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We have a small collection of gorgeous vintage fabric pouches that are seconds. You know, a little something funky about them - different funkiness for each, too:). All are completed and in perfect working order and all are reinforced with fine wool wadding. If you would like any of them please let us know via the comments - each one is only $7 to cover postage and packaging to you (Australia only). International would be an extra $5 for postage...
2. The one above is made with lovely 1960s cotton with an orange and pink psychedelic design and lined in pure orange crepe. It is 12" wide. Absolutely fine save for one small 1mm mark on one side on the pink - and the mark is a slightly darker pink.
3. The one above is absolutely fine bar a slightly crooked zip. Same fabrics as number #2. Also 12" wide. THIS ONE IS NOW SOLD.
4. The pouch above is 12" wide and made with 1970s sunburst fabric and lined with 1960s atomic geometric yellow. The zip is crooked.
5. The pouch above is 12" wide and made with orange 1960s fabric and lined with a 1970s orange op art blend. Fine save for a slight crooked line on the base and a small 1mm mark on the inside near the bottom.
We have been busy little bees recently. Here is a small serving of our vintage fabric brooches - this set is made with lovely 1940s marone wool challis.
We have made four brooches, each with their own print and unique style...
The brooches truly look so lovely on - they are 4cm (1.5") wide and made with metal bases and matching metal pin.
The one above is my favourite out of the set - I love the rich colours and the hint of the nouveau design :)
Obviously hopelessly unfinished - but a fun work in progress, nonetheless. It is part of the Land of Remnant and Offcut series - this is Ms Shirley's house in the woods. Ms Shirley is elusive, with a questionable past, but a woman who prefers her own company instead of that of others :).
I have a little conundrum. I was hoping to have the intelligence to work out how to do a Blogger Poll and ask you all about button sizes and set numbers you would prefer - but every time I do it and save all it says is the poll has finished or has been deleted. Blogger gremlins, methinks...
I have around 600 small pieces of 1930s-1940s cotton we want to use in our buttons. All of the sizes we make are popular - but the standouts are the small 2cm sets of six and the large 4cm sets of two.
I am already falling into the same bad habits that plagued me in 2008. There is a line in the first Lord of the Rings books - and it's in the movie, as well - where Bilbo Baggins says to either his nephew Frodo or his wizard frind Gandalf that he 'feels a bit thin - like he is stretched too much' (paraphrase, there!). It is only Jan 10 and I am already feeling this way. Have you kept to your resolutions or already stepping back into the same old shoes you were prefer to throw away?
The business is only growing - it is certainly not getting any smaller. We now have the online presence and the brick and mortar clearance outlet (for better want of a description). Within those two places we have the vintage fabrics (the good, the bad and the clearance) and we're off-shotting to our new accessories and giftware label Retro Age Vintage. So - not only do I have to manage two stores, as such, but also wares and multiple wares at that.
I love doing the creative side. I love doing the buttons (as above) and the new brooches (as below). I love choosing the fabrics and making them - and then making the packaging and packaging them up to sell. Love it.
But I am finding myself trying to do all things at once. Being the jack of all trades but the master of none. If you own your own business - or manage multi-things - how on earth do you manage this? Do you 'roster' your time by hour or day, dedicate your time on specific things at certain time of the week or do you literally fly by the seat of your pants and have your fingers and toes crossed for the best?
There is the wholesale side to think about, too - we're definitely wholesaling the buttons and brooches, with a minimum order of 10 packs. See - more work to do and think about! Hrumph - I really have to do a time management course and try to stop growing this business at a rate of knots!
I have been sewing and sewing to try and get better and better. It's happening - but very slowly! I tend to err on the perfectionist side...and even though I have been told by buyers and admirers these pouches and wristlets are fab, it's hard to believe. Do you ever have that problem with your creations?
So the sewing machine has stopped whirring and I am having a sewing rest. Making buttons is so much quieter - easier, as well :)
But I am starting to list these on Etsy to see how they go - two lots of buttons are already on the website and I'll be adding and adding to that next week. More than likely bags, too...
Following last Thursday's little hiccup - ahem, prang - I have taken a slight break from most of life. Lots of sitting and resting and allowing ye olde body (specifically right hand side) to heal and return to my (un)fit self...
I pottered around with the website today and finally remembered how to add in a new category - vintage fabric buttons. Yes - woo hoo - two sets have made their way onto the site...
There will be lots more to come - these 2cm sets are the smallest I have been working with - the largest around 4cm or so.
So, if you're after some unique buttons for your bags, cushions, clothing or anything else button-y don't forget about our new brand, Retro Age Vintage...
When we're back to complete I hope you'll enjoy seeing all of the sets going up onto the website here.
I am almost back to feeling myself. I am not at sore as I was on Friday and yesterday - it's amazing how sore you are after a prang! My neck went as stiff as a board, my right knee locked up and my right ribs were very tender - the doctor said all of that is normal and it's basically due to my body bracing itself for impact and hitting the driver door. Funnily enough - if you looked at my Camry you wouldn't think I'd had a hard knock - but the safety structure in the car was amazing and the car literally bounced out of the impact. Can't say that happend to the poor late model red Barina who collided with me - I would think that's seen the last of it's days, unfortunately...
And, in a moment of weakness, I have also offered a set of buttons we made from SUPER RARE Zandra Rhodes fabric. Any vintage fabric - or general 20th century textile lover - will know who Zandra is. She is super cool. She is uber cool. Her textiles are divine. We have lined some of our wristlets in her fan fabric and had some offcuts so made some 2cm buttons out of it. We're selling the first set of six on Etsy, too...
Yes, as you can see we have been busy. These are just some shots of what we've been working on in recent weeks. All of the buttons are made by us using gorgeous vintage fabrics on new shanks...and we've made sure to use a mixture of rare, glamour and eye-popping-wow vintage fabrics for these...
...we've even used some of V's coveted Zandra Rhodes fabric - this is some of the buttons below...a divine colourway of brown, white and black...the fabrics makes divine buttons...
The buttons below use turquoise lame and look just so 60's mod...fab, fab, fab...
And below are some of the little (and larger) pouches and clutches we've been feverishly making. Most are rare and unique fabrics - and we've dedicated a lot of time to blending fabrics to colours complement as well as give the Retro Age Vintage wow factor! All of the bags are limited edition...
The pouch above and below are 60s lames...very cool indeed...
The long clutch below is a 60s Scandinavian piece...you've got to love those mod circles!
And we can't help but love these birdies - we'll only have a limited edition of around five of these clutches as that's the total sum of birdie panels we have...but aren't they just gorgeous?
And one of V's fave atomic German fabrics made into an atomic pouch...very urban, indeed....
We hope to start selling all of this soon :) - hopefully people will like our individual colourway and fabric combinations....we're addicted to it all already!
Sorry for the washed out shots. I am looking for perfection for them but just can't find it. Perhaps handmade shouldn't be - nor look - perfect? But we're getting there :) I just wish you could see the gorgeous colours :(
These tags are made from (top to bottom) - 1960's Heals of London fabric and 60's couture fabric...
Special E Helenius Oy fabric - two sets done featuring the green and the yellow of the fabric...
Ye old 70's geometric fabric tags...
