Ivory lace, bridalwear influence and mismatched buttons!

 

 

I have been dreaming of a skirt like this for the past couple weeks. I've seen a lot of ivory lace about recently and there's something I really love about mixing something so floaty and summery with autumn wear; thick black tights and boots, or a warm jumper, tweed jacket and scarf. I just love it!

 

 This is the very same super easy skirt pattern that is my go-to design of the moment. I layered the lace over a crisp taffeta for a bit of volume and gathered it at the top before stitching it into a waistband of gorgeous ivory Duchesse satin.

 

 

 

 

And yes, a lot of what I'm doing at the minute seems to be heavily bridal inspired. And I'm not ashamed of that, I am a firm believer that if you could only wear ivory lace and silk for one day out of your whole entire life it would be a very sad world indeed! :)

 

You may also notice that all my skirts have mismatched buttons, this isn't so much of a style detail but more to do with the fact that I have a huge collection of buttons to use up but I generally only have one or two of each sort so it makes sense to me to go the whole way and have each of them different, besides it also means if I have two types of button, equally lovely, I don't have to choose between them, result! :)

New inspiration and autumnal crafting!

I've been meaning to buy a copy of craft magazine Mollie makes pretty much ever since it was first launched, but for one reason or other I hadn't got round to it, but finally last week I purchased the latest issue and am now, I have to say depressed at the idea of all the beautiful back issues I must have missed!

 

But never mind, I won't dwell on that :) it's a gorgeous publication full of craft projects, inspiration and interviews with wonderful craftspeople and I will be sure to never miss another issue. I also like the fact that it's produced fairly locally.

 

 

So here is my first ever Mollie makes craft project, a lovely Autumny leaf corsage that was super simple to make and looks lovely on my tweed autumn handbag I have to say :)

 

I'm now considering making loads of them and turning them into an autumn garland, how lovely would that be!? :)

 

So yeah, the pattern and instructions are all in the latest issue of Mollie makes and you should go out right now and buy it because it's lovely :) (And I haven't even been paid to say that :P )

New designs

I'm super duperly excited about some new designs I'm currently working on which started out as a personal project but which has developed into pieces to sell on Etsy which hopefully will be ready in the near future...

 

 

 

I find I'm struggling to make definite deadlines on anything at the moment which I think is due mainly to balancing two jobs with personal life, textile design work and recreational sewing. It's all a bit of a juggling act at times but I actually find I enjoy the challenge of it, I like not having a definite routine, I find it allows more room for spontaneity which in turn fuels creativity. A chance meeting in Starbucks on Tuesday morning may lead to an exciting new project, I love things like that. I feel very lucky to be able to live like this at the minute. I'm a very happy girl!

Ribbon hair band DIY

I couldn't wait to use some of my beautiful fabric goodies I recently acquired so yesterday I made this incredibly simple but beautiful hairband that literally took me 20 minutes at most but looks lovely (I think :) )

It was simply the easiest thing to make, all that is needed is a length of wide ribbon (enough to go around your head) a short length of elastic roughly half as wide as the ribbon and some kind of pretty as a decoration (although obviously a plain band could look just as lovely)

  

I firstly measured around my head and cut the ribbon approximately 4 inches shorter than the measurement. I then folded the ribbon in half and stitched down the length creating a tube. Next I turned the tube the other way out and pressed it flat.

I then folded a small hem at each end of the tube to stop it fraying and stitched a length of elastic approximately 3.5 inches into each end of the ribbon tube.

 

Lastly I hand stitched the lace onto the ribbon band (having first tried it on to assess where I wanted it to be placed. And voila! Crazy simple, super pretty, I think I shall make one in every colour! :)

 

 

 

 

Monsieur Lapin

Last week I was amazed to discover I'd won a prize in a draw on facebook courtesy of Little birdy crafts and at the beginning of the week I was very excited to receive my lovely parcel. Inside was Monsieur Lapin, one of little Birdy's gorgeous creations. He really is very lovely with his button eyes and his frilly collar and he now lives very happily in my sewing room and overseas all my creating

 

(He has excellent taste and isn't afraid to give me his honest opinion! :P)

 

 

Thank you again Little Birdy! :)

Celebratory Afternoon tea...

...although I think actually that should be commiseratery. Either way, to mark the last day of my work experience at Sassi Holford my mister and I went for afternoon tea at Mr Miles tea room in Taunton, which is a gorgeously decorated place, (complete with antique mirrors and chandeliers) that serves amazing cake and where you should definitely visit if you ever find yourself in Taunton. We had Earl Grey tea, small sandwiches, quiche, scones with cream and jam and chocolate cake dusted with gold, it was utterly decadent and utterly fabulous way to end my time in Taunton!

Some lovely lovely goodies!

 

 

 

So, I mentioned back along that I've been doing work experience with Sassi Holford (who make the most to-die-for wedding dresses) Well today I was told I could take home some of their scrap fabric (and I have never been one to turn down free fabric) I have some of the most gorgeous silk and lace and ribbon that would just have been thrown away!! Frankly, I would have taken the whole sack had I thought I would have been able to carry it to my car, also I didn't want to look too greedy! So I restrained myself to this, but it is absolutely gorgeous, I have just been sat looking at it in awe :) I have no idea what I'm going to do with it or even if I can bear to take a pair of scissors to it. Probably I shall just continue to sit and look lovingly at the prettiness.

 

 Yes, I know I'm sad but I don't care! :)

New on etsy!

I've finally had time to post new items to my etsy shop!

 

 

 

 

These are a series of four hand and digitally embroidery framed pictures entitled 'connecting the world' featuring envelopes, with each one depicting designs inspired by different traditional textiles from all over the world. mounted onto watercolour card, stitched onto a coloured mount and mounted behind glass in a wooden frame. These embroideries are quirky and colourful and would look lovely hung either as a set or individually.

 

You can find them HERE!

Domestic geekery!

I've been debating whether or not to share this here, I'm a little embarrassed I have to say at my own domestic geekery :P I am a compulsive hoarder of pretty things, some of those pretty things being images I've hoarded over the years from magazines of anything that catches my eye but mostly beautiful interiors.

 

 

 

 

 

My mister and I are saving for a home of our own but it's a slow process so to occupy my interior decorating urges I have been compiling some of my favourite interior images into an inspiration scrapbook for when the time comes and here are a few peeks at some of the pages :) It keeps me happy anyway and I'm sure I can't be the only person to be this geekish! :)

Things I'm loving / inspirational things! :)

I'm not happy at how much I've been neglecting this blog recently :/ I simply haven't had the time to do any making/creating/designing recently which vexes me greatly! I have, however been photographing so I thought I'd share some things that I am loving right now :)

 

 

 

 

*The first of the Autumn leaves*Wellie-clad countryside walks*A beautiful new elephant print by Isabelle Brent found in an antiques bazaar* Atmospheric sunrises*