that later became the inspiration for our Sweetheart Collection.
Fabric: Ballerine from the Classic Revival Collection
Pattern: Burda Style 137
DD: How did DuckaDilly come about?
Lesley: When my kids were little, I wanted to make Liberty garments and quilts for them. At that time, it was hard to find a good selection of Liberty in the US. So, I started collecting and selling it in pursuit of finding Liberty again! I started out on Etsy and as DuckaDilly grew, we created our own website.
DuckaDilly: Where did the name "DuckaDilly" come from?
Lesley: DuckaDilly is a reference to Winston Churchill. He had sweet nicknames for his family members, and "Duckadilly" was a nickname for one of his kids.
DD: What was the first Liberty garment that you made for your kids?
Lesley: I made my daughters Dirndl dresses when they were 2 & 4. On this one I used Rosa (A) and Lagos Laurel (D)!
Pattern: Burda 9509
Fabrics: Rosa (A) and Lagos Laurel (D)
And for this dress I used Nancy Ann (C) and Katie and Millie (SS13).
Pattern: Burda 9457
Fabrics: Nancy Ann (C) and Katie and Millie (SS13)
DD: You've made so many lovely children's garments, what will you next make for yourself?
Lesley: I have my eye on a set of Closet Core's Carolyn Pajamas! I plan to use Milky Way (A) with Capel (A) for the piping.
DD: What is your favorite way to spend an afternoon not sewing?
Lesley: I love to spend an afternoon in my garden - especially with my roses! I am so excited because my roses are about to bloom!
DD: What advice do you have for someone who is sharing their sewing knowledge with a new sewist?
Lesley: Enjoy the process! Focus on conquerable projects to start so that sewing stays fun. Don't sweat the small stuff with mistakes.
Thank you for joining us for a month of exploring garment making! Me Made May might be ending, but we still want to hear all about what you have been making. Keep sending us photos and tagging us in posts so that we can celebrate your makes with you!
Missed our previous conversations with makers? You can still read our chats with Joyce LeBlanc, Jenna, aka @theladywholunches, and Meredith Daniel!
xo, DuckaDilly
