Showing posts with label haberdashery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label haberdashery. Show all posts

Friday, 11 January 2013

A bit of fabulous-ness for a Friday

I am in a haberdashery sort of a mood this week.

Maybe it's because I am doing an job that I hate - one that pretends to be sewing but  is really just hemming mixed in with a bit of wrestling, a spot of weight lifting, a bit of furniture moving, heaps of crawling around on the floor and lot of time pushing pins through impossibly thick 'stuff'.  Yes, I am finally trying to finish off the curtains for our bedroom - we have be curtain-less for too long and if we don't get something up soon, I think the neighbours will begin to complain!

So whilst I do my not-really-sewing, I am dreaming of prettier jobs, and of surrounding myself with all manner of desirable sewing paraphernalia, courtesy of two suppliers I have recently come across.

First, there is Maison Sajou, a 'resurrected' French company, purveyors of every imaginable joy for the lover of sewing and vintage!   I'm not going to pretend that what you find on this lovely website is cheap, but one has to dream!  And make birthday wishlists!


Traditional costume reels




Folding embroidery knives




Empty bobbins to buy



Vintage style boxes and needlecards




Thread organisers




Embroidery, cross-stitch, tapestry and lace patterns


Beautiful scissors of many designs




Thread organisers


Rosettes of pins



Merchant and Mills have the same vintage appeal, but in black and white. They have just opened a shop in Rye - I think a trip along the coast is required...









All sorts of pins



French safety pins



Measuring implements



Beeswax



Selected notions box


Now where is THAT lottery ticket?



Thursday, 25 August 2011

Good things come to she who waits...

On Tuesday, I had to stay in, as I was awaiting delivery of my new iron (the previous magnificent beast had let out a loud 'PFFFT!' and an unexpected shot of steam at one point last week and then dribbled its contents all over my newish ironing board cover, and could not be resurrected).  

Needless to say, the delivery I was waiting for didn't turn up till quite late in the day, but it was just as well I was in, as another four (yes -four!) parcels were somewhat unexpectedly delivered during the course of the morning.  One wasn't for me, but the others were!

First to be broken into was this lovely little collection, which I'd only ordered on Sunday.


I'd seen a very tempting advert  for 'Textile Garden' in 'Mollie Makes' and was particularly taken with the cute little dog button, tempted enough to remember to look at the website.


Oh, it's full of lovely things!







Liberty 'Pepper' fabric bird button

Liberty 'Eloise' and Claire-Aude' flower buttons

I could have carried on for ages, adding things to my little shopping basket!  I was delighted with everything I received, each of which will give a special touch to something over the next few months.  And the speed of the service was amazing! If you're looking for some special buttons or trim, I can't think of anywhere better to go for a browse - Textile Garden!

Next was an ebay purchase - all 99p of it!  



I did some smocking years ago, and a friend recently mentioned it and mooted the idea of getting together to do some, over coffee, every week or so.   So when I saw this about to go unsold, I snapped it up.  It has good instructions of the basics and lots of patterns.  But I don't think I'll be attempting the dress on the cover just yet!

Last of my parcels was some Liberty fabric, which I'd pondered over last week.

'Claire-Aude' in quite a zingy colourway...


...and 'Eloise'...


Looking forward to getting going with these, but I may just hold fire and wait till my friend and I are ready to start our smocking get-togethers!

Eventually, the new iron arrived.  It's an even bigger beastie than the old one (luckily Mr U-t-B believes that if want a good job doing, you generally have to have decent tools - and he likes his smalls nicely ironed) (JOKING!)

It powered through two week's worth of ironing in a couple of hours.  But the best thing about it is the 'Auto-Off' function which will save me that sinking feeling when I'm out - 'Did I turn the iron off?'


Now I'm off to dream up some uses for those gorgeous buttons and ribbons!

Tuesday, 26 April 2011

Granny's Button Tin

On Easter Sunday, we had a special family get-together (more of that another time). A few chocolate-y items were exchanged, but I was the lucky recipient of this...


My Granny's Button Tin! 

 Actually, it was more of a haberdashery tin, with an exciting assortment of items.  Lots of bits of ribbon and elastic, a little lace, some pastel coloured cord and plenty of glass-y buttons...


...A beautiful filigree and diamante buckle and some prettily-shaped mother-of-pearl buttons, three sweet diamante buttons, a needlecase and a shiny thimble...


...And another little tin (I do love old tins!)


You may think I'm mad, but this was so much better than chocolate!