Frills and ruffles

I've been away too long! I had a week away, sort of time off, but also working - teaching a couple of handbag-making courses, of which more anon. I've been too busy catching up with myself to blog this week, which has been frustrating - and equally it's being a challenge to catch up on everyone else's blogs. Still lots to read, which is really nice, but too distracting from everything else to be done.






So what have I done?

Work made and delivered to Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford. Though I would like to send them some more work next week, but I may not have time, if I am honest!
I enjoyed making some of my products out of vintage fabric specially for this show - detail here of Mantua Frill cushion in pretty floral, and a Fat Dragon bag in the same. I used a little piece of an old kimono silk for another Fat Dragon bag. I want to keep this one, it's so lovely! Likewise this Polonaise scarf using some of a nice old shot-taffetta bedspread. There is plenty more of this lovely lilac and pink stuff, so I think I might pucker some more to make into some kind of garment. Eventually!

Some corsages have gone up to Scotland to be shown at Craft Town Scotland.

Had a lovely few days away in Leicestershire seeing friends including one who's youngest daughter has recently come through a rare Leukemia and is doing really well now. Just wonderful to see her so well and full of bounce. I didn't mind being a human climbing frame at all!

Taught two good days of handbag making classes and after that just took it easy, which was really good!

This week is one long admin nightmare, report writing, event organising, sending out mailings, running around like a headless chicken, that sort of thing. It's two weeks until my first ever trade fair and I haven't done the masses of stuff I wanted to do in advance, like a press mailing. Invites are ready to go out, when I can get to the shop and exchange the labels I bought for the labels that actually work in my printer. Sigh....
I've been chasing silk samples for my new winter colour schemes. I haven't got my head around Spring yet, but need to do that next week too! I have one last hope for silk supplies. I hope I can get there tomorrow and that they will have everything I need at marvellously low prices. I can dream!

I've got a new stockist too - more when that is confirmed and have been selected for the East London Design Show, which takes place in early December. Again, more when I have details. Suffice to say it's going to be a busy autumn, as I have a few more things up my sleeve to make sure that I don't get bored (or get any sleep!).

Creative thoughts

I bought this Japanese pattern book on ebay, having at last discovered who sells them in the UK. I have totally forgotten where I got the link - thank you whoever it was- but the ebay seller has all sorts of
inspiring Japanese craft books. I had never heard of these books until I got sucked into the world of blogging. I've had a look at lots of pictures (via Flickr - button on the right) and seen some nice ideas and picked up some useful stuff for teaching in workshops. Mainly the books are design ideas, which is not what I need or want, but this one is quite different from the rest. It has diagrams of how to create amazing structures in garments. This kind of sculptural approach to fashion design in uniquely Japanese and I love it. All the text is in Japanese, but the diagrams are just about enough for me to work it out roughly. I wouldn't copy any of the specific designs in the book anyway, just use it as a source book for techniques to adapt and develop.



I've been doing various little bits this weekend including this covered book for a birthday present. I used a scrap of sil dupion and made a little quatrefoil pattern using trapunto, one of my favourite techniques. It creates a delicate quilted pattern on the surface. I've wanted to try trapunto for book covers for ages, so this was a great excuse. I'm pleased with how it turned out, but wish I had had more time to do a more complicated design. Next time...

I had a productive day yesterday putting up shelves to store masses of fabric on, and generally tidying up. I also had a play with some knitting, but more of that anon, when I have photos.

Courses

I've been asked to say more about courses that I am running. I've only got a couple more in the diary this year - all handbag making courses. This weekend I am running two in Leicester - one for 12-17 year olds on Friday and one for adults on Saturday. On 2nd September I will be doing another for adults in Dorset, by the seaside - which should be a lovely day and includes lunch. All the information is on my website so please take a look there.
I've also got 2 days of textile workshops for all ages - mainly aimed at children but suitable for all - at the V&A on 6-7 September.
I'd love to meet some blog readers at courses, or at one of the shows I will be at this autumn. There are a few more to be confirmed, so please check in again to find out where. Autumn is really busy with shows so I wont be doing any more teaching for a while, but I hope very much to be doing the 2-day handbag-making course at the V&A again in the Spring. Watch this space!

Whiplash entry - wardrobe surgery

I've been wanting to enter a Whiplash competition for months, and always catch on to it too late. I bought this silk blouse second-hand a while ago for a Wardrobe Refashion project so when the two came together, I realised my time had come. It's lovely lightweight silk damask blouse with pretty weave pattern. It is lovely to wear - very good quality silk.

