The Chanel Tweed Fabrics - Linton Tweeds

Nothing is nicer than sewing a Chanel suit with the same material that Coco used. The British mill, Linton Tweeds, located near the Scottish border in the English Lake District is where Coco went for her legendary fabrics … so why shouldn’t you! The quality, patterns and colors are luxuriously beautiful. I contacted them and they sent me the above swatches - plus more - with their not too high - price list.  The materials catch light and have a soft handfeel unique to the mill.  If you start to unravel a swatch you end up counting a dozen different yarns, mixed and twisted and colored in all kinds of unique ways.  The ability to weave this broad variety of textures is what makes Linton so valuable, and one really wants to support such a mill and the timeconsuming, individual products that they create.  Visit their website to follow how the fabric is woven, washed, inspected and read about their history. Below is a zoomed in view of my stash of swatches.  One of the plaids even has sequins woven into the fabric.

Here is a link to a sew-a-long blog just for the Chanel suit . (Isn’t it a wonderful way to use the internet to advantage for a most hand-crafted, personal project?) And even if you're not quite up to sew yourself a suit – what about a newsboy cap or a beret, or some flower brooches ... in a Chanel tweed?

Liberty's Fall 2009 newsy email

I really start to droll when I receive Liberty's newsletter. Starting with these brooches, gorgeously realized by Amanda Fatherazai, with her signature couturier perfection, ...

... their fall list of must-haves range from stitching classes, morning and afternoon tea included - after all it is Liberty's, Ebony and Ivory Bespoke scarves and Hermes Pour Liberty. Those four are my personal favorites of the moment. Liberty's is like no other store. They harmoniously blend their creativity with an attention to detail and style that inspires, and always delights the eye in unexpected and whimsical ways.

Pin cushion on a vintage button jar

Okay, I caught the pin cushion bug! Here's another one. This time the cushion is on top of a glass container, maybe from the 30's. I've turned it into a button jar, for storing favorite vintage buttons - and the pin cushion is a patchwork of vintage fabrics encircled with a bit of bandana, topped with - naturally, some vintage buttons. Now, since it was finished, I'm waiting for someone to ask me to sew on a button ... .

Summer hearts, flowers, bees and butterflies

Spoonflower.com is where you can print some lovely cotton or linen cotton blend fabric in one of your own artistic visions or afavorite memento, or order yardage from another artists' original work. I am always amazed and delighted by what I discover there and have entered my fabric, "Sweet Charity" in their their fabric of the week contest.

My design, is centered in a fabric width 42" x 36", printed from a hand drawing by little ole me scattered with love, flowers and bees and butterflies. In the photo just above, it is on a garden table. And naturally, I used it as a backdrop for a screen saver (in the photo down below), ...but it has mostly functioned as a sunscreen taped to our large kitchen, picture window (the top photo.) When I gaze up at it, I think about finishing the edges with some lace or woven braid, or how beautiful it could look in the center of a large quilt, with a pretty floral border, picking up the black and yellow tones...or maybe adding a patched floral and gingham border to fit a larger table...hmmm... Since it is from an original drawing, it is signed once on a repeat, and it is also open to the public domain to purchase at Spoonflower. One repeat is all you need, to gift, sew or brighten up your day. Vote for your favorite fabric - and I hope it's "Sweet Charity" and that I win!

I would love to hear how you would use this cloth.

Liberty of London style

The windows at Liberty, always have a story or a tale to tell,

...with their mix of vintage, retro and new, all combined with a fairytale magic that is so wonderfully imaginative. And along the way a tea-stop is a must,...
where they've covered lampshades, teapots, table legs, all kinds of housewares with their wonderful fabrics. Finally a pause to see what new scents are in their perfumery, that has been appropriatelly, lushly filled with an inviting, den-like coziness and their original furniture.

One simply can't resists their journals, their fantasy jewels, scarves, fabrics, kits of diy projects, bags and household accessories. It is all very daring and fun in that British voice that I so love from Liberty.

Valentine cotton scarf and sewing material

Sweet Charity

a hand sketched love scarf on cotton fabric

(close-up)

So here's "Sweet Charity", a full sized valentine's scarf, that I hand sketched with colored pencils, printed on 45" wide (in one repeat), pretty cotton fabric produced by Spoonflower (the online fabric printing company that is a wonderful resource for crafters and artists.) One yard of it can be hemmed into a single scarf, tacked on a window for a breezy curtain, used as a table cloth or, or cut into ... hmm, a pretty top or bag. If you want to order it for your valentine's day gifts ($25.00/yard + shipping), email me as I'm delighted to ship it out!

(another close-up)

I love the feeling of something naive, sweet and innocent, and it was a pleasure to create -- it's so deliciously appealing on these cold winter days!