Why I don't 'sew' but 'paint' with a sewing machine!

Then again maybe it's more like cooking...? *insert puzzled face here*!!

Still with me? Good, let me explain!

This all started a few days ago when a customer asked me ...

"Do you have an album of materials available?" 

for her custom Kindle Case.

Straight forward enough question and the simple answer was no, but I wanted to explain why and  it opened a whole box to how and maybe why I sew.

Generally apart from a few basics, polka dots, stripes etc I don't  buy large enough quantities of materials for them to be about long enough for an album.

Anyone who's ever seen my in a fabric shop knows I'm like a kid in a candy store, '1/2 metre of this please', 1m of that one thanks','has my order of florals come in yet?' and then when I'm paying 'Oooh look , thats new....and runs off' I can easily come out with a dozen new fabrics to play with and thats without the actual things I went in specifically to buy!!

This kind of passion for fabrics and designs transfers through to my studio , and the way I design new / custom products. I like anyone else could easily get  bored with constantly producing the same designs, a smuch as they are easier, they can be just a tad repetitive....hellooo custom / new designs!

When these arrive , it is my chance to play, I love having a muse to design for and can produce some really fun unique designs.

Part of my design process involves choosing  what colours and materials to use, my fabric cupboard becomes my paintbox and my workbench my pallette! Once I've agreed an out line design or colour scheme with the customer, I play around with scraps on the sketched out design....
'this coordinates fabulously with that'     'just a little more of the polka'
and a 'splash of red here to balance the rose highlight'  - a bit like painting a picture yes? Or maybe creating your own recipes? See how I'm torn to describe what I do!

Mood Board selection for Cupcake Kindle Case 

So that is why you probably won't see a 'fabrics available' album from me but you'll get plenty of emails with suggestions  (probably with a mood board selection like above) and you'll be part of the decision making too! If I've whetted your appetite for a custom LilVintageMakes item, email me and we can discuss your creation!