moshi-moshi

Felt felt Lovely felt...

2012-01-22T15:42:00.000-08:00

Felt is a marvelous substance, Josef Beuys used felt in a number of works, for which aspect I love him. On drum cymbal stands, it protects the cymbal from cracking and ensures a clean sound, you can make it into hats and it keeps nomadic peoples warm and dry, and yet it comes from the soft and lovely wool of a sheep and can also be soft and delicate and used in needlework, and to make tiny coats for little dolly people.

This week I have been having more fun with felt, some more coats, some embroidery and some scarfy pieces too. The felt I have is so lovely that it is unlike any felt I have used before, it is much softer than the normal stuff you get in craft shops, and I think it is hand dyed so that the colour is soft and variable too.

Shop Update today...

2012-01-16T08:07:00.001-08:00

5pm British time

Saturday in Hay-on-Wye

2012-01-16T07:52:00.000-08:00

Hay on Wye, is one of my favourite places. I love the drive through the Brecon Beacons to get there, with the sweep of the mountains and the windy road past the resevoirs. This saturday was extra lovely as the further we got into the country the frostier and colder it got. The trees were covered with a modest dusting of frosty negligees making them look really beautiful.

Apart from the obvious attraction of more books than you can ever hope to read, Hay on Wye has some of my top shops as far as clothes and nicknackery goes too. But, by far the most beautiful is The End at 20 Castle Street, which is a fabulous film set of forgotten stories, a cross between a cabinet of curiosities and Miss Havisham's boudoir. The owner, Marina Rendle has stripped the decor back to reveal layers of old paint and wallpaper on wood panelled walls and so all the strange objects seem like archeological finds or something left behind from long ago.

She has the most curious antiques and medical wall charts alongside ancient dresses and french linens, but I always love the odd creatures in glass domes by Annie Hutchingson, who makes the most wonderful and unsettling stuffed toys with animal heads and costumes of an exquisite faded glory.

Moshi-wallpaper

2012-01-11T13:11:00.000-08:00

I was messing about with photos today and decided to make myself a new wallpaper for my desktop, here she is and if you would like to use it, please feel free to download.

New sewing and crochet

2012-01-08T10:31:00.001-08:00

Lotte & Merry, a photo by little_moshi on Flickr.

Hopefully if the day is not too dark I will be able to take some photographs and update the shop tomorrow. Monday will also be a big posting day now that my new cellophane bags have arrived. Some more 70's inspired outfits and some classic moshi-moshi too.

on my desk today..

2012-01-06T09:38:00.001-08:00

on my desk today.., a photo by little_moshi on Flickr.

A strange time of year is January, it feels quite sleepy, even though the impetus is to make new starts etc. Somehow this always feels like the deepest bit of the winter, the weather is grey and sunless, and it is still a long way till spring. I'll just keep stitching, and the beautiful new fabrics from Liberty will remind me of spring flowers to come.

Moshlings shop update

2012-01-02T05:43:00.001-08:00

Moshlings, a photo by little_moshi on Flickr.

We have been preparing over the Christmas holiday and a little bit before for a special year. It is 40 yrs since the birth of Blythe, so here at the moshi factory the elves and me thought we ought to do something to mark such a momentous occasion. So we have come up with "the spirit of '72", which is a range of moshi goodness inspired by the fashion of that momentous year, in all it's loveliness. Hope you will like it, Happy Anniversary Blythe! In the shop 5pm, British time!

New sewing for a new Year..

2011-12-31T06:58:00.001-08:00

New sewing for a new Year.., a photo by little_moshi on Flickr.

Happy New Year to everyone, the moshi elves are still on semi-holiday till after New Year, when normal service will be resumed at the moshling household, until then hope you all have a marvelous New Year and we wish you all the best in 2012!!

The shop will be back to normal on 2nd January, and I have some special new things I have been working on with my trusty inspirational elves, who have been thinking very hard about what to do in this special year...

Vintage cotton reels

2011-12-30T11:30:00.001-08:00

Vintage cotton reels, a photo by little_moshi on Flickr.

My new obsession is collecting vintage cotton reels. They call to me every time I find them. There is something so lovely about the sheen of old cotton that is unbelievably beautiful, and the labels are just amazing.

moshi-moshi Blythe

2011-12-15T10:17:00.001-08:00

moshi-moshi Blythe, a group on Flickr.

Just wanted to say a big thank you to all the lovely people who post their pics in the moshi-moshi pool. I love seeing everyone's girls in their clothes, it' s so lovely to be inspired by all the beautiful girls out there and the awesome photos taken by their owners. Thank you so much everyone. xxx

winding down...

