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🌿Such an inspiring talk about the evolution of clothes, fashion, fast fashion and how we must get back to slow fashion. We need to know where our clothes come from by keeping a circular loop of money within our own economies due to local jobs which also reduces our carbon footprint. It was fascinating to learn that 8 million used to be employed in Britain in the textile trade, now it's less than 100,000. Sad times.
✨He has done a TED talk on it so it's well worth looking it up - all about how your clothing choice can save the world! It's only sixteen minutes long and it will get you thinking. Also, look up his Community Clothing website - Making Clothes, Creating Jobs, Restoring Pride. What an epic way to buy your clothes.
I have signed up to his newsletter and hope to buy when I next need something - not just want something.
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It can also be finished as a mini quilt, pillow, or table runner and has been designed for an older range from 3 Sisters Fabrics.
I'm going to be stocking some 3 Sisters fabrics from September so I thought it was a fun pattern that you could use with any other fabric you might have.
]]>Susan from Stitchery Stories introduces the episode by explaining that Emma 'shares behind the scenes of her ‘accidental’ creative business based around counted cross stitch hand embroidery kits of the beautiful Cornish coast.
For the last 10 years, Emma has grown her cross stitch kit business from a therapeutic hobby as she recovered from illness, to a thriving creative business, shop & studio based in St Austell Town, Cornwall.'
Read more about how Susan explores Emma's business and find the link to listen to the show. It's a great listen!
]]>Tilda describes the collection as "Bloomsville is an explosion of bright colors and flowers in bloom, perfect for summer projects. The feature design Garden Vista is inspired by old chinoiseries and a sweet motif found on a vase from a factory that closed in the 1960s. Ideal for small decorative pillows, bags and fun details in a quilt. The bold flower motif of Late Bloomer takes inspiration from Indian chintz with large imaginative flowers that are easy to cut into, making the pattern work well for both large and small pieces."
There are eight different patterns for you to choose from:
●● Moderate
Walking into a room decorated with this lovely quilt is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face. It owes its bright and cheerful look to the colourful fabrics from the Bloomville collection, coupled with some Abloom blenders and lovely Solids. As a bonus, the construction of the quilt is simpler than it looks, being made up of repeated sections, which when sewn together create a pleasing plaid-style appearance.
Finished Size
62½in x 76½in (159cm x 194cm)
●● Moderate
How gorgeous is this quilt with its beautiful combination of soft blues and lilacs contrasting with salmon and tomato? The overall effect is lively and yet warm and comforting. The design looks complicated but isn’t, as it is made up of repeated sections, which when sewn together create an attractive plaid-style appearance. Fabrics from the Bloomville collection feature in the quilt, coupled with some Abloom blenders and Solids.
Finished Size
62½in x 76½in (159cm x 194cm)
● Easy
These bright, stripey pillows with multi-coloured, plaid-style effect is very easy to make and has been designed as companions to the Striped Summer Quilt. The pillow uses the same fabrics as the quilt, emphasizing the colourful Bloomsville and Abloom collections, with the addition of some bright solid fabrics.
Finished Size
29in x 16½in (74cm x 42cm)
●● Moderate
If you want drama, this is the quilt for you. The bold night blue background makes the colours of the blocks glow beautifully. The quilt is made up of four different sizes of Chinese lanterns, separated by sashing. The construction of the quilt is simple and uses fabrics from the Bloomville collection, coupled with the Abloom blenders range, plus some delicious Solids.
Finished Size
68½in x 86½in (174cm x 220cm)
●● Moderate
This beautiful, colourful quilt will bring a bright, cheerful atmosphere to any room, and how could it not with yummy colours that include tomato, blueberry, plum and paprika? The quilt is made up of four different sizes of Chinese lanterns, separated by sashing. The construction of the quilt is simple and uses fabrics from the Bloomville collection, coupled with the Abloom blenders range, plus some gorgeous Solids.
