Its our birthday!

This week we celebrate our  Birthday at Millie Moon.  It has been 4 years since we opened the doors to our little fabric heaven to share with the world. Looking back at early pictures we had very little stock but a lot of enthusiasm and ideas. Although I don't think either of us realised quite how much the business would grow in such a short space of time. After opening in 2008 we started the Sewing school in 2009. In 2010 we moved to bigger premises and in 2011 we opened our 2nd shop in Wells. What will 2012 bring...?

Millie Moon in Frome

Millie Moon Wells

  

We have seen our range of stock grow to include, Moda, Riley Blake, Michael Miller to name but a few and of course kept the original favourites of Kaffe Fassett, Amy Butler, Tilda and Tanya Whelan, beautiful wool felt, pompom trims and rows of ribbons. Jelly rolls, charm packs and Layer cakes fill the shelves with their stunning mix of colours. Waddings, vilenes and a huge selection of basic haberdashery, may not be so pretty, but a real necessity for all crafts.

   The Millie Moon Sewing School has gone from strength to strength. There was a whole generation that didn't sew and struggled to sew on a button. We set up the sewing school not just to cover the basics but to really inspire and create confidence in people's abilities and choices. Workshops in a wide range of crafts, not just sewing.

We also offer 1-1 tuition, birthday parties, baby showers and hen dos.


Also, our lovely little Sewing club on 1st tuesday of every month, brings together a group of ladies with similar interests to share, inspire and chat about their projects. This club has been going for over 3 years. Come along and join in.

Kids are so creative and keen to learn, that kids workshops were soon added to the schedule, as well as birthday parties. We want to inspire our children to have fun with craft and colour.  So that there isn't a generation that misses out again. (All our kids tutors are CRB checked)

All our Tutors and employees are artists in their own right. Between them their creativity covers a wide range of areas from quilting, dressmaking, ceramics to textile artists. They are bloggers, authors, run etsy/ folksy shops, have studio spaces, websites and are established businesses in their own right. All with a passion for arts crafts and textiles. All truly inspirational people. We are honoured to support them and other local designers by stocking their work in our shops.

Freemotion machine embroidery with Angela Lai Yen

Teach me to sew with Angela

Ceramic button making with Jo Luckstead

Dressmaking workshops with Anne Baillie-Smith

Patchwork and Quilting with Caroline Frances-Payne

"make me a dress" By Alexandra King

Collage with Gaynor Ringland

 

Millie Moon is our love and our passion. We have worked tirelessly together as business partners and believed in each other as sisters to create a business and a brand we adore and are very proud of.


Juggling our young families (5 children between 2-12 years) keeping house and in the beginning with full time jobs, this has been a true labour of love. Working late nights and weekends we couldn't have done it without the support and love of families and friends. 

We would like to take this opportunity to say a big

" THANK YOU"

 to our families, the team, the tutors, our lovely customers, our followers on twitter, facebook and the blog, thank you for all being so enthusiastic, inspirational and supportive.

Here's to another exciting year ahead... what will it bring? 

Watch this space.............

Big love

Rachel and Becki x

Please take a look at our website for products and workshops. The new season schedule for workshops will be available soon.  www.milliemoonshop.co.uk

An evening with the Frome WI

On May 17th we were invited by the lovely ladies of the newly formed Frome Wi to be their guest speakers. All the team gathered together at the shop on beautiful Catherine hill and wandered up the hill to the United Reformed church hall on Whittox lane, sewing machines at the ready.

With plenty of space to spread out we quickly set up our 3 make tables and 3 demonstration tables. Tonights theme, Jubilee of course.

Two tables were making Jubilee corsages with Angela and myself and the other table were working on paper craft with Gaynor. Some fab pieces were made.

On the demonstration tables we had Vickie (Fromemaid) demonstrating her own jubilee tea cosy kits, 

Caroline was marking the jubilee with a special quilt demonstration 

and Becki was giving away expert tips in making jubilee bunting. 

A really lovely but exhausting evening and the ladies moved around the room, one lady referred to it as 'speed crafting'! Hopefully everyone had a go at the makes and were inspired by the demonstrations.

We have a range of jubilee fabrics, ribbons, buttons and bows in both shops. Fromemaid tea cosy's, Millie Moons Bunting and corsages are available ready made and in kit form. Pop in and be ready for your street party!


Thanks to Frome WI for inviting. We will see you in November for "christmas crafts"


 Photos supplied by Storm @ Frome WI
If you are interested in joining the WI, then please contact Storm via their Facebook page

Introducing... Gaynor Ringland

Gaynor has been running workshops at Millie Moon for a couple of years, and has recently joined the team working in the Frome/Wells shop. We caught up with her to find out more about her sewing habits.

1) How did you learn to sew? Is it something that you've always done?
Ummm... I'm afraid that I taught myself the basics, but my Mum did show me how to do embroidery when I was a girl.

2) What is your favourite type of sewing project? Do you have a picture you could share with us?
I really like to make collages using paper and fabrics. I love the combinations and the different textures and messing around until they look good (see picture below).

3) How did you come to work at Millie Moon? And what do you enjoy most about being part of team Millie Moon?
I am the new girl! I have been running workshops for Rachel and Becki for a couple of years and I supply the shop with some of my goodies (finished collages as well as collage kits). I was so glad when they asked me to be part of the team, as I love spending time in the shop. It's very inspirational!

4) What gadget or tool could you not live without for crafting?
Well I suppose my main tool is my sewing machine. I'm not very good with gadgets as I am rubbish at reading instructions. I just want to get on with it!

5) Who is your favourite fabric designer/ textile artist/ sewing-related person? And why?
I love Abigail Brown's fabric birds (follow these links at your peril - this is a temptation warning!), they are gorgeous. Also, Tamar Mogendorff makes lovely birds and houses. Anyone that makes birds is a winner, oh and Poppy Treffry, I think her work is very distinctive and very English.

6) Where can we see more of your work?
You can find my work in Millie Moon shops in both Frome and Wells, and I shall be at the Christmas at the Barn in Mells at the end of November.

Finally, Gaynor runs workshops regularly, so keep an eye out for the new timetable and do call the shop (01373 464650) to find out more!