Swirls, twists and silver

This is a small piece of a wallpaper sample I got from B&Q a while back, known as Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen Cote Couture Wallpaper. 

I picked it solely because of its use of pattern, the damask type of patterns found on fabric where two types or thread are use to create a pattern within the very surface of the fabric.

 

The choice of tone and metallic colour is particularly interesting as it seems to refer to how in traditional damask fabrics, often one thread would be shiny whilst the other would be dull, presenting a pattern that would be shiny, standing out against the dull coloured surface. . 

The damask is made up of floral shapes, petals, leaves - shapes often called paisley motifs as well as vines and other kinds of twists. The paisley itself has particular reference to the Greek motif of a tear drop

The wallpaper itself is not the best kind in terms of practicality, it rips and gets scuff marks quite easily; not the most hard wearing of wallpapers. 

More details about the wallpaper at B&Qs website.      

Stacks, Layers and Vintage

Again more photos from May's Vintage Fair in Newcastle.
Just some interesting combinations of line
and colour that caught my eye really.

Going form one colour to the next - with an assortment of shades.

And of course  some vintage scarves,
mostly made from sheer translucent fabrics
and some of chiffon or silky smooth, thin and soft fabrics.
Each scarf represents a time or a year
when particular patterns were common and well received.

Zag-zig and diamond flakes

So tempting to skive today's post, but I figured 

these photos have been waiting to finally be shown in all their glory, 

admittedly one is a little blurry.

Very simple shapes used on a coat lining,
here is a photo from the hood part of the coat.
Using wavy and zig zag lines as well as snowflake like structures
created using the diamond shape.

The colour is a brilliant kind of midway between pink
and purple and red, 

kind of plumish but with more red thrown in.

Any way the coat belongs to a friend and was bought from Primark.
Fantastic!

The week of coats special has come to a close, but hopefully I'll be able to do a month special next month with it being January, or maybe another week special for the first week of January.
Back to the random regulars.

Furniture - to be dumped

I know what your thinking...

no, I didn't put it outside university to be skipped,

that was someone else and no doubt for good reasons.

First obvious one was that the cupboard was lacking a door.  

That little doodled motif looks pretty,

commonplace and medieval like,
but it looks good where it is.

Back to simple stuff; dots and prints

 This summer I've been looking more into pattern on fabric,
mostly as at the moment those patterns are
more at hand and are interesting in some way or form. 
This fabric (above and below) is a form of Koshibo fabric,
this is a Japanese fabric and has a lovely small pebble like texture to it when looking closely.

The two yellows are quite subtle in terms of brightness
and as usual for any colour look great with black.
The simple flower motif is repeated on the darker yellow cloth, but there are two different sized motifs being used, one that is slightly bigger and lets more of the yellow show through and the other smaller letting more black through.

I seem to have an interest in the colour purple.

I'm fascinated with mixing that colour,

most recently in watercolour but a few months back in oil paint.

Here the dark blue-purple flowers seem to be wearing a white beaded necklace around their inner core area, this could be showing the very tips of the stamens of the flower, or perhaps like I first thought purely decorative, something actually found on a real flower or made up.

The range of purples, deep, mid and blueish tinted brings great depth to the fabric itself.

All the fabrics here are polyester based fabrics that though isn't great for hot weather, makes a great fabric type to print on and also in retaining dye.

This fabric can easily be put into the washing machine.

Where as anything cotton based tends to leak dye very easily in watter/rain, as you will notice with jeans and your now blue trainers.  

Mirrors, reflection and...SHINEY!

I love photos of threads - yes...seriously,
better then photos of bunnies
(mostly as bunnies are very camera shy).

The thread used in the embroidery seems entwined
with strands of silver reflective colouring - beautiful.
Not forgetting its shiny, SHINY!
(Oh give me a break, I'm a magpie XD)

Alongside the flower and stem embroidery
are little paper thin circular mirrors. More reflection.

The fabric itself has a lovely texture and

is beautiful in this aqua like colour,

with more then a little hint of green.