Introducing Lucy Litchfield Designer and Maker

Lucy joined our team in 2012 as our beginners dressmaking tutor in Wells.  During the beginners 'one day' workshop, Lucy will guide you through process of 'Draughting a simple skirt pattern' to your own measurements, make this from calico so any adjustments needed can be made, learn how to insert a zip and add a hem, then make a finished piece in your choice of Millie Moon fabric. At the end of the day you get to take home a finished perfectly fitting skirt, a pattern of your own and the skills to go on and make more... 

Lucy will also be joining us in the Frome shop from the spring, hosting more kids and teens workshops. 

Heres a little about Lucy by Lucy: 

Having spent my life on the Somerset levels, I have always had a love for all things old and rustic. I have collected and stored Vintage clothing and fabrics for as long as I can remember and had every intention of making and creating beautiful things to wear, give and sell. However, I lacked the self belief in my creative and technical skill. In September 2010 I lost my mother in the same month as becoming pregnant with my first baby. This tremendous emotional episode in my life gave me the courage to take my sewing further. Life is too short and I want to spend mine with my baby girl Winifred, teaching and sewing!

I completed an art diploma and a Fashion degree at Winchester School of Art, which culminated in designing, pattern cutting and making a six outfit collection. After graduating I moved to London where I spent an incredible 2 years working for an exclusive fashion boutique Koh Samui selling high end designer clothing to the rich and famous. I also worked part time for the designer Tristan Webber, spending many hours hand stitching couture dresses and fur jackets.

My stint in the fashion industry soon made me realise it wasn’t the life for me and that I needed something more real, honest and enriching to do with my life. I decided to travel solo around the world and afterwards I settled back into Somerset life, fell in love, became a secondary school art teacher and bought some pigs!


Because of a passion for old fashioned living my wardrobe has always been made up of old tops and dresses from the 30's, 40's and 50's and when high street shopping I always found myself saying "I could make that, and better!", so I never bought anything and just adapted and re-sized vintage clothing or made my own. This has now become a trend in itself!

I have always had a passion for traditional dressmaking and admire the way in which vintage clothing is so carefully hand made. My mum was a very creative person and a huge influence on me, sewing many of her own clothes as-well as for my siblings and me and our Barbies! My great grandmother was also a dressmaker so maybe it is in the blood! Now that I have the wonderful Winifred in my life it is her that inspires me the most.









I now spend my time doing Part time supply teaching, hosting workshops at Millie Moon, setting up Handmade in Somerset by Lucy Litchfield, playing housewife and being mummy to my beautiful and inspiring daughter Winifred.








Come and Join Lucy for beginners dressmaking in Wells:

Sunday 7th April £90 including all materials
Sunday 30th June £90 including all materials

and kids workshops In Frome:
Friday 5th April Felt monsters 7+ 
Wednesday 10th April reversible bags 11+
Wednesday 29th May Felt monsters 7+
Wednesday 29th May reversible bags 11+

Material World by Perri Lewis

OOh a new craft book!...When this beautiful book arrived in the shop, everyone couldn't wait to get their hands on it. 
Material World by Perri Lewis:

   (and not just because we have a lovely little mention in the book :)

Perri Lewis, writes about contemporary craft for the Guardian, Daily Mail, Company and a selection of modern craft magazines. Its an exciting book about modern craft, something that we at Millie Moon love.  On the back of the book is the statement "Craft just got all grown up"

Some of our favourite designers, Amy Butler, Tatty Devine, Rob Ryan and Kaffe Fassett are among the many who have contributed some of their wisdom to this book. 

Reading through the book, it is very well set out, with easy to follow chapters that make you just want to read the whole thing like a novel. But it is also split into easy sections so that you can refer to the section you are interested in and come back to the fab projects in each section.

The book covers a wide variety of crafts including:

• Decoupage,
• Printing,
• Encrusting, 
• Cross stitching, 
• Quilling,
• Millinery,
• Embellishments,
• Paper cutting,
• Leatherwork,
• Macramé,
• Patchwork
• Jewellery making, 
• Tailoring
•  and Appliqué.

Lots of things I have never tried before but am going to have a go now! I really fancy trying the tshirt dress project below.

Each section has hints and tips by experts in their craft to help perfect those skills and there are also lessons to help you create your own projects rather than following a set pattern. 


A really lovely book, thank you to Perri for our mention in it.  We have copies of the book for sale in both the shops. Pop in and take a look.

Rachel x

Wow! quilts by Abby.

Abby is a regular at Millie Moon Sewing club. She has been coming along for a while now, and always has a quilt on the go. This month we were all amazed as she brought in the two memory quilts she has been working on for her girls. They were fantastic and I asked her if we could pop them on to our blog. 

Over to Abby:


I started quilting in June, My brother and sister-in-law were expecting their first baby, and I thought a baby patchwork would be a perfect present. They didn't know if they were going to have a boy or a girl so it had to be suitable for both. So the binding was a dark material with tiny strawberries on, and the patches were mixtures of colourful dotted material, ladybirds, frogs and stripes. They had a lovely little girl in September, and she loves the quilt.

 I then made a similar one for my nephew, with jars of insects and more boyish material.

