the joy and genius of Loyde Triana

I was waiting till summer to post this but then figured, just like “Summer bodies are made in Winter”, “Summer cozzies are also made in Winter!” (Also, I know it's only Spring but I was excited. OK?)

In June this year I got to meet the utter joy that is Loyde Triana. I was looking for a swim suit for our trip to Bali and I’d had a rather desperate moment when I tried on a store-bought swimming costume. There is no end to the number of ways that it was wrong – it pulled up where it should go down, it pulled down where it should go up. Needless to say, I was headed for a burqini when a friend told me about Loyde. 

Based in Kalk Bay, Loyde is “Made in Ecuador” but has lived in South Africa since 2011. I was truly nervous about going to see her – nothing quite like someone measuring you top to toe – but I needn’t have worried because she really is so lovely and made me feel at ease. 

(Monochrome grey/white Protea print with a splash of colour (C) Loyde Triana)

There are a number of things that are special about Loyde and her beautiful work. Firstly, she understands the female form. Yes, all forms. From strong, tomboy bods to soft, curvy bods – she makes magic for them all. Her tailor-made designs are flattering and you feel wonderful when you put them on.

(Oyster Catcher - left,  and grey/white Protea print coupled with pops of turquoise and pink - right (C) Loyde Triana)

Secondly, Loyde trained in Fashion Design but developed her area of expertise through making lingerie and bridal lingerie (which she still does, by the way) and accordingly, her pieces showcase her incredible attention to detail: pleats, tucks and invisible seams. Her sizing is done in SA measurements and her quality of work is PERFECTION.

(Unconventional parings - just perfection (C) Loyde Triana)

Thirdly – but also firstly :) – Loyde commissions her fabric designs from local artists. Her design briefs draw from local inspiration - local flora and fauna - and Loyde’s designs are on point. Whether you prefer understated monochrome or bold colours and quirky motifs, you’ll find something you love. For sure.

Lastly, I’m crazy about Loyde’s design and colour aesthetic. It’s unpredictable and exciting and she manages to pair colours and designs in unconventional ways. 

(Stylised Dandelion - left, my stunning pleated full costume - right. Sunbirds are my most favourite <3)

Loyde made two swimsuits for me which fit like a glove. (Hurrah! For the first time EVER!!!!) They have a timeless, vintage feel and she was able to adapt her pattern to suit the junk in my trunk. Love love love!

The passion she has for the garments she creates translates to whoever is lucky enough to own them. Thank you Loyde for making swimwear buying such an exciting, enjoyable experience. You ROCK!

(Loyde's genius "corset" system which keeps things up and in!)

Show Loyde some love by following her on Facebook and Instagram. You can also email her to find out how she works on info@loydetriana.com and please take the time to watch her cute video on her website www.loydetriana.com (it’s only 2 minutes long and it will warm your heart <3).

Till next week nerds,

x :)

Art in nature... just beautiful

Hertex recently launched a BEAUTIFUL new range of florals.  Inspired by watercolour artworks, it makes use of soft pastels and sludgy, natural tones. 

Things to love about this range: 

Oversized florals 
I know it's groundhog day with me getting excited about scale, but truly, it's a deal maker and is the difference between a twee floral and an awesome floral.

The base cloth
Most of the designs are printed on a blend of Linen and Viscose so they have THE. MOST. delicious handle - soft and heavy and drapey. 

The palette
Feminine and warm without being cutesy.

Design aesthetics
The designs could work for retro, as well as country, as well as classical interiors. The bold scale makes it a winner for BIG spaces and accent pieces.

Versatility
Most designs can be used for both curtaining and domestic upholstery. Boom!

Take a look at the designs...

Camelia (below) is probably my favourite. Love the wide use of colour and slightly tropical mood.

Woodland (below) totally reminds me of a Turner painting. Love the gentle use of colour how they softly blend into one another.

Night Garden (below) is their anchor fabric and it makes ALL the difference that it's BIG. 

Nottingham (below)  looks to be sweet and cute at first but again, it's the scale that gives it punch.

I LOVE Forestry (below). It reminds me of negative wax scratch-out art and I think it's so clever that they've inverted the application of colours.

Newstead (below) is a fabulous filler fabric. This would look totally bangin' on a big fat upholstered headboard.

Last but not least, Thicket (below) is just a gorgeous, feminine, floral. I love the indistinct lines and painterly mood and it reminds me of the artwork in a vintage Book of Nursery Rhymes we owned when I was a kid. Very romantic and almost mystical.

