Christmas Stockings

Currently making personalised Christmas stockings. Doing two at the moment for a boy and girl.

Embroidery on stocking

This is the stocking for Rose so far.

Sorry for the poor quality images, camera phones are not fantastic and haven't had the chance to edit them.
Let me know if anyone would like to order one, prices range from £5 to £10 depending on the length of name and how long it will take me.
All the lettering is hand cut as well as hand stitched, so is the embellishment. The stocking is hand cut and sewed using my sewing machine. Can be quite time consuming so if you want them for this Christmas please order as soon as possible. Please leave a comment if you want one and I will be in touch about your order

Visual Language

Just handed in my first assignment for University in today. Quite relieved I managed to get everything finished and there is a few pieces of work I am please about. Really looking forward to starting our new assignment next week which is Printed and Embellished Surfaces, got the assignment brief and the module looks fantastic! Starting embellishment first as well can not wait.
Will upload some of my work I photographed later on once they are all nicely edited.

Fresh start

Hi everyone,
Haven't been on for a while so here is a quick update. I have started my degree course at Hartlepool Cleveland College of Art and Design,studying Textiles and Surface Design BA(Hons) and so far I'm enjoying it, currently improving on my observational drawing skills (which is easier said than done) and learning loads of new techniques.
I am currently looking into designing my own range of rings and necklaces, as soon as my delivery arrives. I will post them on here and on Facebook, for anyone interested. I am also looking into getting them into a few local vintage shops as well so fingers crossed :)

It's only Rock n Roll

Handmade bags by me, I love them think they are quirky and fun. £10 each. Great for nights out, festivals or just in general really. Other bags on the way for similar price depending on sizes requested.

Dress photoshoot

Here is my dress on my lovely model Chloe. Chloe modelled this dress on the fashion week catwalk for me and looks amazing in it. This pictures are beautiful...no editing needed I might add. The belt I bought from a vintage shop in Darlington really brings the dress together and does the beaded necklace. I also used used these images for my final exhibition and got some really good feed back out the photos and the dress.

Textile Postcards

I have created a range of textile postcards. Here is one example which I am also using for my final show as a promotional postcard. This is of Saltburn pier and I love it. It was created using tape transfer then stitched onto calico on the sewing machine and bits of the image were also stitched into to give the image texture. I then transferred it into Photoshop and adapted the levels and lighting.

Finally finished

After what seems like FOREVER my 1950's Polka dot dress is finally finished and I couldn't be happier or more relieved. However I have gone off polka dots for the time being, sick of seeing them haha.

On the bottom of the dress I have stitched in famous faces from the 1950's; James Dean, Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe and my namesake Lauren Bacall. They were created using sticky back plastic transfer. They look fantastic, well I think so, they were just what the dress needed to make it really stand out. Would love to know what people think so feel free to comment.

Necklaces for sale

 

For my porfolio I decided to create a range of necklaces, as I will be creating jewellery on my university course. These necklaces are made using tye dye fabric, buttons, ribbon and a lot of care. 

I will be selling these style of necklaces online, in any colour range you wish. They will £3-£5 depending on the fabric choosen. Feel free to comment if you would like one and specify what colour/fabric you would like. Thanks

Industrial quilt

 

These pieces of work were created to become patches for a quilt. They were created using mixed media techniques. Materials used were, fabric, pen, pencil, thread, tracing paper, and foil. I used photographs and pen drawings to create these pieces. Sortly they will turned into the quilt as planned after I don't need them for my portfolio. I might hang the quilt in my new flat or sell it.

Artist cards cont.

 

Artist cards continued. Here are the ones created for my porfolio, backed onto fabric. I like the effect of the cards, lamanated and then machine stitched onto calaco. As you can see I tried out different techniques on the images of my dog, I tried in colour and black & white cut out. I prefer him in colour, it shows him off more.

Leaves

Here are three different versions of the same image I drew. The one on the left was created by scanning the original into Photoshop and being enhanced using the fill tool and levels. The middle one is the original created using, pen, pencil and watercolours. The last one on the right is made using newspaper collage, pen, pencil and thread. I like these images and I am going to frame them for my wall when they aren't needed for my portfolio.

Graphic design

 

Even though textiles is my passion, I am also interested in graphic design. I went to work for the Evening Gazette, in Middlesbrough, for 2 weeks. In that two weeks I learnt alot and was given some projects to do. One project was to create a new cover and idenitity for the Stockton news magazine, a monthly magazine for Stockton's residents. I used fabric patterns to create the new masthead and footer. I choose a different identity for the magazine, shortening then name to 'SN'. I designed this over Christmas so the fabric patterns I used had a Christmassy feel as did the photgraphs. All this work was done using software such as InDesign and Photoshop. The Gazette were pleased with my work and so was I.

