Selvedge Winter Fair: shoes that made me swoon by Caroline Groves

Caroline Groves makes bespoke shoes - it was love at first sight when I saw these vintage styles.  Shoes made to fit my awkward high instep, out of beautiful leather, in an elegant style that would make my feet look dainty: my idea of heaven.  The commissioning process takes several weeks. Caroline makes a bespoke wooden last for your foot on which your shoe is crafted, from leathers which you choose: anything from simple calf leather to exotic crocodile.
As you would expect for a work of art, these shoes cost ££££. 

Selvedge Winter Fair in Chelsea Town Hall

The Selvedge Winter Fair, held in Chelsea Town Hall earlier this month, had some fantastic designer-makers - pics coming up in the next posts. But first of all feast your eyes on the hall itself.

Damson & Slate at Best of Britannia and Selvedge Winter Fair

It was great to finally meet Damson & Slate at the Best of Britannia event in the Farmiloe Building, Clerkenwell (Damson & Slate last blogged about here - they sell a lovely slate soap dish which I still have my eye on).  They were also at Selvedge Winter Fair a couple of weeks ago, more posts coming up soon about this event.

Damson & Slate sell beautiful Welsh-made products - their website says: 'we are actively supporting and encouraging a new generation of craftspeople who are using traditional skills in a fresh way to make truly beautiful gifts and interior accessories.' Which, of course, is what I love about them.

They brought with them to the Fairs a fine selection of their textiles.  The 'Amroth' throw in the pic below caught my eye - it's a herringbone pattern woven in traditional looms and based on a vintage herringbone pattern, available in Indian Red, Barley Brown, Slate Grey, Oak Green and Damson. Size 150 x 200 cm.

Welsh dolls  - made using Welsh cloth woven at local mills and vintage pieces

Selvedge Winter Fair - tomorrow!

I'm really looking forward to the Selvedge Winter Fair - tomorrow - at the Chelsea Town Hall.
Open from 10am to 4pm. I've had a look at the exhibitors at this year's fair - it's in a bigger location than previous years (blogged about here and here), so there are a lot of designer-makers coming. I'm looking forward to meeting the Isle of Mull weavers, Fine Cell Work, Jessica Hayes Gill and many more.

Selvedge Spring Fair 2012 - Top picks - Conkers shoes

Conker has been handmaking bespoke shoes, sandals and boots in Devon since 1977 - they stock a range of styles for adults, including T-bars and Mary Janes if your feet won't fit into Start-rites anymore. And they also make shoes for kids.

Handmade shoes look (and taste?) a bit like burritos, but these pink ones with purple laces have something of the macaroon about them.

Belts rolled up like liquorice wheels.

You know those Clarke's sandals that you used to wear when the world was brown and orange (the 70s), how about some metallic ones to bring you into the 21st Century? they even have that all important crepe sole so you can bounce along the cobbled streets.

As these shoes are handmade, they are about twice the price of shoes you could buy for your kids at, say, John Lewis - but Conker shoes can be stretched a half size to accommodate growing feet, or a whole size when they are resoled...so you're quids in, plus they are handmade in the UK and not in a factory in a far-away land, plus there is not so much wastage since the uppers are resused.

To order a pair of shoes, you can simply order your normal foot size, but if you think you may need them to be modified to fit awkward shaped feet then you can send them drawings of your feet so that Conker can help you choose the right sized shoe - or make special modifications to your chosen pair if alterations are needed.

Selvedge Fair Spring 2012 - Top Pick - Gabrielle Vary

After the fairly short lived burst of summer sunshine, we are back to temperatures within the normal range for this time of year - and these scarves by Brighton-based knitwear designer Gabrielle Vary are just what you need. I love the Piccalilli yellow (as evidenced here) but the blue stripy (called Nautical on her website) and the bright orange (Sherbert) are also fabulous. I like the checkerboard pattern that she uses for her cushion covers and other knitted goodies - which also looks great as a shawl, as modeled at the Selvedge Fair by Gabrielle's stylish assistant.
Gabrielle's pieces can be bought via her website and she takes commissions too. She is next exhibiting her work at the Brighton Artist Open Houses in May 2012.

It was great to see you Gabrielle!

egg cosies and tea cosies

hearts

cushions

Selvedge Fair Spring 2012 - Top Picks - Tamara Fogle

There is always a small flock of bag enthusiasts around Tamara Fogle's stand as her bags never fail to please - these bright yellow and green ones, new for Spring Summer 2012, are my favourite. She also uses vintage textiles such as the German flour sacks which are behind the yellow bags in the pic below, and Indian quilts, which come in a range of colours.  Most of Tamara's bags are made with frames (for that Mary Poppins-ish look), a style I particularly like, and some have turn-lock closures; all of them are beautiful, and are handmade in London.

Palm purse and Marlow bag

Grab bag

Selvedge Fair Spring 2012 - Top Picks - Emily Maude

This lovely yellow used in wrapping paper designed by Emily Maude caught my eye. Emily is an illustrator-designer from Brighton- she designs ceramics and stationery in the Modern British tradition and framed paper artworks, all of which I would happily give a home to. If, like me, you wish you had bought one of her ceramics, all is not lost: they are can be bought from her on-line shop on her website.

 bone china Kitchenalia plate. Perfect.

 I love hares and rabbits - this Boozy Bunny is made from old beer mats (or was it labels?!)

