Not smock

If you have come over from Treehugger then just scroll down to see the cushions. Thanks for visiting!

For everyone else, I have confessions. I planned to make a smock for Tie One On for the May challenge, but alas I have failed. I had several ideas, but none of them really worked out in my head. Also none of my fabric was calling "make me into a smock!" (and I resist buying new fabric except for real paid work!). Second confession is that I have signed up to Wardrobe Refashion. This is nothing shocking to admit, but I feel a bit of a fraud. The aim is to stop buying new clothes and refashion old ones of your own or second-hand. No problem with this. That's the thing. I do this anyway. I do after all teach classes in customising clothing. I very rarely buy anything new these days. So it is hardly a brave undertaking to vow to stay away from the sale rails for 6 months. But there is a challenge to it still - I have to actually refashion some of the old junk lying around, rather than just not buy anything new. So hopefully you will be seeing some new and improved old stuff soon. Maybe things I have helped people make in workshops can count?!

Yesterday I had a lovely treat of free reign in someone's linen cupboard. A friend asked me to help him clear his parent's house by taking away some of the linen. WOW! his mother was Swiss so I knew there would be some fine old linens, and indeed there were. Lots of hand embroidered monogrammed sheets which are stunning. Also some nice bits of old blanket fabric which I shall dye and felt inspired by this. One day...
And the best treat of all, which was entirely unexpected, was a vast cache of vintage aprons!!! What joy. I've been too busy to unpack them, let alone photograph them, so that's next week's treat. I've already forgotten what else is in the crates so it will be another adventure unpacking it all. That's next week's fun.

Treehugger!

I've had my recycled cushions featured on Treehugger.com!

To see the cushions and their prices, please look here
For other cushions and fabulous things please take a moment to look at my main site.

More everyday sewing news soon... I am working far too hard and am somewhat exhausted!

Finishment

As I said before I am obsessed with finishing things. Happily, I completed the yellow and green apron yesterday, along with some bags to go off to a gallery today and some purses for an accessories party my friend is hosting for me in Edinburgh next weekend. And today the finishing activity has been applications and invoices and all that dull but necesssary stuff.

The bags for the Craft Gallery and Design Centre in Leeds include these four knitted lovelies and four recycled felt bags including this peachy angora one which I love and uses one of the lovely flower buttons I bought a few weeks ago. I've put in a detail of the cream knitted one. I mentioned this weeks ago when I started it. I think I might change the design slightly, going back to garter stitch rather than stocking stitch, like the rest of the bags. Needs a thicker yarn too, but I have some lovely natural cream rovings which would be perfect for this.








I'm currently knitting a large amount of lime green cotton into a blanket for a babe due in November. I have never been so organised with friends' babies. This is purely accidental as I started it as a blanket for me, then heard about the pregnancy and changed the outcome! I'm visiting my friend Gillian next week in Scotland, to meet my godson for the first time. He's about 9 months old now, and I feel very guilty for not having made ANYTHING for him yet. So I am taking stuff with me to make there, to ensure a perfect fit. That's my excuse anyway.
And congratulations to Gillian for recent sales of her amazing work!

Sleep typing

barely awake, so just a quickie!
These are two of the squares I knitted for my knitting buddy Lou in Brighton Stitch and Bitch. I was too slow of the mark to make any for the peace tank but was more organised for Lou's degree show. She's writing her MA History of Design dissertation on the importance of knitting groups in women's lives and her display is made up of squares by women from the group as well as friends and family, and I was very happy to support it. I've kept a bit of knitting by my desk over the last few days and it has been a welcome pause when work gets too much. I've now started taking it to bed to calm the brain before trying to get some sleep. Like right now!

little bit of apron

Just a little sneak peek of part-finished apron. I still haven't finished it. Most frustrating. Tomorrow will be finishing things day. I can complete things and tick them off my list with a great sense of satisfaction! But first I have to wade through the mountain of paperwork that is taking over my desk and indeed my life. I have got about 7 different jobs and projects on the go and spend my life flitting between them. And just now, they are all computer-based rather than sewing machine-based, which is never a good thing. But things will change soon. I am the eternal optimist.