2011-12-14T12:33:00.001-08:00

winding down..., a photo by little_moshi on Flickr.

I am going to be busy next week with other projects so the moshi elves are going to get a bit of a break. Saying that though, I had a moment of creativity yesterday and made some waistcoats out of some scraps of felt. I like the afghan edge, reminds me a bit of Jimi Hendrix.

moshi update..

2011-12-11T03:23:00.001-08:00

The wind up to Christmas is starting now. I have battled with town and bought wrapping paper and gift tags and new lights for the tree. I have perused my cookery books and started to plan what I will cook, and the list writing is well underway. Amazon are on hand to deliver books and dvd's, my mum and dad's presents are posted and the other presents are ready and waiting to be wrapped.

I have to go to Colstons School next week to paint the last wall of my commission there, so the drawings have been sent off and approved and I just need to get my paints and pencils ready now.

All this has meant less time for sewing, but I have made some middie dresses and now have completed 5 shirt and tie sets which will be in the shop 5pm (British time) Monday. I will try and do some more sewing today, I have dresses in my head that are just dying to get out and fabric waiting to be cut...

Make a Moshi-mini skirt for Blythe

2011-12-01T09:19:00.001-08:00

Print pattern actual size on A4 paper (don't click the fit in print area box) Embellish with nice pom pom edging or embroidery. Good fabrics are denim, corduroy, linen and stiff cottons. Stretchy fabrics will not work properly, it needs quite a robust weight of fabric to hold it's shape. You can use velcro or snaps to fasten.

If you want to use this pattern for personal use please feel free and enjoy, but don't use it for selling without crediting me. Many thanks.

Sewing for small plastic people..

2011-11-29T09:48:00.000-08:00

This autumn has seemed like a really creative time for me. The only problem is the dark afternoons where my studio gets too dark and the lack of light on these grey days frustrates me. I have been sewing like mad and enjoying the process immensely. MY skills as a pattern maker get better all the time and I am using a lot of vintage trims at the moment, as well as beautiful contemporary fabrics, though I think they still have a nostalgic feel to them.

Casual Frenchy Lemony

2011-11-23T10:12:00.001-08:00

Casual Lemony, a photo by little_moshi on Flickr.

It's funny sometimes how the creative process works. It can start with an intention to do one thing and then end up with you going in a different way altogether. This week I knew I had some really nice striped jersey and I thought that I would make some leggings to go with nice boho style dresses. I made the leggings and then made the dresses, but the dresses looked better with tights so I thought I would leave them. But I had these leggings now and nothing that would go with them. So I thought that what would be good was some sloppy batwing t-shirts, so I made one to test the pattern. I made it from some old grey cotton jersey, just to see how it would turn out. It was really cute, and I was hugely impressed with my sewing machine's ability to cope with jersey. So I made some more and then made some scarves to go with them to give them a frenchy look. Then I thought I would experiment with some more shapes and made a more fitted top with a funnel neck, but then they had no trousers to go with them. So I made some plaid pants in some of my favourite indian cotton. They looked really cute. Anyway the upshot of this is that we have ended up with a whole range of relaxed outfits, completely unintentional, but I like it when that happens.

Florence in October

2011-10-31T00:57:00.000-07:00

Perfectly composed bicycles

Perfect Coffee

The somewhat shabby back of the Pitti Palace

The window of Gilli's

Vasari's tunnel from the Uffizi

Mini patchwork

2011-10-31T00:52:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to make some mini patchworks for ages, so as usual I save all my scraps and now have started to make these. The squares start off at about 3cm before they are sewn. I think I could make them smaller but I need to do the patchwork properly for that to work. I love how the vintage fabrics go together, that's the pink one.

Vintage trimmings

2011-10-17T10:32:00.000-07:00

There is a lovely VIntage Shop in Cardiff called "A Vintage Affair" it is in the Morgan Arcade. It is a lovely shop on two floors and packed to it's chintzy gunnels with every kind of vintage loveliness. Clothes, mens and women's, as well as haberdashery and jewelry, table linens and bric-a-brac. I love this shop and recently they have added a huge selection of really gorgeous vintage trimmings. This was the little horde I picked up on my last visit. Can't wait to get stitching! Oh and also a little visit to John Lewis for crochet supplies and thread.

Back to Work...

2011-10-17T10:29:00.001-07:00

After the busy-ness that preceded Blythecon UK, I came back from London with a terrible stinky cold. The underground was crowded and the weather was unusually warm so I reckon there was a veritable swamp of opportunist germs just waiting to pounce on my tired immune system. It is always the way I think when you have been working hard that you seem to be able to keep going and then as soon as it finishes that's when you get flu or a cold.

