Fabric indulgences

At the crack of dawn (well, it wasn't but these days I generally work very late - until midnightish, then sleep late) I went off to buy and pick up another large lot of antique and vintage fabric. Four of the French/Hungarian aprons (I'll post later - one is velvet flowers on satin, one is ikat satin brocade with roses, one is like the blue one I posted earlier but in crazy yellow and red, one is also overwoven but in wonderful browns, pinks, blues). They are wonderful - extraordinary pieces really, and I doubt I will have the heart to cut them. Perhaps they could each make an absolutely heirloom kind of cushion? Maybe I will do that with them (which is of course my excuse to hide them away in my own stash and refuse to sell them!) There is also a - gasp - silver damask (silk on cotton or linen, I suspect linen but need to test) tablecloth with six huge napkins. Unused. Perfect. 19th century or anything up to 1920s I'd guess. This puts me in a dilemma. I don't want to cut it. I want to keep it and stroke it (and Lotte, always a cat of taste when it comes to fabric immediately decided it was her bed and had to be moved gently on - against much "I like silver silk damask" resistance). But when do I host dinners grand enough to pull out a vast tablecloth like this? And if I did, would I have to attack with a table-knife anyone who spilt red wine on it. What to do? Not sure. If only it had a whole I would be out with the scissors and making the most ravishing, sensual tarot bags. But it's perfect. No-one has ever used it - even once, it still has fold dust. Well, nice dilemmas to have. This beats worrying about the washing up any day. But talking of washing - I feel more washing line photos coming on. I wash everything by hand in silk-wash and then use aromotherapy conditioner on it. Well, it seems to deserve it. Then out it goes on our terrace - where I have to persuade Banzai that "Let's hang from the exquisite, museum-quality, turn of the century French ikat brocade" is not such a good game. Okay, enough text. You want photos right?

A fabric-hunting we will go...

We've just got a real treasury of antique and vintage fabrics - here are some of them hanging on our line (we usually wash everything, although as some of these had already been dry-cleaned we just hung those up to get fresh). From left to right - gorgeous, sweet and subtle 1930s fabric - hard to see from this photo but will look wonderful with 1930s fairies. Then there is an Art Deco embroidery/cross-stitch. Just gorgeous - and the side panels are actually stitched in bronze metallics. I think this will be four small shoulder bags. Next is a Baroque style (but maybe around 1900?) silk mix velvet/plush. It's faded in the middle but the borders are perfect. Bags I think. Over at the right a 1960s pure silk dress - I love this kind of thing. It will be tarot bags but I have to think how best to use the print - needs something sixtiesish or maybe Art Nouveau with it. Then at the front another velvet/plush carpet - heavier and in cotton I think. Beautiful colours - just not like anything you see used now. I think we will only be able to get three or four bags from this though, as the centre has damage. I think this will have to be with handwoven handles, don't you think?

Spring newsletter about to go out - sign up now!

Just a reminder that the spring newsletter will go out this week so if you aren't signed up you might like to subscribe (free of course) now. Please go to http://www.magic-realist.com and follow the link at the top. This time I think we'll include an introductory offer on Cats print shoulder bags and also on - at last! - cellphone bags.

The snowy white cat

who discovered the joys of the great outdoors. No doubt our two girls are equally dirty, but on brown fur it doesn't show. Sadly for Banzai, we can SEE the dust.

The Bohemian Gothic Tarot

As we've just uploaded all details to our distributor's catalogue it may be time for a quiet announcment (not that it's been a complete secret in any case). Not out until autumn though. http://www.bohemiangothic.com

Fabric, fabric, fabric!

Bit of an orgy of vintage and antique fabric acquisition this morning - thanks to one friend here (long story). I have been cutting and washing it (I sit here with blue fingers as some was dyed with real indigo). The best piece is an early 20th century (as in around 1916) piece of silk brocade. It was bought in Hungary but is apparently Parisien - looted by Hungarian soldier from a Paris factory during WW1! This is a dreadful scan of one of the cllusters of flowers. You can't see the sheen, but it gives and idea of the amazing mix of printed and woven techniques. Will I cut this? No, I don't think so, but we do have other plans for it.

The Devil Woman returns - with beads.

We made one of these shoulder bags as a special order for an LJ friend. But as we liked the idea so much, we also made an extra one for the shop: http://baba-store.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=Shoulder_bags