Frantic February, but it's all coming together!

Aloha! Hope you're all keeping well :) It's been business plan central in the studio for the past month, with lots of help from my own and my friends' dads! The plan itself is now bubbling away in the background, and I have lots of exciting and non-spreadsheet related developments to share with you! Predictably after a whole month's lack of blogging, it's a biggy, so get a cup of tea and put your slippers on (or borrow that spare office for 15 minutes) :) Normal service will resume from here on in...

The 21st century welcomes me to the party...

 

The new website will be launched by the end of the week! Very exciting! Here's a sneaky peak to whet your appetites, I'll pop the link on here as soon as it's fully up and running :)

I'm also embracing life as a Twitterati with more regular snippets throughout the week (you can follow me here), as well as setting up new facebook page (work in progress - keep an eye on the blog for an update!)

Business building blocks

 

Rose told me that one of her previous students was selling all her hat blocks in the quest for new adventures, so I set off (on a rather snowy Sunday afternoon!) on a slightly scary road trip from which I returned with around 25 blocks and dollies and a new friend. Good luck Ros, and I promise I'll look after them for you!

My block babies! I didn't take four of these, but the rest are gloriously mine all mine!

Obviously I've set to work immediately, couldn't help myself! Here are a couple in progress...

Green sinamay tipped brim (Work in progress)

Tweed bubble: Irish tweed on canvas foundation (Work in progress)

Window shopping

 

A couple of weeks ago, my favourite local fabric shop, Linda Harper's, had a great sale on to make room for even more gorgeous fabrics! I have a lot of trouble showing self restraint in fabric shops under normal circumstances, and predictably went a bit mad for the tweed...

New addiction: Scottish and Irish wool tweed

As Linda was cutting my fabric, we got chatting (there was a lot!) and my tweed hats will hopefully be making their shop window debut in the next couple of weeks!! SO EXCITING! This cheeky mini topper is nearly done, I'm just waiting for the pheasant feathers from my lovely neighbour and his super clever gun dog to be ready before adding some dramatic plumage!

Mini topper: Wool tweed perching top hat on canvas foundation, with brown merry widow veiling (Work in progress)

Living the high life

 

I've placed an ad in March's edition of Warwickshire Life (page 108 for Midlands / Shire dwellers!) and look out for me in my purple hat offering a 'top tip' on page 106. There's a small chance I'm actually going to frame this as my first bit of 'Press' :) Keep an eye on Twitter and Facebook - I'll be posting the pages (if I'm allowed!) when it's published on Thursday! Woop!

Slightly tenuous nail link... 

 

I know this isn't strictly millinery related but since I haven't had my hands in canvas, pins and stiffener all day every day, February has also been a good month for nails!

My nail themed mug: Since my favourite tea cup is still buried in one of my unpacked boxes in the unknown territory of the Back of the Garage, I am celebrating my new professional status with a nail art inspired tankard mug from Crazy Kiln. Hatting is a very thirsty business.

This update has been brought to you by...

 

I have a lot of Very Talented friends and family, so I'm calling in favours left, right and centre and this seems a good opportunity to say thank you! Dad's workshop is nearly finished, which means he can get cracking on some more blocks for me (as well as spending some quality Dad Time in new shed - it's beautiful!); my marketing mogul Mad has been fab helping with a superclean and sharp logo, postcards, business cards and the website; my sister has taken amazing and extremely professional photos (whilst we both hold our breaths to avoid blurring!); Simon and Simon are helping me into my best Sensible Hat and advising on business planning; Lucy of Sweet As is patiently teaching me how to social network; and I'm in the process of roping in almost literally everyone I know to wear a hat to Ascot, with as many cards as we can carry in tow! I love you guys :)

Handmade Monday

 

I've missed this bit over the past few weeks! Top picks this week: Handmade Harbour's seaside paintings; Grace's Favours' Easter Bunny garland (and she's making a hat next week - good luck!); Adaliza's amazing songbird quilt; Fiddly Fingers' crocheted baby sandals (adorable!); Tillymint Boutique's free hand embroidery cards; Ginx Craft's garden party outfit for Sophie the Dutch Doll (fabulous hat darling!); and Little Crab Designs' nursery pictures (the beach huts are my favourite, and more free hand embroidery, I need to get better at that!)

