Photo Shoot Sneak Peek

At the weekend I gad a great photo shoot at Hammonds Photography Studio in Chelmsford for some new jewellery pieces. I'm now working on adding all of these pieces to my Etsy shop- watch this space!  Here is a sneak peek at some photos from the shoot...

New Fair Isle brooch designs, hand knitted to my own designs in British wool

I have chosen three spring like colours that I haven't used before to make new Harris Tweed Button Brooch designs

There will be several new Fair Isle necklace designs coming to my Etsy Shop soon. These are hand knitted in Shetland wool

Teal Knitted Necklace with Upcycled Fabrics- I haven't made this style of necklace for some time but I really miss making them, so I will be re-introducing this design to my shop. I'm going to include the option of making custom orders if you'd like to choose a particular colour for your necklace

Harris Tweed Button Bookmarks with upcycled fabrics

I've been making these "Half Moon" necklaces for some time now but have always sold them before they've made it into the Etsy Shop, so I'm pleased to say that these will be up in my shop soon! These are a labour of love which I so enjoy making- I love embellishment and for these necklaces I have used Swarovski Crystals, Freshwater Pearls, Mother of Pearl and beads upcycled from broken jewellery.

Thank you for letting me share this sneak peek with you today- I'll let you know when I've added all the new pieces to my shop!

Warner Textile Archive Textile Fair, Sunday 17th May

I'm busy making new jewellery at the moment for The Warner Textile Archive Textile Fair in Braintree, Essex, on Sunday 17th May. 

There's a great line up of craft stallholders, talks, demonstrations, tours of the archive and a pop up tearoom- it looks set to be a fab day! I'm really looking forward to taking part and debuting some new pieces- hope to see you there!

Find out more about the events and how to get there here

The Art Chain

Last week over on Facebook a friend nominated me to take part in the Facebook Art Chain and post an image of my work everyday for 5 days. I enjoyed taking part and looking back on previous work (especially looking back to college days) so I thought I'd share it here too! So this is the journey of my work from 2008 to today!

Day 1

I graduated from Colchester back in 2008 with a degree in fashion and textiles. Since starting to make things when I was little I've always loved to recycle, using all sorts of bits and pieces my Gran used to give me, and my work at college really cemented my Make Do and Mend philosophy. 

For my Graduate Collection I created an installation of three, three metre long cream knitted hangings. They hung from floor to ceiling and were embellished with all sorts of recycled and found objects, from meat hooks, to nuts and bolts, plastic packaging and broken glass, all of which I spray painted white. I really enjoyed looking back on this, it was stressful but such a great time! 

Day 2

When I left college I was lucky enough to win a studio space for a year at Cuckoo Farm Studios in Colchester. I stayed on there after the year was up and in 2010 I had a solo exhibition in the gallery there. This piece is a detail from the installation of knitted hangings, which hung on the ceiling like light fixtures. I was exploring light and texture and for this piece explored the Shibori felting process to create a really unusually textured piece

Day 3

When I finished college I started making jewellery, like this knitted necklace embellished with found objects and spray paint, straight away. I wanted to capture the ideas from my Graduate Collection but in a wearable form. Louise Dawson Design jewellery was born!

Day 4

This is a selection of my knitted and Harris Tweed Button Brooches, embellished with a scattering of recycled materials. I first started making these because I didn't want to throw away leftover scraps of fabric, so I decided to make something with them!

Day 5

At the end of 2014 I was super chuffed to have an article about my work published in Green Craft Magazine. Here are my Knitted Button Rings, embellished with recycled fabrics

Thanks for indulging me on a little look back. I nominate you all to take part in The Art Chain and share your work too!

Louise Dawson Design Published in Green Craft Magazine!

Before I sign off for a blogging break over Christmas, I have some exciting news to share with you... 

Early in 2014 the lovely Editor of Green Craft Magazine, Devon Warren, got in touch to ask if I'd like to write an article about my work to appear in the magazine and I'm chuffed that it has now been published! 