 Newcastle Brown Ale bunny and Kitchenalia cup

Selvedge Spring Fair 2012

I went to the Selvedge Spring Fair yesterday - some pictures of St Augustine church hall decorated with bunting...and some more Top Picks coming up next.

cup cakes (chocolate icing with glitter caught my fancy) and tea

Romney Marsh Wools: Top Pick at Country Living Fair and Selvedge Fair - Spring 2012

This hand and body lotion from Romney Marsh Wools is the best that I have found. Ever. It contains lanolin, also known as wool fat which helps the sheep's fleece to shed water, which is soothing, moisturising and - very important for me - not greasy. It just sinks into the skin, and it smells absolutely delicious too.

I first came across this fantastic lotion at the Selvedge Fair last year when Katrina from Romney Marsh Wools persuaded me to try it. I visited their stand again at the Country Living Spring Fair last weekend where I stocked up on more of their lotion (now used by all the family as it is good for eczema which the kids are prone to) - and I was so pleased to see them at the Selvedge Spring Fair 2012 yesterday when I found out a bit more about Romney Marsh Wools.

Located near Aldington on the Romney Marsh in Kent, the family run farm has been farming Romney Sheep for six generations - they currently have 1000 ewes...think of all those lambs at Easter! Traditionally, Romney sheep have been bred for their meat and their wool - the fleece is a creamy colour and used in knitwear, yarn and cloth. Romney Marsh Wools take their fleeces to traditional weavers who hand process, spin and weave the yarn into rugs and throw - see pics below.

Some more of their skincare products: wool fat soaps, shampoo, hand wash using lanolin - preservative free and not tested on animals (baby blankets in foreground)

Scarves and throws made from Merino and Romney wool below

Natural sheep skin bootees for babies 

cushions and throws

Beeswax candles (beeswax from a local beekeeper) hand rolled by Katrina and her mum

coming up: Selvedge Fair Spring 2012

I'm looking forward to the Selvedge Spring Fair which is coming up soon - this Saturday, 31st March from 10am to 5pm at St Augustine's Church Hall in London N6 (just off the Archway Road - for how to get there info click here). I've been a couple of times before, and it never fails to please partly because you have the opportunity to meet and talk with designer-makers and see the things they have crafted, but also because of its setting in a church hall, decorated by Selvedge for the Fair, which always seems to be flooded with beautiful light.

A list of their exhibitors is here. I'm looking forward to taking a look at new creations by Gabrielle Vary and Tamara Fogle, and seeing wallpaper and textiles by Ivo Prints. There are also designer-makers from outside Britain such as Claudine & Compagnie from Belgium who make collars and accessories, and Parna a company that sources vintage textiles from Central and Eastern Europe.

Mrs Osborn goes on a spree: Selvedge Autumn Fair: winter woolies from Gabrielle Vary, Esk Valley, Romney Marsh Wools

The Autumn Selvedge Fair was a delight, in the lovely St Augustine Church Hall just off the Archway Road, N6

Gabrielle Vary, based near to Brighton, makes shawls, scarves and cushions - all in a deliciously edible palette of colours perfect for Autumn. Everything is designed and made by Gabrielle herself.

I succumbed to temptation and bought the quince-y coloured shawl below - I love the fact that Gabrielle made the very shawl, which I am wearing right now, herself.

Esk Valley knitwear from Scotland

One cannot have enough stripy gloves

Romney Marsh Wools, Kent

Throws, rugs and cushions in natural shades are made in a distinctive textured twill weave from Romney sheep fleeces by this family owned business - the family has been keeping Romney sheep for six generations

Romney Marsh Wools also produce a skincare range - 

I tried a bit of the lanolin hand and body lotion with some trepidation as I don't like greasy lotions that linger on the surface of my skin. But this was lovely and was absorbed quickly (probably because I have dry lizard skin), smells good too.

Selvedge Autumn Fair

The Selvedge Fairs are always a delight, an afternoon of chatting to designer-makers, cupcakes and cups of tea and a few crafty purchases.
The Selvedge Autumn Fair is coming soon: Saturday September 17th.

Selvedge Spring Fair - more highlights

A few more favourites from the Selvedge Spring Fair

Bojo Childrenswear - their website says: a timeless collection of beautifully British made linen and cotton clothing for girls aged 2 to 8.

I say: seriously wow.  These clothes are exquisite quality, fabulously detailed with little ruffles, pintucks, buttons...simple classic designs using fine fabrics....*all made by hand*.  Rebecca Cabot set up the company, and I am assuming I talked to her mum who told me a little bit about how she makes the clothes; the secret (as always) is making things in small batches. I am in total awe of her skill.

My photo does not do the care and attention to detail enough justice:
each piece has a small 'B' for Bojo neatly stitched on it. Swoon.

 Folk at Home - 'Functional goods made by hand to last'

wooden spoons, glycerine soaps, bread boards...

...letterpress cards by Karen Wilkes, candles from Cumbria...

there were seriously a LOT of tea towels at the Selvedge Fair -
I especially liked this one designed by Karen Wilks
which I bought for my brother's birthday present

Grace Ink Design - some more teatowels, and cushion covers, which I rather like:

Noolibird - hand made rubber stamps with extraordinary detail. I'm already a fan, I bought a lovely Christmas heart-shaped design which reminds me a lot of Tord Boontje's designs....this time I bought a flowery heart, and a 'with love' stamp which were £6 each.... Noolibird's largest stamps are approximately £25, but are large enough to cover a A6 card completely - so you can make beautiful handmade greetings cards in minutes.

(photo seems to be on its side and
I don't know how to turn it the right way round)