I sniffed and coughed for a week, and pumped my body full of every cold remedy going, followed by daily helpings of Beroca multivitamins and finally got back to work. I have lots of new ideas following BCUK, but slowly they are coming together. I need two of me to get them all sewn. But I have been enjoying the new fabrics from Bath and must have another inspirational visit soon.

Vintage patterns

2011-10-09T05:45:00.000-07:00

I feel a real nostalgia for the clothes of the seventies as they bring back memories of my mum cutting out fabrics in the dining room and sewing her clothes and mine too. There was something so exciting in turning a length of fabric into a dress or a pair of trousers and my mum used to make all sorts of lovely things. I remember particularly a blue trouser suit in broderie anglaise I think, and dresses with contrasting sleeves. Mum used to give me her fabric scraps and I would make them into very primitive clothes for my tiny dolls.

Saturday in Bath..

2011-08-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

Spent the day in Bath with a lovely lovely friend of mine. We met on the train, had coffee in the sunshine with an opera singing busker to entertain us. Window shopped and lunched in the Raven. Sat in lovely bookshop and browsed, but did not buy anything.

Best thing was I discovered a Fabric shop in Bath that has remained hidden to me up till now. It is called Country Threads and is in Pierrepoint Place. I have not seen such an amazing selection of fabrics sine Purl in New York, so i felt like I had gone to fabric Heaven! Needless to say I stocked up while I was there, but I feel this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

This week's sewing adventures

2011-08-10T08:54:00.000-07:00

MY old faithful sewing machine is getting a bit past it, and has always been basic, but now I think it is time for a new friend to ease my working day. So U have ordered a new Singer Brilliance, which will be delivered this week. I can't wait to see what new tricks I can get up to with that! In the meantime, I have been making some new things this week and having lots of fun with colours and fabrics.

New Old fabrics!

2011-08-08T08:30:00.000-07:00

I had some new fabrics in the post, I say new, but mostly vintage. Now all I need to do is work out how best to exploit their loveliness. Some are very old and needed some significant soaking to get the starch out of them, but one has stayed quite papery and I think it must be meant to be that way.

Updated the design of my blog...

2011-08-03T10:00:00.001-07:00

I made a new header and changed it all around a bit!

Some works on Paper

2011-07-31T10:53:00.000-07:00

Common Birds is a concertina book. The other works are drawings and collage pieces.

Sunday Morning Studio

2011-07-31T10:44:00.001-07:00

The studio is crammed full of stuff at the moment. Every addition needs to be carefully thought out. Basically the room is too small for me, so I have to be very ingenious in fitting it all in. But nevertheless it is a space of calm and inspiration, as well as work.

Collaged drawers

2011-07-07T12:29:00.001-07:00

Collaged drawers, a photo by little_moshi on Flickr.

All that pattern in Seville and Granada got me hungry for more and so I set about collaging my Ikea drawers with something more inspiring. I think it turned out good. A Saturday well spent with trusty paper and glue.

Alhambra Impressions

2011-07-07T12:26:00.001-07:00

Alhambra, a photo by little_moshi on Flickr.

A surfeit of pattern, but real harmony. Spaces that are calming and restful. Tranquil courtyards. Icing sugar. Marble and plaster-work like lace. Shadows falling across floors from latticed windows. Vistas of the landscape viewed through delicate arches. the sound of fountains and the smell of jasmine. Kittens playing in the gardens. Palm trees and lavender.

Alhambra tiles

2011-07-07T12:20:00.001-07:00

Alhambra tiles, a photo by little_moshi on Flickr.

Gorgeous tiles at the Alhambra in Granada.

Vintage Fabric Stash..

2011-06-19T06:33:00.000-07:00

My Vintage fabric passion knows no bounds at the moment and I have just had these gorgeous lovelies in the post. They are all tiny prints in yellows, orange and brown, and one really zingy large print. I have washed them all now and pressed them and they will be ready for new projects.

Collages..

2011-06-19T06:24:00.000-07:00

When I take photos of my plastic peeple I like to out them against nice backgrounds. I always save good pics that I think will be useful and recently I have been making collage backgrounds. Toast catalogues seem to be an excellent source for good atmospheric imagery.

A day in Hay-on-Wye

2011-05-15T02:58:00.000-07:00

I love going to Hay on Wye, the shops are always so inspiring and there is much vintage goodness to be rummaged through and inspiring books to peruse. Yesterday's trip was particularly peachy as it yielded a great many fabulous goodies. Some things to make things with, some things to read, some things to wear and some things just to wonder at.

This beautiful child's dress was lovely, in one of my favourite vintage shops in Hay. Lok at the amazing smocking and the colour combination is just perfect.

