Making Life more Beautiful
I love Folkwear, especially traditional embroidered blouses. These are garments that women have been making at home for centuries. A real classic that is beyond fashion, and always beautiful. Like a signature dish that has been reiterated so many times, it … Continued
I have recently read Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Available as a free download on Kindle, it is a Victorian melodrama of the first order and surprisingly readable if you like all that sort of thing. Not my usual choice of book … Continued
I have been meaning to write about Jeans for ages. They are such a great staple and nearly everyone wears them. But it is a difficult subject and, as I soon realised, quite a specialist subject. Rather than suggesting what … Continued
On a recent visit to the V&A I saw this lovely, hand-stitched textile. The colours, flowers and the curious long-eared animals (one playing the guitar) really attracted my attention. Imagine the work that went into this huge wall hanging (which … Continued
My opposites project came to an end. I made four lino prints based on the words on posters I came across at the Mary Ward Centre. I used machine embroidery to create colour on the design. I added a little hand … Continued
It was only when I saw Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, in this dress that I realised she was a woman of style. Up until this moment (and I have met her in the flesh) I saw this lady as … Continued
I am still looking for a colourful cardigan. I have months left before my final SWAP collection, but I have been thinking about how to create a colourful cardigan and have been given some advice by my knitting friend Galina. … Continued
In Romania recently I naturally took a close interest in fashion, fabric, style and stitching. I was unaware that Matisse had painted many versions of the Romanian blouse. But how inspirational are these images? Matisse’s love of textiles and his … Continued
A delegation from Notting Hill Housing recently visited Romania, where we went to learn about housing, health and education, integration into Europe, social challenges, and issues for Romanians in the UK. After a couple of days in Bucharest we went … Continued
What an interesting project this has turned out to be. A quirky embroidery pattern – Briggs transfer P621-D677 “Smocked Blouse” – has allowed me to recreate a look that might have been worn during or after the war. The exaggerated … Continued
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