Sparkle with Summer Jewellery

So the sun is shinning which means summer is nearly here. So I thought I would offer some fabulous jewellery to finish of your summer outfits to get you really excited for your upcoming summer holiday or days out, and in case you need some outfit inspiration, I paired the jewellery up to create some amazing summery outfits. 

I really enjoy the leaf jewellery that seems to be around a lot this season, I also really love the "Ra Ra" earrings I think they are cute and summery but versatile and casual. All jewellery is from Accessorize and all clothes from you guested it... Topshop!

Textile Printing/Design

This is not a how to guide but more of a come learn with me, I love trying new art techniques mixed medias. So when I heard about Lino printing (and when I say heard I mean scrolling through hobby craft website drooling at the art supplies) I thought this is defiantly what I need to do! Especially since I saw the Colourious block printing stamp at the textiles fair, I was looking for a way to make my own tesxile printing without using other peoples block designs I think this could be the answer!

So Lino printing is essential designing and making your own stamps, not really meant for textile design, but I'm a maverick what can I say. I will probably try it for its intended purpose for some of my card making. 
Enter shameless plug: if you want a handmade card I have a Etsy shop (UK only): https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AbbysCardGame.

Anyway back to Lino printing, it's not the easiest but its not that hard either, its fun to play around with, so here is my step by step but I am no way an expert I just been doing it for about three days. 

Step 1:
So I bought this kit which is all you need to start Lino printing from The Range at for £19.99. If you want to try i think this is the cheapest way you can but parts separately but at the end of the day you need all of the parts and it will work out cheapest overall.

Step 2:

Choose your design the first one I did was a trace of a tulip, I traced hard and flipped it over and transferred it to the Lino. ( I went with the soft Lino it comes with)  I then went over the outline with biro. 

Step 3:

So you get the flat tool in the box and you need to twist the handle of and inside is the cutters I deiced cutter 3 was the best for now, then with the metal ring half screw it on put the cutter in place and tighten. 

Step 4:

Start to cut, I went around the border of my design first, the first design I did I cut away quite randomly but in my nest few attempts I actually tried to do more systematic lines, which worked a lot better. 

So push the tool light over the Lino where you wish to cut. (Its quite satisfying getting a long line but I digress.) I found digging in too hard it gets stuck and for the best result to cut your area once and then go over and over until its done.

Step 5:

This is the tricky bit for me. When is it done? I found when the design is more prominent but its hard to know and its the bit I find is stilling letting down my printing. But practise is key. 

Step 6:

Now it's time to print now I want to design a textile so I used fabric paint on to scrap calico, but the set comes with ink so you can use that with paper also. 

I rolled the paint on and was ready to go.

So my first attempt there defiantly wasn't enough paint so round two.

And yes it worked! Defiantly not perfect but I feel you can see its a flower. 

What I like its that I can add to it by hand or make another stamp or make a repeat pattern. Once done if are doing textiles printing is to iron your design when it has dried. 

So those are the basic steps, as I said if you like you stamp keep going feel a whole pieces of fabric and fashion yourself a skirt or top. 

But for me I wanted to keep experimenting.  So the next part is just me experimenting and my thoughts.

Pattern Cutting: Kimono Sleeve

So the other day I was pattern cutting a Kimono Sleeve and I thought this might be nice to share its not the easiest pattern to draft but at the same time its not as complex as I might seem, I was doing it for practise and for a personal project. 

So before we start I recommend having at least the basics of pattern cutting down understanding the basic nature of how pattern cutting works. 

I am using a bodice block. You will need Front and Back Bodice, these should have a waist and shoulder dart, if yours doesn't and has a waist and bust dart you will need to move the bust dart to the shoulder. If you are unaware of how to do this here is a link 
(https://fashioncrazy-abby.blogspot.com/2019/01/pattern-cutting-moving-shoulder-darts.html) to the post where I explained how to move darts or if you are on the Sewing Page it will be underneath this post. 
I am also using a sleeve block, you will need this also or to draft your own ( if you are drafting your own do not at more than 2cm ease) which is whole other blog post which I might get around to doing one day.

I know there seems like there is a lot of steps but I have broken it down in to lots of little steps rather than a few big and confusing ones.

Right so here we go...


Step 1:
First you need to get your sleeve and cut the it half with a little cut away from the left and right at the top.  Label the left side as and back and right side as front. 

Step 2:
Cut around the bodice front and back armhole and shoulder just to make the following steps easier.

Step 3:
Starting with the back match the top of the sleeve cap to the corner of the shoulder seam the bottom on the corner of the sleeve should meet the side seam just below the underarm armhole. Stick it down with tape.Not too much though as you may need to adjust or move in a later step.

Repeat this for the front. And then measure the side seams to wear the sleeve meets the side the front should be shorter than the back. 
Note these down on the side seams so you do not forget them, you will need them in the next step.

 Close ups:

Measuring:

Step 4:
Though it is correct the front side seam will be shorter than the back it must be made so it isn't shorter, so it will sew correctly. 
Take the back side seam measurements from earlier and mark this on the front bodice side seam. 
You can see in my I made the back was 14.4cm. You can see where I have marked the 17.6cm on the front side seam which was the length of the back side seam.

A Morning at a Textiles Fair...

So on Sunday I went to the Braintree textiles fair. It was a made up of stalls talks and exhibitions, across the town hall, Warner Textile Archive and the Braintree Museum.  Hitting the Stalls in the town hall and Archive first saw loads of amazing cottons, denims and silks with some vintage offerings too. I did't buy anything but there was a lot too look at and lot to get me inspired. I really found the stall by Colourious to be the most interesting as I have a recent fascination of different printing techniques and styles and it really got me thinking and inspired.  Next was the museum which was showing an exhibition (which is still on and I defiantly recommend!) called Power of Stitch. Here there was a plethora of amazing art, which was an amazing amount of mixed media pieces.  Some favourites were the tie dying techniques and a pieces which used layers of pain and fabric to create a 3D piece. I really enjoyed the Fashion pieces as well (No surprises there!) which were inspired by graffiti and Grason Perry.  There was so many more amazing pieces which I will pictures of below.  It was a joy to look around and get inspired the exhibition is still on so if you are in the Braintree area and you are a free morning or afternoon its definitely worth a look.