Eeeking out the stuff

I'm being very mean with my posting this week until I get the camera thing sorted. Of course I am also insanely busy, but who isn't?
I had a lovely time camping and enjoying some rain. There really has been a drought in the south-east, so it was good to see rain, even if it co-incided with a weekend of camping and outdoor workshops! But I was prepared and stayed dry and warm and am invigorated from being outdoors for 24 hours solid and hearing more bird song in one weekend than I hear in a week in Brighton. I spent today in working in London which was quite an unpleasant contrast!

Last week I made a start on a couple of aprons. One for myself, to wear when running workshops - and one as a thank you gift for my favourite journalist! My own was finished in time for the weekend but the gift one had to wait for the purchase of yellow bias binding and I might save that for tomorrow!



Mine is made from red linen and lovely Kaffe Fasset print - the scraps left over from making a dress. It's the same pattern as the one I made from Tie One On in April, but with a few amendments. A tiny pocket on the right side for chalk and scissors etc, and two large scissor pockets in the centre. These are stitched in a V shape either side of the central seam. Does that make sense? So there are two V-shaped pockets in the centre. It worked really well and I will definately make more in this pattern. I fancy a money belt type for wearing to shows and fairs - same style but more secure pockets. And of course I will be a walking advert for my own wares, as always!

The bottom photo shows what strangeness happened with my camera after I dropped it. Groovy special effects....

Turnip Tales

The turnip skirt, as promised! The back hem is about 8 inches longer than the front, which is turning into a bit of a trademark. I love it, such a great way to make a simple 3 panel skirt a whole lot more interesting. I also tried putting in ric rac in the side seams. It really is fiddly, and I was not 100% happy with it. But it makes me happy to know it's there.

There is going to be a little less blogging in the next week or so, or at least less pictures as I broke my camera today. Knocked it off the table while I was doing these shots. Bit traumatised and not sure what I am going to do. But at least I took a few first, so I will spread them out over several posts and hopefully will resolve the problem (by buying a new camera). Ho hum.
Also I am off early in the morning to spend my wet weekend in Basingstoke. As I have lots of non-uk readers I should explain that Basingstoke is not an exciting place. Very much not. It is not a normal tourist destination... but I have found a nice campsite out in the countryside in which to enjoy my night of lashing rain and gale force winds. A very English holiday.
See you next week.

Finishing things

I love to finish things. I really like to see things done. So I have been rather frustrated today as I haven't been able to finish the many things I have on the go. Two felt bags need another wash to be ready to go off for exhibition and I need olive green bias binding to complete an apron. Just haven't had the time today to go out and get it. BUT, yesterday I finished the article on Peggy Angus for Selvedge and sent it off!
I'm looking forward to finishing my month-long project in Basingstoke too, so I can stop getting up at 6am on Saturdays. The project culminates in running a craft workshop at a festival on Sunday. In a school playing field. In a plastic gazebo. In the rain. There is going to be a lot of damp felt....

I'm sorting out a collection of 8 bags to go be shown at the Craft Gallery in Leeds. They have asked for 2 styles - Lambkin, the felt ones, and Jacob, the knitted ones. I've been trying to come up with a nice collection that looks good together and look summery. So I've made new pinky felt ones, which I will show you once they are finished, and have chosen 4 of my stock of Jacobs. Like a little flock of Jacob sheep in my studio. Only sheep don't have sequins or handles. Also one of them is blue, which is not a common sheep-shade. Anyway, I hung them all up along one of the long shelves in my studio to consider everyday and I have narrowed it down I think.
One day, when I get around to it, I plan to hang handbags all over one wall in my living room. I have so many pretty ones that sit in a box mostly. They need to get out and party together.

Plenty of things to be started and finished in a short space of time. Like a smock for Tie One On for the end of the month. A plan is formulating... a plan of many pockets, inspired by Erin at A Dress A Day's fixation with pockets. And I am trying to be good and not buy new fabric for it. I have just ordered 8 metres of aubergine-coloured needlecord for my living room curtains! These curtains have been long in gestation. I bought a lovely chrome pole in the January sale and then had to buy an electric drill to put it up. Still not done... and then had to choose the right fabric, but just as I decided it was to be cord, it all vanished from the shops. But some tips over at Threads pointed me at Cheap Fabrics.co.uk and the rest is history. Next thing is to make them. And decide exactly how I am going to make them. Can't just have plain curtains. I don't do plain. So some kind of applique??? They are going to have cerise pink linings, so my neighbours will get to appreciate that. But I am still not sure about my side. But I tend to get my inspiration with the cloth in front of me, so a bit of playing around and I will work it out. At least now its spring I have got a few months to faff about with it before I really need lined cord curtains! There may be some rather more urgent things in the way...