Till next time nerds :)

x

adieu Saltwater...

Yesterday I was mooching around Simon's Town trying to find military rank insignia (which by the way, is tricky to get your hands on), I popped into Saltwater, one of my favourite shops in Cape Town.

(Left image via DIY with Vintage linens on Pintrest, right images bloggers own)

Sadly, I learned that they're closing down (Sniff. They're making way for a Bottle Store and as much as I like Whiskey, it really doesn't compare to fabric). Happily, however, I had a poke around the shop and found  THE. MOST. DIVINE antique linen (amongst other things, of course.) 

(Left image via eithanollie on etsy via Pintrest, right images bloggers own)

If you're a vintage linen fan you'll know that they generally cost a pretty penny - if you're lucky enough to find them at all. Saltwater have loads: from napkins to table runners to BIG table cloths - and they are all exceptionally well priced.

(left image via Anthropologie, right images bloggers own)

In case you're wondering what you can do with vintage linen, the answer is .... anything! Use it as it is. Upcycle it into a curtain, or a dress, or pillow cases (runners are great for this!). I've made some up into duvet covers (backed with Hemporium's double width hemp) - divine. It's just so lovely to make use of something that has a history.

If vintage linen isn't your thing but fabric is, they have boxes and boxes of fabric pieces that are looking for a new home. Many fabrics (like the Jay Smith floral I found) aren't being printed anymore, which makes them a bit limited-editionish.

P.S. Everything must go, including the furniture, and you will pick up some absolute beauties (see the pics of the server and the rattan ball and claw couch below) if you head on over there. Like now!

Oh, and other P.S. They have lots of gorgeous vintage clothes that are on sale. Who can resist?

Till next time nerds :)
x

Journeys and Vintage - by St Leger & Viney

While I missed the official launch of St Leger's two new ranges last week, I managed to pop in the following day and take a look at their glorious new goodies...

(Images via St.Leger website top, Ralph Lauren bottom left, and Pintrest bottom right)

Vintage is a range of upholstery fabric that's been engineered to look like a well-worn chenille. There are three designs in the range: Antique, Antique Kelim and Vintage.  All designs are tough and boast between 40 000 to 50 000 rubs. Although they slot in perfectly in vintage styled interiors, they also work well in contemporary interiors (the contemporary, clean lines of the sofa in the St.Leger showroom attests to that). Antique Kelim is available gorgeous jewel colours (no-one does ranch-chic like Ralph Lauren, right?), while Antique and Vintage colourways range from soft, muted hues to deep, dark tones and fiery warm tones.

Technical facts: 

Antique has 50 000 rubs and is made up of 69% synthetic (P) and 31% Cotton. It comes in six colourways 

(Left image blogger's own, right image via Leather Chairs of Bath on Pintrest UK) 

Antique Kelim has 40 000 rubs, is 100% synthetic (P) and comes in three colourways.

Vintage has 50 000 rubs, is 100% synthetic (P) and comes in six colourways.

Journeys consists of thirteen designs and uses rose quartz, black and charcoal, indigo and apple green. Printed on a blend of cotton, linen and rayon, the base-cloth has a soft, luxurious handle. The whole range is on trend regarding gender-neutrality and could translate to almost any interior.

Designs Bricktown and Cutglass are strong, easy-to-use geometrics. Bambara, Dreamtime, Eden, Maui and Mudcloth all pay homage to tribal patterning. 

Frond, Pollock and Wycombe are all painterly and inspired by different paint techniques. Shibori, Shibori Diamond and Shibori Dot are all a nod to the Japanese shabori tradition of manual resist dyeing. 

(Left and top Images via St Leger website and bottom image via Park & Cube)

Also... KLAXON!!!! St.Leger & Viney's annual sale runs from 26 July to 28 July in Cape Town. Yowzer!

Tell next time nerds x :)

must love gauzy linen

(Images: both via megbydesign.com)

We just got back from a trip to Bali, and while it was a surf trip that didn't involve much fabric, fabric found me. While sniffing around various tourist destinations like Ubud and Singapore on our way home, I couldn't help noticing the awesome fashion aesthetic that many of the oriental women have. 

Our neighbour is Japanese and I've always loved her sense of style - lots of loose-fitting smocks and tunics, natural fabrics and comfortable shoes (that are actually shaped like normal human feet, not like some pointy-toed alien feet.)

To explain where I'm at, here's what I mean...

