Remember to use an embroidery hoop to keep your napkin taut and secure whilst stitching the needlework design – it’ll ensure a neat finish and will make the motif easier to work. This project is made up from simple squares of cotton, so is a great way to use up any remnants of curtain fabric that you may have left over! Here I have used Laura Ashley’s Gingham Check Cotton Fabric in Scarlet.

Step one: Decide how big you want your napkins to be, and add 4cm to both the width and the length measurements, for seam allowances. Cut a piece of gingham cotton to that size – work along the gingham design to ensure straight edges. Fold a 1cm double hem along each edge, and pin into place. Sew into place with a straight machine stitch to secure each edge, then press to fix the stitches.

Step two: Using a water soluble or vanishing ink pen, draw out the design you’d like to embroider to one corner of the napkin. Make sure to leave enough space around the design that it can be secured into an embroidery hoop.

Step three: Place the napkin into an embroidery hoop, making sure the design is as central as possible. Prepare an embroidery needle with a length of thread – I used all six strands for this design to make sure it’d show up on the gingham background – and work the design using whatever stitches you like. I worked the entirety of my motif in backstitch. Remove from the hoop, and press once more to set the stitches into place. If you like, add jewels or sequins to the top of the crown for extra sparkle…

Sophie at Sew Magazine

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www.sewmag.co.uk

A striking piece of fabric has the ability to transform the simplest items into absolute masterpieces to treasure. A basic make up bag will bring out a bold pattern in the framing of its shape, whereas a wrap-around skirt will give it room for a balanced impact. Off set against plain cottons will often accentuate colour and pattern, which is why we love to mix & match our fabrics for craft projects at the studio.

Laura Ashley’s latest fabrics range includes floral outbursts, bold multicoloured polka dots as well as gentle pastel geometric. Needless to say excitement hit the studio when we were asked to work with such a vibrant range of fabrics.

Our usual classes feature a specific project everyone will learn to make in an afternoon or evening, with enough room for everyone to give it their own personal feel. But in order to show off all the fabulous new Laura Ashley fabrics we gave people the opportunity to each work on something different during the session, with projects ranging from decorative birds to a sun hat and pair of shoes!

Decorative bird made from Larissa Floral Linen/Cotton Fabric

Our absolute favourite is the Wallace Dual Purpose Fabric, without a doubt! This linen fabric is particularly suitable for making curtains, upholstery and soft furnishings.

The popular Wallace Dual Purpose Fabric Natural/Multi

Designer-maker Madeline Norris, who creates her own handmade range under the name Meeni (www.meeni.co.uk), chose to make a beautiful ruffled cushion cover.

Madeline says:
“I chose the LA fabric because I liked the bold, slightly retro design, also the mix of colours in the fabric. I do like making cushion covers and this was an opportunity for me to experiment with a new design. Because of the bold design of the LA fabric I felt this shouldn’t be mixed with another pattern. However, I did want to add some detail and that’s why I added the ruffles and ties in complementary plain fabrics.”

We found the Wallace linen so versatile that we even transformed it into a new pair of espadrilles, by designer-maker Gosia Weber (www.gosiaweberhandmade.co.uk). Gosia is known in the West Midlands for her bright coloured leather handbags, but felt up for a challenge so repurposed a pair of old shoes. The end result being a bright uplifting pair of espadrilles for the summer! She has lined the shoes with Serpentine Jacquard Viscose/Silk Fabric Sapphire and is echoed in the navy blue ribbon straps…

(You can join Gosia at our studio on Wednesday 6 June to make your own bespoke fabric espadrilles if you fancy having a go yourself!  Click here for more details)

To demonstrate the fabric works equally well on a small scale I decided to make one of my chainlink necklaces using the Wallace and Serpentine fabrics. I am a bit of an accessories addict and love to match my jewellery to each outfit. Making fabric jewellery is absolutely perfect! I made my necklace to match a sculptural skirt I made with the Wallace linen… which also looks pretty fabulous in combination with Gosia’s espadrilles!

Give sharp curves, such as in these chain links, a smoother finish by cutting the fabrics on the bias. They have then been stitched into place by hand to interlink them all. The fabrics stand out especially against the oversized silver chain.

All finished project photos were shot by our in house photographer Erin Power. As well as a photographer, Erin is also an avid knitter. She also made the large Tote (Wallace/Serpentine fabrics).  It is imperative to have a large project bag for an assortment of knitting needles and plenty of skeins of wool! The bright organic shaped dots are accentuated by adding a bag base in the navy blue Serpentine fabric.

Wallace Dual Purpose Fabric Natural/Multi  and Serpentine Jacquard Viscose/Silk Fabric

We asked photographer Melanie Martin (www.melaniemartinphotography.co.uk) to join us for the afternoon and take pictures of us all crafting along. She even shot a little video to give an impression of how lovely the afternoon was.

See you next season!

Francine Schokker
Owner
Creative Open Workshops

Have you made anything out of Laura Ashley fabric? If so we would love to see your results! Send us a picture to social.media@lauraashley.com

Fascinated to gain a fly-on-the-wall peak of Kristen’s week – she kindly took some instagram snaps to share with our readers. Take a look at what she got up to…

It was our Graphic Design Manager’s birthday so I made a white chocolate cheesecake and we got some of her favourite retro sweeties to celebrate! The cheesecake recipe is from the Hamlyn Colour Cookbook (200 chocolate recipes) and is one of my absolute favourites.

One of my friends did a candle-making course and gave me this lovely little handmade tea-cup candle which lives on my mantelpiece in my bedroom.

