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Vintage and vintage style fabric

22/2/2024

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Some of these are vintage and some are reprints or designed in vintage style. Please refer to the  descriptions either by hovering over or by clicking the picture .
Finding genuine vintage fabrics is always a thrill to the sewist! And I'm willing to share them with you! Mostly they are unused, but if I am repurposing a previously used and preloved piece I will let you know in the descriptions below. I have placed my large scissors or a 50p to give you some idea of the scale of the design.
Please view the Bespoke Contact page to see how we can turn one of these into a bag for you!
Unused Vintage 1970's 'Desdemona', designed by Grace Sullivan for Moygashel (pink)
Preloved vintage Boussac Bamako french cotton from 1958
Unused Vintage 1970's 'Desdemona', designed by Grace Sullivan for Moygashel (blue)
Unused iconic Davina Spring design from 1970's 'Spot and Friends' (lilac)
Unused iconic Davina Spring design from 1970's 'Spot and Friends' (yellow)
Vintage unused cotton fabric (1970's?)
Contemporary design from Alexander Henry, called 'Stylish Girls' 2003
Sanderson 2010 reprint of 50's design 'mobiles'
Blue barkcloth
Orangey Red barkcloth
Reprint by Sandersons of 50s "Festival' fabric commemorating the Festival of Britain in 1951
Pussy Willow, preloved as a curtain. Background very faded, but kittens still vibrant.
‘Heidi’ (1960’s) designed by Genia Sapper for Heals. Preloved, so a faded blue, not the vibrancy of the new fabric.
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Contemporary fabrics

22/2/2024

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There are a myriad of beautiful contemporary fabrics out there! These are a few I have in stock for you to choose from, all new unless it states preloved in the description. Please remember I can usually find anything you have in your mind's eye! So don't hesitate to  complete the form on the Bespoke Contact page and tell me all about it!

Skinny laminx

My favourite contemporary textile designer Heather Moore of Skinny laminx is based in Cape Town South Africa, so you won’t often find her designs in UK. It was the ‘Cloudbirds’ that got me hooked first! I now have her designs around my home and they lend themselves very well to bags too! Here are a few to choose from!

Emma Bridgewater

Now and again, if we’re lucky, a few pieces of EB fabric come onto the market and I’ve managed to secure some for you to chose from. Let me know what you fancy!
Emma Bridgewater dresser (yellow colourway)
Emma Bridgewater polka stripe
Emma Bridgewater Pink Sampler
Emma Bridgewater Hellebore (plum colourway)
Hellebore in violet
Fig in burgundy
Fig in violet
Pomegranate
Love in plum (small piece).
Love in purple (small piece).
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William Morris Fabrics

22/2/2024

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Don't you just love William Morris designs? I've quite a little collection here for you to choose from!
If you'd like a bag made in any of these fabrics, please go to Bespoke Contact and fill in the form giving as much detail as you can to help me make your bag just right!
Strawberry Thief -Indigo colourway
Acanthus
Strawberry Thief - Chocolate colourway
LARGE design: Morris Seaweed
Indian
Snakeshead Fritillery- Indigo & hemp
Strawberry Thief - Grape colourway
Honeysuckle and Tulip
Wandle in charcoal and mustard
Honeysuckle and Tulip in muted green
Pink and Rose. VERY large flowers on a beige backgound
Snakeshead fritillery -grey and rust
Strawberry thief in slate/vellum
Chrysanthemum (rust colourway) very large design
‘Marigold’ in Indigo
‘Marigold’ in rust.
‘Crysanthemum minor’ Preloved a curtain. Still quite bright in colour but softer than new.
‘Honeysuckle’, small piece available.
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Diana Tregaskes fabrics

27/8/2023

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Tribute: 10/07/24 I am very sad to report that the following post was received recently on Diana's Instagram account from her family:
"Hello Diana’s followers. With immense sadness, we announce the passing of an incredible person - our dear mum, wife, sister, daughter, friend and artist, Diana Tregaskes. Her kindness, humour, love, generosity and artistic flair will be missed so much by everyone lucky enough to have known her."
Needless to say this makes the fabrics she so kindly parted with even more precious. She was so happy at the time to know that I would be able to make good use of them and be able to turn them into something lovely and it pulls at my heartstrings every time I look at them. If you wish to have something made, please don't hesitate to ask.
                                                                     ********************

I have been very fortunate to acquire some beautiful exclusive fabrics from a talented water colour artist, Diana Tregaskes who is based in Newton Abbott, Devon.
I first discovered her work when trawling Etsy looking for unusual greetings cards. She has a fluid flowing easy and vibrant water colour style that results in wonderful captures of small animals, birds, insects and native flowers. 
Anyhow, she posted a pic on Instagram showing some fabrics she'd found during a clearcut of her studio and offered them for sale to her followers. I quickly snapped up a few, as I love her work and could imagine how fabulous it would look on bags. So now they are available to you. Once they're gone, they're gone, never to be repeated so have a browse and see if there are any you fancy to make an real one-off item. I have added a pound coin to each picture to give you an idea of scale. Some of the pieces are only 18 x 12 inches so we'd need to discuss your bag style carefully, so make contact and we'll start from there!
Roses
Large poppy
Small poppy
Rose hips. (difficult colour to capture-it is a more yellowy-orange.)
Anemone and lily.
Hydrangea
Blossom with butterfly and bee.
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Yarns, wools and ribbons...you choose!

6/2/2019

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Little knitted bags can be such fun and a bit quirky and individual. Lining them with a little padding and some sturdy cotton or silk gives them a bit of structure and stops them stretching out of shape. They can be fastened with a magnetic snap, a loop and big vintage button or a zip sewn into the lining. I can usually fit in a pocket or two as well!

Picture
 


They can be rugged and free-form
like little "Violet" made out of sari ribbons where you don't worry
if the knots between the sari ribbons
show-it all adds to the texture.


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or sooo soft and squidgy
like the woolly "Nigella" bag,
that makes it cuddly to hold.


I like to put leather handles on them too as a complete contrast in texture and feel: cute little handles to hold in your hand or long adjustable straps to wear on your shoulder or across the body. It's your choice!
Contact me via the Bespoke Contact page and let me know what you'd like - colour, shape handles, buttons, fastenings-whatever you can think of and then I'll do my Knitty Nora bit and come up with the goods. Prices are £40-£50 depending on what you choose.
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    For a bespoke bag start here and choose your fabric!

    If you would like me to create a bag unique to you, please scroll down to choose a fabric: those pictured here (scroll down for more) are available now. I've placed my large scissors or a 50p to give some idea of scale. If I don't currently have a fabric in stock you fancy and you have something particular in mind-please contact me here with your requirements and I can source several options for you to choose from.
    Then select a shape from the Bag Shapes page or the Gallery or if you have a different style you'd like, let me know and we can design a unique bag together that truly says who you are!
    Next go to Bespoke Contact and fill in the form giving as much detail as you can to help me make your bag just right.

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