Foresters

Stripping back lampshades for recovering (especially this dusty, disintegrating silk) is always best done outdoors. My least favourite task becomes a pleasure though on a sunny day … and I’m in love with my new (bargain from ) lampshade look-a-like parasol ☀️
The threads and shreds blow away to be later gathered by nest makers. I’m sure there are clutches of robins and blackbirds fledged from silk lined nests and litters of bunnies raised in soft cotton lined burrows 🪺🐇😅

Preparations for Sunday 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 I know, I know …. I could buy a zillion miles of this for a few pounds but it’s always satisfying using up the fabric scrap pile (and the family appreciate the sewing machine whirring at full throttle 7am Saturday morning 😅)

Love this image from of a recent lampshade I made in one of my favourite fabrics designed by Duncan Grant (of Bloomsbury/Charleston re known) nestled in beautifully amongst her Cornishware, vintage books and Brown Betty 🤎 🫖 …. and of course the abstract ‘Clouds’ and showers design in the fabric perfectly captures this British Summer🌧️😅
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A stunning ‘Rose and Peony’ commission I completed during last week’s heatwave. The shape and trimmings all chosen by my lovely, returning customer. Such a joy to work with this fabric which encapsulates the beauty of the garden in high Summer. My roses and peonies have certainly been fabulous this year 🌹🌸 …. my vegetables are another story 😅 🐌
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A re-cover of a pair of half shades (for a double bulb wall light). This is a commission for an interior designer client, replacing the original hard lampshade with pleated/gathered Ian Sanderson Savannah fabric in salmon. I love this ditsy leopard print as it’s such a balance of pretty and contemporary 🐆 💕

I had so much love for the pretty vintage tassel fringe I used as bunting to adorn my cabin and the Love Sadler Gate Spring Market earlier this month. I have this available by the metre in dusky pink, salmon pink and the champagne/cream (as in my image). Perfect for Summer garden parties 🎊
It can be found on my website (link in bio) under the ‘passementerie’ tab. I’m also adding to the site some fabulous buys, with full 25m cards of various fringe for under £10 and trimmings starting at 25p per metre 🤩

At the car boot at 6am this morning, a long anticipated first of the year. I’m an early bird but this morning was a struggle as I was up until 2am waiting in vain for the aurora 🥱
My ambition of seeing the Northern Lights may not have been successful but I’m glad I made it out this morning to fulfil another ambition of finding one of my teapots in the wild 😅
These were made for me some years back in Stoke-on-Trent using original vintage decals. They were great sellers for a long while, until raw material costs rocketed and I had to cease them.
I knew I’d come across one eventually and, for a bargain £3 , I brought it back home 🫖

The ubiquitous and enduring ‘Rose and Peony’ by Sanderson which has been around as a fabric since the early 1900’s in various colour palettes and scale.
This large 22” lampshade is a classic colourway, but with a mid-century vibe in a bowed empire frame shape with jade fringe and retro striped original-vintage braid.
It’ll be a perfect part of my display for the Electric Daisy Garden, at the Spring Market tomorrow (Saturday 4th May 11am -4pm) 🌺 🌸

We’re seeking CRAFT/ARTISAN/MAKER STALLS for this small (but popular) traditional fete raising funds for St.Paul’s, Scropton on Saturday 8th June 1pm.
Pitches are £20 each and will be located in the church grounds. You would need your own table/ gazebo.
Please comment or message if you’d like to join in 🥰

A customer commission covering my client’s ‘big top/circus’ bespoke frames (recreating original antique designs) in their pure silk dupion. 🎪🎪
These are destined for a pair of, very covetable, art deco oriental ‘juggler’ figurine bases.
These were challenging makes in terms of pattern placement as I literally only had a couple of tiny fabric remnants after cutting, and could only allow tiny margins for stretching and stitching but I do love working with silk and the finish that can be achieved, especially when the colours are so rich and opulent 🤩 ❤️ 💛

Always such fun …. a large William Morris patchwork lampshade with harlequin fringe and further customised details of vintage beads and tassels 🤩
No need to pick and choose when you can have eight fabrics on one lampshade …. simply revolve to ‘ring the changes’ as often as you wish 💡
I can make with clients own fabrics too, so those cherished favourite fabrics folded away in your stash could be let loose at last 😄

🐇 Happy Easter Weekend 🐇
Easter goodies assembling for some family time.🥰
I’m collecting a dozen eggs a day from my flock (almost too pretty to use) so there’s a traditional Simnel cake (decorated with lampshade tassel fringe 😂) scotch eggs in the oven for today’s brunch and meringue for Sunday’s pavlova up next 🥚 🥚🥚
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A recent commission make, based on an antique inspired pair I’d made previously but sized-up to specific dimensions. Made in pure silk with a zillion hand-worked stitches 🧵 🪡
This went to the loveliest customer … and definitely one I’d liked to have kept as it looked so pretty here 💕

