There is nothing standard about our lamps :)

Workshop with Fromemaid.
Sunday the 8th of September saw my first whole day of lampshade making in our Frome shop.  We used the  individual lampshade kits now stocked by Millie Moon which make the whole activity that more approachable to beginners-not to mention more affordable, if you only want to make one, or a few for personal use.
Eight lovely women attended the  morning and afternoon workshops and as ever, the range of fabrics chosen varied greatly from person to person. So at the end of each workshop there were four very professional , individual lampshades to wear (!)

Or of course, you could make them as gifts or adorn your home with them, which probably makes more sense!

The sheer delight of these is they are so easy to do once you have made your first one.  There is no sewing involved at all, so they are really relatively quick to complete, certainly something you could make one evening after work on your kitchen table.

They are a really affordable way of adding some individuality to your home decor, we worked out to make a  size 30 cm barrel shade using our kit and buying  40cm  of your chosen  fabric would cost just £ 20.60.  

Come along and Join Fromemaid Vickie on the next Lampshade workshop -  Wells on October 20th.  Followed by another in Frome on January 5th. Price £40 including all materials

Invitation to the opening of Millie Moon in Keynsham, Bristol

On Saturday 7th September at 11am we will open the doors of our 3rd Millie Moon Haberdashery Boutique in Keynsham, Nr Bristol. Its so exciting! (if not just a little scary). 

Over the last month we have roped in family and friends to help with the painting, decorating and little extras in the new shop. We love the way it looks and we hope you do to. A very big thank you to everyone for their continued help and support, especially local designers; Make me a Dress, Ooh la la Lampshades, Gingergirl, Angela Lai Yen, Fromemaid, Little Fuzzkits, Jo Lucksted Ceramics, Edamay and Unicorn Shoes.

A special mention to John and Julie, Mum and Dad, Jamie, Sam and all the kids who have had to put up with us running around, writing lists and giving out jobs. 

We thought you might like a little sneaky peak of the new shop before we open officially... 

Lamp by 'ooh la la lampshades' in the fabric room

button bowls, fat quarters,  haberdashery

threads by Gutterman, Dresses by 'Make me a dress'

ribbons, toy stuffing and haberdashery

christmas!

Moda pre-cuts

embroidery threads

We would love to see you all for the opening on Saturday, please come along... there may even be cake!

love

Rachel and Becki

xx

our cute new sign

Mollie Makes and Millie Moon

We have teamed up with the very creative Mollie Makes magazine to offer this months subscription gift. Details below. 

Subscribe today and receive a pretty gift of fabric, buttons and ribbons from Millie Moon

 

Subscribe Benefits:

In addition to the FREE gift from Millie Moon, subscribers also save 32%* on the shop price, get the magazine delivered direct to their door at no extra cost and they still continue to receive the fantastic FREE gifts on every issue!

Subscribe Today:

www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/MMS31T

Hurry! Offer ends 31^st July.

Please send us pictures of what you make with your gift. We would love to see them!

Terms and conditions:

*Savings compared to buying 13 full priced issues a year from the UK newsstand. This offer is for new UK print subscribers only. You will receive 13 issues in a year. Gift is available to new UK print subs paying by 6 monthly Direct Debit and one and two year debit/credit card payments. Please allow up to 60 days for delivery of your gift. Gift is subject to availability. In the event of stocks becoming exhausted, we reserve the right to replace with items of a similar value. Full details of the Direct Debit guarantee are available upon request. If you are dissatisfied in any way you can write to us or call us to cancel your subscription at any time and we will refund you for all unmailed issues. Prices correct at point of print and subject to change. For full terms and conditions please visit: myfavm.ag/magterms. Offer ends: 31^st July 2013

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English Paper Piecing with the Frome WI

This month we were very excited to be asked back by the Frome WI to join them for their 1st Birthday. 

We were with them at the very first meeting when we made Jubilee corsages with the group. We also popped back to see them in November to do a christmas make with them, little felt gingerbread men. 