This is for the deconstruct / reconstruct category. I wanted to do something for the embellish category, as embellishment is very much my thing, but alas, time was not on my side.



I love the collar and pleats on the placket, but it's too shapeless and plain for me. So here is the revised version. Short sleeves which come out lovely and floaty because the original sleeves were wide. I've cut it down several inches in length and curved the hemline to make it more flattering. It's been taken in at the side seams and has loose tucks under the bust in place of darts, and lots of new buttons. I like odd buttons, though I am not sure they work brilliantly here. Pretty shell buttons would have been nice, but a bit plain. It probably needs a full set of new buttons, but that wouldn't have been in the spirit of the thing, so I used what I have.






I love the back best. Making the most of the loose fabric, I have created a slight sack-back effect (like my favuourite 18th century clothes) with some rows of gathering. It pleats and swings out nicely at the back now, and is lovely and light to wear. All I need now is for summer to come back!

I'm inspired to get on with some other refashioning projects, one of these days, but as always, things for me get put to the bottom of the pile!

Crazy pinafore ideas

I've started work on a far-too-complicated idea for this month's Tie One On apron challenge. I am however, determined to make it this time, having failed dismally with last month's. It was supposed to be a musical-inspired apron, and I eventually came up with Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat (dream-apron!) but never quite got it together to come up with a suitable technicolour dream apron. Most of what I tried turned into a technicolour patchwork nightmare instead. This month is pinafores. I am much happier with this idea and have designed something complicated to make and totally impractical and am very happy so far. Mind you, the skirt plan has led me to spend far too long on the internet trying to find out if someone has posted a rough plan of a Poiret draped skirt. I wont even try to explain this. Something like this picture. I'll gush about the joys of Poiret some other time!

I think I know how to make a skirt like this, but was hoping someone had done one before and posted a picture of the pattern piece. It's not difficult, I just wanted to get the angle of the folds right first time. But there is no way around it, I will just have to try it myself.
Many happy hours are spent on this site. It's like my own little costume museum at home. See if you can find the inspirational dress for Suffolk Puff fixation. It's pale green satin. Flapper to WWII is my favourite section. Too much lovely stuff!

Do great minds think alike?

There are times when a designer's life can be hugely frustrating. You come across something that sparks inspiration. You ponder ideas in the bath, on the bus, in the studio. You make the odd thing, you teach something to students who come up with fabulous ideas that you just can't use because it wasn't your idea. You have a new version of the original idea, you just start to formulate it into a plan and then WHAM! someone else has already had that idea. Not quite the same idea, but near enough to set you wondering if a)you have no original ideas in your head or b)great minds think alike. Feeling like a) or b) depends rather what mood you are in. I really truly hadn't seen these two pieces of work until yesterday and today.



But really, once I had stopped panicking, I realise that these two rare examples of the use of suffolk puffs is just co-incidental. I haven't stolen the idea. I was planning something different anyway. It's just that I didn't know anyone else was already doing things with them. So I am sticking with the Great Minds theory. I told you a few weeks ago that suffolk puffs were the thing, and I am clearly right!

But aren't these textile jewellery pieces by Dragana Perisic lovely? I'm not so wild about the colours, but the idea is great. Thanks to Style Bubble for this link. The other picture (linked) is from a Japanese craft book.

So yes, a designer's life is full of these ups and downs and moments of self-doubt, but on the whole it is about a million times better than being an arts administrator, organising conferences, writing resource packs, co-ordinating events programmes and suchlike. That is what I was doing just over a year ago, and I am enormously happy to be doing what I am doing.
Despite being totally overwhelmed with exhibitions, shows, press mailings and other admin stuff to do, my new work ideas are swishing around in my head and it's great. I'm really looking forward to promoting and selling my stuff in the next couple of months, but am already thinking ahead to where I am going next year and what I want to achieve in terms of new work by the end of this year. I had a good meeting with my mentor on sunday and it has helped me get my head around how to develop in the future. More on this another time, when it has filtered down into something I can explain coherently!

Website maintenance

My main website www.ruthsinger.com is having some medical attention. If you are having trouble with it please be patient and hopefully it will be happy and smiling tomorrow. Also make sure your bookmarks and and links are definitely set to www.ruthsinger.com as it's moving from where it used to be to it's proper and rightful home.

Not much making going on over here I'm afraid - all weddings and meetings and admin. I hope I'll bring you more excitement soon. In the meantime, enjoy Aiar's amazing jacket here.

