Food

Despite the fact that I've written two sewing books in the last two years, in years gone by I always imagined myself writing a cookery book. Instead I cook myself interesting, mostly invented meals, read cookery books & food writing (although not as much as I would like to) and write a very occasional food blog. Good food has been at the forefront of my mind recently as I am more regularly eating with (and cooking for) chef-friend, which means I am paying a lot more attention. Hence I went a bit beserk in a wonderful deli today in York. Which I have burbled about on the food blog. I ought to read more food blogs, any recommendations? Not recipe sites but stuff about food. You know?

The Sewing Bible

My book came out in the US & Canada last month! Sew It Up has been retitled The Sewing Bible and has a lovely new red cover, which I absolutely love! It's exactly the same book just with American terms and imperial measurements.

I'm delighted to say that it's going down really well and has had lovely reviews from all sorts of places like (woohoo!) A Dress A Day. Thanks Erin!

And here - best quote "Then, gorgeous woman that she is, she provides projects (about 20 in all and none of them suck - no, I'm serious, they really don't suck) to put into practice some of the different techniques."

And here - "So stick it on the old Christmas list and prepare to spend the holidays curled up in a chair with buttered rum and a wealth of crafty knowledge."

Second book is about to go off to print and 3rd book is a twinkle in my eye!

November Blues

November is hardly my favourite month of the year and this November has been a funny one indeed, resulting in a creative black (or blue) hole while I work out what to do next. I don't usually do blues, literal or metaphorical, so I've been surprised by the way I've been drawn into blue the last few days.

I spent the weekend working for NSEAD teaching art / textiles teachers. I do love teaching teachers, they are so enthusiastic. I was showing them lots of hand-sewn fabric manipulation so while they were quietly stitching away, I got some stitching done too. Kind of interactive sample-making.

I do love working with velvet. This is a silk/ viscose mix - a remnant I bought from Cloth House years ago. Not my usual vintage/recycled/organic fabric, but so utterly lovely that I had to do something with it. This is a small sample piece probably destined to be a bag. I have ideas for a small range of very luxurious bags floating around in my mind, so this is the first stage.

I'm also doing a bit of just playing around, fiddling with materials and seeing where it takes me. I've done a few applications for projects recently that are more conceptual than my work has every previously been. So even though I haven't got the commissions, I'm playing with the ideas now and again. So this one is another November blue, a sort of collaboration, almost. A piece of lapis, cut, polished and given me by a friend, incorporated into a pincushion. It's not finished, this is just a first draft. There is a lot more I want to do with this, but I'm not sure what yet.

I've got another piece on the go which is a longer-term project - burying fabric underground over the winter and digging it up in the Spring, following on from a project proposal a friend and I did for work based around archaeology. I've got the piece cut up ready, just haven't yet mooted the idea to my landlord about burying stuff under his winter cabbages!

So I guess I'm stitching my way out of the November blues and starting the new year early full of new ideas and exciting things for 2010.

Japanese Craft Exhibition

Just a quick note to say - Londoners should go and see this, it looks great!
I used to occasionally work with Japanese traditional craftspeople and British makers inspired by Japanese techniques. *Passing moment of wistfulness for my old job*

Basketry by Joanna Gilmour.

Via @Rosiejam

The chair has a new dress!

Or at least the chair has a new cover, let us not get too surreal.

And I made a new set of pictures on Flickr of the felt pebble fixation which has lead to this chair being decorated thus.

It got loads of compliments at the Eco Design Show in Liverpool over the weekend. A pound for every enthusiastic comment would have made me a rich woman! I do love to make people happy simply at the sight of some fabric sewn to some other fabric. Hopefully it will one day make someone SO happy that they have to buy it. Or at least commission their own. In the meantime it will make my studio happier and brighter and bring joy to all the work experience students who will be coming to work for me over the next few months*. And you guys too, I hope. The chair of happiness.

* they will need it, poor loves mostly get to do ironing and cutting out circles. Sometimes pebbles, but mostly circles.

Staring blankly into the distance.

I have:

• taught a workshop in Birmingham
• had a rather pointless trip to West Bromwich
• driven to Wales & had dinner & wine & walked the dog (not all the same time)
• driven to Ormskirk to deliver work to the Chapel Gallery
• seen the Gormleys
• set up my stand for the Eco Design Show, Liverpool
• been delighted that my hosts have wifi
  
• collapsed on the sofa but sans wine and chocolate. A mistake.
  

Not bad for 2 days. I am a little tired. Now I shall sleep.

More on scissors

As I hoped, Scrapiana came up trumps with scissor-related question from the other day. I thought I would copy it here for all to enjoy! Thanks!


"I don't think there's an official collective noun for scissors (a startling oversight) though "a snip of scissors" can't really be bettered. Well done. I'd offer "an indecision of scissors" to cover those of us who experience cutting-anxiety over precious items from our stash. Hopefully none of us will experience the inferior grouping of "a bluntness of scissors", or "a shred of scissors". An obvious scissor subset might be "a zigzag of pinking shears".

