Becky's Wedding Dress // Folk Inspired Embroidered Yellow Wedding Dress of Dreams

Adding embroidery to someone’s wedding dress always has its heart in mouth moments (the PRESSURE!), but when Becky contacted me and asked me to embroider her beautiful YELLOW wedding dress and trusted me enough to give me free reign with the design, I didn’t even hesitate.

It was a wonderful project to work on.  After our initial chats over coffee, and several Whatsapp conversations, Becky put together a Pinterest board of images that she liked and I began drawing to get an idea of shape, colour and stitch. 

As the dress was already made up, I had to find a way to create the embroideries so that I could get as close to the existing seams as possible without altering the line of the dress; plus, embroidery adds weight, so you have to be careful when stitching onto fine fabric like chiffon that you don’t overload it.  I broke the design up into tiny ditzy elements so that I could build them up across the dress, and at different angles so as to achieve the lovely folky effect that Becky had in mind.

After sampling all the elements of the embroidery, and with Becky’s approval, I began the painstaking process of layering them up onto the dress itself, building the design up organically using each individual motif.  I finished each side of the dress off with hand embroidery and sequins trailing down the skirt.  The effect is one of joyous, delicate colour! 

I was so pleased with the final outcome; working with Becky on her dress was a real joy. She looked absolutely incredible on her wedding day and I was so honoured to have contributed to it.

Once again thank you so much for the beautiful embroidery, I was so over the moon with it. It looks stunning, You are a super talent 💛💜 - Becky 2019

All wedding photos by Emily Little Photography

Renegade Craft Fair Chicago

At the beginning of September, I flew out to Chicago for the first time and took part in Renegade Craft Fair! What an amazing experience. Somehow, the stars aligned; my stock arrived, the sun came out, and we had a fantastic two days selling to the loveliest crowd of people. There were bunny rabbits in rucksacks and I even met Gretchen the parrot (I have no idea what I am doing with my tongue!). The response to my work was so fantastic, and it was such a great collection of makers - over 400 of us. It goes to show what amazing things can happen when we all work together. Chicago, thank you! See you again next year!

*NEW* Flamingo Friday!

Club Tropicana drinks are freeeeeeeeeeee!! Clinging onto the last few drops of summery warmth (even though we are WELL into Autumn, isn’t knitwear a DREAM?!) with perfectly pink flamingoes! Taken from my own sketches, and originally for a one off request, they are embroidered on both sides so there is always a flamingo to behold. I am really pleased with how these have turned out, especially the mini patches. I think these are going to make the best stocking fillers!

Instagram Competition Joy!

Last week I ran my first ever Instagram competition to win a limited edition leopard pattern leather make up bag (the first of it's kind!) to celebrate the full unpacking of my brand new studio in Southsea, Portsmouth! What an amazing experience! Over 700 entries, can you believe it, with the lucky winner announced last Friday! I bought the beautiful leather on a whim, with no clear idea what I wanted to do with it, I just loved the colour. The leather is vegetable tanned so has the most beautiful gradation of colour, each piece cut is slightly different.  Using lilac and chartreuse thread seemed the best way to clash and celebrate this amazing heat we have been having! I have enough leather left to make one more make up bag (and potentially a little coin purse - watch this space) - it doesn't get more limited edition than that!

Thank you so much to everyone that took part, your response was just incredible! I will definitely be running another one soon...