Hello hello, 

Anna here and I’m very excited to be introducing my new range of Sewing Patterns For Children’s Clothing!

They’ve been a long time coming…..I’ve been working with Millie Moon for over a year now and I’ve often been asked when people see my little dresses in the shops ‘Do you have a pattern for that?’ or during workshops ‘Can I buy a pattern?’ and the answer is now YES!!

My mission was to create an easy to follow, multi sized range that was simple to sew at home and that you can buy all the lovely materials you need to make at Millie Moon. There’s 3 styles to fit ages 1-5 to start with - a very cute Party Dress with a full skirt, a versatile sleeveless Pinafore Dress and an A-line T Shirt Dress with built in sleeves.

They’ve been a challenge to put together, I had to use my, somewhat rusty and self taught, CAD experience and call upon some of my lovely friends for their help - huge thanks to Chris at Wing’s Art and Design Studio and Aran at Latitude Photography for their skills, and everyone at Millie Moon for their        enthusiasm and patience.

I hope you enjoy making the patterns as much as I’ve enjoyed putting them together - all feedback would be much appreciated, I’d love to see photos of your finished dresses and hear your suggestions for the next additions to the range.

Please note…….All my patterns are clearly marked Not For Commercial Use, this means they are for home use only by Mummys, Aunties, Nannys etc making for their friends and family NOT for business or any other monetary gains/sale. As simple as the patterns and instructions look they have taken me a long time to develop and I also design and sell handmade ready to wear dresses. Copyright law exists to protect designers who risk sharing their ideas and I hope people understand and respect this. Thanks x

GIVE AWAY TIME

So, 3 styles, 3 samples, 3 Millie Moon shops, I thought what better excuse for a little introductory giveaway! There’s 1 free pattern up for grabs at each Millie Moon store - simply pop in as soon as possible, have a look at the sample dress and enquire:

 ‘Do you have ANNA's pattern for that?‘ 

to claim the hot off the press 1^st editions…… 

remember - Just one pattern per shop - first come first served

 I’m also aiming to cover making all the little dresses as workshops at Millie Moon, starting with the Pinafore Dress on 9th February in Keynsham and 27^th April in Frome - these workshops include all materials too, bargain.

Papped in Frome by Fromemaid

The Roman blinds for beginners workshop on September the 17th was fully booked and the new shop layout worked really well in allowing space for customers to browse whilst the workshop was in progress.

The photographer from the local paper Frome Times came by and Rachel; one half of the sisters team who own the business, invited him to return when the workshop was in full swing.
  Whether this was prearranged or spontaneous I do not know!  All four ladies were happy to have their picture taken and I think it will be a lovely momento of my time at Millie Moon when I am older, our copy has gone in our family keepsake box!

More importantly, each participant successfully completed a sample sized Roman blind and felt equipped with the skills and knowledge to go home and produce their full sized blinds in their homes.

I too was inspired  by the workshop and this seasons trend for "Scandi greys" soft furnishings and bought plenty of my favourite fabric; from the Michael Miller range "Just my Type" by Patty Young, to make blinds and a quilted throw for our bedroom. It feels very much a modern interpretation of Orla Keily to me.

Many thanks to Martyn of the Frome Times for allowing us to reproduce his photographs in this blog post with his kind permission.

By Fromemaid xxx

Join Fromemaid for her next Roman blind workshop In Wells on Sunday 20 October 2-5pm £40 inclusive of fabrics.  

The workshop makes a sample blind approx

65x35cm to allow you to learn the skills and gain the knowledge to go on and make a full size blind. 

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

Look April Showers arrived in Millie Moon, Frome........

Look look its April and here comes the rain - the April Showers have arrived, right in our shop window.......but don't panic this is a nice friendly April Shower that we are more than happy to welcome. You could say its raining brightly coloured felt, lovely patterned fabric, buttons, threads and craft craft craft!!! Don't forget its bursting at the seams with smiles too. (Sorry I will stop now with the silliness!)