The Vogue's Guide to Dressmaking, a wonderful bossy little booklet from the 1930's which is full of fantastic tips for the stylish and thrifty woman.

Vintage mother of pearl buttons and some incredibly tiny baby ones!

The Wendy Multi Needle, with full instructions to make pretty flowers. I think it is a kind of flower loom actually and have already found a flickr group for other people who have these, from the 1960's I think.

Sewing...

2011-04-28T10:38:00.001-07:00

Little scraps of fabric are always saved in the moshi factory. You never know what tiny beauties you can concoct with tiny bits of loveliness. So I have been making miniature bags and little lavender sachets to keep my bigger pieces of fabric fresh.

Spring is Sprung!

2011-04-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

Now that Easter has been and gone I feel like Spring has finally arrived, although the summery weather here makes me feel like the seasons are getting ahead of themselves. The sun is always welcome and has prompted much primping and making neat in our neglected garden. The snow we had did for many of our plants, so there were some sad holes to fill. But we have been able to sit outside and enjoy the fruits of our labour in these balmy evenings.

Vintage find...

2011-03-15T05:51:00.000-07:00

As a keen sewer I have a great nostalgia for anything haberdashery. I loved the smell of certain shops when I was a kid, the newsagents with it's scent of printers ink and the promise of comics and black jacks sweets was one. But I was fortunate enough to have a mum who sewed and so we would often go searching for fabrics and supplies in proper haberdashery shops, full of bright colours and knitting needles and yarn in soft bundles.

I saw this little set of drawers the other day in a lovely vintage shop in town and had to have it. It is a bit battered and is showing it's age, but I love it and it is perfect for all my little sewing bits and bobs.

Our house is a very very very fine house..

2011-03-08T14:22:00.000-08:00

with two cats in the yard...

My dad used to play that song when i was growing up and i loved it, and now my house does have two cats in the yard. I love the colours of our house in the rooms that we have sorted out and that reflect our taste. I am especially keen on the colours of our rooms reflecting the particular quality of light we have here. It is cool and bluish, quite a harmonious colour and i did not want to use colours that jar with that or strike a false note.

I love scandinavian palettes and the dusty greens and blues that seem to make me think of the design from there. I also love georgian decor and the lovely blues and greys that Farrow and ball use for their paints. We can't afford Farrow and Ball, but we can aspire!

Colston girls School

2011-02-27T01:54:00.000-08:00

Well, the first part of the project is now finished. It took three days to complete, although I only cleaned up the edges on Thursday and touched up a few bits.

I used Acrylic paint and matt medium to paint on the walls, having first roughly mapped out the drawing in pencil. This was quite a change from the way I did my drawings for the MA show as I drew directly on to the walls in that case, but I was aware of the need to get it right for the school and also the time frame meant that I had to plan it out.

I am really pleased with the outcome and hope that the girls like it too.

Colston Girls School, Bristol, Day 1

2011-02-22T10:40:00.000-08:00

I am working on a commission in Bristol this week, and today was my first day installing the piece. Went well, and tomorrow I will be putting in the ship and hopefully getting it near completion.

The nice thing about being an artist is that generally people are very interested in what you are doing, so all day I have had different people coming up and chatting to me about the work and being very encouraging. Even the poor caretakers who had to move a cupboard that had been bolted to the wall because of some miscommunication were very kind. It would have obscured the painting, but now it is fine.

Hills & Whayman

2011-01-29T10:01:00.000-08:00

Thank you Iris Hills and Joan Whayman. This booklet was one of the ones I picked up recently from Local thrift shop.

There are some gorgeous colour illustrations in this one, and a slip of paper from a Singer booklet.

Embroidery-The Book of "Hows" Series

2011-01-29T08:10:00.000-08:00

Found two amazing stitch guides in a local thrift store recently. I am always on the lookout for embroidery tips and new ideas for stitches, and these little gems from bygone years were a brilliant find. I decided to share them with you, and I hope that the original authors will not mind. This one is from 1943.

Make a tiny Party Hat!

2010-11-27T03:18:00.001-08:00

Template:

Instructions 1:

Instructions 2:

This is A4 and should be printed full size with no scaling.

Blythe Party Hats!

2010-11-25T10:01:00.000-08:00

Sewing...

2010-11-25T09:56:00.000-08:00

I always have loads of little scraps of fabric left over from dolly dresses and am constantly looking for new things to do with them. So last night I was inspired to make these little pumpkin-y pincushions. They are capped with hand made wool felt from Hay-on-Wye, which is incredibly soft.