I love the understated grace of these designs. They are both timeless and would suit women of any age. The way that the navy dress is layered over white and denim is ACE!

(images: left via veritecoeur.jp and right via lagenlook tunic via pintrest)

Say linen and I think French vintage sleepwear (I actually bought an antique nightdress when I was in Italy. It's LOVELY! BTW, Bellamy and Bellamy have some stunning replicas in their store.)  I'm crazy for the rumpled, pebbled washed look on the left and the French painter's smock on the right is sublime. Look at those pleats!

(Images: left via Pigve.com and right April Cornell french artist smock via pintrest)

Lightweight linen cowl neck tops... it's a YES from me. I'll be hunting down a pattern for these.

( Images: left linen smock on etsy via Pintrest, right via vividlinen.com)

Classy, fresh and understatedly sexy. However, I think it's all about the gauzy, light weight of the fabric. You don't want to look like an extra on Litte House on the Praire. I'm obsessed with the raw hemline of the short tunic (right).

(Images: left via sassyposh.com and right bloglovin.com)

Just before we left for our trip, I tried to find a very lightweight linen dress that I could wear with long leggings on the plane, over a swimming costume on the beach, and over shorts while exploring. A kind of from the beach to the bar to the parent-teacher meeting kind of dress. Not too much to ask, is it? 

Guess what? I didn't find one ANYWHERE! Then I remembered that I had some gauzy off-white linen fabric that was left over from curtains that I had made. 

I first washing-machine dyed the fabric a faded denim colour (much as I LOVE white, it's not a sensible travel colour). I found an old pattern lying around (erm, yes, from the 90's - Simplicity pattern 8980 by the way), made adjustments to the pattern here and there, added some raw-edge ruffles on the sleeves, and made a dress the similar to megbydesign's dresses (top image)

Voila! I'm stoked. It only took me about an hour or so and now all I have to do is wait for it to get warm enough to wear back in SA :)

(Images: Camille linen gauze top via Pintrest, right, own)

If you're looking to make something out of any linen, gauzy or not, make sure you first pre-wash it (or else your baby-doll dress really will be able to fit a baby doll ;)

Till next time nerds

x

Keep fabricing :)

heavenly hemp #hemporium

I got my first taste of hemp quite a few years back. I was searching for a dress shirt for BK and I found one made by Hemporium at Lifestyle Surf Shop in Muizenberg. I bought it, he loved it (and wore it to death) so I had to go and get another one in light blue. 

BK's Epic Hemp Shirt - still going strong after many years

Then, a couple of years back I popped in and got myself two knitted tops that are perfect for anything and anywhere and any time - from an after-gym workout to a parent-teacher meeting to the beach to a braai. They have worn beautifully, are soooo comfy and I love their colours.

My knitted hemp pullovers. How gorgeous are the colours? 

They say that hemp dates back to 8000 BC. Despite its industrial beginnings (it was used for items like sailcloth, sacks, rope, paper and rough canvas) it is now one of the softest, but most durable, fabrics around. Once manufacturers had found a way to finish the hemp fabric, there was no turning back. Nowadays, hemp is sometimes blended with other fabrics like cotton or silk which give it a softer handle or a luxurious sheen. 

Hemporium fabrics are available in different weights, weaves and widths. 

There is plenty of info to be found online about the wonders and uses of hemp so I won't go into lengthy detail. What I will say, however, is that it's one of the most eco-friendly, and sustainable crops to produce. I read that it beats both cotton and flax when it comes to crop production, producing 250% and 600% more fibre than cotton and flax respectively. This makes it both cost effective and kind to the environment.

Knits and flat weave hemp from Hemporium. Laid-back look, soft, breathable, natural and lovely against the skin. 

Due to its tap root system, it requires very little water. It's fast growing, very hardy, mould resistant, and is said to contain anti-bacterial properties. No herbicides or pesticides are required either. The bast fibre within the hemp stalk is where the magic begins for fabric production.

Some of the colourways in the lightweight, knitted and heavy weight hemp from Hemporium.

Although this is a fabric blog, I'm bowled over with the wide range of uses for hemp. Hemp oil is used in a variety of products from cosmetics, soaps and body products to salad dressings and ink. Hemp seeds get the salute for being a nutrient rich wonder-food. They're used in breads, cereals and health bars are also used to produce protein powder and hemp milk.

