Category: Finding Fabrics

Vibrant Vintage Vibes...

29/3/2016

You'll have noticed from my recent Facebook and Instagram posts that I've been steadily acquiring vintage and vintage style fabrics and the more vibrant the better!

I've been trying to work up some new designs to do them credit! My first design looks fine (if you don't look too close!) but was so fiddly I can't possible do it again and stay sane! I think a square bag cross body bag is the next step...

Here's a prototype ready to be stitched. I'm trying a new method of assembly this time. usually I make the outer, then the lining and sew them together round the top, inside out and then 'give birth' to the new bag through a small gap in the lining stitching, by pulling it all through! The new method stitches the lining in as you go, I think you still have to give birth, but you end up with a completed bag inside out just to turn the right way round! Anyhow-I'll let you know how it goes - I like a new challenge!

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Retro 1950's vibes

30/10/2015

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Superb design from the 1950's re-visited by Sanderson recently. I have a few pieces of 'Mobiles' in several colourways, so am starting with a lovely powder blue. I'm going to team it up with a contemporary designer-no less than Red or Dead's Wayne Hemingway - who has branched out into textile design.

This one is called knotted up for obvious reasons!

The beginnings of a flapped clutch bag.

Magnetic fasteners each side

Simple removable fabric handle.

D ring to hold the handle.

All the usual pockets and a beaded zip pull. (Beads bought in San Francisco!)

A bright yellow vintage button completes the look!

At a later date I added a bow, which really looked a lot better!

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Skinny Malinky Long Legs...

25/9/2015

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Remember a few posts ago, I introduced a fabulous fabric designer that I had recently discovered: Heather Moore of Skinny laMinx in South Africa? And remember how pleased I was to get hold of a piece of the 'Cloudbird' fabric for my flight bag? Well... I've collected a few more bits and pieces since, and It's becoming a bit of an obsession!
And I've just found out that the name Heather gave to her company is a corruption of the children's rhyme "Skinny Malinkey long legs, big banana feet..." not Minnie the Minx from the Beano as I had thought! Both reflect the fun in the designs she creates! (Update 24/02/17 : I've since read that Skinny laMinx is a nickname for her cat Monkey!)

Taken from the Skinny laMinx website.

My flight bag in Cloud Bird fabric

First I caught sight of a couple of 'Spruce Woodpile' cushion covers on Ebay. Luckily for me they didn't look much in the photo, so no-one else bid and I got them for 99p!

Didn't look much in the Ebay listing...

Once stuffed to capacity they look great!

Lots of lovely squares to play with!

I kept browsing the Skinny laMinx website, and finally, I couldn't help myself and ordered some patchwork squares as the best way to sample as many of the designs as I could and to have something I could use creatively. To my delight they came quite quickly and I posted this to the Skinny laMinx Facebook page:

"Such excitement in Braintree, UK, on coming home from work today there was a package all the way from Cape Town! Carefully opening the envelope I found my DIY fabric squares all neatly wrapped in tissue with a Skinny laMinx sticker and wonderful logo birdie tag, tied round with brown fibrous string! Couldn't wait to see which fabrics were included, I made a futile attempt at not tearing the tissue and on the top-YES-my favourite, which I've tried (sadly unsuccessfully) to purchase from any and every supplier in the UK and even your SA home store-ok, so it's only 7 squares, but I have some EEP, at long last!! Also some Cloud Bird which I also adore and which was the first of your designs to grab me! Thank you! I must confess even the sticker has been peeled off the tissue to grace my noticeboard, along with the promotional card (showing your gorgeous cushions) and my little cut out birdie logo...one very happy customer..."

To my surprise I had a reply from Heather:
"Hooray! Thanks so much for your lovely, lovely note! It's super-inspiring for my team to hear how much our packages are enjoyed. xx Heather

And then a second message:
"PS: If you're keen on more Eep, do email [email protected] and see if she can find more for you. We've discontinued that print, and Cloudbirds too, but we still have a couple of metres kicking about that we might be able to help you with, if you're keen."

I replied that I was keen! (This was sale stock, usually reserved for their home crowd). Several emails exchanges later with a very helpful lady called Sonia, I am now the proud owner of two half metres of Cloudbird. Sadly, even though I pestered for a thorough search and a very patient Sonia thumbed through the fat quarters, the EEP (top right in first pic above) was not forthcoming :(

Cloudbird in goldfinch and blackboard.

Flowerfields

I've also acquired this unusual Skinny laMinx design called Flowerfields as offcuts from a UK blind/curtain company. The fabric is a good weight and ideal for bag making, but i have a beloved wicker chair that needs a makeover and it may take all the squares and the Flowerfields. So unbelievably, the bags might have to take a 'backseat' (get it?) for a while! I'll get back to you on that!

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I left my heart in San Francisco...

3/5/2015

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Ok-I won't go on about the amaaazing holiday we had in San Francisco and Southern California-but definitely one that will be remembered! I did make a couple of purchases from Britex fabrics near Union Square in San Francisco: four floors of fabrics! Oh my-I kept searching for remnants-I knew they must be there somewhere and of course they were on the top floor-shelves and shelves of neatly folded temptation. I succumbed to two pieces each of which was 2.5 yds (yes they still work in imperial measures there) and I paid $40-which is about £26 - just over £5 a yard, which seemed pretty reasonable-its a good weight.

China Town was a riot of colour and I found some lovely glass beads at $5.99 (£4) for about 15. I bought them at the first shop I saw them and as I progressed through the streets I noticed there were plenty to be had. Fortunately for me the prices seem to rise as I got further in-so I felt I had done well! They will make lovely zip pulls for my bags.

Spot the flight bag!!

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Vibrant Vintage Vibes...

Retro 1950's vibes

Skinny Malinky Long Legs...

I left my heart in San Francisco...

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