Recently I wrote about eliminating darts. Sadly, this is not possible for all figures and fabrics. When you cannot eliminate a dart, it will be less noticeable if you balance it. Balancing will eliminate a ridge at the stitched line when the dart is pressed to one side. This handsome Linton fabric is double faced […]
We were recently fortunate enough to have a write up in a local Cumbrian magazine – Cumbria Life. For those unfamiliar with our brand story, this a great read to learn more about our historic company.
Its the small details that really elevate a couture jacket. One of those crucial features is your jackets’ or coats’ buttonholes. Couture sewing expert Claire Shaeffer shares her tips to creating stylish buttonholes which are sure to upgrade any garment and take it to that next level of sophistication. ————————————— Most Chanel jackets have hand-embroidered […]
One of the advantages of having couture garments in my personal collection is that I can peek under the linings. And, on occasion when the jacket has been relined, I can remove the lining without guilt. Recently when I examined a Chanel jacket from 1971, I found a handsewn waist dart on the silk organza […]
Nothing elevates a Parisian style jacket quite like a stylish trim. However, finding a suitable match for your chosen fabric can be difficult. Claire Shaeffer’s latest blog delves into creating your very own tucked trim from the fabric you purchase. ——————– I’ve examined hundreds of Chanel garments. One technique which they use regularly is to cut the […]
Our piece dye fabrics are over looked by our web customers, in favour of our fancier fantasy tweeds. Couture sewing educator explains what a a piece dye fabric is and why you would consider one for your next sewing project. ——————————————————————— Piece dyeing is the process of dyeing fabric after it has been woven, instead […]
As many of our web users and followers will have been, we unfortunately lost our beloved Carole Walker in February. She was the grandmother of our current Managing Directors, Ross and Duncan, and husband to the late Leslie Walker, who was instrumental in saving the mill from near bankruptcy in the 1960’s with his innovative […]
Why quilt? What is the purpose of quilting the cardigan jacket? Where do you place the quilting rows? Should they be vertical or horizontal? Do you quilt by hand or machine? What if the quilting shows? How do you mark the quilting rows and control the fabric layers? What kind of thread do you use? […]
We’ve had several questions about chain since we discussed how to sew it on your jackets several months ago. The questions included: Why is chain important? What kind of chain? Where is it placed? and Where can I buy it? Called a “Chanelism” by the editors of Vogue Magazine, the decorative gilt chains used on […]
The promotion and sale of our craft packs are one of our most important drives in reducing remnants of our fabrics going to landfill. Over the last year, we have literally prevented 100’s of metres of fabric from ending in the trash. Each craft pack contains 10 pieces of our fabrics measuring 40cm x 30cm. […]