See you all next week my dears!

Today's post is dedicated to Sue Jayram - a truly top craftster and expert knitter who was constantly learning new skills and techniques, always happy to share ideas and advice, and made a mean handbag x

Speculative snow days

Afternoon all! Hope you're all enjoying the snow! Luckily my 'commute' to the studio (next door to my bedroom!) hasn't been curtailed by the weather, and so this week I've been expertimenting whilst wearing two jumpers...

A quick trip into town for lace turned into a voyage of dicsovery at my local haberdashers. Whilst entirely syntehetic (and therefore punishingly stubborn to work with - when will I learn!?!), I knew this velvety upholstery fabric would make a super smart button hat. I've made quite a few buttons recently so in the interests of variety I added a backing piece so that the button can stand upright on a separate base (still to come). I think the petersham bows add femininity whilst maintaining the clean lines.

Bow belle: Piled upholstery fabric with petersham bows (Work in progress)

 

A quick sift through my silk supplies revealed this gorgeous orange dupion which made me crave the sunshine! I've ordered some exciting feathers to turn this into a spectacular phoenix inspired head piece.

Phoenix: Orange silk dupion button (Work in progress)

 

My part time London landlady / full time fabulous friend is off to a 1920's themed party in a couple of weeks - she'll be rocking this chic flapper headband, which features peacock and rooster feathers with diamante beads.

Fabulous flapper: Feathers and beading on petersham headband

 

As much as I love the long game of blocking and adorning silk hats, every now and again a quick fix project keeps the momentum going. I love how the silver wire on this butterfly adorned percher glitters in the light, and it's surprisingly light and comfortable too!

Butterfly chain: Knitted wire on headband with silk butterflies

 

Finally, I wanted to try gathering silk velvet on the teardrop block - it hasn't come out brilliantly in this photo (apologies), but the gathering really shows off the fabric's beautiful sheen. Only sparkling decoration will do I think!

Velvet cushion teardrop

Handmade Monday
I'm finally embracing the 'adventures' of formal business planning this week (sensible hats on please!) so there won't be an update next week - spreadsheets and research notes don't make for especially exciting photos... Handmade Monday will still be going strong though if you need a creative fix. This week is the 100th post (woop!) and my highlights feature Mad Bird Designs' Victorian adverts; Myths and Fabrications' delightful felted bunnies; Mumaroo's indulgent chocolate traffic cones; and Cat Like Curiosity's kitty shoes. Thanks to everyone who takes part in Handmade Mondays for sharing their inspiring endeavours and ideas, and especially those who take the time to comment (which always gives me such a boost!). And of course thanks most of all to Wendy for making it all happen in the first place! :)

Wish me luck, and I'll see you in a fortnight!

Just another manic Monday

Oomph! Turns out I do still get a little kick from working to deadlines - I wanted to get this button hat finished in time for Handmade Monday! This was slightly experimental: the gold silk has lamé through it, which it turns out doesn't hold its shape quite as well as pure silk (I did suspect this but it's such a gorgeous fabric I thought it was worth the risk!) and the bow is made from creating tiny tubes of silk supported by strips of crin... If anyone has any hints / tips on how to turn a 1/2" tube through itself without resorting to brute force, swearing, and having a 'temper break'  to go and make another cup of tea, I'd be delighted to hear your thoughts!! Anyway, I think it's worth it: this little accident is now one of my firm favourites to date (isn't it always the way!)

