It’s not just the flowers that have put spring in my step this past month; I’m loving this sunshine! I’m sure many of you feel the same way about seeing those blue skies and understandably so! We’ve had another busy month here in the warehouse, so let’s take a look at what’s new and what we’ve been loving this past month…
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Fabric✂️
The Majestic Swan – Craft Cotton Company 🦢
Heading to the Fabric room first, we’ve seen some great deliveries this month with Lewis & Irene’s Small Things Fairytales which you’ve been loving, alongside Riley Blake’s Mary Poppins inspired collection, A Spoonful of Sugar. Yet our most recent drop has seen Craft Cotton Company’s Majestic Swan swim our way, and what a collection it is!
Designed by Bethany Salt, The Majestic Swan collection features five designs in her signature illustration style. Using soft mints, blush pinks and deep blues, this small-but-mighty collection feels a modernised retelling of a classic fairytale in its brushstrokes and overall whimsy. Outside of the main prints such as Swan Lake Reverie and Royal Plumage, Botanical Waltz and Whispering Petals feature as blenders, yet hold such a presence to be used seperately, perfect for a pop of colour to any living space. Finally, Twilight Garden ties everything together, bringing The Majestic Swan collection to completion, with Bethany’s work wowing us all at how much detail has gone into this design.
To view the full collection, simply click HERE.
Carnaby – Liberty Fabrics 💐
We wanted to stop by Liberty Fabrics this month to take a closer look at Carnaby, a collection that’s rooted in Liberty’s history. Featuring archival prints and inspired by the 60’s and 70’s, Carnaby feels fun by design. Discussing the inspiration for the collection, Liberty Fabrics explains:
“The Carnaby Collection draws inspiration from the music, art and fashion of the 1960s and ‘70s, featuring original designs of this period from the Liberty Archive. Influenced by a colourful patchwork that was painted on Carnaby Street’s pavement during the 1970s, prints reflect the free-spirited, optimistic mood of that era – the magical landscape of Sunny Afternoon creates a psychedelic and colourful London park, while the hand painted, bold and simplified flower forms in Bohemian Blooms are reminiscent of Pop Art patterns. The mesmerising swirls in Carnation Carnival draw influence from the Art Nouveau revival of the 1960s. “
Vibrant, fun and floral, Carnaby feels perfect for this time of year. Our favourites would have to be the Portobello Paisley, a print based on one of their archival designs from the early sixties, much like our other favourite Bohemian Bloom, as according to the same look book, its design was inspired by a small swatch found in the archives!
Steeped in their own history, Carnaby feels like such a celebration of Liberty Fabrics. They’ve done this before and we’re sure they’ll rework more classic designs again in the future and we, for one, are always excited to see what they do next. To view the full Carnaby collection, simply click HERE.
Needlecraft 🪡
Home & Garden 🏡
On the topic of beautiful blooms, we thought we’d carry this energy into our highlights for needlecraft, too! Both in and out of the garden, the Historical Sampler Company are getting us even more excited for the months to come.
Their most recent drop to the warehouse saw their monthly mini projects arrive; coming in at 14cms x 14cms, this kit can be completed swiftly for the more experienced stitcher, yet also serves as a lovely starting point for those hoping to improve their skills. Although April is very much on the horizon, those speedy stitchers will have this gardening-themed piece done in a jiffy!
Next up is the Flower Home Sweet Home kit, a stunning kit using 16-count aida on an alternative colour, with colours of spring toning in perfectly with its background – a wonderful make for yourself or a loved one featuring full stitches only. Lastly, we’re heading back out into the garden with The Greenhouse, another mini-project that’s perfect for those allotment lovers out there! With buzzing bees, a curious fox and plenty of fragrant flowers in bloom, there’s lots to keep you smiling and motivated as you work your way through this small-but-striking piece.
Read All About It 📖
With the weather changing for the better, it makes us think of summer plans. Idyllic thoughts of being sat in the garden while the sun’s shining is a glorious thought, and adding a good read to the mix can elevate things for many of us! With that in mind, we thought we’d take a moment to round up some of our favourite bookmark kits to help park those pages ahead of your summer reads.
Bringing a view of the beach to any book is Vervaco with their set of Lighthouses, using delicate backstitching to highlight distant seagulls and shaping for blooms in the foreground. Sticking with Vervaco for a moment longer, the Cosy Reading kit evokes just that, as we see a cute little kitty curled up asleep in quite the reading nook! Included is another design that further reminds us of how wonderful ‘slow’ hobbies are, with a ball of yarn, the art of letter writing, and topping things off with a cup of something hot by the fire when the temperature drops in the evening – bliss!
Trimits are bringing the zing with their Lemon bookmark, with a simple yet striking design featuring French knots on each bloom, offering an extra dimension to the project. Finally, we’re with DMC and their collaboration with The British Museum, taking Katsushika Hokusai’s stunning, and iconic, artwork and transforming it into a cross stitch kit. The Great Wave’s crest is the key feature here, also using French knots and backstitching to add depth to the piece, perfect for those who enjoy a more challenging project with a wonderful pay off.
That’s it from me for March! Make sure to stop off and see Alex for what she’s got in store for you all with yarns and projects! In the meantime, be sure to subscribe below to keep up with what’s happening in The Craft Room ⤵️✨