How stunning are these bags! For their full range of clothing and accessories,  visit their website on  https://www.hemporium.co.za

Last but not least, Tony Budden of Hemporium has been blazing a trail in South Africa, promoting the use of hemp for construction. Not only is he a trail blazer, but you will search far and wide to find someone as passionate and knowledgable about hemp as Tony. 

Hemporium bedding is soft and durable and gets better and better with every wash.

To see Hemporium's full range of prodcuts, visit them at https://www.hemporium.co.za.  Or, if you're in Cape Town, pop into their store at Westlake Business Park. Even though you can order everything online, it's great to see their products in REAL LIFE.

Till next time nerds :)

x

Resources:

https://www.hemporium.co.za/Fabric

https://www.hemptraders.com/Hemp-Textile-Properties-s/1881.htm

https://hempbenefits.org/hemp-textile-uses/

https://learn.eartheasy.com/guides/hemp-clothing/

https://www.leafly.com/news/cannabis-101/hemp-101-what-is-hemp-whats-it-used-for-and-why-is-it-illegal

The Big Hearted Enviana Quilting #passionproject #charity

(Image via myfrenchawakening.wordpress.com)

Ever since watching How to Make an American Quilt and more recently, Alias Grace, I've loved that quilts are imbued with memories and love and history and adventure and all round specialness.

(Gorgeous traditional quilts above clockwise via Jen Kingwell pattern on etsy, @todaysquilter on twitter and www.cabbagequilts.blogspot.com)

Today's post is dedicated to quilting and the wonderful Diana Kraak who recently finished quilting one of the pieces that will be sold for charity in favour of TEARS.

I first met Diana a few years ago when she lovingly quilted a throw I had made up using vintage embroidered tea towels and napkins (yes, I also got all of the tea towels and napkins at charity shops.) She took such care in selecting a design that would work well with the look and feel and her expertise and knowledge about her quilting machine is something to behold.

(The very first vintage tea towel and napkin quilt Enviana made for me)

When I came up with the concept of using fabric samples to make up pieces for charity, she was the first person I thought of because her work is SO BEAUTIFUL. 

I love the idea of using scraps and discarded fabric to make up gorgeous things. The image on the right uses mens dress shirts. (Images clockwise via www.themoernquiltguild.wordpress.com, Pintrest and Pintrest)

Inspired by the French quilting style that I'm crazy for (top right), Diana made up the 100% linen and cotton quilt on the top left. It would be perfect for a double-bed guest bedroom or as a throw to add colour to a country-style lounge (Image right via Pintrest.)

I asked her to give me some background and whereas I'd normally work it into the post, I really loved her answers in interview style.

So, without further ado, I give you Diana Kraak from Enviana Quilting...

FN: How long have you been doing machine quilting 

DK: I started sewing at the tender age of four years old with my grandmother.  Quilting did not interest me until 2002 and then the bug bit. I joined a group to meet people little did I know that it would stimulate a creative passion.

FN: What kind of machine do you use (long arm?)  

DK: Initially I used my sewing/embroidery machine to quilt but my interest in long arm quilting was aroused at a visit to the International Quilt Festival in New Zealand.  It was then that I started researching the subject and this lead me to the purchase of a Nolting Pro24 Longarm Quilting Machine to which I added Intelliquilter, a quilting software.  I was also blessed to become the Southern African Agent for both Nolting and Intelliquilter.  Nolting has a range of machines to serve both the hobbyist and Commercial user.

FN: Do you do quilting yourself? (i.e. putting the little pieces together).  

DK: Yes, I do quilt myself, doing both traditional quilting and just simply using bits and pieces to create some art.  In addition, I enjoy creating whole-cloth quilts.

FN: What do you love most about what you do?  

DK: For me, the love of fabric and colour, seeing the skill of others and being able to enhance their work gives me endless pleasure.  I now work with a group of ladies, teaching the art of quilting.  The reward for that is seeing their eyes light up as they too realise that they are capable of learning new skills and creating items using scraps of fabric.

FN: What is the best way for people to get in touch with you? 

DK: My mobile number 0833883444, website www.envianaquilts.co.za; facebook: EnvianaQuilting Studio.

In addition to being a "Master Quilter", Diana's other passion is Toastmasters. She is passionate about the supportive learn-by-doing environment that it fosters, resulting in improved communication and leadership skills. She gets much joy out of seeing the transformation of people as they home their skills and how this translates to their live as their self-confidence grows.

Thank you so much Diana for your big heart and eagerness to help. You are an absolute LEGEND!!! 

Till next time nerds
x

The Epic and Wonderful Diana Kraak.