Tuesday, 9 April 2013

Making headway

It's here!! The sunshine is here!! Well, perhaps not that much sunshine today, but there is a distinct lack of snow, ice and the North Wind, so I'm calling it. With this in mind, and because I'm (hopefully) hosting a table at a local Ladies' Night event (details tbc), I have made some strident headway with a proper S/S2013 Collection!

I have also learned a valuable lesson: it's really a lot easier to get a collection on the go when you can design for a specific audience - from designing to styling to pricing to business planning, a bit of focus seems to have made a significant difference! (Does everyone else find this too!?)

Anyway, as a result I have made great progress this week:

 Laced Up #1: Oversized navy 'tangled' sinamay flower
 
 Laced Up #2: Oversized cream 'tangled' sinamay flower


Strawberries & Cream: Pink sinamay button with 'tangled' cream bow


Blossom: Hessian button with cerise silk velvet and dupion flower, with chocolate merry widow veiling

I have also made the somewhat obvious but nonetheless executive decision to become a walking advert for my millinery ventures, and will now endeavour to wear a hat whenever I'm out and about. Once again, a specific brief (not-to-extravagant-to-wear-with-jeans-but-must-be-originally-chic-and-have-a-personality-more-of-a-headpiece-but-definitely-more-than-a-hairband) made the design and creation very easy.

 Lola: Black felt origami rose with shot silk dupion leaves

And finally, I took a deep breath, crossed my fingers, and submerged the piano into a bowl of warm water...and it blooming worked!!! It's still a little damp (and so not on Bessie's head!) but I love the effect! There will definitely be further Aquafilm Adventures :)

 Elton: What do you get if you cross a grand piano with a doodle and a spider's web...?

And last but by no means least, I may be a day late this week but it does mean you get the pick of the bunch over at the Handmade Monday craftster blogs! Enjoy my dears, and I'll see you next week!
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11 comments:

  1. Louise@ElsieMayandBertha9 April 2013 at 05:38

    Your latest collection is beautiful. My favourites are the black felt rose and strawberries ans cream. Unfortunately I don't have a heaf for these types of hat. If I do wear one it's either a summer floppy one or a 20s cloche for the winter.

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    1. EleanorLucy Millinery10 April 2013 at 09:20

      Thank you! I bet you'd be able to carry it off if you went for it (sometimes I think it's just a confidence thing - if you do it in style it looks right lol) but I'm also a big fan of Joan Collins-esque summer hats and Gatsby cloches too, it sounds good to me! :)

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  2. Anonymous9 April 2013 at 07:09

    Wow. You have a great collection and I can really see you wearing some of these out and about. (A really GREAT IDEA!!) The piano is STUNNING. The cream sinamay flower really shouts out to me too. I love the way you can see the texture of the material and the way that you can see the layers. VERY exciting times for you.

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    1. EleanorLucy Millinery10 April 2013 at 09:22

      Thank you! Yes I love that sinamay too - it's called 'Tangle' and I got some as an experiment really because I'd never seen anything like it! It's fiddly (although not as fiddly as your Pocket Teddy!) because there's no grain line as such, and a lot of millinery really depends on the bias, but it's received pretty good feedback so far nonetheless ;)

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  3. CatkinJane9 April 2013 at 12:35

    You are so right - much easier when you are designing with someone particular in mind.

    Love the piano!

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    1. EleanorLucy Millinery10 April 2013 at 09:20

      I know, I'm ashamed of myself for not doing it before really ha! Thank you, I'm hoping to get it mounted on a base this week, very excited!

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  4. Anonymous10 April 2013 at 08:06

    Absolutely fantastic! I love the strawberries and cream one, just gorgeous! And as for the piano, I can't wait to see it on the model - amazing.

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    1. EleanorLucy Millinery10 April 2013 at 09:23

      Ah thanks! It's a pretty colour combination isn't it :) I'm excited about the piano too, although it's a bit tricky sewing with one's fingers crossed! ;)

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  5. Unknown11 April 2013 at 08:14

    OH WOW! I LOVE how the Piano has turned out - it's brilliant! Great idea to become a walking advert - hopefully you live somewhere a bit more cosmopolitan than I do - think I'd look a bit odd in a very dog walking village wearing anything other than a knitted hat! Good luck with the new collection! Simmi x

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    1. EleanorLucy Millinery12 April 2013 at 03:22

      Thanks, me too!! Kenilworth isn't especially cosmopolitan to be honest but I think it's ready for an injection of glam, so I'm doing it ;) Have a super weekend! x

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  6. Lorna McMahon6 August 2013 at 07:33

    I just adore the artist in you! That piano hat is so creative. Including the keys! I wish more regular people still wore hats. Really, your designs are beautiful!

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