Posted on 16 Comments

constructive proCRAFTination……

In general I love my job, I feel very lucky that I can make a modest living by selling the things I create in my workshop. My least favourite bit of my job is tidying that workshop. I have recently made over 500 brooches to be sold at Winchester Cathedral and York Christmas Markets.art-brooches_24
My workbench was piled high with brooch debris.… Read the rest

Posted on 17 Comments

Brooching the subject……

brooches-blog

A couple of folks on my Facebook page asked about how I made my scrappy brooches, and as it happens I recently made a step-by-step record of the process.

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I made this scarf  using my overlock/serger and was left with a pile of scraps…….

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these are some of the scraps left over from the scarf..

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this is what I use as the base of my textile pieces, a open weave mesh, and some tulle or organza?… Read the rest

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a customisation with a bit of history….

silk_suit

A customer asked if I could customised this 2 piece suit she had made 24 years ago for her daughters wedding….

silk_suit

I googled the designer and found out that a wedding dress she made is in the V&A Museum in London
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O83520/wedding-dress-akers-douglas-julian/
There’s more information about her here..
http://www.douglashistory.co.uk/history/julian_akers-douglas.htm#.V_4juPkrLIU
so, no pressure, then!

silk_suit

look at the amazing smoking on the sleeves, this is the designers hallmark, all done by hand…

Hope Jacare hand dyed silk ribbons

Because the suit is made from silk I decided to use silk to customise it, I bought these beautiful hand dyed silk ribbons from Hope Jacare Designs
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/HopeJacareDesignsRead the rest

Posted on 8 Comments

textile trail ……

 

blanket

This blanket was knitted by my other half Steve’s Great Granny from wool she unravelled from old jumpers, he inherited it about 40 years ago and for the last 15 it has covered the armchair he sits in. After washing it I noticed that some of the seams were coming apart, so I put it aside to repair, in that pile of stuff waiting to be repaired, you know, the tall pile.… Read the rest