Mantua Maker

details

2008-07-25T23:26:00.001+01:00

Reading and living.

2008-07-24T23:04:00.007+01:00

Click to enlarge

This is what I call good advertising. I love Rose Tremain's writing, but hadn't noticed she had a new book out until I saw this poster (on Twyford station a few weeks ago). It lodged somewhere in my memory. The book, The Road Home, jumped out at me in my local library yesterday. I've just had to drag myself away at page 44 to go to bed.

Also from the library this week (and not the first time I've borrowed these):

and

I'm still thinking about the funny little cottage. And about houseboats.

What this book doesn't tell you is how to live in a small space when you have more books than bookshelves. Or more stuff than space.

Good apron experience

2008-07-23T21:56:00.005+01:00

After my wailing last week about the patchwork book missing my pattern, (there are things happening regarding sorting this out...) the same publishers have just sent me a copy of A is for Apron, which also features one of my designs. PATTERN INCLUDED! A relief. Its a nice book. If you like aprons, this has got a few real gems. Mine isn't a gem, it hasn't photographed terribly well, in my opinion, but there you go. They've put it on the model's hips rather than her waist, so it just looks odd to me. And with a denim mini-skirt which I personally think is a fashion faux-pas. But I am a design snob, I realise this. Its my job, after all. Anyhow, its a nice book with some lovely ideas.

Its still all book-oriented around here. I'm working on the projects for book number 2. Thank you to all the potential testers who have emailed. I'm overwhelmed! I'm so pleased that there is so much interest and excitement about the projects I have designed (potential testers have had a small preview). Annabel please email as I can't contact you via your comment.

There are some interesting things afoot for the promotion of the Sew It Up (the first book) which is going to be exciting! And I'm working on ideas for two pieces to go in other books as well. In between times I'm trying to develop my new website and prepare for Origin, and in the more immediate future, getting ready to teach in London next week, straight after a long weekend away (about time too!). Quite a lot really. So that's why I spent a chunk of this evening cleaning the fridge, combing the cat and writing this blog, in order to avoid the huge amount of things I really ought to be doing just now.

Testing testing

2008-07-21T11:35:00.004+01:00

I'm looking for willing sewing people to test out the patterns for my new book.
Here's the deal:

This is entirely unpaid, I'm afraid.
You will need to test out the pattern instructions and diagrams within 2 weeks of receipt of the pattern.
I am not able to supply fabrics (unless there is something hard to obtain for that particularly project, which I will supply it) - you need to use your own fabrics, at your own cost. You could do it in scrap fabric as I don't need the finished product.
You can keep what you make.
You need to send me comments by email on the pattern, instructions and diagrams within 2 weeks of receipt.
You MUST NOT show the pattern, diagrams, instructions or stages of making or finished project online. I have to keep the projects under wraps until publication, which will be 2009.
You will receive some goodies from me as thanks, but I will not be able to send free copies of the book, as I only get 2 copies myself!
You will get an acknowledgment in the book and online when the book is published.
You will get a sneak preview of the project(s) you test!

I know that's a lot to ask, but if anyone is willing and able (during August and September) please send me an email - ruth@ruthsinger.com

there are 20 patterns, you can test as many as you can realistically fit in within the timescale. I'm happy to negotiate if you are really keen and want to do more than one. There should be leeway for this. Tell me if you have plenty of time or not much time, and I'll find something suitable. Also tell me your sewing level - there are a few suitable for beginners, but you need to be able to work independently and to a reasonable level of skill.

Overseas people will probably get PDFs, while UK people will get them by post or PDF.

Any questions, just let me know!

thanks

And so to embroider

2008-07-20T19:59:00.003+01:00

My obsession with old sewing books goes on. This one - And So To Embroider - was a manual for the Needlework Development Scheme, designed to improve needlework in schools.

1950s embroidery patterns. I love 'em! I'm particularly fixated with circular patterns. I can't actually embroider, really. I just like the designs. One day I'll learn to embroider. I learned to knit after all.

Isn't Mr Reindeer oven-glove just gorgeous? Apparently he's supposed to be a mitten, but that might be going a bit too far. I love folk art too, and stylised animals are about perfect.