New frocks!

I've just seen that the Costume Institute of the Met has updated its highlights pages with some lovely new things like this coat by Fortuny, c.1930. I adore Fortuny. He designed clothes from about 1910 that were heavily inspired by Renaissance textiles - very dear to my heart. One of his techniques was to print pattern onto velvet with metallic pigments which mimic cloth of gold woven velvets, see here. He also created a technique of permanent pleating silk fabric to create fine gathers which clung to the body and were based on ancient Greek drapery. Very scandalous at the time, but by the 20s he was well established as one of the most innovative and desired designers of the time. You can see one of these dresses under the kaftan. This is pretty bright for Fortuny, he favoured natural dyes over chemical ones, so his clothes tend to be softer colours, but you can certainly achieve a red like this with several natural dyes.

There are lots of other things on this site too, including a few 18th century dresses. Which reminds me...I've been asked to explain what a Mantua is. I like to maintain an air of mystery, but I suppose that it is a bit obscure. It's a term used for loose gowns in the early 18th century and was used throughout the century to describe a number of types of gown. It's a dress, basically, a very fabulous dress. Dress-makers were called Mantua Makers well into the 19th century. Here is one you can see in a 360 rotation photo.

Textile course in London in July

If you like my work and are interested in learning some of the techniques I use, this course might interest you.

Hand Constructed Fabrics for Fashion course
24-27 July 2006



A four day course exploring a range of fabric manipulation and applique techniques for use in clothing. The techniques covered include complex hand-pleating, folding, stitching, quilting, shadow-work and appliqué. Students will create a number of samples and complete a piece of fabric suitable for a scarf or simple skirt. Wimbledon School of Art.
Taught by Ruth Singer www.ruthsinger.com
Fee £250. Bookings: 020 8408 5535 / shortcourses@wimbledon.ac.uk
Book by Friday 30th June

Art and more art and a few frocks

ooh, it's been ages since I posted. I hadn't realised when I started this a few week's ago how much I would miss it when I couldn't post. So what have I been up to? I had a couple of days working in London - doing my regular guided tours of V&A fashion gallery. After the 3rd tour in 3 days I decided it was time to revise my tour and talk about some different objects. I can choose what I talk about as long as I cover the general history and range of the collection. I tend to avoid most post-war stuff, and focus on 18th and 19th century, with a little 1910s-20s thrown in, followed by some underwear and finishing with Vivienne Westwood. It's not a bad tour, but I've been doing it for over a year now, and I need to refresh things. And the more groups of American students I have, the more I realise that I totally ignore the New York display. There is also a 60s fashion exhibition opening next month and no doubt will be asked to do tours, so time to brush up on more modern stuff. I am slightly scared by this, but it will be a good challenge. Like I have time for more things, working 12 hours a day as I do already!!! but I'll squeeze it in somehow. So my new tour will cover (possibly) early designers - I can't cut out Charles Worth.... and Fortuny and Schiapirelli. Then I will break from my usual route and look at London from the 60s to present day, maybe skip Milan, but look at New York, where there is a lovely Charles James coat and then a little Paris and Japan and back to evening wear to fit in the 18th century, Liberty and Westwood. That sound like a good hour?! Hmm. I do like to make my life complicated!

On Friday I was delivering a collection of pieces to Artsway, a contemporary art gallery in the New Forest, which has a great little contemporary craft shop with ceramics and glass and jewellery as well as textiles. They have got two cushions and two neckpieces, plus leather corsages and felt bags.