Pleated 12” ‘strawberry thief’ lampshade 💙 🍓 🐦
I was a little tentative about this one as, whilst pleats add depth, texture and interest, I thought they may interrupt the pattern too much 🤔 However, I used a box pleat, spaced fairly widely with minimum tucks and I think a win for both pleats and pattern🥰

After a busy working weekend, and an early morning start (lots of internet orders of lampshade frames, fringing and braid to pack and dispatch) I made the most of the lovely afternoon in the garden ☀️
Lawns mown, main plot prepped for potato planting next week and generally hanging out with the hounds and flock 🐕 🐕 🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓
They were loving some garden time too. Many of these hens are 7 and 8 years old and still look fabulous. I supplemented them with warm, soaked cat biscuits through the Winter and, with the extra protein, their feathers look especially glossy!

My display yesterday, and here again today 10-4pm, at the ‘Artisans Uncovered’ event in The Old Library, The Wardwick, Derby with c.60 other local makers and artists 🌷
If only every venue had such gorgeous carved panelling as a backdrop 🤩 there’s even an antique Singer machine nestled on the shelves behind me that’s perfect to display my original vintage trimming spools🧵 🧵 🧵

The combination of olive-green velvet and silky coral/salmon-pink fringe is a winner for me for this new creation on a timeless bowed frame style and is retro, traditional and contemporary all at once!
I was also thrilled to find a vintage braid amongst my passementerie armoury that perfectly ties in the fabric and fringe 🥰

✨ New on the website ✨ vintage lampshade/key tassels in funky variegated two colour silky chainette (7.5cm) ~ these are at a super price of a set of 8 for £5 (plus p&p) 😃

Faffing this morning with a mock-up of part of my display in preparation for the ‘Artisans Uncovered’ event at the Old Library, The Warwick, Derby. Sat 16th & Sun 17th March (10-4pm).
It’s a free event with over 60 Derby & Derbyshire makers and creators showcasing their wares. It’ll be fabulous 😍

This fabulous, unusual lantern came in for a make-over.
It was bought by my lovely clients in Australia c.30 years ago and still very much cherished, however the original pvc box style shade had yellowed and aged. They popped in this week to collect and were delighted 🥰 They made a great fabric choice with ‘Wetlands’ 🐦 🌾
Thank you for sending them my way

Two lampshade recovers collected last week by my delighted clients 🥰
These were recovered in silk dupion to closely match the originals that they still loved (but had become timeworn) and included nearly 100 miles (it seemed) of handmade bias 😬

Stunning pair of large lampshades in ‘Leopard’ jacquard fabric for an interior designer client 🐆
They are destined for a fabulous pair of Oka lamp bases, but I took a quick image on my studio bases and fell in love 🥰

New stock alert ✨ just £1 per metre (plus p&p) for these frothy, looped fringes for your lampshade making 🤩
I have 10 colours in 7.5cm length and 7 colours in 5cm length.
I’m using a double layer (at this price why not!) with the looped ends giving a ruffled effect and softer finish than a cut fringe.
Available from my website: www:foresters.life (or message me here)

A stunningly beautiful W A S Benson twin arm Arts & Crafts era lamp restored by with ruffled silk lampshades made by me 😊
They are replicas, made on bespoke frames, of the original shades this lamp would have had (often later replaced by glass).
When illuminated, this piece is just breathtaking 🤩

Keeping cosy yesterday 🔥
It really was an indoors-y kind of day. I grabbed some time between commissions to complete this empire drum shaped lampshade with matching cushion in ‘Clouds’ linen, an original 1930’s Duncan Grant design ☁️
Both cushion and lampshade available.

I’ve been a little quiet on here as it’s just been so epically busy in the studio! January was my busiest ever month and the days have just flown by 🪡 🧵
I did grab a quick pic of this trio before they were collected yesterday. All hand-stitched (including the trimmings) in indigo dupion fabric with champagne balloon lining. So classic and smart 🤩

Another beautiful afternoon yesterday. I completed this bunch, downed tools, and took the hounds off for refreshing ramble across the fields☀️ 🐕 🐕
This collection of lampshades includes fresh green stripes, p***y willow embroidery and dreamy voiles, all for local interiors shop (Melbourne, Derbyshire) where I definitely recommend a visit if your interiors are due a Spring refresh with new curtains/blinds … and coordinating lampshades 😃

A belated Happy New Year all …. I feel I’ve hit 2024 running, not just work-wise but my resolutions were all fitness ones and slightly regretting my choices already🏃‍♀️🏋️‍♀️😰😂
I’m so busy in the studio with ,it seems, every possible style of lampshade either completed or in progress ✂️ 🪡 The first make of this year was this little willow boughs clip shade and a perfect optimistic marker of the year with fresh leafy, Spring vibes 🍃🍃