The gingham apron reminded me that I really ought to get something done for the Tie One On theme. My dad recently found the gingham apron I made at school when I was 5. (I've not seen it yet, but I will get photos soon!) I haven't seen it in years, but remember it well. I sewed it to my skirt. Clearly a master sewist even at 5. Not. It took many more years before I learned to sew properly. And I still haven't got around to learning to embroider and to quilt properly. Time, time. If only I had a bit more time. Or had been subject to the Needlework Development Scheme. I do think its sad that kids don't get to do sewing at primary school anymore. Or knitting. Or pretty much any crafts, apart from one-off projects. But I'm not about to volunteer to work in primary schools, I did that for a bit and decided it really wasn't my idea of a pleasant way to make money. Rewarding in other ways, yes, but not altogether pleasant. Adults are so much more relaxing to work with!

A box full of memories

2008-07-18T22:43:00.002+01:00

I've been doing a bit of sorting out at the studio. Exploring boxes that haven't really been looked at in years. This box of beads and bits of jewellery surprised me - so many lovely things I'd forgotten I had, and lots of memories crammed in this little box. If you click on the image you can see the annotations in Flickr.
My studio is stuffed with boxes of interesting things, some of which get used a lot and some of which just languish. Or are just waiting for their time to come. Either way, there is a lot of stuff.
I know some serious clearing out will need doing when I move out of there!

I went to see a cottage and attached studio on a farm yesterday. It was pretty amazing. A very basic little place, carved out of the end of a barn! A bathroom in the basement and a large bedroom/loft above the living room/ kitchen. All connected with ladders and heated by a single stove. Its so different to my current life, sharing a large family home with BIG rooms! Sadly the studio was just a barn. Far too dark, damp and draughty for me to work in. My fabrics (and me) need a few home comforts!

So I shall stay in my current home and current studio until another quirky cottage and studio with damproofing and windows comes up.

Top Secret Project(s)

2008-07-17T13:48:00.006+01:00

I'm trying to post more regularly. I managed to do two posts yesterday by accident, such is my keenness!

It is a bit challenging when what I am working on at the moment is secret projects for my new book. So the blog might be a bit random for a while (what is new, you ask?).

My design process, strangely, usually involves a lot of books. Picture books. My favourite kind. I had to work on a handbag design yesterday, among other things. So out came the books. I hadn't got my HUGE book on bags, that was at home. I don't mind that so much, I don't tend to design bags by looking at bags. My design process is much more organic than that. I look at pictures and faff about with fabric, rootle around in my box of samples and as yet un-used ideas, my sketchbooks (which are very haphazard) and my noticeboard (nothing as co-ordinated as a mood board, just a random selection of things). Mostly something just appears. This time my bag design was inspired directly from a pre-existing apron design, sparked off by something else entirely, which I have already forgotten. Funny how that works. I didn't even get half way through my stack of books.

Often my ideas come direct from the fabric, particularly when I'm using vintage or unusual fabrics. In this case it was peace silk and lace. I spread the fabric out, play around with it and see what happens. Sometimes it clicks immediately, sometimes it takes ages to work out. This seems to be a bit of a problem when I HAVE to design something specific, rather than just whatever comes. I had a real challenge with the apron for Sew It Up. I just could not come up with a full-length apron design which I like. I made one, wasn't at all sure about it. Once it had been photographed I really hated it and had to knock out a completely one in about 24 hours. Including tracking down the required recycled stripy shirts. Its amazing how the thing you need just doesn't exist in the shops when you need it.

Much better. I always know when a design is a bit duff. It just doesn't feel right.
I had lots of pre-existing things I planned to use for this second book, but they didn't feel right and I had to start again from scratch. Which takes time, but is so much more fun.

I'm sure I had something else to say, but I have just been distracted by an email from my mum containing a review of a toaster. Is that normal at 10.45pm? Maybe not in your life, but it is in mine. I'm off to consider the relative merits of the Krups Toast expert FEM 231.
Toast expert, no less!

Textile jewellery

2008-07-16T22:46:00.002+01:00

Some weeks ago I bought myself this stunning pendant from Tinctory as an end-of-book celebration. There were quite a few shopping-related celebrations, which have had to cease. But this necklace will bring me delight for a long, long time.

Similar in shape, but completely different in most other ways, I have been making a set of corsages from the book (as seen on the jacket cover) for a few lucky journalists (don't ask me who, its the publisher's PR person's idea).

