Upcoming One Day Workshops

There are a number of one day workshops being held this term at Leith Academy. The first one is 'Floral Fabric Accessories' on this Saturday 5th October from 10am-3pm. In this workshop you will make at least five different floral accessories using a variety of materials. The class is fun and inspiring, and no prior sewing experience is required. £5 is to be paid to the tutor for all materials etc. provided on the day.

The other workshops are 'Clasp Purses' on Saturday 19th October, and 'Cushion Covers and Zipped Purses' on Sunday 20th October. No sewing experience is necessary for any of the workshops, although a basic level is helpful for these two workshops as we will be using the sewing machines.

Each workshop costs £17.50 for the day. To book a place on any of the above workshops call Leith Academy on 0131 553 2810.

Beautiful Outer Hebrides

My trip to the Outer Hebrides was amazing. Really inspirational. I knew the scenery would be unique and beautiful, but I didn't realise how much like a piece of tweed the scenery would resemble. Or how the light and weather would change every minute to renew your vista and ignite your senses.

On the ferry from North Uist to Harris

Arriving in Harris

Harris

Evening view from my hotel bedroom, Stornoway, Lewis

Morning view from my hotel bedroom, Stornoway, Lewis

10% off Maker of the Month at Concrete Wardrobe

This September as 'Maker of the Month' at Concrete Wardrobe on Edinburgh's trendy Broughton Street, I'm showcasing an increased range of my work and introducing new products. Check out my new iPad clutch bags and iPod/phone holders. On Saturday 28th September, as an extra autumn treat, there is 10% off all my range at Concrete Wardrobe. Pop in or contact the shop through Facebook. Enjoy!

The Big Craft Giveaway trip to the Outer Hebrides

A couple of weekends ago, I had the privilege of travelling up to the Outer Hebrides to deliver craft workshops to school kids and members of the public as part of The Big Craft Giveaway. The Big Craft Giveaway took place this Saturday 21st September across Scotland. A number of museums and galleries took part. Handmade pieces of craft were given out, free of charge to members of the public, either at designated locations or through 'wild releases', turning up at places you'd least expect them. You may have been enjoying a coffee in your local cafe, and a beautiful craft object appeared on your saucer?

Here are some of the objects made on Benbecula and Lewis. The objects were inspired by Museum nan Eilean's current exhibition 'Weather, And A Sense Of Place' and were made using donated tweed from the islands. 

The Story of the Musette; Part 3

Here are the final finished Musettes. In the studio, and more importantly, on the Stolen Goat website, ready to purchase. In fact, they're already selling fast. And, I noticed in the new August British Vogue, there's a new 3.1 Phillip Lim bag which is in a very similar vein. 

Marion Leaves Scotland

Last week my very helpful and lovely student assistant Marion completed her 8 weeks work experience at my studio and returned to France. She'll now never know that temperatures north of Calais can reach over 20 centigrade!

On her final day we ate homemade chocolate cake and I gave her a pink Bow Clutch for all her hard work. She has been a great help to me over the past two months, and I will miss her!

The Story of the Musette; Part Two

With the dimensions of the musette set by tradition, there were still a number of design decisions to be made, including finding the perfect colour for a smart urban tweed musette? It needs to be modern, practical, interesting and wearable. It also needs to go with black, as black is integral to the Stolen Goat brand identity. In the end three colour-ways were selected; River Blue, Forest Green and Rolling Moss. 

Here's some of the process.

Cutting the pattern. 

The backs cut out.

 The fronts cut out with zipped pockets ready.

The Story of the Musette; Part One

A couple of months ago, I was approached by specialist cycling website Stolen Goat to produce some cycling related tweed bags, including a range of musettes. Now being a very fair weather cyclist myself, I didn't know what a musette is. It turns out it's a very basic feed bag for roadies. You can see them being handed to speeding cyclists in the Tour De France. Here's one from the 1959 tour.

Traditionally they're made from light cotton and are disposed of after use. My brief was to create a 21st century version of this classic bag, for the modern urban gentleman. The size was to be kept to the traditional dimensions, but its use would be less for high energy protein bars and more for iPad and notebook. It also needed to be weatherproof. Unfortunately we don't have the French summers over here.

French Student in the House

This week and for the next 8 weeks, I have help in the studio by way of lovely French student, Marion. 18 year old Marion has come all the way from Marseilles to assist me in getting my product to the French market. She's a student of International Trade, and found me on the internet to come and work for. Her fellow students are in placements globally, including one in Lima, Peru. She's already translated my brochure into French. Not bad for one day's work!

One Day Accessories Workshop Coming Up - Cushions and Make-Up Bags

There are still places available on the next One Day Workshop at Leith Academy. On Sunday 12th May you can learn how to insert zips easily and painlessly in two fun projects, with no sewing experience needed. 

You will learn how to make a zipped cushion cover, and a lined and zipped purse/make-up bag. The class runs from 10am-3pm and costs under £20. I will have feather cushion pads for sale, so you'll be able to use your cushion straight away. 

If you'd like to come along, please phone Leith Academy on 0131 553 2810 to reserve your place. For further info, please check out my website here. Hope to see you there!

Here are some pics of the finished items from last term's class. 

Finished Cushions

Despite all using the same methods, each finished item is completely unique.

Finished Make-Up Bags and Purses

Purses Under Construction

This week I am working on a batch of clasp purses. I started them last week so am determined they get finished as soon as possible!

There are two new Harris tweeds, and a whole range of new cotton floral linings to keep things fresh. The best part of making these purses is deciding which lining to put with which tweed, and not make two purses the same. 

Waiting for frames to be attached.

 Attaching the purse frames.

New Harris tweed in Grape (slightly overexposed!)

 Finished purse in Grape.

 Finished purse in Peacock.

 View inside my rubbish bin filled with lining scraps!

New Studio

Having moved to my new studio space in the garden of our house, it seems appropriate to start my new blog with pictures of the transformation. The building was originally the coach house, a proper old stone building to house the carriage and horses, complete with hay loft! 

We have kept the structure and original features as they were as much as possible, but brought them up to useable modern standards. The internal stone walls have been whitewashed rather than plasterboarded, and the original doors have been restored and repainted. A new window and French doors have been installed, and, best of all, underfloor heating pads have been put in the new insulated concrete floor to keep the chill off. My life is officially transformed.