This time, we decided to teach the group a skill and show them the traditional patchwork method of 
"English Paper Piecing"

We used pre-cut 2.5" paper hexagons and 3" pre-cut fabric squares to create flowers. Each hexagon is sewn by hand, once 7 hexagons have been made, then the group began sewing the hexagons together to create the flowers. 

Hand sewing is very satisfying and english paper piecing is very addictive. Its that little project that you can carry around and do anywhere, in the cafe, on the train, in front the tele. Just pop it into a bag. 

This process can be developed into an appliqué design on a larger project, turned into placemats, baby balls or sewing the flowers together will make a very detailed and special handmade quilt. Its great for using scraps as its only small pieces that you are using. Perfect for a memory quilt or using vintage fabrics.




About the WI
Over the last year the group have held a wide variety of meetings attracting about 50 ladies, covering Astronomy, clay modelling, wreath making, midwifery, wine, cheese, self defence and craft, but they have also been involved in fundraising and working to support local causes and businesses. 

  

If you fancy going along to the WI:

They meet on the third Thursday of every month in the United Reformed Church Hall on Whittox Lane in Frome from 7.30 - 9.30. The best place to park is in the Westway carpark (behind Argos in the centre of town) and then walk up the lane by the bike shop. This will bring you out on Whittox Lane. 

Contact info for the Frome WI: 

WI.frome@gmail.com. 
http://fromewi.blogspot.co.uk
also on Twitter and Facebook


Pictures supplied by Frome WI 

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

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!

Millie Moon charity craft event 2012

We are very excited to announce our Charity event 

 'Make with Millie Moon' craft day. 

and we are really pleased to be supporting and raising money for the 

A local charity that is close to our hearts and has touched so many local people.

http://www.positiveactiononcancer.co.uk/

The event is being held on

Sunday 7th October

at

 Mells Barn, Between Frome and Wells. 

10-5pm

Tickets are £40 

(to include all the activities and refreshments)

So far plans for the day include ,

Speed crafting 

Jelly Roll Racing

A Guest Speaker (tbc)

A raffle

Lunch and refreshments

Fabric suppliers MODA are going to sponsor the event,  

How exciting is that!

And amazing crafters and tutors have agreed to give their time to be involved. 

So far, We have the Fromemaid, Paper Artist - Gaynor Ringland, Textile Artist -Angela Lay-Yen, Dufflebobble crafts, Alexandra and Anna from 'Make me a dress', Quilter -Caroline Francis-Payne, Dressmaker-Anne Baillie-Smith and local Ceramicist Jo Luckstead

We hope you will come along and support the event. Tickets available from Millie Moon shops in Frome and Wells.

Please contact us if you need any further information 

Christmas in July...?

Summer is here! The sun is shinning! Lots of time to sit in the garden and enjoy all those light warm summer evenings. Ummmm ...


Maybe we should take advantage of this weather and get ahead of ourselves. Christmas is only 173 making days away and if the sunshine does arrive in september/october again this year, we will want to be rushing out into the garden for a quick bbq not making stockings and lavender hearts for the school fair.

Shop display on Sunday 1 July for the Frome Artisan Market including christmas tree

So now is the time to be bold and brave. Buy that christmas stash and get those projects started. You will soon have a large collection of stock ready for all those last minute gifts, school fairs and house decorations. 


We have just received the first of the Christmas collections in from Riley Blake.


The first is 'Santa's workshop'

Beautiful bright fresh prints, small enough for those little projects or as a babes 1st christmas quilt 

by the metre, FQ, charm packs and layer cakes

Also 'Apline Wonderland'

A contemporary collection of greens, reds and blues. Birds and trees in winter scenes. Perfect for christmas tablecloths, napkins and quilted coasters.

by the metre, FQ, charm packs and layer cakes

Finally, Riley Blake Advent Calendar Panel 

A simple and effective way to create a family advent calendar which can be used year after year

  The panel includes the calendar, softies in christmas scenes and a holiday banner. 

This is just the start of the christmas collections, we have many more to come including Michael Miller and Moda

What will you make? 

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