A very good friend of mine sent me a piece of Kaffe Fasset Paisley in gorgeous festive reds. it adds beautifully to my other prints. These are my favourite fabrics by him, and they are for Liberty of London.

Bath Shops

2010-11-25T09:51:00.000-08:00

A wintry saturday in Bath. All the Christmas lights were in and the shop windows were especially pretty.

Things I love about Bath:

The Raven Pub - best pies ever, with gravy!
Cath Kidston
Milsom Street shops
The buildings - who can resist all the Georgian loveliness
The Fashion Museum - for wonderful inspiration

beatengreen Vintage Boutique

2010-09-25T11:10:00.000-07:00

http://www.beatengreen.co.uk/

This is a beautiful shop, full of eclectic bits and bobs, artfully arranged on old pine kitchen tables and rickety benches. Vintage fabrics, old glassware and bakelite radios nestle amongst vintage quilts and linens, along with retro 70's stuff and old toys. I loved this shop, I noticed it last year, but this year it is even more lovely, and the shop owner Kerry Knight has a really good eye for a nostalgic interior.

St. Ives...Medicine for the soul

2010-09-25T11:01:00.000-07:00

St. Ives is one of my favouritest places in the whole world. I do not think this is an exageration at all. It is where I spent my honeymoon and it is the place I go once a year to replenish my batteries and take in some sea air. Cornwall is a bit like another planet really, stuck on it's own little spikey bit of the UK, difficult to get to, and slightly remote and weatherbeaten on stormy days. I heard a great phrase this time about the shop opening times. I was confused one morning that all the shops were shut at 10, and thought maybe it was a special day in Cornwall when shops were just shut, but was told that they went by Cornish time, ie 10-ish, 11-ish etc. So basically whenever people felt like opening. I like this though, and did not mind the idiosyncrasy.

As usual we went to the Tate and the Barbara Hepworth, not too keen on the artist in the Tate, but I love the garden of Barbara Hepworth's house and always love sitting there.

Recently seen..

2010-08-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

Two really good shows at the Tate Modern at the moment. The Francis Alys in particular was great. Worth it for the Tornado! If you have seen this you will know what I mean, but if you haven't I will not spoil it for you.

New fabrics..

2010-08-02T14:35:00.001-07:00

Selvedge Inspiration

2010-08-02T14:26:00.001-07:00

Selvedge this month had a good article on Erica Tanov. I love her clothes! Her clothes are how I would like to dress if I was rich and very skinny. But alas I am neither, so the nearest I will get is the odd thing from Toast, when I go to Bath.

Hay-on-Wye

2010-08-02T14:20:00.001-07:00

I love Hay-on-Wye. It is a strange little town, hard to find, because it is not sign posted very well until you are almost there, but it is lovely when you do get there. Loads of bookshops obviously, but I like the tiny little junk/antique shops that sell old french linens and welsh blankets along with vintage dresses and dusty chandeliers.

Husband and I always like to have lunch in this one particular pub, which is all rickety and old fashioned, with speckled mirrors and old maps on the walls.

Buttons

2010-08-02T14:16:00.001-07:00

Some of my vintage buttons, I have a box of buttons that used to belong to my grandmother, and these ones are some of the ones I have found.

70's Inspiration

2010-08-02T14:05:00.000-07:00

The seventies were the decade of my childhood: the most evocative time for me memory wise. My mum wore maxi skirts and boots, my dad wore paisley shirts and big belts, and I had green hot pants, and all those fabulous synthetic jumpers that gave you static whenever you took them off. Actually it surprises me that more children did not die of spontaneous combustion during the seventies; we had nylon sheets, brushed nylon pajamas and sparks would fly off you is you got out of bed in the middle of the night, not to mention the static hair!

But aside from that, I love the fashion of that decade, Biba, peasant skirts and cheesecloth, flares and platforms, it was great! It seemed like a really liberating time, men were having perms and wearing velvet, it was truly a much more sartorially experimental time than now.

Some of my other dolls

2010-05-28T04:24:00.000-07:00

Una moof, Licca Jenny and unknown naked girl I call Godiva, Betsy McCall

Studio

2010-05-28T04:21:00.000-07:00

I Love Paris

2010-05-28T04:13:00.000-07:00

Who wouldn't?

Visited with my husband last week, and had a lovely time. We have both returned confirmed francophiles, and want to live our lives like parisiennes from now on. Paris seems so civilised, one can sit in cafes and watch the world go by, even walking through the streets is a joy because the buildings are so magnificent. The Tuileries Gardens were beautiful, little cafes under the trees and people drawing the statues, or just strolling through the gardens, looking elegant and summery. French women are so stylish and look so coordinated, it puts one to shame to think how lazy we can be in the UK (I speak for myself of course, though I do try). I love the attention to detail in almost all things, the food is made from excellent ingredients, the coffee is always good, and people say Bonjour, women's shoes match there outfits and the mean are groomed and cool looking. Fantastique!

