More Fabric and Ribbons

The website has been updated with lots of new fabrics this week including some gorgeous quilting pieces, children's fabrics and dress lengths from the 1940's and 1950's, perfect for spring or summer dresses.

(Click to enlarge)

Also new to the website this week are some gorgeous cotton grossgrain ribbons and printed Happy Birthday ribbons.  At 50p per metre they are perfect for tying up Mother's Day or Easter gifts and decorations.

 

 

I have also bought some fabrics to keep. In conjunction with the exhibition on quilts at the 

V and A, Liberty have produced a limited edition print cotton. My little bundle arrived today and I am thrilled with them. I love them so much I have had to buy a few more!

Imagine my surprise on opening this month's issue of BBC Homes and Antiques to find a picture of my kitchen included in their feature 'Kitchens to Inspire'.  This was from a photo shoot by the Times taken 2 years ago now.  I think after 2 years the photographer can sell his photos on to another magazine.  It was unexpected and I am honoured to be the inspirational 'Vintage English' kitchen!

(Mine is on the left)

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Fabric foraging

Well here we are in March, the sun is shining, there's not a cloud in the sky and it truly feels as though Spring is here, at last!

I love tulips and fill the home with them every Spring.

 

The hens are happy and have spent most of the day sunbathing in a huddle!

Yesterday's forecast was for torrential rain and gales, luckily I decided to ignore that, as the weather men are so often wrong, and ventured to Shepton Mallet Flea Market.

It was not a pleasant day weatherwise, it was pretty dismal, cold and wet but not torrential rain and no gales.  There were a few stalls outside, nowhere near as many as usual. Most of the action was indoors and after bravely scurrying about outside and getting a few goodies, I headed indoors to the warm and dry to continue my fabric hunt.

It was lovely to see Lizzie, Clare and Sue stalling inside and to bump into Lucy, Niki and Maxine all treasure hunting.  I'm not very sociable on my buying trips as I am aware that I need to get my head down and find as much as possible to make the 4 hour round trip worth my while, so often it's just a cheery hello exchanged on passing!

Despite the market being so small I still got a lot of lovely bits. I shall share these with you:

Vintage georgette and French rayon dress fabrics

 

1940's Paisley Fabric

Pucci style paisley silk

1940's Rayon dress fabrics

 

1950's dress fabrics

Wonderful London scenes novelty fabric

1950's French Abstract Fabric

  

Collier Campbell fabric for Liberty (I always get asked for this!) 

  

  

Genia Sapper 1960's Fabric

Some pretty velvet ribbons

Beautiful Woollen blankets, one Ikea, one vintage Welsh wool

  

  

A pretty corsage that a kind stall holder threw in for free

  

  

Wonderful Racey Helps playing cards. I love his work especially as he has North Devon connections too.

  

Kitchen Things pot by T G Green

  

2 pretty 1950's dresses, one blue

 

one brown, a bit too big for me but maybe belted....

and worn with my leather jacket?

After the fair we popped to Clark's Village, an outlet centre in Street. In Joules, I found these gorgeous oven gloves and hob covers for my aga at half price!  Perfect as our old ones are worn out and rather grubby.

 

Well, with all that fabric buying I now have a mammoth task of washing and ironing all my finds and with the sun shining I might just get it dried outside too. Nothing nicer than air dried washing! Bye for now x

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Somewhere over the rainbow

The first thing I do  on waking up is to look out of the hall window outside our bedroom to see what the morning has brought with it.  Today there was a beautiful big rainbow set against a moody sky. Five minutes later we had an enormous hailstorm, followed by bright blue skies which stayed for the whole day, bathing us in Spring sunshine and a promise of better weather to come.

This week I went to view an auction with my lovely friend Laura. There were some great pieces there

 

We were both unavailable for the day so we left commission bids on a few items. I fell in love with a pair of painted cupboards, perfect to put fabric in but nowhere to put them (minor detail) so was quite relieved to find out that I had been outbid!

I was successful on one item only, a rather shabby and battered old leather suitcase

 

A well travelled item with the prettiest floral fabric inside

 

A closer look?

  

Lovely isn't it?  It makes me wonder why Major West would have such a feminine lining to his suitcase?!

The inside is in perfect condition but the outside is flakey and dry.  Does anyone have any tips on how to restore it or is it not possible?

It will be perfect for storing fabrics or quilts in don't you think?

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Blankets and Cushions

I thought I would show you my crocheting as I haven't updated you for a while.  I have taken a break from my ripple blanket, mainly because it was getting too heavy to take to my Stitch 'n' Sip class, so I started a little lap blanket.  I was inspired by Lucy's lovely baby blanket and the colours are just to die for.  I also liked the fact that you join the squares as you go which is great and means you don't have a pile of squares lying around to be sewn together (my worst bit).  I'm loving making this blanket.

 

  

Here is the ripple blanket. I shall be returning to this soon as it is so very nearly finished.

Last week I received a beautiful parcel.  The lovely Hen is a regular customer of mine and has the most wonderful taste in fabric.  After seeing her latest creations I wondered if she would like to do a swap instead of buying fabric. Luckily for me she said yes and I am now the proud owner of one of her delicious cushions. 

 

  

I love it even more because it contains some of my favourite fabrics, that I have only shared with Hen, so I get them back, in beautiful cushion form, hooray!

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New Fabrics and Fairs

I have had some great new vintage finds this week.

As well as this lovely pile of eiderdowns ....

...... there are these goodies.  All to be added to the website soon but do email if you have any queries.

(click to enlarge)

 

I am attending a lot of vintage and textile fairs this year, which is great for me as I get to meet more of you.   Keep an eye on my sidebar for fair dates.  The latest one is a new fair organised by Lizzie and Clare, in Frome, called The Vintage Bazaar.  This looks like a great event and there is a blog for it here.

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Love Hearts

With Valentine's Day imminent, I took delivery of these gorgeous heart badges today.  Made from vintage and recycled fabrics in Scotland by the lovely Snapdragon, they are £3.50 each, including postage. See them on my website.

A wonderful way to show someone a  little love!

Oh and can you see that fabulous fabric underneath? The one with the cherubs and hearts?  That is also on the website in my 1940's section.  Adorable!

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Valentine's Day

For those of you looking for something a little different this year pop over to Helen's Etsy store and look at her beautiful cards.  They are a little more expensive than your average card but they are so beautiful that you could frame them.  Suddenly they become a very reasonable piece of artwork!

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Chambers and Beau

If you haven't already come across Amy's wonderful jewellery then pop over to her blog as she is having a fabulous giveaway, drawn on Valentine's Day.  Her pieces are beautiful, wearable,   heirlooms, something to treasure forever.  Go and have a look around her shop and see for yourselves, and, good luck! Pin It

High in the Treetops

There is something going on in the garden!

Can you tell what it is yet?

In the front garden is a huge and ancient Cedar tree.  We love this tree, it has swings hanging from it and now Paul is building a tree house!  

I shall keep you updated.

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