Student's work

Here are some images of the work produced by my handbag-making students in the most recent class. The first session was looking at embellishment techniques- mainly applique and trapunto - inspired by motifs from the Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art at the V&A. Some of the work was very clearly inspired by the gallery, while other work was developed much further away from recognisable motifs. As usual, some of the students were just inspired by the materials available, the techniques or by one of my samples. Either way, I am just glad that all of them took to the ideas and enjoyed what they did. The second session was about bag construction and I was really pleased with how the students took this on board and created some well-finished examples.

I haven't made much myself - sewing machine is kaput. It will probably take a week before I get it back, as the engineer is on holiday. I had a moment of distress in the shop when I discovered this, but as my car was on double yellow lines, I couldn't just lie on the floor and howl. I decided that it is purely telling me to get on with the hand-sewn projects. And of course masses of admin. and more admin.
I've almost completed the felt shapes on the jelly bean (see yesterday) and next job is to hunt for just the right shade of matt gold sequins. This might be impossible, but I will try! I may end up sanding shiney ones or something crazy. We'll see. I also have 6 part-made Constellations cushions to embroider, so I shan't be short of things to do! I can cut pattern pieces for bags, purses, , sew Polonaise fabric, even make up some more Mantua Frill scarves right up to the last stage. But will I? I doubt it. I might sit at the computer and panic about the admin! And now the tax. I had another session on the training course today, looking mainly at tax and national insurance. I know my accounts are in reasonable shape, but there is always more to do and not enough time to do it. So that is all back on my task list! It doesn't get any smaller, however much work I do!!

argh

My sewing machine packed up. It's been threatening to for a while and I haven't got round to taking it to the repair shop. I can't live without it! I have to now, because it really isn't working. It was only serviced 7 or 8 months ago. I thought it might make a year before keeling over.... Just as well I have got my new industrial, it will be needed. However, it's still in storage until I sort out space and have the strength to move it down a set of stairs and up another one. Not fun. It's really heavy!
Fortunately I had mostly finished the bag I am making to go with the scarf (and dress - see yesterday) so things are not too desperate. The bag will just go unlined, and so what. No one will know. Unless of course any of you readers are going to my cousin's wedding?
I enjoyed the excuse to do some handsewing. More suffolk puffs and more work on the jelly bean piece. I do like handsewing. I have hand-sewn for years, mainly for making my clothing for medieval living history. I have always belonged to groups that believe in doing things properly, so I spent many of my student evenings in front of the TV with a pile of linen on my lap. I really freaked out at flatmate's boyfriend who had never seen a young woman sewing. I was pleased to be the scary sewing girl. Because of this practice, I can sew pretty damn fast, which freaks out other people too. Some people are easily scared.

Other things I like at the moment: pincushion and Polka dot flickr group

And thanks to rightsidesfacing for the link!

What day is it?

Another day, another class. This was the V&A handbag course part two so this must be Wednesday, right? I am exhausted but I did have a great time. Nice students, excellent work produced. It's so satisfying to run a happy and productive class. I'll post some pictures of their work tomorrow. I can't be bothered to go to the other end of the flat (such a long way, ha ha) to get my camera.

I picked up these threads in a big bag bundle at the junk shop earlier in the week. I went for buttons and came home with thread... I use so much thread that whenever I see cheap spools I pick them up, as long as they aren't all brown and grey! Some of these are old, but some are new, most of them are colours I will easily use, and indeed have already. They weren't that cheap - this bag was £10 (over $20) but I would have spent more than that to buy this much new. And of course I got some pretty vintage needles and things.




I got a delivery of my new labels today. These are a stop-gap until I have proper ones either woven or printed with my logo and name (like on my website)and I am not convinced I like them, so will get on with ordering proper ones quickly! They are very stark and minimalist for me. But they are growing on me. I might get to like the simplicity. I don't like the font or the use of capital letters, but this was the best option for quick, cheap and easy labels.

I also got my first batch of organic fabric samples. I'm going to have to try some yardage and see what works. There is some nice percale which has the stiffness I need for all the pleated and gathered stuff, plus some lovely indigo linen and black linen. I'm disappointed that there isn't any better silk but I am hoping to get hold of the hemp/silk mix I used to get locally and try that out.

