More from 2010: Horrockses

Amongst the selection of fabulous exhibitions I visited last year was the Horrockses Fashion at the FTM, the wonderful, intimate venue in Bermondsey.

For those of you who haven't come across the company the museum was highlighting, Horrockses Fashion Limited was a ready-to-wear manufacturer of fashionable, mid-market clothing in the 1950s.

Although they were mass-manufactured, the dresses were well designed, wearable and made from wonderful, uniquely designed textiles.

The exhibition was small, yet packed in a huge amount of interesting and colourful artefacts, including actual garments, original designs, signage, advertising and fabric samples as well as some ephemera donated by the public. There was a wall showcasing personal black and white snaps of glamourous 1950s young ladies donning the stunning sundresses.

A fabulous fact discovered in the fascinating exhibition literature was that the company came into its own just as Britons began to holiday abroad, as the lightweight, prettily patterned cotton dresses and sun suits were perfect warm weather attire.

I loved everything about this exhibition and found the beachwear and sundresses still eminently wearable. In fact, continuing my New Years Resolutions theme for these posts, I have my eye on a couple of the designs to try to recreate myself.

This must be the year I conquer my sewing machine, if only to benefit my first beach holiday in years, as I am not a typical beach holiday dresser. I think that I've mentioned before that I have what I like to call an 'English Rose' complexion - snow white and freckly! This means that in the sun I will inevitably eschew the short shorts and teeny bikinis for swathes of cotton, a huge floppy hat and oversized sunnies. (I like to think I look enigmatic and glamourous sitting under the parasol, rather than an eccentric recluse - think Joan Collins rather than Miss Havisham). These voluminous skirts will fit in perfectly with my alternative holiday wardrobe...wish me luck!

vintage at goodwood

Last weekend I had the pleasure of visiting the Vintage at Goodwood festival to teach a few workshops and soak up the atmosphere, which was slightly damp at times, unfortunately for my sandals!

But when the sun shone, the Sussex countryside was glorious and the vintage style surroundings were great fun.

Here are some pics, if you didn't get the chance to go this year, book up for next, it was lovely! Although make sure you dress up - I made the mistake of thinking it was a typical festival and (shock! horror!) forgot my heels!!

susie's furry cardi

Last week, I posted a fantastic retro pattern which was once owned and knitted by my aunty Susie. I am very sad to have to post that she passed away this morning.

Sue was a warm hearted, kind and generous woman, and this, as every knitter knows, was well demonstrated by her passion for knitting so many of these wonderful garments for her nearest and dearest. I am so glad that she entrusted the patterns she had worked so closely with, pored over and lovingly recreated over the years to me just before she died, as now when I knit something from one of them I will still feel close to her. One of the things I love most about the process of knitting and giving hand knitted gifts is their capacity to evoke feelings of nostalgia, family, tradition and love, and Susie was a fantastic example of this. In a lovely continuation of this family tradition, her grandaughters are four of the most beautiful girls you have ever seen and, just as I wore Sue's knits as a child, two of them will be modelling my garments in my next book, something I am sure Sue would have taken pleasure from and would have loved to knit herself. For this reason, I wish she could have seen the final book; her experienced knitter's approval of the patterns would make me very happy.

One of the stitches that I most enjoy knitting is a fur, or loopy stitch, and I still maintain that the reason for this is that I was exposed to it from a very young age by a series of fantastic cardis, which I am sure many of you will have had a version of if you were a child of the 70s or 80s. This cute and cuddly cardigan, which I had in pink, blue and white at differing ages, was affectionately made for me by my aunt Sue, as well as for many other cousins, nieces and other distant members of our loving and 'close-knit' family throughout that time. Her version of the pattern is so well thumbed that it is torn into two, but sometime ago I found the same pattern in a charity shop and bought it instantly as it reminded me of Susie, and of that well-loved cardigan. So here is that pattern, my very small tribute to a wonderful, beautiful lady who fought hard throughout her life and was loved fiercely and loyally by all those who knew her. We will miss you, Susie. x

leggy legwarmers

My lovely knitting mad aunty Susie has given me loads of her old patterns and I just had to share this one with you, have you ever seen such looooong legwarmers?! It's such a classy shot - you have to admire the pose against the old banger, and the girl is giving a masterclass in modelling. She is wearing every single accessory in the leaflet, while managing to balance the last bag on her knee!
Sigh, I just can't emphasise how much I love retro patterns, I think I shall be posting more of these beauties soon!

new love

Had to show you my new massive, vintage, wooden kilt pin thingy. I love it so...it was from loop but I'm afraid I swiftly snapped up the last one. Fear not, however, as loop's lovely owner Susan, the canny woman, has managed to source some modern replicas, so although you won't be able to say they are vintage, you will be able to buy yourself unlimitless pins in blonde or dark wood, very soon.
Now I just have to design myself a cardi which is crying out for a massive, vintage, wooden kilt pin thingy for a fastening....

a vintage year

I came across this very festive issue of stitchcraft and had to share it with you, it is the holiday season, after all! dontcha just love vintage patterns....?