Quilt Inspiration

my unfinished quilt

My mind has turned back to quilting lately. My quilt, that I started so long ago, still sits patiently waiting to be finished. I almost wonder if I have left it too long too pick up again, but I know I must finish it. Not least of all because I have promised it to a certain little person in my life. 

So many lovely new fabrics have come in since starting it that I would love to use. In particular I am desperate to make a quilt from these flannels as I have some new ones on the way. There is a danger I will start my next quilt before finishing this one.

clamshell quilt

I have also been wasting a lot bit of time obsessing over researching other people's quilts on Pinterest. How cute is this fox?

 Foxy

I've always struggled a bit with putting colours together. I was really lucky at school that in art we did a lot of textiles, in particular  lino-cutting and batik. I used to adore those lessons. I loved creating the pattern design, cutting out the lino, printing, dying the fabric, painting on the wax and ultimately ironing it all off again. I felt like it was a badge of honour having multicoloured hands dyed by the ink.

colourful quilt

But the bit I always struggled with was putting different colours together and I remember going back to the teacher each time and asking her what colour to dye next. So I do marvel at these quilts which effortlessly put together a host of colours (although I appreciate that people probably wouldn't pin less successful quilts on Pinterest).

hand quilting

I also love the idea of hand quilting, and would like to use it in my current or next quilt.

hand quilting

And I think my next quilt will have to include some triangles, I love this simplicity of these quilts.

triangle quilt

triangle quilt

Although I probably wouldn't use one to replace the windows in my house, I think it may contravene local planning regulations.

quilty windows

One quilt that I keep coming back to is this one, it appears so unstructured which I love. But I wonder if it really has been thrown together. I don't think it would work in flannel, so maybe I can make it quilt number 3? Once I have got round to finishing 1 and 2 first of course.

 I love thee, quilt

And lastly, the in-another-league-of-awesomeness-quilt by Katy, I can't believe that it actually exists, but look here it is, casually strewn on an actual fence in the actual outdoors. What if it went near some mud? makes me feel a bit panicky just thinking about it.

Hexy MF

 

Dressing for Autumn

School is back, the leaves are beginning to fall from the trees and there is a definite chill in the air; Autumn is here.

Are you sewing for Autumn? Here are a few things I spotted that may give you some inspiration.

J Crew have some gorgeous outfits put together, ideal for those such as myself who are incapable of doing this. I'm still feeling a bit frosty towards J Crew, I think I made myself clear on the subject here. But if they really do come to the UK properly, I may be prepared to change my views on them.

I love this coat from Anthropologie. The details are so pretty, it has a lovely pleat on the back too.

I can only dream of being a Boden teen in Autumn, it looks fun and wholesome. It was quite some since I was a teen, I can't pretend it was recent especially since Red recently revealed me. Rather like unmasking a super hero but considerably less dramatic or interesting.

I think I like the idea of capes more than the reality, and to be honest, this model in the Toast catalogue is not really selling the idea to me. But it would be fun to pretend to be Sherlock Holmes, pipe optional.

It can be quite a dreary time of year, so I think the perfect excuse to get a bag like this. Look how big it is - I could fit so much stuff in it. I would never find my lip balm in here, let alone my keys.

I love layering and Whitestuff is all about this, and look at these boots...

OK, they are not that exciting, but I begin to lose sensation in my feet as they freeze over for the winter, and I think these beauties could save them.

I was thinking of taking the kids to look for conkers at the weekend, and look - Whistles have created the perfect woodland outfits for me to wear.  Outfit 2 includes a hat to protect me from

falling conkers and a bag in which to stash them, I couldn't be happier.

 all navy outfits, Whistles, you know me well

 I also love the idea of maxi skirts, perhaps not for a rainy day, but aren't they lovely?

And a chunky knit, perfect for any knitters out there.

And if you are thinking of making something for yourself, then here are a few fabrics that would be great for Autumn.

Loulouthi voiles

And for patterns, coming very soon, the new Colette patterns....

Peony

Jasmine and Clover

Are you making something for Autumn? I'd love to hear about it...

Inspiration from the archives

I bought these 2 books ages ago; Children's Fashions 1900 - 1950 and Everyday Fashions of the Twenties thinking they would make great source material when I get round to doing a bit of pattern cutting.

I think I may have gone too far back in time and probably should have focused from the 40's onwards, but I was thinking about 1920's Chanel dresses at the time, in hindsight, these wouldn't have been found in a Sears catalogue. None the less, they do make for fascinating (and very funny) reading. Here are a few of the highlights...

quite like a Christmas cracker

These are some of the oldest children's clothes in the book from 1910, there is so much to them, I can't imagine a child putting up with something so bulky these days - look how wide the shoulders are. The dress is almost symmetrical top and bottom.

yuckity yuk

Imagine dressing a child in furs? it gives me the creeps seeing the nose and tail of the animal.

what can he hear? the sound of his friends sniggering maybe?