Selvedge Inspiration

2010-05-28T04:06:00.000-07:00

As you know I love Selvedge magazine and though it is expensive it is a fabulous resource for a fabric and textile addict like me. There is a brilliant article this month on Paper Artist Isabelle Borchgrave, whose dresses and shoes are wonderful. It boggles the mind to see how she makes paper so fluid and creates such amazing things. They have an incredible delicacy to them.

Inspiration

2010-01-07T12:10:00.001-08:00

Embroidered card found in Oxfam

Lovely dolls by Jess Brown, seen in Selvedge magazine...

Crafy Goodness

2010-01-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

I have a massive stash of Rowan Kidsilk Haze, which is possibly the most gorgeous yarn ever! I made it my mission to crochet a beret from all the colours over the Christmas Holidays and I pretty much succeeded. This is not all of them, as I have 15 balls in different colours.

Also over Christmas a new stash of fabric arrived. I have used some, but still have plans for the rest.

Went trawling the local thrift shops today and found a treasure. A box of embroidery threads, in loads of colours that will be perfect for my pinafores. I was told by the lady in the shop that they belonged to a friend of hers who died. She loved to sew, and I am glad that I can make use of them. I thank that lady wherever she may be and am glad to give her treasures a home.

Brazilian Illustrators

2010-01-07T11:56:00.000-08:00

These fabulous artists came to me via a tiny paragraph in World of Interiors and I love their work.

Bruno Kurro

and Eduardo Recife

World of Interiors.....

2010-01-07T11:46:00.000-08:00

The glossy magazine that is World of Interiors is like a naughty secret, like another type of glossy mag that one hides away guiltily. I cannot afford any of the things in WOI, it is not about people who live like I do, they are in a league of their own where one can contemplate curtain fabrics that are over £100 per meter, and french antiques are mixed with paintings by de Kooning and persian rugs.

I am though an addict, I have been taking this magazine for years and I have whole shelves dedicated to these volumes because I cannot throw any of them out. I love the pictures of chairs and the colours and the articles about strange and wonderful craftspeople or eccentric artists who have decorated their whole house with pictures of shells or something.

It is an inspiration for drawings, patterns, colour schemes and my own home in it's own modest way. So here are some of the lovely things that have caught my eye in recent months.

Sewing and crochet

2009-10-10T14:28:00.000-07:00

I have a mega stash of new Rowan Kidsilk haze wools at the moment so am steadily making one beret in each colour. This wool is so amazingly soft and cobwebby. I have also been making some tops from the Kaffe Fasset Shot cottons I have.

Lola, the face of Moshi-Moshi

2009-09-28T11:24:00.001-07:00

A customer of mine recently said that they thought of Lola as the face of Moshi-moshi, so here she is in all her It Girl loveliness. She is a customised Saffy.

New fabrics..

2009-09-28T11:18:00.000-07:00

I recently went to New York and was able to go shopping for fabrics that I usually can only get over the internet. It was so great to be able to lay things out next to each other and see how they looked. Came back with a fabulous stash. Also my local fabric shop has been doing some gorgeous new lines too, so I feel like I am spoilt for choice at the moment.

I should probably sort out some of my fabric into scrap pieces for some other people to use as I have way too much.

Yesterday I was feeling bored and decided to cover my IKEA drawers with old maps. I think it turned out quite well.

Sewing

2009-08-04T14:57:00.000-07:00

Been working on lots of new patterns recently, and having fun with embroidery. I have a really inspiring book called The Art of Embroidery by Francoise Tellier-Loumagne. (Thames and Hudson) It is making me want to do more and also making me feel inadequate in the face of such brilliance!

Shop Windows, Hay-on-Wye

2009-08-04T14:53:00.000-07:00

I love shop windows, and there are some very pretty ones in Hay.

London Inspiration

2009-08-04T14:49:00.001-07:00

The Tea rooms in Liberty

Perfume bottles in the window of Penhaligans

Macaroons in the Burlington arcade.

Royal Academy - Summer Exhibition

2009-08-04T14:42:00.000-07:00

Recently I went to London to visit my brother and family. This is always a real treat for me as I get to spend time with my family and visit lots of nice things in London. I used to visit the Summer Exhibition every year when I lived in London, but haven't been for ages.

I really enjoyed it this time, as usual there is always a mixture of awful and lovely stuff, but it was really great to see so much art al together and the best bit for me was the architecture section, which was brilliant.

