Relaxation...

Sometimes fabrics really do hit a note within me. Some sing. Some don't. This particular piece really relaxes me. I can almost feel myself walking with the girls, smelling the salty air...

Hope you have a relaxing weekend!

Star Wars and the Legend of the Logan

Somehow our first born turned six last Friday. Six. Where did that time go? I remember his birth as if it was yesterday. I remember looking down at him and saying "you'll be at school before we know it"...and he is...grade prep...a star pupil, loves learning...but he's growing up too fast!



Apart from the birthday party and list of presents (as long as my arm) he requested a visit to Scienceworks to see the Star Wars exhibition on display. We popped up to Melbourne on Saturday to see a close friend's newborn (welcome Keziah!) and had a great time spending the afternoon reading about Star Wars and the props.



I loved Star Wars. I was a 70s and 80s child so I vividly remember the movies. I even saw Battlestar Galactica at the movies (how did I manage that?) - that was the start of my Apollo and Starbuck crush. I loved those men. Still do :)



So visiting the Star Wars exhibition was not only a great celebration for Logan's birthday - but also a celebration of my childhood, too. I loved it. We're sure to be back before it leaves Melbourne in November. If you're a fan...and you live local...do yourself a favour and dive back into SW for an afternoon of kiddie fun...

Knitted village

This is amazing. What a lifetime of work - knitting your village! So cute, so awe-inspiring...I would love to see an exhibition like this! I used to love visiting those 'miniature' villages in Melbourne when I was a little girl - would equally love to see a miniature knitted village now...

More here.

clipped from www.dailymail.co.uk A close-knit community: Meet the ladies who've spent years stitching their entire Kent village

A special event - Pablo Picasso vintage fabric

This Pablo Picasso Bloomcraft piece defies description. It's a full selvedge to selvedge piece - and features a mirror reflection design. Absolute genius.



The power of these designs/drawings/paintings is in the detail. There is so much in the design you have to force yourself to appreciate the minute details - to literally stop, pause and delight.



I love the flowing hair and the movement in the horses mane. It breathes such life into this piece. I get a little tired of looking at static fabric design that is not 'drawn', but rather designed as a basic and interlocking pattern. This piece wasn't. It was painted as a picture and then adapted to fabric. But it works magnificently.

A special event - Pablo Picasso vintage fabric

We had a wonderful day today enjoying the Star Wars exhibition at Melbourne's Scienceworks Museum. We were meant to go when it first opened but held it to add in as a birthday highlight for Mr-I-Am-Six. I can't believe I have a six year old. Wasn't I just in primary school myself?



This is another Pablo Picasso Bloomcraft small piece we have. It's called Line and Dots. This is quite a rare piece due to the rarity of the original illustrations. You can read more here and here. The top pic shows most of the fabric face and the other two pics are close ups. Very Charles and Ray Eames in simplicity and style, isn't it? More coming tomorrow...

A special event - Pablo Picasso vintage fabric

I had intended to give you a Picasso to look at each night this week. Who would have known I'd be in emergency at the local hosptial with chest pain for eight hours last night. Thankfully it's just my silly abdomen playing up with that area - not too bad, but it did interrupt my Picasso week!



This piece doesn't have a selvedge note so I have no idea what the title is. It is beautiful. I love the close up shots of the 'lovers' and the lady riding the carosel. So much detail so a fabric.



We are going to put these pieces up for sale on the website next week. I am hoping to keep a piece or two (what is a vintage fabric business without a little personal stash??...that's what I say, anyway) but the majority will be on offer to all of you...



We have had a lot of interest in the pieces and offers of payment, purchase etc. To be fair to all we are putting them up on the website at the same time and shall announce it on Twitter, here and via the subscription email.



Until then - I hope you are enjoying the Picasso week and feel as relaxed as those amazing lovers above :)

Musical Faun - Pablo Picasso vintage fabric

The selection of samplers includes a number of this amazing Musical Faun print. We have it in the yellow and orange and brown/black colourway. Sigh. I wish I had bolts. But these amazing samplers are wonderful to have. I list more photos below.



The first shot on the blog is the entire piece - these are close ups of the faun and ? animal. Goat? Picasso confusion here! Picasso designed this piece specifically for the book 'Picasso' published in 1952, I think.



Selvedge below.

A special event - Pablo Picasso vintage fabric

One of this things I have always been aware of is the power of the written word. I know how emotive language can be - how much it can draw you in and entice you. It's one of the reasons why I rarely use the word 'rare' or 'collectable' with the vintage fabrics. To me, rare means so, so, so, so hard to find and purchase. An almost impossible purchase, you know? Anything more rare and it would be in a museum. And collecable to me means something of value - whether it be due to unique or unusual design, limited print run or the fabric is from an era growing in value and popularity.



Sometimes I feel so grateful for Retro Age - for our loving business I so enjoy. Sometimes the fabrics we come across are average - and sometimes, like in this instance, they just take your breath away. Like this piece pictured.



This vintage fabric is a genuine piece from a small edition print run by Bloomcraft from the 1950s. It is called Carnet II and the sketch is by Pablo Picasso. I think this was taken from his second (very early) sketchbook and replicated on drapery fabric but I am still researching. Does it not hold your gaze and take your breath?

I love her.

We shall be featuring some more Pablo Picasso pieces we have throughout the week. We have ten unique pieces of this rare and collectable print run - each as amazing as the first.

It's going to be an amazing week of mid-century vintage fabric

Stay tuned...

Kootoyoo for you...

I think the lovely peep behind the wonderfulness of Kootoyoo - the gorgeous Kirsten - deserves a medal for outstanding creativity and one of the friendliest crafters of the universe. Visit her blog and prepare to be enveloped with Kootoyoo love, wonderful tutorials and thoughts on living the crafty life...

clipped from kootoyoo.blogspot.com clipped from kootoyoo.blogspot.com clipped from kootoyoo.blogspot.com