Finished Size
68½in x 86½in (174cm x 220cm)
●● Moderate
These pretty pillows would look wonderful on their own or as accompany either of the Blooming Lanterns Quilts. The middle sections of the lanterns look best if the fabrics are fussy cut, to display the fabric motifs.
Finished Size
31½in x 14½in (80cm x 36.8cm)
●● Moderate
This wonderful quilt with its colourful parrots enjoying ripe mangoes hanging in the tree branches is such fun and will always bring a smile. The layout is unusual and looks complicated but is actually made up of sections that fit together easily. The quilt uses fabrics from the Bloomsville collection, coupled with some Abloom blenders and a few Solids. A solid background of pale dove white makes all the colours shine.
Finished Size
65½in x 83½in (166.5cm x 212cm)
●● Moderate
This gorgeous night blue version of the quilt is made in exactly the same way as the dove white one, except for the background colour. Use the dove white version for full explanation.
Finished Size
65½in x 83½in (166.5cm x 212cm)
Choosing sustainable fabrics for your crafting projects can positively impact the environment and reduce your carbon footprint. Here are some steps to guide you in selecting eco-friendly materials for your sewing projects, including patchwork, quilting, English paper-piecing or dressmaking:
1. Research Sustainable Fabric Options: To make sustainable fabric choices, it's important to start by getting to know the available options.Look for materials like organic cotton, hemp, linen, bamboo, and Tencel that are produced with environmental considerations in mind. These fabrics are typically grown without harmful pesticides, consume less water, and have lower carbon emissions during production. These can be quite difficult to source sometimes and can be quite expensive. If you are looking for a greater selection of patterns, it is sometimes best to widen your search to high quality 100% cotton fabrics.
2. Check for Certifications: To ensure the authenticity of sustainable fabrics, look for certifications such as Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Oeko-Tex Standard 100®, and Fair Trade. These certifications guarantee that the fabrics meet specific environmental and ethical standards. A great example is the Tilda Fabrics which I stock. Not only is it beautiful, but they take their sustainability responsibility seriously - their cotton supplier is ISO9001 certified and a member of BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) and their Indian mill is SEDEX Approved and BSCI Approved. Have a look at the Tilda fabrics I have in stock . My Dutch Heritage and Dashwood Studio are also beautiful fabrics which are Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 certified. For example, my lovely customer Sewn For You Designs, uses the Oeko-Tex® Standard fabrics as her cushions are for mastectomy and she needs to know they are of the highest standard.
3. Choose Natural Dyes or Low-Impact Dyes: To enhance the look of your projects, choose fabrics that are coloured with natural or low-impact dyes. Natural dyes are extracted from plants, fruits, and other organic materials, while low-impact dyes are made to reduce water and energy usage in the dyeing process.
4. Support Local and Fair Trade: If you want to help local artisans and fair-trade organizations, consider buying fabrics that are produced under ethical working conditions. These fabrics not only support communities but also ensure fair wages for workers, which helps in promoting sustainable livelihoods.
5. Reduce Waste with Scrap or Remnant Fabrics: You can reduce fabric waste by using scrap or remnant fabrics for patchworking projects. This not only helps the environment but also adds a distinct and diverse touch to your creations. I list remnants at the end of my bolts which can then be used for a flash of colour in your projects!
6. Consider Longevity and Durability: Choose fabrics known for their longevity and durability, ensuring that your creations will withstand the test of time. High-quality sustainable fabrics are not only better for the environment but also result in longer-lasting projects.
Get inspiration from our crafters and see what they have made with their fabric from their shop. Aren't they all so clever! The projects are all so beautiful.
Allow your crafting to show your commitment to a better future. Get in touch if I can help answer any questions. Together, we can make a difference, one stitch at a time. Happy crafting!
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It was sooo fascinating and so inspiring. I took lots of photos and analysed all the different ways in which fabric is attached and juxtaposed to other fabrics. I got so many ideas for when I have time to sit and stitch.
It was also a big treat to see the two final pieces of tapestry which were created in colloboration by Dovecot Studios and Kaffe Fasset, just wonderful!
