Phew, the throng of activity that takes over our lives for the summer months is slowly starting to subside. As the weather turns wet and cold and the evenings grow darker everyone’s focus turns from weddings to cosy evenings in front of the fire and putting your feet up with a hot brew.
It’s the time of year we at Silver Lining, turn our attention to creating new types of accessories and lines for the shop and prepare for our trip to Whitby where we trade under Bride and Gloom at the gothic festival held there every Halloween.
We are changing our opening hours to reflect our activities. From now until Spring we will be open for appointments at the following times:
Wednesday 11:00 – 5:00
Thursday 11:00 – 7:00
Friday 11:00 – 5:00
Saturday 10:00 – 4:00 Closed the first Saturday of the month
Don’t worry if you have already made appointments outside these times as we will still be there to see you.
Also, we will be closed from Wednesday 27th October opening again on Thursday 4th October.
Tuesday 19 October 2010
Wednesday 13 October 2010
Chiffon Shirker
Yes, I admit it; I’m a chiffon shirker!
I only have to see a roll of chiffon in the corner and I break out in hives. Any other fabric (and I mean ANY other fabric) and I can turn one of Rachel’s fantastic annotated designs into a fully fledged garment, but give me chiffon and my brain turns to mush.
It’s ridiculous really, how something so delicate and floaty can mess with my head. In fact, I think that’s it! Chiffon is a mind altering substance, willing me to do what IT decides rather than conform to design. I must just be particularly susceptible because try as I might I always manage to create something different to what was designed.
No-one else seems to have the same problem. Rachel almost effortlessly cuts into the fabric without any hesitation. The other girls in the shop also seem to have no problems, and so, from this moment on (after a particularly spectacular failure), I vow never to try to tame the beast that is chiffon!
I only have to see a roll of chiffon in the corner and I break out in hives. Any other fabric (and I mean ANY other fabric) and I can turn one of Rachel’s fantastic annotated designs into a fully fledged garment, but give me chiffon and my brain turns to mush.
It’s ridiculous really, how something so delicate and floaty can mess with my head. In fact, I think that’s it! Chiffon is a mind altering substance, willing me to do what IT decides rather than conform to design. I must just be particularly susceptible because try as I might I always manage to create something different to what was designed.
No-one else seems to have the same problem. Rachel almost effortlessly cuts into the fabric without any hesitation. The other girls in the shop also seem to have no problems, and so, from this moment on (after a particularly spectacular failure), I vow never to try to tame the beast that is chiffon!
Tuesday 7 September 2010
Hello Again!
I used to have a routine; a small amount of time each day where I would clear my head with a brew and read up on life outside Silver lining Sewing Rooms, maybe write a blog or two… and then the wedding season hit; stronger this year than the last, and all routines got squeezed out by encroaching mountains of tulle and glittering landscapes of Swarovski’s.
And so, now there are far too many new things to talk about to sit here in one go and empty my head on the screen… in fact I would inevitably miss the rest of this afternoons (maybe weeks) appointments if I were to even try. There are many new things for me to talk about; changes in the people who work here, expansions, new ranges and new services, not to mention the incidental anecdotes of life in the sewing rooms.
Today I’ll keep this one short and sweet, with the promise that I will be back again before you know it, smearing scoop after scoop of silver lining glitter all over your computer screen.
Charlotte x
Thursday 25 February 2010
The Couture Design Service
Sometimes it’s just impossible to find what you want. Perhaps you’ve searched high and low and just not found exactly what you want. Sometimes the only step forward is to have it made but and we understand that it can also be daunting commissioning a dress to your exact wishes. How does it work? How long does it take? How much does it cost? Will it look like I imagine it?
Here is a guide to how we work at Silver Lining sewing rooms and what you can expect.
If you have an idea of the perfect dress, but can’t find exactly what you want, then we will help you design you own dress. Whether it be simply bringing a picture of a celebrity on the red carpet or combining lots of your favourite elements to make a completely unique design to your specification. Likewise, if you don’t know what you would like or are uncertain what you want, we can discuss your likes and dislikes so that we can understand your tastes and develop ideas for you to think about.
From here Rachel will make a variety of sketches for you to work through and modify to your hearts’ content, mixing and matching various elements until you have the design you want. You will be shown fabric samples and colour combinations and we can show you examples of embroidery and beading, unusual trimmings and a wide range of handmade flowers and accents that you may wish to incorporate into your design. We can also discuss accessories and jewellery as we are able to collaborate with local artists to create the exact adornments and embellishments that you desire; whether that is handmade silver clasps for your wedding coat or unusual headwear and tiaras.
Together we will work towards a final design and costing, modifying your design and fabric choices to suit your budget. There is no obligation at this stage. This consultation period is for you to decide whether the couture design service is for you or not.