And then I was teaching in Basingstoke again on Saturday and my broadband was down for several days too. Is that enough good excuses for not posting? On Sunday I had a lovely day with a friend drinking and catching up in the pub then went art-spotting in a number of Open Houses (I lost count, on account of starting off in the pub, called the Open House). Artist Open House is one of the best bits of Brighton Festival, and gives you the opportunity to be really nosy around nice houses and get really envious about their gardens and cats and space. And look at a bit of art too. If you are sober enough to remember it. And get randomly asked where the toilet is in a stranger's house by a stranger who turns out to be your friend's father-in-law. It was one of those days. But we did see some great stuff:
old favourite John Dilnot
Lovely bags and cushions by Sarah Bidwell
Metal paintings by Kate Lulham

Today has been rather more placid, reading a MASSIVE book about Peggy Angus. I'm about half way through. I'm really enjoying it, it's a well-written biography full of random information about Angus who was variously a painter and tile and wallpaper designer. I knew nothing about her a week ago, until I was loaned this book by Selvedge in order to read, comprehend and write an article by the end of the week. I'm relieved beyond measure that this very heavy book which I carted around London last week is actually really interesting.
And that's been my week so far.

Birthday book

Well, not a book of birthdays but a book for a birthday. It's my mum's birthday and she asked a couple of months ago for me to make her a covered address book. I painted one for her when I was about 15, and she's used up all the pages - most of the S page is filled with my many many house moves since I left home. So I have spent some time pondering a cover that would withstand another 16 years of knocking around the house without getting battered - embroidery was out, applique was out, I thought about trapunto which I love, but couldn't work out a design. So it was pleated, using some indigo dyed cotton that I made a year or two ago. My mum already has the best piece of this framed on her wall, so this book matches. And she deserves many many lovely things as she is wonderful.

Apron Heaven

Since I discovered Tie One On a few weeks ago, I have been thoroughly re-energised in my apron fixation. I have always loved them and honestly had no idea that anyone else understood it. So it was fantastic to discover that other people are equally (if not more) obsessed than I. Last year I designed and made a wearable-art apron. At least, that's the best definition I can come up with for it. Its part of an outfit I designed, but I haven't made the rest of the garments yet! So really its a layer to wear with other things. An overskirt maybe? But in the form of an apron. I love it, not sure if anyone else will! I haven't worn it, not sure if it is for wearing or displaying. We'll see.
Apologies for the appalling photograph, its not easy to do. It needs to be seen worn I think.





I also want to show off the two aprons I have bought recently. The black one I got in a charity shop before Christmas. I saw this bit of black lace in a pile, made a dive, opened it out and rushed to the till before anyone else got chance to see what a supreme find I had. I don't think anyone else knew how old it is! You just don't get exciting or even old stuff in most charity shops these days. Just a couple of days before I had been reading a mid-19th century sewing manual (as you do) and there were instructions for making a black silk apron with simple pink floral embroidery. And that's just what this is, with the additions of some lace.I coulnd't believe my luck and have been feeling very proud ever since. It's great to have an appreciative audience to share it with! And yes, I will wear it, once I've worked out the right outfit and right occasion...



And there is more... as I mentioned yesterday, I was vintage shopping in antique shops the other day. I was looking at a bundle of 50s cotton aprons, deciding if they were worth £5 each (you that get them for a few dollars are sooo lucky) and I spotted a little bundle of cotton and embroidery. Pulled it out and wow! it was this lovely maid's apron. It's in almost perfect condition, really beautifully made, fine cotton lawn with blalck silk embroidery. Much better made than the black one, which was obviously a home-made job. This one was surely made by a professional or expert seamstress. Its so pretty. And I love anything 19th century. It wasn't cheap, £10, but I knew it was worth it. The shape and the ruffles are inspiring me. I have ideas.... and I'll keep you posted. More pics on Flickr.

Shopping goodies

I had a great day or two shopping last week, on the prowl for nice vintage things.
While in London for a meeting I popped into a charity shop and fell upon some vintage knitting patterns. Its rare to find pre-60s patterns cheaply, these were £1.50 and 75p, so I was really pleased. Not that I knit anything this complicated. The bedjacket pattern book is Australian and dates from WWII but I'm not sure about the other one. I think its probably 1940s too. I love the little cross-over jacket and will try and make one for my godson. More pics on Flickr.



In Lewes last week I went straight for the vintage shops to stock up on fabric. Its never cheap, so it has to be good stuff. The turquoise patterned stuff is a rayon type of fabric with a silky feel. I think this might become a draped top. The pink floral cotton is a piece from the skirt of a dress and has a funny bite taken out of it. There should be enough to make a kimono-style wrap top, trimmed with a contrasting plain fabric. The purply one is a bedspread in a shot-rayon fabric. Its got quite a lot of marks so I think I will probably just use it as a bedspread, with some applique or something like that.


