Alice cushions - mark two. With hand embroidery, beautiful, beautiful embroidery

So, our new Alice cushions are at sample number two stage.We've changed the fabric from linen to silk (a really good quality silk with cotton interfacing, nice and crisp) as we like the sheen - though we may do some linen also eventually.We've changed the design so that the cushions work well on their own as well as in pairs. Though the original "paired" design will probably be done, in slightly modified form, too - as I love it.The cushion now comes with a pad - a rather ingenious pad of which more later.Oh - and by the way - we now have hand embroidery on the design. I actually want to jump up and down and shout that very loudly, but I will be quiet and restrained. DMC threads too - I LOVE how this looks.These are just snapshots for now, and done in bad light but they still look good, don't they? Actually, I am very, very pleased with how these are turning out. It's been worth the work. Though I do need to redo some photos in sunlight.A few more tweaks and a few more designs, and we'll be there I hope.

Alice cushions - mark two. With hand embroidery, beautiful, beautiful embroidery

So, our new Alice cushions are at sample number two stage.We've changed the fabric from linen to silk (a really good quality silk with cotton interfacing, nice and crisp) as we like the sheen - though we may do some linen also eventually.We've changed the design so that the cushions work well on their own as well as in pairs. Though the original "paired" design will probably be done, in slightly modified form, too - as I love it. The cushion now comes with a pad - a rather ingenious pad of which more later.Oh - and by the way - we now have hand embroidery on the design. I actually want to jump up and down and shout that very loudly, but I will be quiet and restrained. DMC threads too - I LOVE how this looks.These are just snapshots for now, and done in bad light but they still look good, don't they? Actually, I am very, very pleased with how these are turning out. It's been worth the work. Though I do need to redo some photos in sunlight.A few more tweaks and a few more designs, and we'll be there I hope.

Looking Glass cushions pair

Well, we got the first samples of the Tenniel cushions today. They are very well made - it's the workshop who we work with regularly and they are good - but there are a number of things that need to be changed. The most obvious is that the print is too large - the text sort of vanishes off the bottom once the cushion pad is put in. That we can sort out right away. Less obvious perhaps is that the "stripe" of black (it's black Irish linen) down the side, should be on the RIGHT on one cushion, and the LEFT on the other - Looking Glass world and everything is reversed right? They are supposed to work as a witty pair.We also think that the background colour (it's actually a pale inky blue) just seems like white. In fact, this version was meant to do with indigo linen anyway - another thing that was done the wrong way round (this black linen should have been with a sepia/black print).Anyway, these are fairly easy things to put right. What does bother me a bit is that they really ought to be able to do a sample more accurately than this, given that we sent mock-ups. I know, I know, I should just accept this. But the great thing about working with Romana is how she deals with lots of very complex variations with amazing ability to get it right. But she does not want to make cushions. Oh well - we'll get there. The basic idea is great and I suppose at least this way I get to keep the samples and dot them around the flat.

Messenger bags are listed

Okay, I admit I didn't quite realise that there would be THIS much enthusiasm. It's brilliant - thank-you. So we won't wait, we have listed them. We will initially (mid this coming week) have about three of each colour, which hopefully will be enough for immediate orders. If we do have to make your bag to order (which might be true of some image/canvas combinations we don't expect) then there will be a two-week wait. But I doubt this will apply to many.http://baba-store.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=MRPASS&Category_Code=MessengersAs thanks for all the support on this very long project (I think we began planning these bags last April?) here is a coupon:MBAG001It will give you 10% off any of the messenger bags (only the messengers) from now until March 1st. You can use it more than once. Just type it in when you are prompted at checkout and bingo, 10% discount!Don't tell Alex, who thinks these are absurdly cheap as the print is HUGE and takes a lot of care and skill (we throw away about one in three). Well, anyway, it's my celebration for these finally becoming reality.Okay, I will keep refining the listings to show as much detail as possible, but basically I think everyone here knows these messengers pretty inside-out.Oh - one oddity. In a burst of something or other I decided to use a black zip under the flap of the taupe bags (the idea was to match the smart black lining, I do wonder if I was a bit raving or something). Anyway, it's quite nice in a slightly strange way - and as it's under the flap you won't see it in any case. But I thought I'd mention it.