Frill seeker

I failed. I failed to make a dress today. I am so annoyed with it all. I tried to cut the pattern and made something for someone 5 sizes bigger than me. But I wouldn't have had enough fabric anyway so it was just as well. I'm annoyed with myself though. I thought I could do it. Ho hum. Maybe time for a change in career direction if I can't design dresses that fit! Handbags always fit. I like them! The whole point of dress-creating was to find something to wear at my cousin's wedding on Saturday that went with my pink scarf. I kept the sample and have never had chance to wear it. I was going to make a little bias cut dress from pinky-orange muslin that I have had lying around for YEARS. But alas, it was not to be. I was going to make suffolk puffs to decorate it too. Oh well. After much wardrobe angst, I decided it was easier to make a new scarf to go with an existing dress. Had a few problems persuading this one to work. Cue another work-crisis! I'm pleased with it now.

Yesterday's refashioning efforts are on Wardrobe Refashion, although I am keeping this amusing mirror shot for here. Yes, this is what my dressing table looks like. It says so much about me!



I also knocked out this little bag from a scrap of vintage deckchair canvas that was in a stash I got from a friend a while back. Such great colours!

Scarf-a-thon

Phew. I've not really recovered from the weekend of workshops. Sunday was just as busy as Saturday.
Running a workshop for that many people single-handed is not my idea of a fun weekend! Well, it was nice really - out in the garden, mostly very nice kids. I can't say that about the parents. It really was a test of my patience to not scream at the ones who grabbed all the 'best' materials for their kids, then left without saying thank you and leaving all their rubbish all over the floor. It's a free workshop for heaven's sake. Be a teeny bit grateful, please? Moan over. It looks nice though, doesn't it?

I'll be doing it all over again in a few weeks time, but making Persian carpets this time. Well, clearly not real carpets - fabric squares coloured in with sequins stuck on. Pretty low-level stuff. I'll be doing much the same on Saturday morning near Portsmouth with Making Space.

After my course on Friday I had a think about organising my time better. I know really I should blog less, but it is great to make such inspiring connections around the world. What I did decide was to start the day making and not turning on the computer, so I don't spend all day doing admin. It still needs doing, but it feels better if I make something first! It worked well today, though I wasn't very together, having slept really badly. I will show the fruits of my labour tomorrow, as it's too dark to photograph them now.
I'm planning to make an entire new summer dress tomorrow morning, to wear for my cousin's wedding which I shall arrive late to on Saturday (after said workshop!). I may arrive even later if I haven't finished the dress!

The reason for the new dress (do I need a reason?) is that I want to wear one of my stock scarves and I need something other than black to wear it with. The scarf is getting it's own publicity too - appearing on the Crafts Council website section for Origin, just gone up today.

Suffolk puffs obsession...

I've really got addicted to these. Some in progress shots. They are perfect for doing in front of the TV. If only I had time to sit in front of the TV. Or in front of the dvd player on the mac, as I don't actually have a TV. But I got a little done tonight, watching Season 4 of Six Feet Under. I wasn't up to much of anything done today because I was working all day - running a workshop at the V&A. We had 80 kids through, and I am pretty worn out. Though I did also do some cooking. Food is my other great love after fabric, so I have started another blog about it here. Like I have time to look after 2 blogs?! I know I am crazy, but I have always talked about writing a cookery book, so this is just the first stage towards it. Anyway, no more food talk here, it's all OVER THERE.

Back to fabric, where this blog belongs. Last week I bought some hemp corduroy, in the first stage towards creating a green range for my collections. Well, greening the stuff that isn't already made of recycled fabrics!



I'm hoping to be able to run a side collection in hemp and organic fabrics, but it all rather depends on whether I can find stuff that I am happy with and can work it into my existing range. I can't at the moment expand to create a whole new different range! I already have enough... I use needlecord in these cushions, so I am planning to use the hemp cord instead, in some places. I just have the blooming dye problem. Is it better to buy hemp and chemical dye it than use ordinary cord already dyed? Ethical dilemma. I will use unbleached wherever possible, but I am colourful person and my inclination is towards a rich autumnal palette for shows next month and onwards. Hmmm. Difficult. I am waiting for samples from two companies and we will see what it is like. Yes of course it would be great to natural dye the hemp, but I don't have time or capacity for it, so if I could find someone doing it already, that would of course be the way. Any ideas??
I had a very exciting fabric shop moment today. After the workshop I had to run into town to buy more fabric for tomorrow - those kids just kept coming!- so I decided to treat myself to a tired browse in - absolute fabric heaven. Since I was last there (10 days ago) they have got in a whole range of new silk fabrics - silk jersey, silk lycra and the most amazing thing, real silk tulle!! I thought this wasn't available anymore! It's the most delicate lovely stuff. I've only ever seen it in vintage / antique clothes. Wow. A bit like 100% silk velvet, which I know is out there, but I have never seen it. An urban fabric myth? I bought 20cms to play with, and will undoubtedly be going back for more. It's £22/m which I don't think is bad. Looking forward to trying something with that.

