Moving out in to the big wild world...

This week I took what is at once both a small step and a big development for my business: the owners of Handpicked Hall (which has stores in Leeds, Ripon and Skipton) have opened an area of the store called the Bob-In, which is a space for small businesses to have their wares permanently on sale in exchange for a few days a month staffing that area (and of course, some rent, although it's very reasonable).

I have been trading on a monthly basis from Handpicked Hall in the Grand Arcade, Leeds, and thought the Bob-In sounded like a good opportunity to get my products in the public eye on a more regular basis and hopefully increase sales to boot. So, this Wednesday I took over a few capes, wraps and shrugs plus my ever-popular long wristwarmers and set my space up. The whole Bob-In area consists of shelving and some hanging rails, and my space is a shelf for wristwarmers and leaflets etc plus hanging space for the garments:

I'm not due to spend a full-day in store for over a week but I did stay in store for a little while to meet a new seller I'd not met before plus have a catch up with some of the vendors that I do know from previous selling days. The whole store is filling up nicely and the food hall and vintage cafe seem to be in full swing so if you're nearby I'd definitely recommend dropping in for a visit!

fabric haul!

Should I admit now to having a fabric addiction or has everyone already worked it out?

You know you've really got a problem when vans start pulling up outside your house loaded with the stuff and all you want to do is jump in and roll around in it!! Which is exactly what happened today...

To roll the clock back a little, yesterday I got a call from Fabricman saying that he sold roll-ends and offcuts of Scottish Mill fabrics, he was in the area tomorrow and could he call in and meet me, give me an idea of what he sold and his prices. I will admit I was expecting more swatches than actual lengths, but this morning Fabricman pulled up with a van full of fabrics... wools, wool/linens, wool/silks, silk/linens, wool/cashmeres. Really high quality material, a lot of it more lightweight than you usually find on sale here in the UK (a lot of the finer weights that are exported straight to the Middle East) plus some lovely coating weights.

All things considered, I was really quite restrained! I got a few samples for a customer who's looking for the perfect material for a full-length coat, then the following two lengths of material:

1) The softest dark grey cashmere/wool blend with a brushed finish. This is so soft you could swaddle a baby in it and they wouldn't complain, although given babies propensity for dribbling I'm not going to test that tomorrow when I see my friend and her little one. This is definitely mine, no amount of begging will make me part with it, and it's going to be made in to a hip-length cape probably with a jacquard lining if I can find one in the right colour.

2) The other length was another cashmere/wool blend with a less obvious brushed finish that is still lovely and soft but not quite so soft as the grey (slightly lower cashmere content). This one is in black, and is going to be made up in to another hip-length cape, this time for general sale.

I have a lining in mind and the cape I'm planning will go on sale for £80 but if anyone wants to snaffle it up before I get round to it (i.e. in the next couple of weeks) and get it custom-made with their choice of lining colour instead then I'd be happy to give you a 10% discount on that price. Just email me.

Yet more fabric!

I may have a fabric problem. This won't come as a surprise to anyone who knows me, but I think I do have to finally admit that I may be addicted (in fact, it may just be a general fibre addiction, as although I have managed 5 months 'Cold Sheep' I don't think it's cured it, just reduced the stash a little bit).

Under the premise of looking for fabric to match to a dress I've been asked to alter, and in need of some white cotton (for a corset) and an invisible zip, I came back from delivering some clothes to a customer via Fletcher's Fabrics. I had said to myself that I was allowed to have a look at their new summer fabrics and buy a couple of fabric lengths to make up some sample tops & skirts, problem is...how do you choose when they're all lovely?! In the end I decided to come home with the following poly-cottons, some of which I have definite plans for in my head whilst others I have a small idea but not much more than that: 

The first was bought to be used in combination with some black cotton on a skirt, although it would make a great top too...

The second is one I couldn't resist (I do have a bit of a reputation for shoes as well after all!) and I think will probably be a skirt...

This next one will probably be a summer top of some sort, and is actually along the lines of what I was planning to get...

And finally, a length that I could hardly leave behind (yes I do also have a tendancy to collect handbags!) I think this might also end up in a skirt too...

Having said that they're planned for samples, if anyone wants something making up for them out of any of the above I'd be happy to oblige...then head back armed with another excuse to do a bit of shopping!