I just spent a wonderful weekend teaching workshops at Sew Not Strawberry Jam and thought I'd share with you a glimpse of how magical the place is and give you a peek inside Sam's wonderful studio. Two groups of lovely ladies, sunshine, stitching and lots of tea and cake made for a very special few days. Sam made me so welcome and she also has a vintage shepherds hut and a converted horsebox for 'glampers' which are beautifully renovated and furnished - you can see some pictures of them here.
As usual, I took along some of my work to show, the samples I've been showing you, and lots of vintage materials to be used..
The theme of the workshop was 'keep safe', the idea being to make a fabric home to keep something precious in, whether it’s a family photograph, your favourite buttons, or some special stitched words, but it’s a place to keep them safe. I was inspired by 18th century pockets that were worn under clothing and were often the only place something private or valuable could be kept in. You can read a bit more about them here and see some on my 'keep safe' Pinterest board.
I took along a pocket I had made into a kind of installation with objects that might have been kept inside it and hung it in the studio to provide inspiration for the workshop.
The dress I chose to wear for one of the workshop days was a vintage cream silk dress I'd recently bought from an antique fair. It was a bit fragile, missing buttons and needed quite a bit of mending but I thought I could do something with it and had it in mind to wear for this workshop.
It wasn't until I got it home that I discovered a hidden pocket near the hem of the dress, I was thrilled and added a little label and a button. Sometimes things are just meant to be....
24 comments:
Your work is so lovely and spiritually peaceful. Thank you for the inspiration.
Rose
quelle chance d'avoir un si bel atelier !!!
c'est le rêve !!!
What a wonderful few days you have had Christine. Your work looks beautiful, so inspiring. I love the idea of a keep safe pocket for treasures. Your dress is stunning and how incredible it had a pocket in it, obviously meant especially for you.
WOW I have to see that secret dress pocket, I have never seen anything like it! Your own hand made pocket is absloutely beautiful. So excited for next year.
looks like a wonderful time!! wish i could have swam the ocean to be there, I am a pocket lover, I have a growing collection of pockets. they are safe places
What an enchanting place to work. The class looks like great fun, the dress is lovely, your work is fabulous. Come teach in california!
What an enchanting place to work. The class looks like great fun, the dress is lovely, your work is fabulous. Come teach in california!
What an enchanting place to work. The class looks like great fun, the dress is lovely, your work is fabulous. Come teach in california!
What a wonderful place to share.
Would have loved to share the time together,
and learned from you.
Wonderful and magic inspirations, Christine, as always! I would have so loved to be there, the place in Tenterden is so perfect. Thank you for sharing those beautiful details, it is a bit as if we had been there.
It's all so beautiful. That lace is scrumptious.
All your stitching is so beautiful. Wow! The course looks like my idea of Heaven!
I Love Your Work To The Moon and Back!
That looks like a fun and great place to create in. Yes your find was just perfect for this time, like your stitched addition to it, how wonderful for these ladies to see all your work in person!
Christine, what a lovely event you were as to participate in! I am sure each gal there loved working with you! That dress WAS meant to be yours! What an awesome find for you! I love the sewing details on those old pieces of clothing. As you said, they can be delicately seen, I wonder how they were able to do all they did wearing those and that any pieces are still wearable! But the sewing is always so beautiful! As is every piece you make and salhare with us. Would love to attend a class of yours sometime!!! Hugs,
Betsy
love that secret pocket!
That dress and secret pocket is stunningly beautiful Christine, would love to see it xx
Christine I never tire looking at your needlework. How I wish I could have been in the workshop. The dress was meant for you, just beautiful. As soon as I get some of my sewing caught up I'd like to make a secret pocket. Thank you for sharing on your blog. J Lynn
It was a very special day, I wish I could have done two. I cam away unblocked and excited. So thank you. SNSJ is for me a very special place. I hope you will come again soon.
I just wishs to tell you how much I admire your beautiful work. I keep coming back to your blog to look at all those treasures which also make me feel very inspired by you. I wish I could visit one of your workshops but being pretty far away in Germany this might be difficult. Still it is something to keep in mind. Who knows! :-) Thank you very much for sharing your ideas with us!
Wow, I've never found a pocket like that in any of the old garments I wear - I can understand how thrilled you were to discover it! x
So beautiful. I simply love your pieces. I wish you were on Instagram. Thank you for sharing all these great photos. It would be magical to attend a stitching workshop with you. Katey
My kind of workshop. We should have lived in a different time, LOL! Love things from long ago!!!
Your work is absolutely beautiful, I wish women here in the US would do beautiful handwork and embroidery like we do in other parts of the world.
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