Old paint

2008-07-16T22:36:00.004+01:00

I love the colours and flaking paint on these old garage doors. Normally there are cars parked in front of them, and I usually whip past on my bike. Last week I went this way on foot (instead of my normal pedestrian route) and found them, rain-dampened and car-free.

They remind me of beach huts, which is ironic, as we are right in the middle of the country and about as far from the sea as you can get in England.

I often take pictures of flaky old paint and then wonder why. Mostly I only photograph things that are inspirational for my work. Flaky paint isn't. I just love it. Thinking now, as I write this, it probably stems from the flaky paint on the garage (known as the shed) at the bottom of the garden of the house I grew up in. That was a darkish, leafy green, and had the same texture, as it flaked off the wood.

I spent a lot of time in that shed, with my dad. Making stuff. I loved it. I think that's a nice reason for liking flaking paint. I have possibly invented a mythology, but I like it, so I'm sticking with it.

A blanket for Billy

2008-07-15T21:02:00.001+01:00

I made my first ever quilt!

Very badly. Don't look close. I hope Billy's parents don't notice. I'm sure they will have other, way more important, things to think about. I just hope its big enough - he was born a whopping 9lb 1 oz.

Its a very simple design, a patchwork of scraps in a strip, then joined to three other wide strips. Backed with some African print fabric and machine quilted in 3 or 4 lines. I made it inside out and turned it out, to save binding. There are directions for this in Bend The Rules Sewing and something similar in my book too (which is weighing in at about 1.54kg, or 3lb 6oz).

Even though I had several months notice for this (and Billy was a week late) I didn't get round to making this until after his due date. About a week ago. And I still haven't posted it. ooops.

Lost lace

2008-07-14T20:46:00.002+01:00

At the moment, I'm designing the projects for my next book. For me, part of the design process involves going through my heaps of fabric and other bits looking for the right inspirational bit. It also generates another necessary activity -that of tidying up. My studio is permanently in a state of fabric-induced chaos. I have never pretended to be a tidy person.

Today's design challenge involved vintage lace. I went though the box of lovely things given to me by some friends last year. Then I remembered another box of lace, trimmings, embroidery and all sorts of loveliness. Where on earth are they hiding. A few trips up steps to explore boxes on the top shelf failed. The cupboard? Surely not, just random junk in there. Ah, the box under the table. I remember, vaguely, packing it into one of my nice woven rush boxes. I opened said box. "Packing" you say? Hmm. Looks more like I did some "fling it in here for now and sort it out and pack it properly soon." And promptly forgot it!

So it was a nice treat to unpack, sort and enjoy the contents.

Click on the photo and go to Flickr to see my notes on what is in this selection.

The not-so-tidy box of stuff. I do normally pack vintage and delicate things carefully - years of training working with museum costume collections. I am a bit ashamed of this jumble!

This is an enduring favourite, I've always loved the simplicity of the design.

Workshop

2008-07-13T21:45:00.003+01:00

Today I ran a workshop:

organised by Helen:

We did ruffles, pleats, frills, suffolk puffs and folded-ribbony-things. It was fun.
Thanks Helen!

And I wore my new skirt.

That was fun too.

Pretty Little (missing bits of) Patchwork

2008-07-10T22:37:00.005+01:00

I have finally received my comp copy of Pretty Little Patchwork from Lark, which includes my apron design:

Started browsing: book is nice, I like how my apron has been photographed, probably should check the directions.....then suddenly I realise that my pattern pieces aren't in there. No templates, no diagrams... The patchwork panels on the sides of the apron are pretty complicated (I confused myself several times) and have in-seam trim and all sorts of complicated-ness.

Not even the pocket pattern made it in.

(this one is the same design, but all in black - and with the pocket facing the wrong way)

What a shame! I'm not sure what went wrong, they definitely had the pattern. So I'm going to try and work out a way to make the pattern available, if anyone wants it, online, for a minimal fee to cover my costs. So apologies if you wanted to make this very mysterious apron! Its kind of frustrating to have a piece appear in a book with messed up directions. I hope it doesn't discourage anyone from buying my own book - which has VERY thorough directions, patterns and suchlike (though I accept there are bound to be some errata and bits of utter stupidity that slipped through the *very thorough* net of my uber-editor).

There's another of my designs in A is for Apron, but I haven't seen a copy of that yet, even though its been out for months. Ho hum.