Metallic button: Gold silk and lamé dupion mix button hat on canvas foundation with silk bow and arrow quill

 

I've also mounted the giant daisy onto its silk base, and (as promised on Twitter) here it is finished! Love love love this one; I think it might be a keeper... :)

Daisy daisy: White silk and organdie petals on canvas and yellow velvet centre with nude hackle centre blush, supported by white silk dupion tearblock base on canvas foundation)

 

Another experiment, this time with gathered velvet and the tricron block - I really like how it's turned out so cushion-like; I'm now considering central adornments - potentially a little glass slipper...?

You shall go the ball!: Blue silk velvet tricorn on canvas foundation (Work in progress)

Finally, I've made great headway with blocking a felt hat on the new skull shaped block. It's been really tricky as it's such a small block (there's really not much room for pinning the inner edges!) and I think I should have made the indentations more pronounced in the block itself. As a result, I've beaded the features in instead, and have been inspired by the Día de los Muertos models. This one will have flowers across the top of her head and around the back and sides in an explosion of colour... I'll keep postng re progress, I think this is likely to be a longer term project!

Skull: Black wool felt percher with pearl beading (Work in progress)

Handmade Monday
Just time for a quick perusal of Handmade Monday before tea. Thank you and sorry to all those that have commented on last week's post, I'll respond to you properly tomorrow (seems like five minutes since last Monday lol!) It's a good haul this week, with my favourites including PickleLily's valentine owl; Free Spirit Designs' spiders in love coaster; Tilly Mint Boutique's street map purse; Lottie of London's millefiori rose cane; Teddy Wares and Flutterby's gorgeous embossed throw squares; By Hook's amazing decoupaged table (I want this table!!); Melissa's ceramic heart bowl; Grace's Favours' adorable space themed booties; and KnitRun4Sanity's fab cylinder necklaces (really cool!) Phewf! Seems like we've all been busy this week! :) See you next Monday!

Hatty New Year!

Word up y'all! Hope you've had great Christmases and New Years! I spent my Christmas hols dogsitting my favourite of my friends' dogs and pretending to anyone listening / watching / facebooking that he was mine - almost certainly the best Christmas ever! He spent a lot of time wearing this Christmas jumper that I crocheted for him in my best impression of an embarrassing Auntie...

Alfie in his element: The reindeer in his paws lasted a whopping two days...

Nonetheless, in between walking / playing tug of war / watching Christmas films on the sofa with Alf, I also finally got myself organised and have invested in lots of very exciting supplies from Baxter Hart & Abraham (the Warehouse of Dreams) and Parkin Fabrics (possibly the most helpful assistants ever - it was a pleasure to order over the phone!).

The Order: From sensible chemical stiffeners to the more glamorous fur and wool felt cones, some gorgeous sinamays and enough buckram to change the world...I've got a feeling in my bones that 2013 is going to be my most creative year yet!

Meanwhile, here's what I've been up to with my new materials over the past couple of weeks...

It takes All Sorts: Black silk taffeta on canvas foundation with painted cotton all sorts

Daisy daisy: White silk and organdie petals mounted on canvas and yellow velvet centre, with nude hackle centre blush (Waiting to be mounted onto a white silk base from the same shaped block as Pearldrop below. When I showed this to my family my mother declared that she would like to be this hat..!)

Bermuda triangle: Deep navy wool felt tricorn with pearl beading

 

Pearldrop: Nude silk dupion on canvas foundation with pearl beading and hackle and guinea fowl feathers

 

Skull block: Buckram block with relief detailing (I can't wait to get a hat blocked on this baby - I thought I might have been too ambitious but it's worked just as I'd hoped!)

 
Handmade Monday
As always, treat yourself to a tea break and check out how Handmade Harbour and Co have spent their Christmases. Top picks for me this week are Handmade Harbour's bird plaque (too cute!); Free Spirit Designs' custom mugs (beautiful!); Highland Monkey's pretty wine labels (and the bottles' contents!); PickleLily's flower pot pin cushions; and CraftLee's gorgeously glamorous apron. I'm off to get a felt on the new skull block - see you next week my dears!