A couple of dictionary factlets, c/o the Shorter OED. The word seems to come from the late Latin word for a cutting instrument: cisorium, which sounds to me like a great name for a scissor shop. In C19th slang, "Scissors!" was an interjection expressing disgust or impatience. You may also wish to revive a late C19th adverb: scissorwise, meaning in the form or manner of a pair of scissors."

Liverpool Design Festival, Eco Show.

One of the reasons (among a list so long and frankly tedious, I won't bore you with it (which is something coming from the woman who just a few days ago posted a long blog about putting up shelves)) I am so unbloggy and otherwise occupied is that I am preparing to exhibit at Liverpool Design Festival's Eco Design Show. Anyone around that way who wants to get in free in exchange for helping me out should get in touch. I will be running a hands-on session making Suffolk Puffs and working on a giant one of these.


Please come and play!




I've been working like mad getting ready for this show, and also to preparing workshops for Craftspace which start tomorrow, and I'm delivering work to Chapel Gallery while I'm up in the North West. Plus keeping the day job ticking over and working on some exciting new things. Phew. I hope I'll get some time to blog about the exhibitions I've seen and a few other bits and pieces while I'm away, wifi willing. If not, I apologise and I will be back as soon as I have something to say.

Here's all the details about the whole Design Festival:

Liverpool Design Festival 30 October – 8 November

A celebration of design and fashion that confirms Liverpool as a hub of creative talent. There truly is something for everyone – come along and shop for a unique design gem, walk the Design Trail around the city, pimp your own clothes or bags with the help of top fashion professionals, learn how to make your own fashion business work or enter a schools competition to start your design career off on the right foot.

Eco Design Show
Sat 31 Oct & Sun 1 Nov – Crypt Hall at The Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
In keeping with the City’s Year of the Environment the Eco Design Show will feature tables, chairs, ceramics, furniture, lighting, jewellery, bags and fashion accessories that prove there is no need to compromise beautiful and stylish design when recycling, reusing or reducing consumption of resources.

As Sarah Elderkin, Liverpool Design Festival director explained; “The Eco Design Show is all about showing off the best in high quality design to challenge the common misconceptions that exist about eco design. All our exhibitors have placed eco-design practices at the heart of their work and visitors to the show will be amazed to see what can be recycled and reused.

“The show also gives a unique shopping opportunity for everyone who loves to be fashionable by bringing together the work of over 30 British based designers in one place.”

Visitors to the show can also meet Liverpool designer Ilsa Parry winner of BBC2’s Design For Life. Ilsa was chosen by design guru Phillipe Starck to join his Paris team for 6 months. Come and find out what life as part of his ‘tribe’ was like and see some of Ilsa’s own designs like the Kaspa lamp that glows in the dark after the power has been switched off.

There will also be workshops at the show run by garment illustrator Emily Lansley and bag-makers to the stars Nook and Willow. Bring your old handbags, belts and clothes with you and leave with unique creations made by you!

1.Eco Design and Fashion Show
Opening Hours: (Fri 30 Oct 12-6pm Trade Only) Sat 31 Oct & Sun 1 Nov 10am to 6 pm
Tickets from £5 online contact www.liverpooldesignfestival.com £7 on the door, under 16’s free with adults
Venue - The Crypt is the only fully realised section of the original Sir Edward Lutyens design for the Catholic Cathedral. The entrance to the crypt is on Brownlow Hill.


Finishing School
Monday 2 – Friday 6 November

A comprehensive programme of fashion masterclasses designed for recent graduates and more experienced professionals alike. Your opportunity to get advice from successful professionals such as Joanne Watkinson from MyWardrobe.com and Justine Mills from Liverpool’s very own fashion store, Cricket. If you want to work in the world of fashion these are for you with topics including; Presentation to Buyers, Intellectual Property, Styling, Pricing, Fashion Marketing and Brand Image.

Design Stars – launching at the Eco Design and Fashion Show

To encourage the next generation of designers this competition will get 11 to 16 year olds competing to win either a graphic design, fashion or video games brief. There are workshops available from professional designers for the first schools to sign up and the winners get a masterclass from designers in the field they chose from locally based nonconform, Nook and Willow or Sony. Supported by Echo in the Community and in association with the Bluecoat’s Shine project.


Liverpool Design Symposium
Wednesday 4th November 10am-9pm

Following last year’s inaugural success the Symposium will once again present an insightful and inspirational programme based on the theme of ‘Branding the City’. With speeches, presentations, workshops and exhibition all at JMU’s new Art and Design academy.

Design Trail – throughout the festival

The whole city’s gone design crazy! Follow the map or go on the website and visit any or all of the 12 venues across Liverpool city centre that are celebrating design, from HOST on Hope Street to Coffee Union on Bold Street, from the Met Quarter to the Empire.

Liverpool Design Festival is run by industry support body Design Initiative with the support of the City of Liverpool and the National Lottery through Arts Council England.