Clothkits skirt

2008-07-09T22:38:00.002+01:00

It's taken some time but, at last, I have completed my Clothkits skirt.

I bought the kit as soon as I saw it online.

Having just put in those links I see that the skirt is now available in colours and I am kicking myself. I want the green one now. Oh well. I have black and white.

edit: me in the skirt. Its a bit shorter than I would like, but certainly fun!

Anyhow, I have deviated from the instructions, so I thought I would give you a little tutorial on how I did this.

First and foremost, I considered this scalloped pattern and the straight hemline below it - a real scalloped hem was called for.

So I cut out and joined the two back panels, then put the lining and main fabric right sides together, then carefully sewed around the scallop design. Full instruction on how to sew scallops are in the book!

I then cut pieces of left-over polyester quilt wadding to the same shape as each of the scallops (they are all different) using a template created by drawing round the turned scalloped hem.

I stuffed the quilt wadding into the scallops

then hand quilted (ish) the heart shape and the quatrefoil shapes around the edge. Very roughly. There are proper quilting instructions in the book!

I then sewed up the side seams and adjusted it to fit (I cut the pattern pieces on the biggest size-line so I had lots of flexibility and could get more of an A-line shape in the finished skirt). Putting in the lining by this method means that the side seams have two layers - both main fabric and lining, which is a bit bulky, so I trimmed the seam allowances down and hand-overcast the edges, after pressing the seam allowances open.

I dispensed with the facing, as I have got a bagged-out lining (this is what you call a lining which is sewn down at the hem with the right-sides facing and then turned).

I put in the invisible zip which was kindly provided. I wasn't sure that the instructions actually explained how to put in an invisible zip properly, and I've lost them now. But guess what? The instructions in the book!

I decided to finish the waistband with a strip of bias binding - I originally cut some black organic cotton then lost it (which has delayed the finishment by about 3 weeks) so used a length of black silk I had knocking around. I attached it using the single-fold binding technique (which is all in the book). The bias binding curves around the curve of the waistband nicely.

It still needs a hook and eye on the waistband, and some sunshine and an occasion to wear it, but at least its ready at last! I'm going to wear it with my new red shoes (until I can't walk anymore, then I'll wear my new comfy black shoes). Now I think about it, I'm teaching on Sunday which is as good as an occasion as any (seeing as I don't have any Viktor and Rolf in my wardrobe) and I've a party to go to next weekend - so lots of skirt-outing potential. Hurrah!

I'll edit this later with a full review of what I actually think of the pattern and how it turned out.

Dressmaking time!

2008-07-08T11:45:00.005+01:00

Apologies for the unscheduled disappearance. I meant to keep up with the blog, but I was kind of busy with this. Any spare time last week was taken up with urgent work stuff, a few meetings, a day in London (working) and getting some fresh air and sunshine. It wasn't quite a holiday, but I certainly wasn't working flat out as I usually am.

I also managed to set up my sewing machine in ideal viewing position, so I could sew during the quiet bits!

I cut out the fabric for this many, many months ago. Possibly even last year. It was good to start work on it. Its a toile for a dress I'm thinking of making for a wedding later in the year, and judging by the results, I think its a go-er. Despite this being a toile made from an old sheet, I made it up properly so I can wear it as a nightdress - as the pattern was originally intended as.

I've done the bodice of view one (on the left) with the skirt length of view 2, which is actually well below the knee on me *I am NOT tall*.

The actual dress, which will be red, will have some decoration around the yoke. Not sure if it will be pleating or suffolk puffs, but something of the sort. I cut the skirt part on the bias to improve the hang, and this seems to have worked well, and made it super easy to hem. I'll cut the skirt in one piece for the actual dress, front and back, and put a side zip in.

This is the back, before the elastic has gone in. For the actual dress I think I'll make a series of pleats in the back, rather than have it gathered with elastic which isn't very elegant. With the side-zip fastening, there's no need for the elastic. The pleats should make a nice drape on the back too. But I'll need to work out how to make it all less bulky around the seam in that case as the bodice is lined and the skirt will be 2 layers (lined chiffon) so there are 4 layers of fabric in this seam, which isn't going to pleat too well. I could cut the skirt and back in one piece, but that means the back bodice will have to be on the bias (not ideal) or the skirt can't be on the bias. Also not ideal. Any other ideas?