The next stage requires a deposit for us to buy the materials and then we will set about making the pattern and in certain cases a toile. A toile is a first attempt at the dress in cotton that allows us to see how the dress will come together and modify the fit and pattern to your wishes before cutting into your chosen material. This is also a good way for you to see the design take shape – the beauty of opting for this process.
Your dress will be made up over 2 to 5 fittings depending on complexity of design. During that time fittings with your desired shoes and jewellery is advised so that we can make sure skirt length is most practical and necklines most suitable.
A custom wedding gown can be completed in 6 months, but ideally 9 months is required to turn those initial sketches into reality. Bridesmaid, prom dresses and waistcoats are not so time consuming, however if you have a lot of bridesmaids the sooner we can get started the better. It goes without saying that this is not something we want to rush.
Remember, the initial consultation and design process does not mean that you are tied to us.
Simply make an appointment either by phone 01254 345 789 or email (Rachel@SilverLiningSewingRooms.com ), dig out some inspirational pictures, come and chat with Rachel and she’ll work with you to create the dress of your dreams.
Here is a guide to how we work at Silver Lining sewing rooms and what you can expect.
If you have an idea of the perfect dress, but can’t find exactly what you want, then we will help you design you own dress. Whether it be simply bringing a picture of a celebrity on the red carpet or combining lots of your favourite elements to make a completely unique design to your specification. Likewise, if you don’t know what you would like or are uncertain what you want, we can discuss your likes and dislikes so that we can understand your tastes and develop ideas for you to think about.
From here Rachel will make a variety of sketches for you to work through and modify to your hearts’ content, mixing and matching various elements until you have the design you want. You will be shown fabric samples and colour combinations and we can show you examples of embroidery and beading, unusual trimmings and a wide range of handmade flowers and accents that you may wish to incorporate into your design. We can also discuss accessories and jewellery as we are able to collaborate with local artists to create the exact adornments and embellishments that you desire; whether that is handmade silver clasps for your wedding coat or unusual headwear and tiaras.
Together we will work towards a final design and costing, modifying your design and fabric choices to suit your budget. There is no obligation at this stage. This consultation period is for you to decide whether the couture design service is for you or not.
The next stage requires a deposit for us to buy the materials and then we will set about making the pattern and in certain cases a toile. A toile is a first attempt at the dress in cotton that allows us to see how the dress will come together and modify the fit and pattern to your wishes before cutting into your chosen material. This is also a good way for you to see the design take shape – the beauty of opting for this process.
Your dress will be made up over 2 to 5 fittings depending on complexity of design. During that time fittings with your desired shoes and jewellery is advised so that we can make sure skirt length is most practical and necklines most suitable.
A custom wedding gown can be completed in 6 months, but ideally 9 months is required to turn those initial sketches into reality. Bridesmaid, prom dresses and waistcoats are not so time consuming, however if you have a lot of bridesmaids the sooner we can get started the better. It goes without saying that this is not something we want to rush.
Remember, the initial consultation and design process does not mean that you are tied to us.
Simply make an appointment either by phone 01254 345 789 or email (Rachel@SilverLiningSewingRooms.com ), dig out some inspirational pictures, come and chat with Rachel and she’ll work with you to create the dress of your dreams.
Sunday 31 January 2010
Has anyone seen the invisible thread?
Sounds stupid doesn’t it, but we’ve lost it twice this week! I can hear the moans from here… ‘Well duh! It’s invisible thread!’
Twice we’ve ransacked the sewing room. It starts out as a calm look, peeping in all the usual hiding places; on the windowsill, in the ‘stuff’ tray, on the thread boards, in our drawers, but as the search progresses and the list of likely hiding places gets shorter and shorter the searching becomes more hurried and less careful. The diary is slammed on the table; drawers are pulled off their runners and contents spilled onto the floor. Handbags and bins are emptied in case it’s fallen off the worktops and all the while there are 4 of us running into each other, bouncing off one another and all screaming ‘Don’t panic! Don’t panic!’
We did find it… with minutes to spare, hiding inside the roll of brown tape… on both occasions. And that is now where the invisible thread lives! Woe betide anyone how doesn’t put it back there.
Twice we’ve ransacked the sewing room. It starts out as a calm look, peeping in all the usual hiding places; on the windowsill, in the ‘stuff’ tray, on the thread boards, in our drawers, but as the search progresses and the list of likely hiding places gets shorter and shorter the searching becomes more hurried and less careful. The diary is slammed on the table; drawers are pulled off their runners and contents spilled onto the floor. Handbags and bins are emptied in case it’s fallen off the worktops and all the while there are 4 of us running into each other, bouncing off one another and all screaming ‘Don’t panic! Don’t panic!’
It sounds melodramatic, but when you have a bride arriving in 15 minutes and you need to sew on the handmade silver ivy leaf clasps, tranquil is not in our dictionary.
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