New Blog Little Scrap of Cloth

Come on over to my brand new blog Little Scrap of Cloth.
A daily dose of textiles - my textile work and some interesting other bits of material too.

'Share' Cook Book

The Cook Book that celebrates our common humanity.

An amazing new cook book has only just been published in the past few days. 100% of profits going to the charity Women for Women International - an organisation that works with women in war torn countries.

This cook book brings together recipes from the women themselves and famous celebrities that recognise the need to help in some way. Meryl Streep writes the forward and people like Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Emma Thompson, Sir Richard Branson, Nelson Mandela ( to name but a few) have all given their favourite and interesting food recipes to delight the palette. Many people have given their services for free to enable this wonderful book to be published.

I was more than happy to provide many of the antique textiles and some of my own textile work that are used in the photographs throughout the book.

Makes a perfect present for the foodie person in your life whilst also knowing that you a helping the global community.

Available from 16th May from Waterstones or Amazon or any good bookshop.

 

Posted with Blogsy

A Girl Can Never have too Many Shoes !

I know, I know I am not going to even comment on the fact that I haven't posted on my blog for over 6 months now ! Well not yet anyway - maybe later I will catch up on all thats been going on in my life !
First off let me show you what I have been up to in the last few days. SHOES - Baby shoes actually. After visiting the Northampton Shoe Museum ( well worth a visit) for the upteenth time I was inspired to make some shoes.My niece is due to have her baby any day now and so it was a perfect excuse to try making some ittsy bittsy little shoes !
I have had the greatest time with my NEW Bernina ( a story from the missing 6 months) and lots of beautiful silks and some lovely ribbons and trims. And the best bit is that each pair only takes a tiny amount of fabric. So I have made Seven pairs - one for every day of the week.
Here is a quick look at each pair

BALLET SHOES

 

A dreamy pink pair with long ties to wrap around the ankle.

 

 

VICTORIAN BOOTS

With antique lace and pearl buttons.

 

 

BODOUIR SHOES

 

Perfect for the girly bedroom.Love the bobbles and fluffy chiffon.

 

 

 TINY MARY JANE'S

 

Complete with big bow. These are so tiny and sweet.

 

 

DANCING QUEEN SHOES 

 

Perfect for dancing the night away.

Silks that my darling daughter bought back from Singapore.

 

 

 OPERA SHOES

 

Going on that evening out to the theatre or opera. Lovely silk brocade.

 

 

 

GARDEN PARTY SHOES 

 

Woven silk with rosey fabric and antique lace bow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They have been a bit fiddly to make but a pleasure to work so small and to achieve so many different ideas . They are all newborn and 0 to 3 months size. And yes we do know that my niece is having a girl !

Now I need a really nice case to fit them all into.

So gone on have a go yourself - even if you are not expecting a new baby sometime soon !!!!

 

And do Let me know which is your favourite pair.

xxxxx

Sally

The Joy of Quilt Making !

Most Quilt makers at least once are asked the question 'What is the best bit of making a Quilt?'
There are of course as any quilt maker knows a number of processes to consider.
Designing- just what will it look like - who is it for ?,  selecting the fabrics- oh no matter how much stash we have - we still need to buy another bit.Cutting the pieces and then sewing the top ( hand or machine?) . Creating the back, one whole piece of a mixture ) where does the label go. Assembling the layers ( wadding in the UK and batting in the USA) Do you pin or do you tack?. Then the mammoth job of actually holding the layers together  with stitch - do you want the gentile pleasure of hand quilting or do you want the struggle of putting it under the sewing machine? 
I have the stages that I love and the ones I don't !!!!
But I deny any quilter to dispute that the 'best bit' is the BINDING. You know that you are there when you get to that bit !!!

Its nearly the end and you can start another one !!!!

I have made hundreds of quilts and  love the joy of the binding process. 

What's your best bit?

Jubilee Weekend

Well what a wonderful Jubilee weekend we have all had here in the UK and the Commonwealth celebrating our Queens Diamond Jubilee. Wasn't that concert great and the very wet River Pagent ,parties in the parks, all  just amazing. The lighting of the beacons around the country and the whole world. And now the dedication and procession in London!
And of course the street parties just about everywhere.
Ours was just super on Saturday, the whole road of neighbours  coming together. A very full and fun day for us all.
Here is a lovely pic of the Ladies of Claremont Avenue, Stony Stratford,  all wearing the aprons I made for each lady of the house.

With thanks to Doug Blane for taking the photo.

Happy Jubilee to Her Majesty The Queen and best wishes and a quick recovery to Prince Phillip. 

God bless you all.

Well what a HOT weekend we all had in Middleton Hall, Milton Keynes  at the MK Handmade and Vintage fair . First of all I would like to thank all my super customers for coming along and braving the heat instead of lounging around in their gardens. It was lovely to meet you all and thank you for supporting me and my work. The fair was another success for the makers and sellers and for the shopping centre, the footfall was great considering that it was so hot out there. Jacqui the organiser is the perfect hostess and makes the fair what it is, thank you darling.
Lots of wonderful goodies to buy both vintage and handmade.

http://www.mk-handmade-and-vintage.co.uk/

If you have never been to the fair then you must come along next time as it is one not to be missed.

I was so busy that I only took a few pics of my stand. Here you go.

I had for sale lots of my famous tablecloth jackets and tailored altered jackets and they were quite a hit with the admiring customers.

Homes and Antiques magazine came along to our fair and have written a brilliant report on their website and I am featured on there. Wow I am nearly famous! Thank you to Alice , the roving reporter. And to the really lovely mother and daughter who purchased my wares.

http://www.homesandantiques.com/feature/ha-mk-handmade-vintage-weekend-extravaganza




Here are some pics of my vintage creations.

Many of them are 'patched' with my drawings and text in free motion embroidery. All are decorated with antique laces and trims. 

Very sweet and cool for the Spring and Summer weather. They look perfect with both jeans or an evening dress. 

Please contact me if you are interested. Each one is unique and they sell fast. 

Looking forward to the next show in September. However I will be in Middleton Hall in July for the MK Street Bazaar. See you there folks. 

Ruby Wedding

Today is my 40th Wedding anniversary. My Ruby Wedding !
Can't quite believe its been so many years married to my darling husband Trevor.
We have always been friends, always laughed at stupid things, never gone to bed on an argument,never left each other,( well never more than  for  a few hours),always said 'I love you' before we go to sleep, never messed around with anyone else,tried hard not to hurt the other one,always been generous with each other even when we couldn't afford it,always shared everything,  tried not to argue over money !!!!, shared interests, helped and supported each other though good and tough times.
Of course we both could have been done for murder several times in the last 40 years ( it hasn't always been perfect!-  I can very close once when I threw a heavy glass ashtray at him and it embedded itself in the wall and not in his head !!!!)
But after all these years we are still 'in' love with each other.

Oh and its also my 60th birthday today - yes we got married on my birthday - so he could never forget our anniversary !!!!!

Happy times to all xxxxxxx