I love the idea of dressing my son in Rufplay Rompers. They are for the Little Fellows. And are apparently, famous.

These girl's dresses are cute though, I like the peter pan collars and dropped waists.

More dropped waists, and some lovely pleat action. I'm not convinced how flattering these are though, maybe it's just the way they are drawn but they look quite masculine (if a man were to wear a drop waisted 1920's dress).

fun fun fun - do real kids look this jolly?

I love the middle outfit here on the bottom row, the polka dot blouse has a pretty tie.

no sunscreen in the 20's, so perhaps not that healthful

And if you are looking for "Gay sunshine clothes" which are so healthful (who isn't?), then here they are for 49c. How cute is the one of the left with the bubble skirt and ruffle sleeves?

Loving the jump suit on the left, if I wanted a suit to jump in, I'd be picking one of these up for $1 (or $1.98 in corduroy).

spade, pitch fork, pig pen - country chic

The pleats in the middle are so sharp, the lady in the crazy trousers on the left had watch out. Her trousers have hot rural buzz words on like 'spade' 'pitch fork' and 'pig pen'. I think I may include this idea in the next thing I make, but make them relevant to living in a city like Brighton. How about 'bus lane' 'pot hole' and 'Grubbs burgers'. It will be a new craze and remember you heard it here first.

my little fellow would put up the mother of all fights 

not to be dressed in a wash suit

More fashion for little fellows, this time rompers and wash suits. It would be great fun to dress my little fellow in something like this, but I can only imagine the fight he would put up. I have documented his criteria for getting dressed here. His rules haven't relaxed much.

M & S undies have nothing on these...

Phew, avert your eyes ladies, some cool athletic underwear on show.

Look at these gorgeous dresses, they are heading towards the Chanel I had in mind.

More cuteness in the form of Bob Hats. Such a shame we only wear hats for weddings these days. This could solve my bad-wavy-hair days. I miss being able hide my bird's nest under a woolly hat like I did in the winter.

My eye is drawn to the polka dot dress on the right, it reminds me of the dress from my pattern cutting course.

Finally some elegant ladies undies. Is the silhouette on the top left the end result? Then transport me back to the 1920's and I'll snap one up.

Dear J Crew...

 Dear J Crew: Please dress me in these outfits 

and provide me with these legs.

My latest addiction, Pinterest has led me to some new and very lovely fashion discoveries. If you haven't heard of Pinterest yet, it is a totally addictive and wonderful way to collate gorgeous images from the internet and see what other people are into too.

If you have ever been researching a project about say, Audrey Hepburn, decorating your home, albino peacocks, dressing your kids in beautiful dresses, then you can store all these images on one mood board rather than a confusing bunch of bookmarks on your internet browser. Oh, and it is totally addictive, but I mentioned that already.

One of my latest trips to Pinterest led my to J Crew. All I know about J Crew is that it's an American clothing company that has clothed Michelle Obama. The wikipedia page about them is disappointing, which is worrying as wikipedia has increasingly become my font of all knowledge.

So, to continue the title to this post...
.....................................................................
Dear J Crew, please open a shop in the UK. 

Thanks everso,
Kate
.....................................................................

I shall demonstrate why using the power of pictures.

Dear J Crew: please dress my first born in these outfits.

Dear J Crew: this isn't my colour, but I still like it

Dear J Crew: I think you know my weakness for stripes, 

and this top is all kinds of stripy

Dear J Crew: I like this pleat action, and you 

make your dresses in about 50 different colours.

Perhaps you would consider opening a shop in the UK?

Dear J Crew: this is the mother of all big-bow dresses 

I would never have cause to wear it, 

but I can admire it anyway.

Dear J Crew: perfect for the school run, a skirt and hoodie,

I will stand out from the other mum, thanks.

Dear J Crew: a 6 year old girl in my life needs this dress.

Dear J Crew: a dusty coloured flounce skirt

yes and yes.

I rest my case, J Crew, I hope you are listening. Those of you who are curious about Pinterest, here's something that will make you more curious, you have to ask to join, and after an agonising wait, they will email you and let you join their club. I can get you in the back door though, send me an email if you want an invite and something to sap away your free time...

ps, thank you to the clever Amy who has informed me that J Crew do have a shop on Net a Porter, so I can get some of their collection in the UK. (Dear J Crew - this doesn't get you off the hook, I want the whole lot).