I took Lotte with me and got some funny looks when taking her picture, but I thought "Who cares, nobody knows me, and even if they do I really am not bothered!"

Sewing Commission

2009-08-04T14:27:00.000-07:00

This was the beginning of a commission for a lovely customer of mine, who has been supporting my shop since we started. I like to document some of the fabrics and patterns I use, as sometimes I have too many ideas and they get forgotten about.

Busy, busy, busy.. buzz buzz

2009-07-07T03:01:00.000-07:00

The last week has been mad crazy busy, I ordered some new fabric from America, and have been trawling the shops for vintage fabrics. There is a great antiques market near me that has an excellent vintage clothes stall. I found some old fifties aprons in really good condition, and the fabrics are so gorgeous. I also got a new pattern book, so have been trying out new patterns. Some of the japanese patterns are really tiny, so I needed to scale them up by a couple of per cent just so that the tops would do up. Also added some moshi-moshi variations, like bias binding at the neck.

Got some gorgeous patterned bias binding from France and some tiny buttons too, only thing is I don't have enough time to make all the things I want to. I will have to make the girls sew faster!!

Carrie Loves...moshi-moshi

2009-06-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

Carrie Loves...

And also found this

http://athome.kimvallee.com/2008/12/i-dream-of-blythe-dolls/

Popper madness

2009-06-22T13:36:00.001-07:00

The worst thing about the moshi factory is the popper issue. It is the least favourite of my jobs. I could sew all day, and most of the evening come to that, but I always put off the poppers till the last, and then of course have to sew on loads at once. My girls always have dresses that are merely pinned at the back, like all the models on the photoshoots, with pegs and bulldog clips holding their clothes on.

Today was a big day for orders and it took me ages to do all my posting, got distracted at several points, or could that have been procrastination, so had a look at my button drawer and wondered what to do with my lovely old mother of pearl buttons.

Finished off the day sticking fabric into my notebook, so that I don't forget what it is I want to make from everything.

All in a days work

2009-06-20T10:14:00.000-07:00

Get up in the morning and check the internet

Write a list of things to do, and start the day. My studio is a great inspiration, there are always pics and bits and pieces around that have given me ideas throughout the week.

Fabric and new thread from my friendly local material shop.

My little Mannequin, made from fimo, and some found in charity shops.

My thread spool holder, which is brilliant.

My corkboard inspiration.

New gocco inspiration

2008-08-20T07:57:00.000-07:00

Inspiration 3

Inspiration 2

Inspiration 1

New moshi-moshi card

2008-06-23T07:27:00.000-07:00

Inspiration and stuff

2008-06-23T07:22:00.001-07:00

W O Interiors pic

New Fabric from purl

2008-06-23T07:20:00.001-07:00

This beautiful selection of cottony goodness arrived this morning. Such loveliness, I can't wait to get started on this lot.

Saipua

2008-05-21T06:03:00.000-07:00

Look at this lovely website

http://www.saipua.com/

I have a thing about soap. I love soap that smells and is perfectly wrapped in tissue and nice paper. This seems to fit the bill as far as I am concerned. I hope they don't mind me showing you this picture, which I also find inspiring from a fabric and drawing point of view. Great colour combination and the mixture of stripes and botanical print is just lovely.

purl fabric loveliness

2008-05-20T02:16:00.001-07:00

My second batch of fabrics from purl arrived yesterday. Their fabric is so gorgeous, I can't wait to get to work on this lot.

new drawing for gocco-ing

2008-05-19T06:16:00.000-07:00

This is the drawing I did recently for my gocco postcards. It came out really nicely.

New fabric from "A little Goodness" on Etsy

2008-04-25T06:46:00.000-07:00

Just got the beautiful package from A little Goodness, lovely fabric and nice freebies too. Also arrived today my new Moo cards. All manner of postal excitement!

Pattern inspiration

2008-04-22T03:34:00.001-07:00

The first print is a Boden print for Spring and the second is a bag that my friend Anne has which I am coveting.

A batch of sewing to do.

2008-04-17T07:15:00.000-07:00

Cut out blouses ready for sewing.

Fabric and commissions

2008-04-17T07:07:00.001-07:00

I have been asked to make a sixties style outfit of flared cords and a paisley blouse for a custom black Blythe. I went to my favourite fabric shop for some inspiration and found just the thing. Can't wait to start work on it this weekend.

Namolio Fabrics

2008-04-03T08:13:00.000-07:00

Look at this gorgeous fabric from namolio on etsy. Can't wait to go through it and assign all the pieces to make up little moshi skirts and trousers.

And here are some of the things that have been made from the lovely fabric.