Then I made the quilts for my daughters christmas presents (pictured), these were a much bigger task as not only are they six times the size of the ones I had done for the babies, but I had to try to do them without them realising. As well as buying special materials with designs that suited them, I also bought all the baby grows and beautiful clothes that I couldn't part with when they had grown out of them down from the attic. After a large glass of wine I managed to build up the courage to cut them up . My mum bought round some clothes from when I was a baby for me to use, and she also made the buttonholes for the pockets as I didn't have a clue.The hardest patch were the coca-cola ones. I traced the writing from
the label of a cola bottle, then cut it out and pinned it to the fabric then cut round it, but it was very fiddely. My favourite patches have all the funny things they used to say as toddlers embroidered onto it. Its nice to look at them and remember. The girls favourite patches are one of the pockets with a laminated four leaf clover in them that we found on a walk one day, (luckily we found two or that could have been awkward) and the marmite and nutella jars. I have just finished making a single quilt for my eldest niece, which I hope she will like. I have also made my girls a couple of dresses. It is a fairly new hobby but one I enjoy very much, I have met some new friends through the Milliemoon sewing club, and they are always happy to help if I have any questions.

Millie Moon Sewing club meets on the 1st tuesday of every month in the Frome shop 6-8pm 

Come along and bring a project, meet new friends, and chat over a cup of tea and cake. 
Next one is 5th March

Happy Valentine's day! ... How to make Lavender hearts

Beautiful simple lavender hearts make wonderful gifts and will add to a room. Here's the recipe... 

Your ingredients: You will need...

Step 1

Place your fabric right sides together

Draw around our template

Step 2

Attach the ribbon you want to use for hanging, inside the fabric in the right position and pin 

Step 3

Sew around the shape, leaving a small opening ready for stuffing

Step 4

Cut out the heart, leaving a small seam allowance. Around the curved sections make small cuts in the fabric. (make sure you dont cut through the thread) and turn through to the right side.

Step 5

Stuff the heart using polyester toy stuffing and add a small amount of lavender

Step 6

Sew up the gap using small slip stitch 

Just gorgeous and Sew Simple!

Introducing Dressmaker Anna Vickery

We are really pleased to welcome the lovely and very talented Anna Vickery to our team. Anna has been teaching workshops with us in Wells for about a year now, but is now joining the team working in the Wells shop. Anna is developing workshops in dressmaking, working with paper patterns, teens workshops and many more and we hope to offer a wide range in both Frome and Wells. 

Here is a little bit about Anna by Anna.

"I studied Fashion Design at The University of the West of England in Bristol, and graduated with a Ba(hons) in 2005. During my time at university I was selected to exhibit at Graduate Fashion week in London and at The Royal West of England Academy in Bristol. My Fashion Design degree covered many areas including design, pattern cutting and sample development, garment construction, illustration, technical drawing, styling, business, visual culture and contextual studies.

After university I started my career as a Junior Designer for a specialist company which design and produce heavy duty leather and textile products, mainly for the Police and Armed Forces. It was very much ‘in at the deep end’ but great experience - if I could work with leather on heavy machinery I can sew anything….

Along the way I have also worked for a luxury leather brand and a floral designer - I always seem to pick nice/tempting products to work with, and now I’m at Millie Moon, trying to resist new fabric every week!

I also currently work with amazing Womenswear and Bridal designer Alexandra King. I met Alexandra at university and now help her create handmade clothing and accessories for women worldwide from her Somerset studio. We design and make every garment, mainly dresses, in house and strongly believe in traditional craftsmanship and service. I am mainly involved with the actual making of the dresses, it may surprise you to know that despite my background in ‘design’ I hate drawing, so we work well together - Alexandra is an inspiration and truly lovely friend. www.alexandra-king.com

Since school/college/university and beyond my influences have come from twentieth century art, media and design. Current projects I am working on include making a Wedding Dress for an old school friend who is getting married in June, working on a new Chilrenswear/Flowergirl mini collection ready for a Wedding Fair at Bristol Zoo we are exhibiting at in March, oh and i’m about to move house so i’m collecting ideas for new interiors projects, starting with re-upholstering 6 dining chairs….

I’ve been leading workshops for Millie Moon for nearly a year and have just started doing a few days in the Wells shop - it’s great to be able to share skills in such a colourful and creative environment. I’m also looking forward to my first Millie Moon Hen Party soon. My next workshops include Teen Dressmaking, How to make a Childs Dress, How to make a Clutch Bag and How to use a paper pattern. I am also available for 1-1 sewing/dressmaking tuition.

Teens PJ Shorts workshop Sunday 24th March - Wells shop

Anna will be in the Frome shop on Friday 15th February 2013 with a teens workshop - "Up-cycle your clothes" come along with your own garment that you would like to change, update or customise. Make it fit your own individual style! ages 11+ involves some use of the sewing machine and hand sewing techniques. Great for those who have an interest in fashion design.


Pop in and see Anna in the wells shop for a chat or book a workshop. Anna is also available for 1-1 sessions should you need specific help or advice.

New workshops with Anna coming in the spring: 

• Beginners Embellishments
• Step by Step by tulip skirt without a pattern 
• Make your own Pyjama shorts
• up-cycle your clothing
• Simple Sun top
• Girls simple summer dress

www.milliemoonshop.co.uk

kids 1/2 term workshops

 

Its that time already, next week is 1/2 term here in Somerset. We have put together a great list of workshops for Mini Millie Moon Makers at the Frome Shop.

 

Mon 11th feb  – Teach me to sew with Angela  (11yrs+)

10.30-1.30 - £20

Tuesday 12^th feb  – Valentines crafts with Gaynor (7yrs+)

10.30-1.30 - £20

Wednesday 13^th feb    Fabric and felt monsters with Lucy  (7yrs+)

10.30-1.30 - £20

Thursday 14^th feb  -Reversible bags with Lucy (11yrs+)

10.30-1.30  - £30

Friday 15^th feb  – Upcyle your clothes with Anna  (11yrs+)

10.30-1.30  - £25

Ages 7+ hand sewing

Ages 11+ machine sewing

 

Please call or pop into the shop to book. Full payment is needed at time of booking.