Make mine a Mulberry…

A highlight of this week was a visit to the Mulberry factory (and of course, the nearby ‘Mulberry factory’ shop) in Bath.  We found out how the beautiful bags were put together, how the production team plotted out a new pattern for a bag, how materials were selected, and how the Mulberry team is working to become as eco friendly as possible.  We also saw how the Mulberry team adapted designs for London Fashion week – one bag took a very skilled maker 10 hours just to add the gems and studs that covered it!  We loved the new ‘Del Ray’ bag which is the latest addition to the Mulberry family – it is simple yet sophisticated, with a lengthy zip top and a handy front pocket.

To find out more about the collaboration story between American singer Lana Del Ray and Mulberry click here

It also felt like a must to include a few pics of Mulberrys Spring Summer 2012 collection as it all looks so exciting; the range is so light and playful!  To highlight this, their new ad campaign features oversized, candy coloured, summertime props including a giant melted ice cream (which now sits in the middle of the factory shop).

All together now…”Bring on Summer 2012″!

Bristol flea & vintage market

This weekend I visited the Bristol flea & vintage market for the second time. This is a great place to pick up something unique/antique and there are stalls to suit every interest and budget.  Books, bric-a-brac, vinyl, record players, fabrics, ornaments, antiques, jewellery, and clothing stalls can all be found at the Ashton gate based event.  I was very pleased with my finds of a beautiful book about roses (my middle name is Rose and I am slightly obsessed with them!), a soft, white, oversized jumper with flower detail and a French style stripy tee.  I have booked a stall here for the 13th May as I have many vintage items including clothes, vintage fabrics and vinyl to sell.  I will also be taking a few of my handmade pieces (usually created from vintage patterns/fabrics) – keep an eye out for future posts as I will be previewing some retro designs here first!

Future dates for the Bristol market include:

19th Feb

18th March

15th April

13th May

For more info and for dates for the similar (but much larger) Bath market visit http://www.bathfleamarket.co.uk/the-bristol-flea-market

Shopping Vintage-style in Manchester’s Oldham Street

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Last weekend I visited Manchester to catch up with my sisters, who are both studying in the exciting (yet chilly!) city.  Sis H met me early and, at my request, was kind enough to take me on a mini tour of the best vintage shops in town.  My favourite shop of the day was definitely Wanderland.  If I had been on my own, I probably would have walked straight past this little treasure trove – it is very understated from the outside and it is not easy to identify exactly what the shops’ purpose/context is.  Once inside however, the ethos is clear; handpicked Vintage, Off the Rack and Handmade garments which deserve to be cherished.  The collection of unique items all jostle for attention against the white, exposed brick walls and dotted-around ornate vintage furniture.  Looking toward vintage patterns for inspiration is a must – the colours used on the navy, red and grey scarf I purchased from this store are classic and the spattering of intricate detail is really eye catching.  These features combined create a luxurious, alluring aesthetic.

For more info on this store visit https://marketplace.asos.com/boutique/wanderland

How to…1st Edition

…make this ‘Softly Softly Luxury Silk Lined Sleepmask’

This design is decorated with drop feed embroidery – you can personalise this however you want to.

Step 1: Loosely draw around a pair of sunnies – aviators work well for this.

Step 2: Add a 1.5cm border which will act as a seam allowance.

Step 3: Fold your paper template in half and cut out – this will give you a symmetrical pattern.

Step 3 continued – you now have your pattern piece.

Step 4: If you want to add the decorative technique of drop feed embroidery, follow the next few steps – you can miss these out if you would like a plain design. As you can see I have drawn out where the embroidery is going to go in tailors chalk on the fabric (you can also use a pencil depending on the fabric colour).

Step 5: Using an embroidery ring to stretch out the fabric, start stitching along the marked out design. To carry out drop feed embroidery you will need a suitable sewing machine – see your guide for further info about settings/changing the sewing foot etc.

Step 6: Remove the fabric from the embroidery ring.

Step 7: Pin your paper pattern to your fabric and cut out. Make sure your embroidery lines up to where you want it on the mask.

Step 8: Cut out a few more layers of the mask shape to pad it out and line it.

Step 8 Continued: 2 layers of silk, 2 layers of cotton and 1 layer of fleece makes for a comfy weight.

Step 9: Use a tape measure to work out what size the strap needs to be. Measure from eye to eye round the back of the head, then add a 1.5cm seam allowance to each side. The width of the strap needs to be about 10cm. Fold this in half and pin. You will also need a piece of elastic.

Step 10: The tool on the left of this picture was purchased from Hobbycraft for around 3 pounds. It makes creating straps super easy – all will be revealed shortly in the next few steps.

Step 11: Sew along the raw edge side of the strap fabric. Top Tip: To keep a streamlined seam use the engraved seam guide on the right – keep your fabric running along this and you’ll have the neatest seams in the business!

Step 12: Trim the extra fabric from the seam. Use the hook tool to turn the strap inside out.

Step 13: Press the strap.

Step 14: Now use the hook tool to thread through the strap and hook the elastic. You can now easily pull the elastic through.

Step 15: Arrange the layers and the strap as shown above. Top Tip: As a rule in sewing ‘right sides’ are always together – this ensures the neatest finish. The 2 fabrics shown here on the inside will be turned through so that they will be the outer fabrics.

Step 16: After a thorough pinning, sew through all the layers around the outside of the mask shape. Use the guides to achieve a smooth seam. Remember to leave a 4cm gap where there is no seam. See next step.

Step 17: Trim the seam, then turn the layers inside out through the gap.

Step 18: To finish your product, use an ‘invisible stitch’ to close up the 4cm gap. As shown in the picture, just grab a stitch form each side of the seam and pull to connect. Well done, it’s complete!

If you liked this post keep an eye on the Techniques page as future “How To’s” will be posted there.

Graffiti Inspiration

These beautiful pieces were painted during the Bristol ‘See No Evil’ festival back in August 2011.  The event showcased some amazing work with top graffiti artists travelling from all over the globe to create the biggest pieces in Europe.  The birds stood out because of the neon colours contrasting against the grey concrete.  The use of pattern and pockets of ornate detail in the work also really caught my eye.  Stunning!

For more info on this festival, visit: http://www.seenoevilbristol.co.uk