New Fabrics

Thank you to all of you who came to the Talent for Textiles fair in  Ilminster. It was great to see you and have time to chat to a few of you.



This week's fabrics are on the website already. Here is a little preview for you. Don't forget that there is still 10% off all stock until the end of September so if there is a special piece you have had your eye on then now could be the time to buy it!

Pretty Florals

All sorts of wondrousness!

Isn't this a wonderful fabric?  It's the fabric I bought at Bonham's auction when I went to Vintage at Goodwood.  It was designed by Tibor Reich in 1964, and was commissioned by the Shakespeare Trust to commemorate Shakespeare's quatercentenary year.  Titled ' Age of Kings', it depicts a stylised procession of medieval soldiers in shades of green, brown, black and gold. The design was used for the stage curtains in the Stratford Room.

Although it would not look right in my home, I think it is rather fabulous!

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New Stock

Another busy week, where does the time go?  Lots of lovely new stock came in this week. More beautiful ribbons, new colours and designs for Spring/Summer.

These are just a few of them.  They will be going into the shop next week.

Also being added will be these sweet haberdashery items. Great idea for gifts or for a young person just about to start sewing.  Such pretty colours!

And of course the week would not be complete unless I had some new fabrics now would it?  This week I am adding lots of new silks, crepes, cottons and rayons suitable  for dressmaking. I can just see this lot as pretty summer dresses can't you?

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The Vintage and Handmade Fair

Well the big day has come and gone, that date we have had marked on our calendars since last May is now over,  and what a day it was!!!  Mum and I travelled up to Bristol the night before and stayed in a hotel, Sue came up too so it was a jolly girlie evening!  My 4.30am start for Ilminster the week before made me realise that I just can't do a ridiculously early start, a fair and then a long drive home all in one day.  By lunch time my brain has turned to mush, I can no longer add up and cannot remember my name, so starting off from a mere 19 miles away was wonderful.

Before going to bed  however, I switched on the tv only to catch the weather report  and hear the severe weather warning for the next day.  They said it was going to be at it's worse between the hours of 6am to 9am with 75 miles per hour winds, trees down and floods but should be over by 3pm.  So I went to sleep, or rather didn't sleep, with that worry on my mind!  Well the weather could not have been more different, it was sunny, dry and clear on our journey to the Town Hall and unloading was not the traumatic experience I had envisioned.

So, we unpacked and quickly set up ready for the shoppers to arrive at 10am, and they were prompt with queues around the building!  The fair was just wonderful, loads of beautiful stalls, really talented women showing  craftmanship at it's best, with the very best of vintage goodies to compliment them.  It was so lovely to meet many bloggers, who I have communicated with for years, but have never met in person. One of these was Claire, who designed my logo and whose work I adore.  I would have loved to have spent more time with her. 

I did not take many pictures sadly, it was such a busy day that after I took a few photos of my own stall, just before the customers were let in, and then of the crowds coming through the door, I did not get an opportunity to take any more.  There are wonderful photos on HenHouse's blog as well as Sal's and no doubt there will be many more as people get home and find time to upload their photos.

 

 

 

 

The photos do not do it justice though, the lighting in the hall was not great, but what you also can't get from the photos is the buzz, the atmosphere, the excitement and friendliness of the whole event. It has to be experienced.

I heard so many women talk of being overexcited and I could understand. When I first got in and saw all the lovely things being put out on stalls I was practically hyperventilating!!!

I bought a few lovely bits but, alas, cannot share them with you as my recipients are blog readers and I would not want to give the game away!  Let's just say there were a few bits from Hen, made with my own fabrics I hasten to add, some lovelies from Jayne, Michele and Niki, fabrics from Lucy,  Lizzie and Sue (as always) and some little goodies from Daniella and Claire and a furry something from Nicky (I tried not to look!).  I didn't get to look round all the stalls as I kept having to go back to my stall which was a shame.

If you didn't get to come this time, make a date in your diaries for May 1st and come, you will not be disappointed! Pin It

Flea Market Finds

Yesterday was a great Father's Day for me, I got to leave the kids with their Father and as I have no contact with my own Father I was not expected to visit him. So, I popped to Shepton Mallet with Mum to visit the flea market!

It was a lovely sunny day when I left home and for the first part of the morning it remained that way so Mum and I strolled (rather fast) round the outside stalls. I have my fabric blinkers on when I first go around and sometimes come back for another look at other bits and bobs. In the afternoon it started to rain so we went indoors.

It was a huge market this time and we were still wandering around at 2.30pm as the stallholders were packing away so fast strolling is the order of the day! There were lots of familiar faces both behind and in front of the stalls and I got to meet a few bloggers, some for the first time, which was lovely. I saw Niki there who had already been back to her car once to load up and hadn't finished shopping so I am sure she will have some goodies to share with us on her blog. I forgot to take many photos as I get overexcited at these markets and forget that I have a camera! I did remember when I got to Lizzie's stall though so here some pictures of her and I together and her stall with those famous green shelves.





I bought some wonderful textiles and loads of them, some beautiful bits from Sue's stall. I spent a small fortune overall but I love everything that I bought and they will all go on the website eventually. Here are some pictures of them.

Quilt pieces

Old French Florals and Ticking

Horrockses Brushed Cottons

Vintage Kid's Fabrics

Fab Fifties Fabrics

Fifties Abstracts

Fifties Roses

More Fab Fifties

1960's Fabrics

Faded Florals and Paisleys

Gorgeous Floral Quilts

Lovely old Wooden Bobbins from Courtaulds

More Union Jacks than you can shake a stick at!

2 Pairs of Brentleighware Ballet Shoes (I already have a red pair)

And last but not least, see that lovely old French cot/daybed? It came home with me!

It currently resides in Lizzy's bedroom and will be her little sofa but will probably be borrowed from time to time as a prop for my stalls. I would have preferred a vintage quilt on it but knowing how rough my two little ones are on the furniture I have opted for a new polka dot one which is more durable.


All in all well worth the 2 hour drive I would say. I wish it were a little nearer to me as I always have a big headache by the time I get home due to the long drive. There is always a great atmosphere and lots of colourful characters. If you haven't been yet do try and visit, it's great fun!

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