Changing the subject, I've always been a fan of rain clouds and the idea of rain (but dislike forgetting my umbrella and getting wet, who doesn't) so I've been itching for an excuse to create rain themed pieces, what better reason than a fun window display to make everyone smile. I hope you all enjoy the window and if you haven't seen it in the flesh yet please do pop by. You may be enticed with a craft kit or two: I've packed rain into a bag for you: you can make your very own mini 'make me cloud mobile', 'make me rain plushie' and 'make me rain bunting'. Wouldn't it be lovely to have a bedroom filled with rain!! Or a rain party!! Okay just getting a little over-excited.

The talented Gaynor aka Ginger Girl has also been busy creating rain on a bag! Her beautiful embellish me canvas bag kits are ever popular and contain everything you need to create your own original bag - decorate away. Ginger Girl has created making kits of plushies too - you will find an adorable hedgehog, a friendly owl and pretty birds. All hedgehogs, owls and birds like jumping in puddles too didn't you know........the only thing they are missing is a loving home and a name to be proud of.

Don't forget Millie Moon stores are stocked with a range of felt newly arrived in fact is the wool mix felt on the roll, polyester toy stuffing, an array of embroidery silks and oodles and oodles of buttons perfect for any creative project you have in mind weather it be rain or shine. There is also our pre printed oil cloths and the NEW Lamifix which turns your fabric into oil cloths - perfect for all year round bunting. You really could have a rain party.

If you are buzzing with the creative bug do pop into Millie Moon and show us what projects are keeping you busy, we love to see what everyone is creating or better still join us in one of our workshops. Our classes are ever changing and new exciting skills are always popping up.
www.milliemoonshop.co.uk

Bye for now,
Angela

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.

New Lampshade workshop at Millie Moon

Introducing our new Lampshade workshops with the lovely Harriet from Podgy Pigeon.

On Tuesday evening, Harriet came along to the Frome shop for the first workshop session. 6 keen students were ready and willing. The evening started off with the difficult bit. What fabric to choose?

Now this was more taxing than we thought so a cup of tea was definitely needed. Once we had all finally picked our 1/2 metre of fabric, Harriet was talking through the materials and tools needed and demonstrating the first step.

Such concentration on everyones faces!  It became quite intense and there was a lot of holding our breaths and big deep sighs..

Vickie, Jo and Sarah ready for the big peel

Careful Becki! are you sure its     straight?

Now for the tricky bit, this could be a two man job...

Sarah and Gaynor's team-work

 

Becki and Elvis.... "got my hat, whens the wedding"

The Groups finished lampshades. A mix of colour pattern and design. Each unique to their maker. Now time for another cup of tea and some chocolate cake. A really fun workshop with no sewing!

Here is mine, on its base in my new grown up lounge. Just beautiful!

I had a great evening, learning a new craft in the new year. I hope to make another very soon for the standard lamp in the corner of the room. Just waiting for those kits to arrive from Harriet. 

Why don't you have go?  

by Rachel x 

Workshops with Harriet at the Frome Shop:
Monday 18th February 10.30-1.30pm
Monday 25th March 10.30-1.30pm
£40 including all materials and refreshments

Coming soon - Lampshade kits available to buy from Millie Moon 

Take a look at Harriets work. She takes commissions for lampshades if you don't want to make your own.  http://www.etsy.com/shop/PodgyPigeon                
Podgy Pigeon is on Facebook and Twitter

Free postage and new years workshops

Until 31 December 2012  We are offering you 

FREE POSTAGE 

on all orders placed through the website or by phone. 

We try to keep the website as up to date as possible, but if you have seen something in the shop and cant see it on the website then please contact the shop. 

Perfect for getting all those fabrics ready for your christmas projects, gift vouchers and gifts.

www.milliemoonshop.co.uk

The workshops lists for the new year are now available on the website. Do you know someone who would like to learn to sew? Why not book a workshop for a gift? 

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