plan-tastic

My morning was spent on the training course working on the very start of a business plan. The first couple of hours was all about using diaries to plan, making lists and being organised. I found this a bit tedious because I am already several stages ahead of this one. I could not have held down a proper job for years if I couldn't plan and organise! It is harder to organise your own work, particularly when it involves several different jobs, as mine does at the moment, but I always did jobs where I had loads of different projects on the go and constant deadlines and lots of working with other people. If anything, I plan too much, expect to get more done than is possible, and overstretch myself!
I have already got most of a draft business plan together, and am so far, sticking to it and not changing my mind too much about what I want to do! But today's exercises were really useful in allowing me time to think about it again, in a clear head space - not at my desk with a huge list of urgent things to do... So it has been useful and productive. I hope that I can capitalise on it soon and get this business plan a bit further on. I will try.... but the next few months are looking quite full aready, and I have just seen adverts for more exhibitions and shows to apply for, so I might fill up any potential spare time!
This is the month of events, teaching and project managing. I went to help out at one of the archive events I have been managing, and that went pretty well. So did the one yesterday!




Enough of my business-world, here is a pretty picture too. Nice vintage fabrics that I grovelled and begged for from someone I was working with. I offered to buy it from her and in the end she just gave it to me! Thanks Jenny!

Too tired for snappy title...

I've had a long but enjoyable day running the first day of a two-day handbag-making course at the V&A. Second one next week. Nice students as always, and some interesting ideas coming out. It was a early start though!
I'm back there this weekend to run a drop-in workshop in the garden - sunshine permitting - making very simple applique scarves using felt on muslin. The weekend is a celebration of Turkish design, so the applique templates are based on motifs from Iznik ceramics. It's been fun doing nice simple designs and using lovely bright colours. I should have a photo.... tomorrow maybe.


But instead a progress on knitting shot. The baby blanket moves along at quite a pace - mainly due to 2 quiet days at craft fairs and not a lot else to do. Did a bit more embroidery too, but that is a bit unmanageable without a table. I'm pleased with how this is turning out. It's loosely based on the baby blanket in Stitch and Bitch and the cotton yarn is really lovely and soft.
I collected and paid for my sewing machine tonight - but it's in storage until I have sorted out where to put it. Boy, it's heavy... thanks Sam!

Kitsch Craft

I've been enjoying old craft books recently. I picked up a couple in charity shops even thought they are mostly 70s and 80s which are hardly my favourite style decades! I've been more open-minded about craft stuff since I started reading so many blogs, so I gave these books a chance and they have been great. Mind you, the stuff I like is the traditional stuff - patchwork and embroidery etc. Not wild on some of the patterns and designs, but technique-wise, they are perfect. The first is Creative Needlecraft, published in 1979 by St Michael (of M&S for British readers!) written by Lynette de Denne. It's got some real gems in it like needlelace which I am fascinated by - how often do you see that come up? Never? And it has the usual suspects of smocking and quilting but also cutwork and drawn-thread work. Lovely simple diagrams and really useful if you ignore the designs!



The second is Julia Foster's Patchwork, which is just hilarious. From the back page I read that she was an actress in the 60s and 70s so this is a celebrity craft book of the mid 1980s. Oh it's funny. It's written in a weirdly chatty way, just sort of rambles about things, funny anecdotes etc. The quilt patterns are all just "well I made it like this and it didn't really work, so you could try this" with some rather general info about fabrics. It is very bizarre, but inspirational in a few places. One of my favourite bits is this puffy quilt, which she calls baby's puffs. I like the idea, and will certainly try it some time, but not in beige! and probably not as a quilt, though it is actually quite nice.
I've put some pics up on Flickr. Anyone else got any old craft gems hiding on the bookshelves?

I was really pleased to find someone else into smocking, and not a lot further on than me. I found Moonstitches blog via Whipup where she won a prize for her lovely bag. Great new blog, really enjoying it!

Wish I had been more on the ball with WhipLash and the July bag-theme, seeing as I make them all the time, and indeed teach bag-making. I am teaching at the V&A bright and early tomorrow, so best get some sleep first.