Tuesday 30 June 2009

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

NATH,AND MARGARET GOLDUP
MERSHAM NEAR ASHFORD WOOL VILLAGE FEATURE;MITCHELL HOUSE
MERSHAM NEAR ASHFORD WOOL VILLAGE FEATURE;MITCHELL HOUSE
MERSHAM NEAR ASHFORD WOOL VILLAGE FEATURE;ROYAL OAK PUB
MERSHAM NEAR ASHFORD WOOL VILLAGE FEATURE;ROYAL OAK PUB

Sunday 28 June 2009

A special event - Pablo Picasso vintage fabric

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

Pablo Picasso vintage fabric

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.

Pablo Picasso vintage fabric

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.

Pablo Picasso vintage fabric

Saturday 27 June 2009

A special event - Pablo Picasso vintage fabric

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?

Picasso vintage fabric

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...

Picasso vintage fabric

Thursday 25 June 2009

A special event - Pablo Picasso vintage fabric

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!

Picasso vintage fabric

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.

Picasso vintage 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...

Picasso vintage fabric

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.

Picasso vintage fabric

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

Tuesday 23 June 2009

Musical Faun - Pablo Picasso vintage fabric

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.

Picasso vintage fabric

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.

Picasso vintage fabric

Selvedge below.

Picasso vintage fabric

Monday 22 June 2009

A special event - Pablo Picasso vintage fabric

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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.

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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.

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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.

Sunday 21 June 2009

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

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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...
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Saturday 20 June 2009

5 hours, 46 minutes - UK tree barkcloth

I have been drooling over this pair since the auction went up. Aren't they the most amazing pair of mid-century drapes you have seen? The colourway itself is intoxicating, let alone the tree motif. Oh I would so love to add them to my collection.

If you want these, get them. None of this need versus want stuff. These are totally needed and wanted. Five hours + to go. Bid here.
clipped from cgi.ebay.com.au

Unusual retro 1950s barkcloth curtains vintage fabric


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Featured of Design*Sponge by Present and Correct

Here is some clippings from the ever wonderful and inspirational Design*Sponge...we are overjoyed to be mentioned by Neal from Present & Correct in his guest blog. View his complete blog post here.
Design Sponge
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Classic Textiles are reproducing some mid century prints by textile legends. Maximo Design are big fans of Alexander Girard, and subsequently I am too! Vintage Fabrics, these Aussie guys have a massive library. All shapes, sizes and colours. Big on retro. Ljunbergs in Sweden have a smorgasbord of patterns for your home.


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Friday 19 June 2009

Hooray for Skinny la Minx and Heather Moore Eeps!

Skinny la Minx

Hooray for the continual delights Heather Moore - aka Skinny la Minx offers. I love her teatowels - shouldn't have given them away as gifts! - and her new fabric designs are sublime. A true textile treasure here.

Thursday 18 June 2009

Tartlette

Tempt your taste buds and visit Tarlette at http://tartelette.blogspot.com/. It's a food journey you'll never forget - the photography never ceases to make me fall in love with food (even more)...

Vintage fabric advertisements - September 1955

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I love old advertisements...particularly from the 1950s. They ooze a time I never knew and can only visit...

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I love the glamour of the 50s and also the design - in every way. I love textile design, furniture design, interior design...everything. I was born 20 years too late!

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Wednesday 17 June 2009