Clothkits and Liberty fabrics

Work is extremely hectic at the moment what with looking after the As and A2 Textiles exams, trying to ensure all of the students are fully prepared and calming down meltdowns as and when they happen. Plus IVing the Personal Progress course and 2 more courses to finalise the paperwork for and that's before we've even started to mark the Textile exams and coursework for the year. Is this why I became a teacher? Well lets just say it's not my favourite part of the job.
But it does mean I genuinely have a reason to develop new projects, hunt out lovely fabrics and places to buy them. When I was last in London I went to Liberty to buy some of their printed tana lawn but became totally befuddled and just gave up. However while checking my emails on Friday I found an offer from Clothkits, who have opened a shop in Chichester, which gave me 20% off all their fabrics. So my very kind husband braved the torrential rain, took me down to Chichester and sat in the fabric shop, filled with ladies on a sewing course and customers choosing fabrics while I spent ages hunting for my fabrics. He even joined in with helping me find exactly the right things and encouraging me to try on clothes!

 My fabrics

I will definitely be visiting Clothkits again. I've long been a fan of their products but it's always lovely to see the products for real and the assistants were so friendly and helpful. The only problem with the place is how to leave without spending lots of money. As well as all the Liberty fabrics they have there were Marimekko prints, Amy Butler fabrics, MiniModerns, Kokka Echino, Michael Miller and Jane Foster, etc.

But its not only the fabrics, the trims and kits are lovely too. I may have to invest in both their bustle skirt and 50s dress along with some diddy pom poms and sherbet pips pom poms oh and perhaps some Liberty print bias binding.

A day in Windsor

Dean and I decided Windsor would be the ideal spot to meet up with Alex (travelling from London), our niece Hayley (travelling from Tunbridge Wells) and Dean's sister Alison and husband Tom (who unfortunately had to negotiate the M25 carpark on that day).
Anyway we had a lovely day and good meal in Brown's, although I will always ensure I ask for the modern end of the restaurant in future. We caught up on all the info on Hayley's exciting new job as well as having time for a wander around parts of Windsor.
The traditional tourist photos:

 

                                                                                                                                                                 

        

And photos of some of the gorgeous, call me sad if you want but they are beautifully designed, postboxes:

       

Jimmie Martin and Terry O'Neill

'Sleeping with the Stars' is  a unique collaboration between Jimmie Martin and Terry O'Neill. The combination of Martin's hand painted vintage furniture and never before seen O'Neill images produces powerful and exciting one-off pieces. The range of icon faces and bodies adorning the furniture include Audrey Hepburn, David Bowie, Brigitte Bardot, Raquel Welch, Mick Jagger, Al Pacino and Mia Farrow. To wet your appetite here's a sneaky look but see the whole range at http://www.jimmiemartin.com/