Silk painting

 

Here is my silk indian inspired silk painting, on the left, and a embellished tape transfer on the right, with how the patterns could be used in the middle. I created repeat patterns using my silk painting and applied them on Photoshop, to curtains and an armchair. I think they have been really successful attempts at textile surface design. I will be studying textiles and surface design at university in September and I will be creating pieces and tests like these.

1950's dress

 

Here is my 1950's inspired dress, modelled by the gorgeous Alex. This dress was a big challenge as I'd never attempted something like this before. I am very proud of it, even though the construction nearly drove me to madness, it was worth it.

Saltburn pier

 

These are further images from my Saltburn pier photography. They will be used for my textile postcards. I will embroider them adding embellishment. I do have a secret love for photography, I can always appreciate a good view/landscape.

Actasol and sewing

 

These images were created using actasol and sewing. Using my orginal images, I transferred them onto calaco using actasol spray. I then sewed into the images, picking out different bits to embroider.

I think personally they look fantastic, but everyone has there own opinion obviously. They were so quick and simple to create. They would look fantastic as postcards or part of a wall hanging. When I have the time I might make them into something more permenant.

Italy

Wish I was back in Florence, Italy. In that seat in that beautiful villa. Best holiday by far. I love that photo I took, sums up my holiday, relaxing and peaceful

Artist cards

Here is my selection of artist cards. I created these using fabric and Photoshop. I used my own images of my dog, Button Moon. I scaned fabric into Photoshop and transferred my image over. I wanted to represent me, so what better than bright fabrics and my lovely dog.

Time for a change

I very excited about starting university in September. I've spent 4 years at college preparing for it and it's brilliant. Got accepted to every university I applied to which was amazing, if not a little shocking. I will be studying BA (Hons) Textiles and Surface Design at Hartlepool University and I can't wait!
It's deffinatly time for a change, moving will be a very change for a start. A new wardrobe will be needed obviously, and possibly a new change in look. However all in all I am very pleased with myself, I have come so far in the last 4 years and hope to carry on that way :)

Bag design

This piece was for my portfolio. I created a bag and a wallpaper sample using a silk painting of a orange that I design. Using this silk painting I developed it further creating a bag template and a wallpaper sample. I also developed it further by doing a pen drawing and a watercolour painting. I also looked at fabric I could use and made a twisted cord colour wrap in the choosen colours.

I will be using this bag template to create real bags which I will sell online and at craft fairs. Let me know if you would like one and I will add you to the list. The design will be screen printed on to hard wearing fabric so it will be machine washable as well and durable.

Postcards/Coasters

These are my own images. I have made these images into postcards and coasters. They are inspired by my favourite season, Autumn. I will be selling these shortly if anyone is interested, postcards or coasters your choice

Wallpaper

Here is futher images of my wallpaper designs.

Leo the Lion



This was a piece of work created for a illustration piece of work. This lion was created using Photoshop and fabric collage. I think he's adorable and I really love it. I used vectors on Photoshop to create his face. Fabric and pen for the background and collaged plants and leaves for the foreground.



Wallpaper design

Here is a piece of work from my portfolio. This board is a wallpaper development board. The image on the left is my final wall paper design, this was created using photoshop and the two images on the right. In the right top corner is a hand embroidered panel of berries this was developed from the right bottom corner panel, which is a silk painting. This is one of my favourite boards and I am happy to say it is currently being displayed at my college. I am very proud of this board and hope to develop it further.

Rag Dolls

I got very bored over the Christmas holidays, and after being bought a new sewing machine, I decided to make rag dolls. This is the first one I made and now have a collection of five. Obviously this being the first one it isn't the best, however it is my favourite. My inspiration came from my little sister wanting a Lala Loopsy doll, a very unique rag doll toy, looking very much like a character from Tim Burton's Coraline. So I decided to use that type of creepy, yet cute look for my dolls, hence the button eyes and over exeggrated features. I also make the outfits for the dolls. After improving my skills and techniques I am now making them to sell. So let me know if you would like one. I make them to look like the person they are for. This one is meant to look like me when I was a child. I have made them for friends and family and I am in the process of making a Batman one for my cousin.

DIY buttons

I have a slight obsession with DIY buttons. I hand covered these buttons, for a wall hanging I am making, using scraps of fabric and I think they look brilliant. Hand covered buttons are fantastic to personalise clothes and make an outfit your own. I am using these buttons for a section on a wall hanging, along with buttons I have collected and found.

Here is another of my Photography pieces, taken on a lovely night in Saltburn. This image is of my other half on the pier I love this image, it's so simple. This is another image I will include in my textile postcard project.

Here is my image of Saltburn pier, I took this image myself on a lovely evening with my other half not so long ago. I am embarking on making Textile Postcards using my own images. I live by the sea so it will be very easy to take some fantastic photos. I will transfer this image onto fabric then work into it using threads, fabrics and beads. I will produce a series of postcards using images of Saltburn and my home town of Redcar. Obviously i will post pictures when finished.