But otherwise, the whole thing has gone together super easily. It only needs adjusting in the shoulders for a perfect fit, and I'm confident (maybe foolish) that I can find the time to do this before late September. I may be kidding myself, but I'll try.

I'm also considering what to do with this. Although its a lovely apron, I'll never use it, so I think I'll make the most of the fabric (its huge) by making it into a top. Time to test-fit this one, I think.

I've got a few more sewing projects nearly ready to go, so there will be more from my sewing machine shortly, I hope.

Inspiration

2008-06-29T15:54:00.001+01:00

Things seen on my travels.

Child's dress in a shop window.

Embroidered church kneeler.

Bench end in medieval church.

Tiles and lantern in shopping arcade, Norwich.

Forthcoming Workshops and Classes

2008-06-28T20:27:00.000+01:00

Wow. I'm going to be busy!

Couture Embellishments
Four Saturdays at Wimbledon College of Art, London
17 January-7 February 2009
This course takes customizing and decorating clothes to a new level inspired by historical costume, and in line with the embellished aesthetic on the catwalk. The course will teach a broad range of couture-inspired hand-sewing techniques to embellish your existing clothes or to incorporate into your own creations. The course will begin with a comprehensive slide show of examples of historical costume trims as studied by the tutor and include a range of unusual, innovative embellishment and decoration techniques including quilting, hand-made trims, innovative appliqué and pleating. Throughout the course there will be an emphasis on eco-style, re-using clothes and vintage materials.

Recycling for Textile Accessories
Two-day course at Wimbledon College of Art, London.
23-24 March 2009
A corsage, or fabric flower pin, can make a plain outfit very individual. This course will teach you how to make a range of contemporary decorative corsages or fabric flowers for brooches, hair clips and for interior decoration. Over the two days, you will learn how to construct several different styles of contemporary flowers and textile jewellery using recycled fabric and found objects. We will use recycled felt, leather, ribbon, appliqué and hand-stitching to create original and vibrant flowers, with many styles inspired by corsages of the 1930s and 40s.

Textile and Fashion History
Weekly daytime classes at Newark Houses Museum with WEA Leicester, starting in September 2008, in 10-week blocks each term.
Starting 22 September 2008 for 10 weeks. Monday 1.30-3.30pm. Course will continue in 2009 covering later periods.
Did Mary Queen of Scots really do embroidery while imprisoned? Was it possible to create bright colours with medieval plant dyes? If you are interested in what people wore in the past, how textiles were made and the world trade in textiles, then this lively, illustrated course is for you. This term we will focus on the Medieval and Tudor period and look at textile production, embroidery and the clothes of both rich and poor, using images of surviving textiles, documents and contemporary images.

Fabric Manipulation Evening Classes
Weekly evening classes at Richard Attenborough Centre, Leicester, starting in 22 September 2008, in 10-week blocks each term. Monday evenings. Course will continue in 2009 covering further techniques.
Term 1. Fabric Manipulation : Pleat, fold, layer
An in-depth exploration of the potential creative applications for pleating, folding and layering fabrics. We will cover box and knife pleats, decorative variations, pin tucks, folds, stitch and slash, layering, cutting away and reverse appliqué. The techniques are mostly drawn from historical and traditional textiles and extensive imagery and samples will be provided for students to investigate. In all cases we will look at contemporary applications for these traditional techniques.
The course allows plenty of time to experiment and develop your own ideas. The techniques can be applied to quilting, embroidery and fashion projects, and a design brief can be set if required. Some machine work – bring your own if you can.

Term 2 (January – April 2009)
Fabric Manipulation : Quilt and gather

Term 3 (April – July 2009)
Fabric Manipulation : Apply, cut, embellish.

Hand Constructed Fabrics For Fashion
4-day short course at Wimbledon College of Art
More Information on these courses

28-31 July 2008, 15-18 December 2008, 25 April-16 May 2009 (4 Saturdays).

All press is good press

2008-06-27T20:42:00.001+01:00

Even when they use the wrong caption *and more than double the price!*

I love the quote: "Surely a modern heirloom in the making." Oh yes.

The piece is still available here - at much less!

Eco books

2008-06-26T20:25:00.000+01:00

So did any of you spot the NEXT book details which appeared on my (partially) revamped website last week? No? tsk tsk.

