Pretty white things

White on white has always been timeless - at least, that's what my tutors used to say. Being a colour obsessive, I never used to believe them but after spotting the following designers' work I now appreciate the appeal of the muted palette.

Contrasting stitch with ceramics: Michelle Taylor proves how to create beautiful, almost colourless objects. Using reclaimed vintage china, her technique sees original surfaces manipulated with industrial techniques, such as sandblasting - creating ornate, tactile artefacts by deconstructing what was already there.


www.michelletaylorceramicartist.com

Taking a more traditional approach, textile graduates Emily Hutson & Deborah Harrison have focused on layering multiple techniques to create surfaces rich with detail. From laser-cutting to crochet; finely knitted fabrics are intertwined with delicately scorched woven fabrics to create a Hutson's strong collection. Meanwhile, Deborah's more organic fabrics provoke a real sense of fluidity with the unfixed laser cut shapes and beaded details.x


http://emilyhutson30.blogspot.com


http://deborahharrisontextiles.blogspot.com

Hands On: Pastel Knits

Delectable candy shades were on the radar this year at the University of Derby's Textile Design degree show; proving that pastel hues are almost certain to stay big for Spring/Summer 2012.

Quirky knitted fabrics for interior application by Laura Leo...


laura_leo_design@hotmail.com
http://lauraleodesign.blogspot.com

Contrasting sugary shades with accents of poppy pinks and lime greens - Laura Southernwood's range of baby wear knits are not only adorable but innovative in the sense that traditional knit techniques are combined with a contemporary colour palette - ensuring that every yarn has a personality of its own... x


laurasouthernwood@btinternet.com
http://southernwood.tumblr.com

Emma Lundgren in the Press

One more quick mention of the day...

Check out the many more people who spotted Emma Lundgren's amazing MA work at her Facebook page.



x

Pottering around at Redbrick Mill

Yet again, I have arrived at the middle of the week without posting a single thing about the days gone by. It's a good job I don't have visitors too often, otherwise I'd definitely be waving goodbye to the only bit of 'me' time which is this.

Spending another weekend back home in Yorkshire there were plenty of things I'd have liked to have done; people I'd have liked to catch up with, relatives I felt I probably should visit & generally just enjoying being at home. Yet when my boyfriend suggested heading down to Redbrick Mill in Batley, Leeds - I somehow couldn't resist... And here's why:



... Sometimes I really do wonder if we're destined to live together though, especially when I spot storage boxes as pretty as these. Faded, old fashioned florals never get tiresome in my opinion - but I have a feeling that this might fuel an argument at some point .



Decorating the garden couldn't be made any more exciting than these tactile beauties. From tin to woven rattan; these cut detailed lanterns and tea light holders are the perfect solution to adding that special touch to Alfresco dining.



Taking us back indoors again, here is the cutest set of hooks that I have ever seen. At first glance, they look to be made of vintage fabrics - instead, printed metal is embellished with lace to create a twee design fit for a quintessentially English kitchen.

Tea, anyone? x

RCA Show 2011: The Sequel

Wow! Where has the time gone since last Tuesday!? I'm trying to think of exciting reasons why I haven't found the time to bring you the sequel to my fabulous trip to the RCA Show - but that would just be working full time! It's not all been 9-5 office work though. This weekend saw me being involved with an exciting Back to School shoot which included 14 children, a big yellow American school bus and a lot of drama - all of which I plan to reveal very soon. In the meantime though, here are my other two highlights from this year's RCA graduates (as promised.)

'I can't seem to get rid of horses' says Birgit Marie Schmidt with her repetitious, gold cast jewellery designs. Based around the concept of nostalgic childhood fantasies and the recurring nature of these - what drew me to Schmidt's work was the sentimentality behind it. Not only do the interconnecting objects work harmoniously together - they really do hold a narrative which each of us can relate to...


www.birgitmarieschmidt.co.uk

Moving away from simple elegance though... I have saved my personal favourite until last.



Inspired by 'traditional Sami costume decoration' - Emma Lundgren embraces her Swedish roots with unexpected colour compositions and disjointed patterns capturing the random nature of Lapland's 'Northern Lights.' From two dimensional printed surfaces to laser cut perspex - Lundgren embraces mixed media & ensures that unconventional materials work together throughout her collection. Juxtaposition seems to be another key concept with tough, industrial fabrics given a feminine touch with the heavy use of floral motifs and organic undulating edges. To say this Textile Designer is experimental is an understatement for it's not often you see so many techniques combined with such an innovative use of colour. Personally, this collection just makes me happy! x


http://emmalundgren.com/