Find out more on Dovecot Studio's website and try and make it if you can. It will be such a treat! You can even visit virtually if you can't make it in person. It's on until 8th July 2023. It's well worth a visit.
It sounds like a great way to try new ideas and inspire you in a new project. It's running over four days 15th - 19th May 2023 with four thirty minute presentations a day. One of the projects is my online friend, Yasmeen from Sand and Stars. She's got a gorgeous applique cushion to try.
And not only do you get all these projects to try with an online community if you want to join in, but it's free!! Sign up before 15th May, I think it's going to be quite a treat!
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Who is Kaffe Fassett? I have taken the wording from the description on the Dovecot Studio website: 'He is one of the most successful artists and designers working in contemporary craft today. His career spans over 50 years with a prolific oeuvre that encompasses knitting, needlepoint, mosaic, quilting, textile design, painting and drawing. His books and projects have encouraged millions to make and to create with his designs being used and interpreted by quilters around the globe.
The exhibition explores Fassett’s world, drawing on original textile artworks from invited international makers – as well as Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably – garments and archival material, to illuminate the work of this distinctive, influential artist and designer.'
Wow, can't wait to go. And if you can't make it to Edinburgh, they have also made it available on online! What a fantastic opportunity.
The exhibition is at Dovecot Studios until 8th July 2023 so still plenty of time to go.
Credit of all pictures: Fashion and Textile Museum/Kaffe Fassett Studios apart from the photo of the exhibition space by Rob McDougall
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Well what a way to lauch the summer sale - it's a hot hot day up here in Scotland, I can't imagine what it will be like in England. We've just got back from a lovely mini holiday in the Lake District with some really lovely family time - pictures to follow later in the week. the children have the paddling pool out so that will be a fixture over the next few days!
Why don't you have a look at the sale? There are some fab fabrics and patterns there. You might find inspiration for your next project!
The sale runs until 11.59pm on Wednesday 3rd August 2022.
]]>🌿Do you like my new labels? Living in a village with limited shops near by and limited time to visit shops, I do quite a bit of internet shopping. Not only is it a timesaver with three children but I cut down my own mileage.
🌿This does mean I get quite a lot of packaging through my door which I then normally recycle. However, I thought some of my lovely customers wouldn't mind paying a little less postage for a reused envelope or box. I've popped up some options for first and second class in my shipping calculator when you get to checkout if this is something you would like to do in your next purchase. I'll run this for a trial basis and see how it goes.
🌿I would love it if I could reduce my own recycling by passing it onto you - and who knows, you might reuse it too which would be brilliant!
I entered for Theo Paphitis' Small Business Sunday competition on Mothers' Day 28th March 2022 after such a lovely afternoon on the beach with the family but never thought I would win. Every Monday night at 8pm, Theo announces his favourite lucky six from Twitter and Instagram who are then re-tweeted or re-posted. And I was one of them the next night!!
See my photo below - I'm actually on the home page of his website for this week along with the other winners from Monday night!! Can you believe it??!
In Theo's own words, he says, “I admire people who have passion and energy. If you cannot bore your friends to death about your own small business then something is seriously wrong. I was struck by the number of business owners on Twitter who wanted to tell me about their new products and services. Small Business Sunday was born so that people have a specific time slot to tweet and can pitch their ‘sell’ directly to me. In 2022 I also opened up #SBS to businesses on Instagram and have been blown away by the depth and quality of the entrants.”
For those who don't know what #SBS is, it's one of the leading small business networks in the UK and it's short for Small Business Sunday (shortened to the hashtag #SBS on social media). Theo Paphitis created it in October 2010. He is best known for appearing on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den. He is Chairman of Ryman, Boux Avenue, Robert Dyas and the latest acquisition London Graphic Centre.
Of interest to me is that it showcases three textile artists: Anne Morgan, Francesca Rae and Emalie Lise Dam Christensen. They are all focusing on sustainability and using nature as a source of inspiration. It is fantastic to see such a focus on sustainable practices within art.
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