Re-fashioning a man’s single breasted suit into ladies Leg-o-mutton jacket
Leg of mutton sleeve upcycle project This project was inspired by the leg-of –mutton garments that first made an appearance in the late 1820s. Through the decades and to this day, variants of this sleeve have made regular appearances in fashion. Interestingly, the...
Our Lilliput Machines
A few years ago I came across a Lilliput cord maker for the first time. Being a knitting machinery geek, it immediately became a must-have. Lilliput machines are beautifully engineered bits of equipment, most of which were built in the 1960s. With a minimum of fuss...
Our Half Size Mannequins
Half scale mannequins are another of our products made here at our workshops in East Sussex. They reflect our passion for pattern cutting and design. The half size mannequin project was born purely out of a desire to have these for our own design work and so we were...
How to make a fabulous knitted collar
This is a quick blog entry to show you how I made these collars using a Hague linker and some of the tubular yarns and tapes we make at Corkwood Knitting and Crafts in East Sussex. These are the items I used. I measured a strip of 6cm ribbing to match the collar...
A novel method of marbling fabric with Procion MX
Marbling with Procion dyes A word about safety-: Although these dyes are amongst the safest on the market, It is best to avoid inhaling the dry dye powder as it can produce lung irritation. Where possible use the dye in solution. Wear rubber gloves when...
Applying Procion MX dye with a bottle
Mixing dye to be applied with a bottle There are many methods that require you to apply dye with an applicator bottle. Below are some of our test pieces we made just by dabbing and folding the fabric in a tray, randomly applying colour and then over...
How to dye feathers
Instructions for dyeing feathers in a microwave Because we have been asked on a number of occasions about dyeing feathers, I thought it was about time I had a go. Feathers being what are classed as a protein fibre like wool and leather need an acid dye and some heat...
Acid Dye Instructions
Instructions for dyeing fleece and wool in a microwave oven and on a stove top. Kenanthrol acid milling dyes are suitable dyes for fleece, wool, silk and other protein fibres. As the name implies these dyes require a hot acidic dye bath for the dye to bond with the...
Procion Dye Basic Instructions
Dyeing with Procion MX dyes. Here are some basic instructions and quantities. There are many ways of using these dyes and much information on the web, but here is a basic method and approximate quantities. These dyes are suitable for Cotton, linen, viscose, hemp and...