I also got an amazing apron, but more of that tomorrow!

Braids and teaching and lots of good news

I had an unreasonably early start this morning to get out to Basingstoke for the course I am teaching every Saturday this month. Its a family fashion workshop and today was good fun, and I managed to stay awake throughout! I taught the group how to work with felt to make corsages and do cut-work designs like these (which are my teaching samples- I foolishly forgot my camera again. I blame the early start) and a bit of fabric painting and lots of applique with Bondaweb which went down pretty well with all ages.









On the rather endless train journey home I got chance to delve into this book, which two of my friends (and comrades in braid research) have just published. Its all about a set of 15th century braiding instructions and has modern English versions of all the instructions. This has been planned for several years so its wonderful to see it finished. Now I have no excuse not to learn all the 40 braids in there...

I've been making silk braids like these for years, and have recently been torturing my poor fingers making them in gold thread. Real gold thread, which is silk core wrapped in a tiny ribbon of gilded metal. Its wonderful stuff and enormously hard to work with. This necklace was selected for an exhibition at Black Swan Arts earlier in the year.








Talking of selection for shows, I have just heard today that I have been selected to show in the New Makers showcase at Origin, the London Craft Fair (which is what Chelsea Craft Fair has become) organised by the Crafts Council. This is top-notch for UK designer makers and is selected by sector experts, so I am really pleased! I'm on the reserve list for the main show too, so will definitely be there in October in some capacity.

Its been a good week all round, I have been in a major newspaper, been invited to exhibit at a gallery in Stafford (more once I know what that will be!), asked to supply a new shop and asked to supply another gallery in the New Forest, just along the coast from here. And I just found myself on Whip Up, what an honour!

Fabulous Frocks

If you are looking for cushions please scroll down....

These two outfits have formed a major part of my life over the last 6 months or so.


They were commissions for two friends for their Civil Partnership ceremony and the making of them was a mixture of delight and hate. Some of the pleating in the blue one drove me insane with frustration as I tried to match up the original 18th century patterns (from Patterns of Fashion) to a modern-sized person! It is based on a 1780s riding jacket and has a matching long skirt, also in silk dupion. Its lined in a pink peacock feather print from Liberty.


The buttons on this jacket were embroidered with amazing real silver sequins that my friend Gina gave me. They are made from tiny rings of silver wire hammered flat and are C-shaped so you can see where the ends of the wire ring meets. Its hard to describe and impossible to photograph! Just trust me that they are a million times nicer than modern plastic sequins.
The pink outfit is based on a caraco jacket like this among others, and on open gowns of the period. These are mid-18th century style. The pleating on the back is more like a gown, with the pointed back bodice and gathered skirt.



The trim is box pleats which is common on 18th century gowns and is a technique I have used a lot in my contemporary work here and here and I love it. I've also used it on bags and for curtains and lampshades. I'll have it everywhere eventually!
The cuffs are one of my favourite parts of this jacket. Very very smart I think, and surprisingly easy to make (and to wear, they don't dangle in your dinner!)
There are more pictures on Flickr.
What a huge sense of satisfaction and indeed pride to see these finished. I also made myself a 1790s over-dress to wear, but no decent pics of that yet - its pretty difficult to photograph yourself!

Tie One On April

Take a look at my super cute apron for Tie One On - the theme was yellow and white. I would normally never even look at yellow without feeling ill, but I just happened to have some from a stash of old fabrics given to me by my lovely friend Amanda. This stash was part of the contents of her in-laws old fabric shop and had some choice pieces, including a very tatty but charming vintage apron, from which I made the pattern for this one. I added a line of stitching down the centre of the pocket which stops it drooping when full of stuff - I like this style when I am running workshops so I can keep scissors and glue about my person as I run around the room from student to student. Otherwise I run twice as far as I am always going back for whatever it is I / they need.

I wanted to make it a little funkier so I added a broad sash which ties in a big crisp bow at the back, and made it a huge yellow corsage purely because I love making corsages and most things are improved by the addition of one. The broderie anglaise has a design of little half-pears.
Having figured out the pattern - the bias binding gave me a little trouble, I plan to make myself one that is more me in something bright and clashing, like red and purple with some sort of silly trim around the edge. Maybe some extra pockets in their somewhere too, for secret things...