Green Craft Magazine is an American magazine showcasing the work of artists and designers who use up-cycled and re-purposed items in their work. In my article I explain why I choose to create jewellery using up-cycled materials, particularly Harris Tweed, alongside some great images of my work that the magazine shot. 

I'm delighted to be featured alongside many inspiring artists and designers I'd like to say a big thank you to Devon and all the team at the magazine for making one of my big goals possible. I'm so happy to have my work in print!

Here are some peaks at the article, "Crafting Slow Fashion with Recycled Materials."

I'm having a short break from the blog over Christmas but I will be back before the new year to share some new year plans. I have lots to share with you in 2015!

Thank you for your support as I continue to grow this blog. I'm grateful to everyone who reads, follows and comments and supports behind the scenes- without you I wouldn't be able to do this. Wishing you all a very happy, creative Christmas

Louise Dawson Design Etsy Shop- new listings!

I've just listed a selection of new rings in my Louise Dawson Design Etsy shop! 

Something super bright for Summer, these handmade statement rings are inspired by all things Aztec and Carnival and are handmade from recycled scraps of fabric I have dyed vivid pink and neon yellow using eco friendly inks. I then machine stitched the pieces together and adorned with hand embroidery, beads and sequins. They are very quirky and fun and I hope they can bring some sunshine whatever the weather! 

Don't forget, all of my jewellery arrives in a beautifully hand branded gift box too, making them the ideal gift.

Happy weekend everyone!

A thank you gift- 20% off in my Etsy shop!

By way of a very big thank you for reading my Blog, you can now get 20% off all purchases in my Etsy shop until 5th May- Just enter the code Thankyou20 at the checkout and treat yourself or a loved one to some unique handmade jewellery and accessories!

Adventures with Fair Isle part 2

My adventures in learning Fair Isle have continued today, in a beautifully sunny studio (seeing the sun makes everything that much better!). 

Following on from my last post, I'm at the starting point of developing a new collection. I'm not sure what direction this project is going to take me in at the moment- all I know is that my ultimate goal is to produce a new jewellery collection. Also, although I'd like Fair Isle to be the main focus, I would like it to be a little different. So today I've been experimenting and recycling! I've cut fabric strips from an old lace skirt, jersey fabric from an old tunic top and strips of blue mock silk scarves that a friend kindly donated to my cause and used these to knit in Fair Isle patterns. Here are the results!

Ok, so the first attempt at the seed stitch using the lace and the scarf fabric wasn't a great success, but I love the way the lace has knitted up

This is a seed stitch pattern that alternates two coloured strands across the rows- really liking this effect. I need to try this with more contrasting colours and fabrics so the effect stands out much more

A three coloured pattern- I will experiment with using different fabrics in this way to highlight the pattern more clearly

How to... Make a D.I.Y Fabric Pin Board

One of my goals for the blog this year is to start featuring regular tutorials, so welcome to the very first in my "How to..." series... How to make a D.I.Y Fabric Pinboard! 

This is a great way to jazz up that boring cork pin board you may have in your study/studio/kitchen and is also a good way to use up any odd bits of fabric and wadding you may have. You could even use the fabric from an old dress or jumper, so it's a handy recycling project and you get something useful (and pretty) at the end!

1). You will need...

You will need a cork notice board, scissors, a staple gun and staples, wadding in your chosen thickness (I used 4oz) and a piece of fabric large enough to cover your board

 2). Cut wadding to size

Cut your wadding to size, allowing aprox. 3 inches extra all the way around your board. If you'd like a thicker padded board you could use a double thick layer of wadding

3). Staple your wadding to the board 

Staple your wadding to the board, taking care to only staple onto the wooden frame. Carefully pull the wadding taught to avoid a saggy finish

4). Cut your corners

You may need to trim some excess wadding away from your corners to avoid a bulky finish

5). Cut away excess wadding

Trim away any excess wadding

 6). Attach your fabric

Now your pin board starts to take shape! Cut your fabric to fit around your board and allow aprox. 3 inches extra all the way around your board. Staple into place over the top of the wadding, still taking care to only staple into the wooden frame

7). Neaten your corners

Trim the excess corners of your fabric in the same way as you did your wadding and fold into a neat shape. Staple a couple of time to keep secure

8). The final trim!

