Today's research

I have been researching hard the last couple of days and working on new things. I am so happy to see this entry on UK Handmade today, it's fantastic news for small businesses like me. People are really starting to understand more and more about the importance of handmade products and us bringing manufacture back to the UK. It's a completely different world to the Chinese mass manufacturing market I worked in for so many years and one which is so much more satisfiying, if unprofitable by comparison!

http://ukhandmade.blogspot.com/2010/05/business-handmade-revolution-gathers.html

Exciting times ahead hopefully! I really recommed UK handmade to anyone out there who is interested in this or has their own craft to have a good look at it

Gaga for garters

Garters are becoming my favourite thing to make. Have just finished this lovely one off piece below, can't say yet who for as is top secret! But will be calling it the May garter as it is now May and the design is going to go into the summer Silver Sixpence collection.

Have done some really pretty personalised embroidery inside too but can't show you that as will reveal too much too soon. I think it is my favourite.....can't wait to be able to post the bride pictures of the big day!

The 2nd most important lady on the day, mother of the bride

I have just finished my 1st mother of the bride order. I didn't expect to go down this route when I first started Silver Sixpence but when asked I thought, why not give it a go. I am so pleased with the results and am really hoping the lovely lady I designed and made this for will be too when she receives it this weekend. She wanted a custom designed and made to match her outfit fascinator and bag brooch. Much more Selfridges than BHS!

A little tutorial for you......I used bias sinamay tape and grosgrain ribbon in black and green to create the bound effect, all handsewn.



Followed by gorgeous glossy black coque feathers which have a lovely greenish tinge to them in a certain light.




Then using these special spikey goose feathers, I manipulated them into shapes and left some as they come.



I hope she loves it!

Time to work....and another bride

It's been too long and I feel guilty for not being on here for so long! I have re-located pre baby arrival to the good old north, Manchester to be precise. Not that it makes any difference to my work and what I can do for you all, but it has been weeks of flat hunting and getting everything moved and sorted. That all done I am looking forward to a few weeks of serious sewing and blogging before the baby turns our world upside down! I have had a lot of photos from my first garter order I did for a lovely bride now called Mrs Sian Wray! As it was the first of it's kind I named it after her too. Hope you had a lovely day Sian you looked beautiful!