Pockets of Comfort

Notes on September, sewing, and a little cardamom banana bread.

I can hardly believe we’re already two-thirds through September. Autumn feels as though it has truly arrived here in the UK - the days a little shorter, the air a little crisper.

I’ve just come back from the most relaxing weekend spent in a little wooden cabin on the border of Wales - surrounded by trees, a log burner crackling away - and it’s left me feeling calm, grounded, and ready for the slower, cosier months ahead.

Back-to-School Energy

September always feels like a fresh start - that familiar “back to school” energy. Maybe it’s Virgo/Libra season, but I’ve been loving the sense of organisation that comes with it. There’s something so satisfying about tidying things up, ticking off to-do lists, dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s.

At the bottom of this post, I’ve included a few of my favourite bags for getting organised - the ones I keep reaching for when sorting, storing, and decluttering ❤️

Lately, I’ve been craving comfort: pulling on the 100% wool jumper I’ve practically been living in, sinking into the patch-worked antique linen cushion my friend at Dipwood Studio made for me, making (many) lists, and gently decluttering my space so I can sew in a calm and peaceful way.

Dreamy, cosy sewing spaces have been filling my Pinterest boards lately.

It’s the little things that have been keeping me feeling safe, nurtured, and grounded. With the cooler days, I’m naturally spending more time indoors, which always sparks the urge to sew, make, and create new things. I’ve even carved out time to read newsletters again - and feeling that pull to re-start my personal Substack.

Creating Pockets of Comfort

All of this has had me reflecting on what makes a post feel lovely to read. Here in this little corner of the internet, I want to bring something that feels personal - a pocket of comfort in the midst of a chaotic world.

I’ve shared before that I love being in the kitchen almost as much as I love sewing, and I’ve had so many thoughtful messages from fellow baking and fermentation enthusiasts in this community.

To me, sewing and baking go hand in hand - both are meditative, creative rituals. You gather your ingredients (or fabric and thread), follow a recipe (or pattern), and slowly bring something new into being. Each finished piece feels like a present for our future selves or a gift for loved ones.

A Seasonal Treat: Cardamom Coffee Banana Bread ☕🍌

I wanted to share a recipe that feels just right for the season - Cardamom Coffee Banana Bread.

It’s squishy, spiced, and best enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee (preferably still warm from the oven). Behind the scenes, cooking, fermenting, and baking - often gluten-free and refined sugar-free - are quiet passions of mine, and it feels like the perfect time to weave more of that here.

INGREDIENTS:

3 medium sized very ripe bananas
150g coconut sugar
100g coconut oil (melted)
75g kefir (or greek yoghurt if you prefer)
2 large eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
250g buckwheat flour
1.5 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
85g dark chocolate (broken up into small chunks)

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Line a loaf tin with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides to help lift the bread out later.
In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth.
Add the coconut sugar, (melted) coconut oil, kefir, eggs and vanilla extract, then whisk everything together until well combined.
Add the buckwheat flour, espresso powder, cardamom, baking soda and salt.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined — don’t overmix.
Stir in the chocolate chunks.
Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf tin and smooth the top.
Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
Leave the banana bread to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
Run a knife around the edges of the loaf, then use the parchment sling to carefully lift it out onto a wire rack.
Allow to cool completely before removing the parchment from the base and slicing.

I’ve also made a soothing playlist to go alongside it - something gentle for background listening while baking, sewing, or simply curling up under a blanket.

I hope these small offerings bring a moment of calm and joy to your day. What’s bringing you comfort this season?

And what would you like to see more of in these letters? I always love hearing from you.

With love,
Fleur xx

Bags to help Organise / Get back to School / Enjoy that last little bit of Warm Weather

Utility Tote

The large size Utility Tote is my go to for carting large amounts of stuff around the city - I put the Work Trip tote inside this and sometimes a Dumpling bag or Sadie purse too for extra organisation.