Trim away any excess fabric to neaten the back

9). Yay, it's finished!

Use your board to hold shopping lists and notes, or images and drawings, photos, magazine clippings, jewellery, or anything else you like! I'm using this one as part of my jewellery display and I've found map pins really useful for holding pieces in place.

Decorate your board with strips of ribbon, lace, mini bunting, the possibilities are endless! You could also attach ribbon or a hook to hang the board, or sit it on canvas display stands, as I will do with this board.

I'd love to see photos of your pin boards if you give it a go and I'd love to know what you're using them to display!

The Minories Christmas Art and Design Fair

I'm looking forward to taking part in The Minories Christmas Art and Design Fair in Colchester on 7th December! If you're in the area do pop in if you're on the lookout for unique handmade Christmas gifts- there will be beautiful Art, Jewellery, Ceramics, Cards, Prints and much more available to buy direct from the makers on the day, as well as a pop up vintage shop! It's also worth a visit to check out the exhibitions and for lunch or tea and cake in the Garden Cafe! It's on from 10-4, would be lovely to see you!
Find out more about The Minories here

Necklaces now available on Etsy!

I've just added some of my handmade knitted necklaces to my Etsy shop! Each one is handmade by me and hand embellished with recycled fabric pieces. They look great dressed up or down and are ideal if you are looking a truly unique piece of jewellery. I can make these necklaces in any colour, please get in touch if you would like to make a custom order!

Photos by Hammonds Photography Studio

New Etsy shop!

I'm excited to tell you that I've just launched my Etsy shop showcasing my new textile jewellery collection! Each piece is lovingly handmade by me in my studio in Colchester. Check it out here! To celebrate the launch of my new collection, visit my Facebook page for free UK shipping until the end of June!

Learning to Crochet!

Although I've been knitting since I was five I've never learnt to Crochet, instead using my made up Crochet method, which is joined up chain stitch (great for ethereal effect in my textile hangings but lacking structure for practical use). However, working in the Wool Room at work I've been inspired to learn, especially after discovering Attic 24 (if you love Crochet, colour and craft do check it out, it's a beautiful blog). A lovely friend of mine has been teaching me to Crochet properly and I'm starting my Crochet education with a giant Granny Square made in a combination of Rico Pure Wool DK and Sublime Baby Cashmerino Silk DK- it's going to be a blanket for my niece! I'll keep you updated on the progress as I keep learning! I'd love to incorporate it into a future jewellery collection, there are lots of exciting possibilities!

I love the portability of Crochet- I'ts handy to keep a project in your bag for when you have a spare moment, like on your lunch break on a bench in the sun!

It looks a little wonky but blocking will sort that out!

A return to necklace making...

I've spent today in the studio working on some new necklaces which will have fabric embellishment. I haven't made any necklaces for a while because I've been mainly focusing on the brooches, but I thought it would be good to include a couple that tie in with the new collection.

The basic necklace is made from a strip of knit that I make on my knitting machine and then stitch around ribbon strung wooden beads. These necklaces were my starting point in jewellery making, having organically developed from their origins as parts of huge conceptual knitted hanging pieces (I will make a post on those at a later date, all will be revealed!) and they are something I like to return to and continue to adapt in different ways. Here is the navy one taking shape!

Stitching the knit around ribbon strung wooden beads

The base necklace ready to go, alongside the brooch that I would like it to match

I've spent the evening cutting out hundreds of tiny circles of  scrap fabric!

I coat the fabric "sequins" in fabric stiffener to prevent fraying

I'll hand stitch the fabric pieces onto the necklace over the weekend and post a pic of the results!