Today we installed our new flagship window scheme at Westfield, featuring Shades of Blue Home collection in the home window and our Flower Market collection for fashion.

This is a new wall display in the fashion department in our Westfield store, it changes by collection every two weeks, today it is showcasing a few items from the Flower Market collection.

Today we were mocking up the new Home window display for stores using the new Darling Buds product, which is a Picnic themed window. It’s still a work-in-progress at this point.

In the visual department we have a photography board where I pin-up photos of all the Laura Ashley windows around the country. I’ve been updating the board today with all the pictures I’ve received from our visual merchandisers of our current windows and the stores are looking beautiful!

We are currently busy selecting fashion product for the next set of windows…

Over the weekend I went to a lovely lifestyle cafe in Balham (South London), Lavish Habit with a friend for brunch. I love this place, love their display of food and cakes, love their lighting display over the till and I even bought one of their shopper bags.

Been anywhere exciting in the last week? Tell us below or tweet us @LauraAshley__

If you’re familiar with my blog, Flowerona, you’ll know that I’m passionate about all things floral.

This month, I’m showcasing a selection of wonderful Laura Ashley products which have been inspired by one of my favourite flowers…the rose.  But first, a little bit about this beautiful bloom.

Roses are the most popular cut flowers in the world…and it really is no surprise when you consider how many amazing different varieties there are. With colours ranging from pink, white, red and yellow to lilac, magenta, apricot and orange. They are one of those flowers that you’ll find all year round in your local florist shop, garden centre or supermarket.  And they all have names…

Display from a florist in London which specialises in roses, La Maison des Roses.

For example, some popular white roses are Avalanche, Akito and Bianca.  Aqua, Deep Water and La Belle are widely available pink roses. And red roses include Grand Prix, Black Baccara and Red Naomi.

As for the vintage roses which are very on trend at the moment, there’s Memory Lane, Sterling Silver and Old Dutch.

The UK floristry industry receives roses from Holland, with larger headed blooms coming from Ecuador and Colombia.  And there are also UK growers of scented garden roses, such as The Real Flower Company and Country Roses.

As well as being the national symbol of England, in the language of flowers, the rose represents love.  Hence it being a popular flower to give to your loved one on Valentine’s Day.

Each different colour has a meaning too.  For example:

• Red rose – true love and respect
• White rose – eternal love and purity
• Pink rose – happiness and grace
• Orange rose – desire and appreciation
• Yellow rose – intimate friendship and solidarity

Roses are also a firm favourite amongst the gardening fraternity, be it standard, climbing, rambling, floribunda or shrub…

And did you know that there’s a rose called Laura Ashley?  It’s a pretty groundcover rose with large clusters of magenta-pink to lilac flowers with pale yellow centres.

Rose at Kew Gardens

Laura Ashley have a lovely range of rose-inspired products for this season, enabling you to bring a floral touch into your home…from wallpaper and paint to bed linen and even tea!

Clockwise from top left: Roses Cassis Floral Wallpaper, Rose Garland Lights, Water Based Paint: Rose, Couture Rose Cotton Bedlinen, Water Based Paint: Old Rose, Couture Rose Facecloth & Couture Printed Towels, English Rose Loose Tea Infuser, Rose Print Silk Scarf

And if you’d like to see some amazing displays of roses this summer, why not visit one of these gardens?

• The Rose Garden at The Savill Garden, Surrey
• Bowes Lyon Garden at RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey
• Kew Gardens, Surrey
• The Rose Garden at Helmingham Hall
• The Rose Labyrinth at Coughton Court, Warwickshire
• National Trust Properties such as Sissinghurst Castle, Kent and Mottisfont, Hampshire

All this writing about roses has reminded me of when as a child I used to attempt to make rose water with my mum’s garden roses. On the bathroom window sill, I used to place the petals in water, hoping for miracles. Needless to say, mum ended up getting rid of them when they’d turned a very delicate shade of brown…

If you’d like to learn how to make rose water properly, here’s a link to a video with a step-by-step demonstration by  gardener Laetitia Maklouf.

In the meantime, do let me know if you have a favourite rose story…or if you’ve tried to make rose water, by commenting below…

Rona www.flowerona.com

(Images : Rona Wheeldon for Flowerona)

If like us you are thinking about hosting your own ‘royal knees up’ we have a whole host of wonderfully British ‘Celebrate Britain’ party and home accessories, from placemats, coasters and trays to cupcake papers and bunting! Make it a day to remember with our fun and playful royal paraphernalia.

We’re also offering you the chance to win a full Jubilee Party Package. You could win all the items in the picture above by simply ‘Liking’ us on Facebook and entering your contact details. Click here to visit our Facebook page.  Best of luck!

To shop our ‘Celebrate Britain’ accessories click here 

1. Bird Notebook and Brooches

I love bird motifs. This bird notebook is really useful for meetings and looks pretty too! I also have quite a collection of bird brooches, these are my favourite.

2. Frida Kahlo Book

Frida Kahlo is one of my favourite artists. As an artist she produced some really interesting and vibrant self portraits and as a woman she dresses with such flare and beauty. This book is a great read if you’re a fan, she led such an interesting life.

3. Fashion Box Book

This book is a great source of inspiration. I always have it on hand.

4. Tape Measure

A vital tool for any designer. I couldn’t do my design packs without one.

5. Tea Cup

I am a big tea drinker! There is nothing like a good cuppa in your favourite mug – the Bluebird Duck Egg Mug and Bluebird Duck Egg Set Of 4 Corkback Coasters

6. