The most amazing fabric shop (so far) in my world.

  Last Wednesday we trotted into London and after concluding our business, we decided our adventures should take us to a fabric shop that I had read about.  So I gave hubby the address and he in a matter of seconds tells me which tubes to catch, no pondering over maps for him.  In fact I think I could tell him to take me absolutely anywhere in London and he would, if only to prove to himself that he can do it without opening up a map.  I feel his mind is full of circuits and maps are pretty much like circuits so he probably looked at a map twenty years ago and its still crystal clear to him.
Our adventures this time took us to Shaukat & Company who couldn’t have been nicer to us. 
We wondered and we pondered and I made little gasps in awe and delight. 
It is an amazing shop, it is huge, on two levels and if you can’t quite make it they have a comprehensive web site to ponder and wonder and gasp.
I’ve never seen many of the Liberty fabrics, the cord and the twill in particular, so I bought myself a skirts worth of Liberty Needlecord for the autumn, and did I mention the prices, so much cheaper than Liberty’s.
 Silk.  – so pretty.
 Shirting, 100% cotton.
 Wool and tweeds for suits.
And then we have the Liberty fabric. 
 and more and more and
 more and
 more.
It goes on and on, I’ve only photographed about a quarter of the shop. 
Its definitely worth a shopping trip. 

Style and Sound.

Firstly I must apologise for the quietness of the blog, we are just building up to the last few weeks and I am tumbling between being very busy to stopping abruptly and needing to catch up on my rest.  This weekend I promised to do this, that and the other and what has actually happened is I stopped, however I did put a few things into plan that had lagged behind so all was not lost. 
There are also plans afoot to change the name of the blog, and its always difficult to know which way to go on that.  I do the blog for my own amusement and recording of events and journeys (whether emotional/spiritual or real life) and have found it difficult to come up with a name that will suit me for the rest of my years.  Perhaps I am only meant to have a blog name that lasts a few years, whilst I reinvent my self and then meet that change whole heartily with a blog name that reflects what I am doing at the time.  I don’t know, its something I am still pondering.  I have a name that I really like, but I feel its too early to use it, I don’t want to jinx myself.
However, as it stands this name is no longer reflective of us or our current situation.  We have had to give up the allotment, which was a little sad, combined with relief.  I’d always thought we would have the allotment with us for ever, but now I know my life has taken a different path.  Events conspired, notably burglaries and weather and hubby falling out of the attic at Christmas which he is still, even now, a little sore from.  With me wandering off to London with my spotty handkerchief holding my possessions and my pussycat scampering around my heels it was time to let go, which we did, last weekend, taking a final picking of purple sprouting and leeks.
The college is really buzzy at the moment, I love it.  Exhibitions abound with some great talent and students are busy putting up or making exhibitions in the corridors or classrooms, then you turn a corner and are met with a cake stall or a nail bar.  Fellow students are being called into hair and makeup to have trial runs ready for the show and the sound of sewing machines going flat out with the odd cheer or whimper abounds.  I have nearly completed my dress, it has 83 pieces – enough said, apart from “What were you thinking!” its going okay, I’ve nearly finished it.  I developed an evil relationshhip with my overlocker this weekend, with the overlocker cackling away and skipping stitches whilst I swore at it.  I rethread and rethread and eventually I stripped it down and rethread and at the moment (fingers crossed) its going okay. 
And finally I have details of our show, Style and Sound at the Spa Centre on the 20th June (Thursday) from 7.00 p.m. until 10.00 p.m. at the princely sum of £6.00 each. 
I am not in the show, my dress will be, as will my Townsmen designs for Playbox theatre, my other designs  were made to fit me, so they won’t be.  As I said I am a designer, not a model and so am able to watch the show which will be a real treat. 
Grab a partner or girlfriends/boyfriends and book yourself a couple of tickets, I promise you, it will be fun.

Wow, I am IN.

Yesterday was spent rising at just gone four a.m. (I couldn’t sleep it should have been five a.m.)  and trotting into London for an early interview with the London College of Fashion for a degree in tailoring.  (Fda going onto BA, three years)

At 4.15 a.m. UCAS (they really do work twenty four hours a day at this time of year) sent me an email to say I’m IN !!!

How amazing is that.

I am so stunned and amazed and happy that they have taken me, the next three years are going to be a whirl of new adventures, study opportunities and meeting some wonderfully talented people in the industry.  The University of the Arts London has some seriously impressive connections, it should have, it brings together six of the worlds most prestigious colleges for art, design and communications.

This is going to be, one hell of a ride.

Thank you all for your support over the last few years, without you and your constant support of my sometimes whacky ideas, I wouldn’t be here today, celebrating such wonderful news with you, and that is the truth. 

Love to you all.