Kaffee Fassett - A Life in Colour

I love sewing, knitting and needle point, but unfortunately my enthusiasm far outweighs my skills! If only I was as talented as the knitwear and textile designer Kaffe Fassett…!

He is currently exhibiting his mesmerising creations at the Fashion Textile museum,Bermondsey.

 

The rooms are an explosion of colour with installations displaying vibrant quilts, paintings, throws, sumptuous needlepoint cushions and chairs, bold knitwear and an eclectic collection of beautifully designed items. I've been inspired to start making a patchwork quilt…

 

Vintage Village

I went to the delightful Vintage Village in Stockport today which is held on the 2nd Sunday of every month in the beautiful Victorian market hall.

I love haberdashery! So was happy to see such a large selection of stalls devoted to antique sewing and knitting patterns, retro buttons, pin cushions and magazines!

With Jubilee street parties looming, the village is a perfect place to source old fashioned bunting!

Vintage tes-sets perfect for more Jubilee celebrations!

"Parrot in the Pantry" stall, complete with a trader dressing up to get in the spirit of the event. Touches like these, along with low prices, made the fayre really enjoyable!

An old chopper!

My loot! A Shamrock "bun-warmer" and an old glas decanter to add to my growing collection!

For more information, please see http://www.thevintagevillage.co.uk/

The "Pimlico charity shop triangle"

I've only recently discovered this cluster of well-stocked charity shops in fashionable Pimlico! The outlets are conveniently located close together in a triangle - perfect for a quick rummage!     

Each shop is full of good as new designer labels, high street and vintage pieces at baragain prices! The Trinity Hospice shop on Wilton Road also sells new wool. I opted for a Monsoon linen jacket for £4 which looks brand new! The shop is hosting its next special vintage evening on 31 May 2012.

This FARA Retromania is a gem of a shop round the corner on Upper Tatchbrook Street. Stocking purely vintage fashion from Vivien Westwood to 1920's ball gowns and a basement packed full of home ware and other tempting retro goodies...

...I was good and only bought an old fashioned soap bowl! Retromanias sister shop on Warwick way feels like a stylish boutique, stocking designer labels. I saw a pair of pretty Miu Miu shoes waiting to be snatched up....

....but I decided to pass on designer labels and indulged in this delicate pink, spanish lace detail 1960s bed jacket that I'll wear with my jeans. A snip at £3!

There was a very funky atmosphere in The Crusaid shop on Charlwood Street. They stock a huge selection of books and LPs at the back of the shop and play tunes whilst you browse. Nice bitses are also on sale - I almost bought another glass decanter for my bubble bath, but my hands were full with my chicken kebab (An added bonus - I had to walk through the gorgeous food market on Tachbrook street to reach this shop!) Although a few minutes outside the "triangle", The Cardinal Hume Charity shop on Horseferry street is worth a visit too - some nice glass was on sale the day I was there.

All of these shops are on Warwick way. I only bought a card from Oxfam, but was nearly seduced in the basement downstairs by some lovely fabric and frames and loved their hamper basket upstairs with neatly folded mens ties for £3! Hospices of Hope sold new items also and some second hand furniture - I was very fond of an old captains wooden chair - but just a little too big to carry home with me on this trip! I also spied a brand new pair of Hobbs ballet pumps but not my size unfortunately! Sue Ryder had a lovely selection of well laundered clothes donated by stylish Pimlico folk.

"The Pimlico-charity-triangle" is a top destination for anyone who loves
 rummaging for vinatge and second hand bargains!

All the fun of the fair!

Tucked away in Kingly Court, off Carnaby street, is a delicious slice of haberdashery heaven...

....a trio of over-sized yarns hanging from a sparkley balcony hints at what's to come...

....."All the fun of the fair" is overflowing with gorgeous craft, knitting and sewing bitsies... 

.....including vintage buttons, patterns and womens weeklies....

......to knitted cakes, ribbons, trimming, threads and giant buttons.....

....and beautiful home-made one-eyed dolls using vintage fabric!

Portraits in the making

Portraits in the making is a beautiful exhibition currently showing at the Pitzhanger Gallery and House in Ealing. The 17 craft makers met through the Crafts Council's Hothouse programme and were selected as some of the most promising emerging talents on the scene, working in jewellery, wood, textiles, basketry, ceramics and glass. The exhibition responds to the history of the house, taking inspiration from John Soanes description of the manor as a "sort of portrait" and a place of display for his collection of art and books.

I particularly liked Emma Yeos laser-cut wooden headwear, Rose Sharps knitted chairs, Claire Bakers china, Holly Berrys weaving, Stella Hardings basketry and Gililian Royals felt vessels. My favourite exhibition to date at the manor!

Tea and cake?

I found this semi-antique tea-cup and saucer whilst rummaging in the rain in a box outside another of my favourite stalls in Camden Passage in Islington. I made it into a dainty pin cushion. Cake always goes well with a nice cuppa - so I got out out the wool and a few "knit-one-purl-ones" later, the cupcakes (or as some friends like to call them - titty cakes) were ready to be iced!

Would you like a cheeky cuppa or cake?

Please contact Sinéad balmyhaystack@gmail.com