SO SORRY (except I’m kinda delighted) BUT THESE ARE NOW SOLD OUT

A gorgeous box of goodies that will arrive through the post!

Aimed at stitchers who have a love of making.

So at long last it’s time (or some would say way past time) to launch my third Workshop in a Box and I’m rather hoping that you’re going to love it. Pre-orders open on Tuesday 21st July for this beautifully uplifting Floral Summer Sampler.

Those of you who have already bought one of my boxes will know that they fall somewhere between an inspiration pack (where materials are provided with no guidance for using them) and a kit (where there are step-by-step instructions and everyone makes the same). I provide all the materials for making this sampler along with ‘Making Notes’, a chart and photographs but I also encourage you to go ‘off piste’, to change things around and make it your own.

 

Available August 2020 – Floral Summer Sampler

To inspire & delight

The aim of these boxes is a simple one – to inspire & delight – in fact it’s become a bit of a mission statement.

I prepare everything in the box myself, as I would for a workshop and I love the thought of people rummaging through it!

‘Omg I’ve just opened your workshop in a box, which arrived this morning
I cried
It is quite possibly the most beautiful and beautifully packed box of bits that I’ve ever received
I spent ages looking at everything, and then carefully packed it all up again
And later I’m going to unpack it a second time’
A message from a happy customer who made me smile (you know who you are!)
 
The prep is completely ‘low tech’, with everything done by hand which is incredibly time consuming, intensely satisfying and, in my opinion, rather beautiful. This is just one of the reasons why numbers are limited.
Tapes are typed by hand on my vintage typewriter that belonged to my mother-in-law.

Used, washed & worn

If you know anything about me, you will know that my passion is in using materials that are used, washed & worn.  There is an energy & vibrancy in old textiles, we may never know where they came from, we may never know their stories but they capture our imagination and conjure up pictures in our minds and stir up emotions in our heart.

Wherever possible I use vintage materials in all of my Workshops in a Box.  However this does mean that there may be marks on some of the fabrics, or they may be faded or slightly damaged. I only include pieces that I would choose to work with myself – but be warned, I make a bee-line for the wonky and imperfect!

The materials in this box include a piece of hand stitched vintage quilt to use as your background – this is well washed and worn and the filling is gloriously uneven! There are some beautiful 1940s French (or maybe German) floral fabric washed so often that it’s the softest of soft and beautiful vintage floral linen that was gifted to me by Linnies Pinnies & Bags. Scraps left over from her makes because she shares my belief that nothing should be wasted. There are fragments of ribbon made from remnants from Indian sari manufacture and vintage mother of pearl buttons, some a bit bashed, but all the more beautiful for it. Other little bits & pieces are there to make you smile.

 

Inspired by a collection of Kensitas silk flowers

Inspiration

This sampler was inspired by a small collection of Kensitas silk flowers that have been in my possession for a few years. Although I regularly admire them and fondly stroke them I’d never quite got round to actually using them (sound familiar?). I came across them during an early lockdown clear out (again sound familiar?) and decided that they were far too beautiful and colourful to stay hidden away and that it was time to bring them to life once more.

What are Kensitas silks?

These woven silk flowers were given away free in the 1930s with Kensitas cigarettes. There were three sizes apparently the small ones being given away with packs of 10 cigarettes, medium (that I have used here) with packs of 20 and there were also larger postcard sized ones given away with boxes of 50 though I’ve never seen any of these. One silk flower is included in each box – it’ll be a random selection of reds or blues – all of them very beautiful.

 

The Kensitas silk gave me my starting point and then flowers just started popping up everywhere!

I’m so hoping that you’ll enjoy using bits & pieces that I’ve lovingly hoarded over the years but I also that you’ll personalise your own sampler by adding bits from your own stash and using some of your favourite stitches. The possibilities are endless.

Many of my followers on social media and in person are already enthusiastic and often experienced stitchers so this box is aimed at them. Anyone who is not familiar with any of the stitches used can look for online tutorials, or even better in my opinion, invest in an embroidery stitch book. I love collecting vintage of course and still use my very first sewing book “Embroidery Stitches’ by Barbara Snook.

 

Flowers made from old sari silk

The finished dimensions are around 22 x 32cm – don’t expect straight edges! The picture shows mine on an A4 clipboard (a favourite and very easy way to display) but please note that the clipboard is NOT INCLUDED ( mainly because it won’t fit in the box!) I have included two small bulldog clips for hanging – genuinely another favourite method of mine!

 

I share my designs and stitches used in the making notes

To Order

There will be a limited number of 40 Floral Summer Sampler boxes available and I will be posting them out in small batches from 3rd August and throughout that week. You can pre-order a box from today Tuesday 21st July by contacting me by email. Payment will be by Paypal or BACS.

The cost of the box is £45 plus UK postage of £3.00

I am so sorry but I am currently not posting overseas. I know this will disappoint but I’ve had a couple of parcels go missing over the last few months so I’m afraid UK only this time around.

I hope you love it and I can’t wait to see pictures of the results!

 

 

Summer Stitching – a new Workshop in a Box