More makery

Last week a graphic design job I'd been working on for weeks and weeks finally went to the printers and I could not wait to get sewing again.

I had been dying to get on with a project involving making a large piece of soft furnishing from ties (see pictures below). I don't normally stop on any type of project until it's finished but I've already run out of ties so, in the meantime, it's back to bags again.

The bag on the left took far longer to make than it should have: errant thread from the first hour's sewing found its way into the guts of the machine and caused no end of problems. I was quite sick of it by the time I finished except for that lovely silk scarf lining (second photo). By contrast, the bag on the right and the little purse were run up in the blink of an eye.

I still have a huge bag of scraps and leftover fabrics to work my way through so no doubt there'll be more to come over the next few days. Beats working any day!

I'm pretty sure I must have been a drag queen in a past life!

Printed ephemera

Why make one when you could make two?

When I was kid my mother used to make most of my clothes. As she always bought too much fabric (just to be on the safe side, eh?) she never made just one thing, and I think I've absorbed that habit.

The yellow cushion was made with leftovers and still I managed to eke it out to make a little bag. I bough this 1970s print skirt at the fleamarket and with the fabric I cut off when I shortened it, I was able to make a belt and use a buckle I've been saving for years.

Inspirational fashion illustration

Saw two great fashion illustration exhibitions in London today. The first was Rene Gruau, long championed by David Downton, at Somerset House and the second was Drawing Fashion at the Design museum, worth the freezing cold walk from Tower Bridge.

Mats Gustavson was the highlight for me, you can see a selection of his work here:
http://www.artlies.com/illustrations/mats-gustafsons-fashion-illustration.html

And I'd like to know which of you is willing to shell out £45 for the wonderful Rene Gruau coffee table book for me? Haven't I been very, very good indeed (and it's such a long wait until next Christmas)?

The Open House is now... open!

The Open House has begun now and pictures are selling, phew! (The lavender bags aren't mine.)

http://www.48dr.co.uk

The nail biting bit

I've done as many fabric collages as I reasonably can before the Christmas Open House starts this weekend. They're mounted, wrapped, some are framed, price labels made and they are now sitting waiting to go.

This is the nail-biting bit. Are the prices pitched just right? (Too expensive puts people off but too cheap devalues the product...) Will customers like them? Are there enough - or too many? Too late to do anything about it now. Wish me luck and many sales!

The Dragonfly House is 48 Ditchling Rise, Brighton, and is open this weekend (last in November) and next (first in December) 11am–6pm.

www.48dr.co.uk