Sew Eco: sewing sustainable and re-used materials. (Though I clearly haven't got the title *quite* fixed in my head as I now realise I got it wrong on the website. oops).

to be published by A&C Black in autumn 2009.

So yes, work on book 2 has started, just as book 1 goes off to print. Blimey.

I'm getting stuck into this stack of books and am working on designs for the projects and I am having fun!

There will be more on this as it develops, of course!

Show time

2008-06-25T23:52:00.000+01:00

I'm just back from Design Show Liverpool which was, as usual, more tiring than I expected. I don't know why it surprises me each and every time. I'm finding shows less stressful now than in my first year or two. They are still hard work, but I know what has to be done and the timescales now. I also sensibly went up a day early, stayed with friends and had a relatively laid-back set-up day. Unloading the car and setting up the show are always the worst bit, usually compounded by working late the night before getting images, press files, info packs and price labels ready - let alone last minute finishing new work. I've only got one exhibition on at the moment so I have quite a good amount of stock, so not too much had to be completed at the last minute. But it still ended up being tiring because the show was open late on 3 consecutive evenings and two of the days were incredibly long - open 10am until 9.30pm. With no exercise and no proper meals combined with a lot of standing around, shows can really sap your energy, even when they aren't busy. Thursday and Friday at the show were very depressingly quiet. Its better when a show is full and busy and time flies. Time really drags when there isn't much going on. The weekend went much quicker and was pretty busy.

By Sunday I was exhausted, mainly because of my room-mate accidentally getting up at 5.30am. Packing up was unpleasant - there was a huge log-jam for the lifts and there was a sandstorm whipping up outside. But I had a good quick one-hour drive to North Wales to visit family and get some dog-walking exercise and eat a lot of home-grown strawberries.

Every time I do a show, I take photos of the stand set up. I am never happy with how it looks and my stand display ideas are always changing. I always forget to take a pic of what the bare stand looks like when you arrive, but I think you can probably get the idea. A bare box. Foolishly I decided not to have the stand clad with wood to drill into. I don't know what I was thinking, so I had to make do with the horribly metal pole down the centre of the display (which hardly shows in this photo, but believe me, its there!). Cladding usually costs quite a lot more than the basic stand at most shows (and the basic stand is several hundred pounds for a 2x1m space), so I tend not to. I'll review this next time, as I'm fed up with these stands made of wobbly boards. Having said that, my next and only other show for the year is Origin, where the stands are wood and twice the usual size, so it should be easier to work with. (Though getting ready for that one will be mammoth and take at least 6 weeks!)
At least I have done so many shows now that I am prepared for pretty much anything and have a lorry-load of tools, a stepladder (a new taller one, having found my first one wasn't high enough to reach the top of the stand at Origin!), hanging systems, velcro, double-sided tape, swiss army knife and bubble wrap etc. And lots of food to keep me going!

The show itself was a bit average - some sales, (there are never enough) and some good contacts which should, I hope, turn up trumps for press coverage, exhibitions and some commissions.

I had a productive time with Louise planning my Origin stand, and have now got my work cut out to do everything I want to in terms of display as well as making new work for the show! I knew Louise already from Origin 2006, and it was really nice to spend time with her at the show (apart from the early morning wake-up...). The best bit of the show by far was meeting lots of other lovely people, which always makes a show more enjoyable.

This was our only evening off - we stare at the sky in wonder and delight (or maybe it was a flag pole...).

Lino prints

2008-06-20T21:51:00.001+01:00

A couple of weeks ago I did a day-course in reduction lino printing. It was great!
It was such a treat to be at a course rather than teaching a course. It was really useful for giving me an insight into what its like for my day-course students.

The course was run by Sarah Kirby, a local printmaker and organised by Leicester Print Workshop. There is more of Sarah's gorgeous work here.

The technique of reduction lino is explained here in great detail. Basically you are making a 3-colour print using just one block. The first print is the background colour,

then you continue cutting away and printing successive layers. Normally you would cut away most of the block in the block and just have detailing left in black or a strong colour in the last print. But I was awkward (or rather my design was) so I ended up doing the last cut as my background which meant it all came out black.

There wasn't any choice of colours, so the black final print colour isn't what I would have chosen. But still, I'm pretty pleased with the results and learned a lot about the process. I'm thoroughly inspired to make some more prints.....eventually.

