another old collection

Other old crochet and knit collection to look at for reference. Sometimes I think we do our better work earlier on in our careers, and it's nice to sometimes just read into the details of past work.

crochet collection

Bringing out old crochet collections from the archives for inspiration for new summer. Decided not to take that direction anyway but got a bit nostalgic about this capsule.

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Snippets of Winter

Frankie

Apart from feeling fuzzy for getting a mention in the new Frankie Mag, theres some great stories in it to add to that; I love the interviews with the littlies. I love magazines; I always have; since being a littlie myself - its a nice little world that I can escape into.

Shopping

RPM love the image of Crystal and the Floral Wall, so she's larger than life in there, and lights up the shop at night. I don't get a chance to get out shopping much, but it's very tempting to linger when delivering to stores. RPM especially have some gorgeous things, I have my eye on the Cacherel floral raincoat on the mannequin. Lygon Street, Carlton.

The Last Thread

The final delivery of winter collection into store. Dresses knitted in fine silk; and they will keep you warm; honest; and this thread is really made from butterflies; well the butterfly lays the egg which becomes the cocoon which is where silk is harvested from.

Anonymous Artisans

I've often wondered who belongs to the nimble fingers of the handmade behind the luxury label; who's laboured over the beaded, crocheted, painted, felted, embroidered, whatever; piece with the glistening desirable tag on it. Well if you do come across these pieces somewhere in the world; this maker was me. SS09 production for Aurelio Costarella.

Goodbye Shweshwe

A retail store I co-owned and conceived from a dream of owning a space with beautiful textiles and hand-made products. Shweshwe named after the South African traditional cloth was full of georgous collectables all found from there; my hometown; a place I will keep going back to and still draw on for inspiration. I created the feel and look of this space and these images with the help of some talented and generous friends, Virginia Kerridge Architects, , Skeet Booth photographer, and Anthony, my darling who did all the graphic design; so its thanks to them too for the realisation of a beautiful idea. I split from Shweshwe in 2007, a year after it opened; and it's now closed it's doors and stopped trading. So it's goodbye to an old chapter.

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Pins and Needles

As much as I would love to say I love what I do all the time, I'm always in tears at the end of every production; and feel I never want to do another one ever again. But something possesses me every single time - and then I get excited to do another collection. It has been inspiring receiving lovely messages from happy customers; thank you for your compliments - its a reason to keep going. It's encouraging getting recognition for one's work - as it's such a hard, hard slog. In saying this, and in response to all the craft crisis talks: In defence of The Cottage & D&H ; the business of making and selling your handmade is not for the feint-hearted; so here's another kit idea - a little patchwork heart that can be mended when it get's worn out on the sleeve.

Slow Fashion

"Thus slow is about a shift from quantity to quality...
where pleasure and fashion is linked with awareness and
responsibility. Slow fashion is all about choice, information,
cultural diversity and identity.
Yet perhaps most critically, is it's also about balance.

Slow Fashion supports our psychological needs
(to form identity, communicate with others, be creative through our clothes)
as well as our material needs (to keep warm
and protect us from extremes of climate)." Kate Fletcher.

Spinning out of Control

Taking up spinning classes at the Handspinner's Guild; thought I might not be so in to it, but being in that beautiful and historical building, working on those old wheels, learning this art, is a joy!!, and it's a help to balance the stress of meeting delivery schedules. Can't speed up this process, just have to work longer hours into the night to finish the work.

Loopy Loopy

Almost a shame to unravel these skeins of one-off handspuns, and knit them into garments; I sigh with appreciation each time I wind one off. Of course the acknowledgement of the wonder of the material is part of the process, so is the loopiness that creeps in when working long hours solely.

Wishing for Winter

The Darker Shades

Cant imagine it ever being cold enough to wear these; but I suppose the world just keeps going round, while these new pieces seem to be spun in slow motion, and the room is slowly melting, in 4days of 40deg heat. Shady room, dark threads, dark work; bring on the Winter!!

Fibre Wonder

Working on a beautiful process by just allowing the materials to create the forms and hence informing the garment shapes; A continuation of working with wool - from raw fleece to course handspun and then refined and processed at times in the same garment; also mixing with silk.

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Winter 09