New Fabric

2008-04-03T01:25:00.001-07:00

This gorgeous fabric from purl arrived on Monday - going to be very busy this weekend..

Inspiration and stuff

2008-04-01T06:22:00.001-07:00

Got a lovely pattern book from Japan for inspiration. The patterns are quite interesting, but lots of Momoko and extra stuff I don't want. I think I can adapt some to my needs though.

I am thinking about the colours that the bathroom is going to be, once finished and also the general theme of decoration in the house. I have always had the combination of pomegranate red and celadon green in my brain as the perfect combination for me. Typical thought to marry a colour blind man, who has problems with red and green, so is usually unappreciative of the subtleties of this mix- which is a great shame.

Scotlandia

2008-04-01T06:17:00.000-07:00

We have been away in Scotland for a week, and now all is back to normal, apart from the unfinished bathroom, which was supposed to have been completed in the week we were away. Bleh!

But Scotland was beautiful, as ever, and food for the soul. I find the landscape there awe-inspiring. Obvious I know, but you can't beat Glen Coe, and Loch Lomand, and I am not even scottish.

Lomo Diana

2008-03-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

Elin and I have ordered Lomo Diana cameras so that we can take beautiful pictures and experiment with pinhole too. This is very exciting, and I will be taking mine with me to Scotland next week.

Inspiration and stuff

2008-03-19T09:48:00.001-07:00

My new Blythe arrived. Haven't decided what to call her yet. She is very cute and it seems strange, but I think she is slightly shorter. can this be possible?

I have decided to subscribe to Selvedge magazine, finally. It works out cheaper than buying them individually and I won't have to hunt around for it anymore. Also, I need it for inspiration of course.

I have developed a liking for the edging of fabrics, the bit where they show the dye colours and the name of the print etc. Very lovely. These are some off my recent projects.

On-my-desk

2008-03-11T09:02:00.000-07:00

I have been invited to contribute to this blog http://on-my-desk.blogspot.com. So I need to do some nice photos of my studio, not the usual messy ones that I take normally like these ones.

WOI- Further inspiration

2008-03-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

I have a massive collection of old World of Interiors Magazines. It is one of my favourite things. Mainly I think because it has so many pictures of chairs. I have a thing about chairs and one day I may dedicate a whole blog to them, and all they mean to me..

But in the meantime, back in moshi-moshi land I have been searching for new back-drops for my photos and my WOI mags are brilliant for this purpose, so here are some lovely pages that have inspired me.

The tea-cups are lovely and make me think of Mad Hatters and Alice.
(Sorry about the weird colour, not sure why this has happened)

This weeks inspiration- Gertrude Jekyll

2008-03-07T01:50:00.000-08:00

I am a frantic note and sketchbook keeper myself so it is a joy to see other peoples, and these pics are from the sketchbook of Gertrude Jekyll- best known for her garden design. Love the attention to detail and the interest in pattern.

These images are from World of interiors Aug 1996

Busy, busy, busy

2008-03-04T14:31:00.000-08:00

I have been making these little blouses and skirts like mad recently. The pattern of the blouse is so lovely and I have made several variations too. I have loads of nice fabric at the moment and it just really inspires me. Still not enough time in the day to do all the things I want to.

These photos are the uncensored ones, as I felt that the little models were a bit too saucy for etsy. I made the clothes dummies ages ago, when I first started making my clothes. Maybe I should make another one soon.

A little breath of spring

2008-02-26T06:43:00.000-08:00

Went to Bath on Sunday and couldn't resist these beautiful flowers from the fabulous Waitrose.
The bottom picture is one of the dried Allium heads from last summer.

New Fabric

2008-02-22T06:12:00.001-08:00

This beautiful bundle of fat quarters arrived in the post this morning. Looks like I will have a busy weekend sewing.

Gocco experiments

2008-02-19T04:02:00.000-08:00

Have spent quite a bit of time recently experimenting with my new Gocco, trying to work out how to get the best out of it. Still experimenting till I can find what works best. This little print has turned out quite well though, and I have done it on different coloured cards so it looks really nice. I will persist.

New Fabric inspiration

2008-02-06T03:26:00.000-08:00

Made this.from lovely fabric which arrived yesterday...

From Bee Square Fabrics on Etsy.

Stickers

2008-02-01T03:00:00.001-08:00

Inspiration...

2008-01-30T09:27:00.000-08:00

And new sketchbook. The best I have made so far. I don't know who this guy Cox is, but his stuff is from the 50s and I really like the patterns.

Sunday afternoon at the beach

2008-01-28T04:50:00.001-08:00

We went to Nash Point yesterday afternoon and A and I decided to take our blythe girlies for a bit of a blow too.