Viktor and Rolf

2008-06-19T16:19:00.003+01:00

The Barbican is hosting what looks to be a fantastic retrospective of the work of Dutch fashion designers Viktor and Rolf.

I'm running two workshops as part of this exhibition - Craft Couture day workshop which is alas, already sold out, and a free drop-in workshop on the evening of September 4th, which is free to same-day ticket holders. In that session there will be a chance to try out simple pleated and gathered corsages.

One of the things that has been keeping me busy in the last few weeks has been writing the teachers pack to go with the exhibition. This may be intended for teachers, but it is also an excellent general introduction to some of the themes that Viktor and Rolf use, like historicism, fashion as art and distorting the body shape. Although I say so myself, I think it would be an entertaining read for anyone with a general interest, and certainly any one studying fashion or fashion history.
Let me know what you think!

Margo Selby

2008-06-18T23:51:00.001+01:00

A few weeks ago I visited the shop and studio of Margo Selby, a fellow textile designer-maker who I've met at a few shows.

Her business is much more established than mine, and I follow her every move with interest! I'm seriously impressed with (and jealous of ) her latest venture - a gallery in Bloomsbury. She has established a vibrant space with a thoughtful and considered collection of work by other designer makers including glass, jewellery, lamps and ceramics. The work all hangs together beautifully and complements Margo's own colourful textiles.

She was very kind in letting me nose around her studio space in the basement of the building. So tidy! I am often jealous of other peoples' organised, spacious and calm-seeming studios. I have a big space, but its divided up into little rooms and has weird built in fittings, nasty flooring and an orange ceiling. I haven't had the time to do anything about it.

Anyway, back to Margo's:

Her loom

Yarns

Mill-woven fabrics for making into cushions and other small pieces.

She's recently brought out a range of clip-top purses in her lovely fabrics which I really like.

I bought some buttons.

There are more photos of the studio and gallery here.

Learn my techniques!

2008-06-17T16:14:00.001+01:00

Hand Constructed Fabrics for Fashion

I'm running this course again at Wimbledon School of Art, London, 28-31st July 2008.

This course is a specialist, intensive and enjoyable 4-day summer school for those with a love of fabric. It will be an in-depth exploration of the potential creative applications for pleating, folding and layering fabrics, structured shaping of fabrics by stuffing and gathering, including smocking, trapunto and standard quilting, ruffles, frills and Suffolk puffs and ways of applying surface decoration in the form of flat and 3D appliqué, using Bondaweb, hand stitching, stuffed appliqué and using recycled and found materials. The course will include box and knife pleats, decorative pleating, pin tucks, folds, stitch and slash, layering, cutting away, reverse appliqué, a contemporary look at cutwork using felt, silk and leather to create layered and shadowed effects and embellishing using on-seam trims and other applied techniques.

The techniques are mostly drawn from historical and traditional textiles and extensive imagery and samples will be provided for students to investigate. In all cases we will look at contemporary applications for these traditional techniques. The course allows plenty of time to experiment and develop your own ideas. The aim is to create a length of fabric suitable for a scarf or small project, or to use the techniques of your choice to embellish and decorate and existing garment. You can of course just come to learn the techniques to apply to your own work outside of the class. Textile teachers have also attended this course to learn new techniques.

The last time I ran this course it was really enjoyable and inspiring. All the students took on the ideas and created amazing work. Although it seems expensive, you will get 4 intensive days of teaching and lots of one-to-one support to learn techniques and develop design ideas. Previous students have included textile teachers, upholsterers, theatre designers, textile designers and textile degree students. Quite a lot of people treated it as a holiday and took time off work to come, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Previous students' work from this course:

Edit: More dates added!

5-18 December 2008, 25 April-16 May 2009 (4 Saturdays).
I'll also be teaching some other classes there in 2009, so keep an eye out. If you want to go on my mailing list for events please email me!

Betty

2008-06-15T23:51:00.011+01:00

Introducing the latest member of the Betty family:

Not the finest photo, but you get the idea.
This is a big one, about 24" x 30" (from memory, she's at the studio, I'm not). Made from hemp-silk satin and organic hemp.

Betty is taking pride of place at Design Show Liverpool later this week.

Edit: Yesterday I said that I don't do subtle and there would be more colour this week, and I've shown a cream piece. Oh well, more colour soon, I promise.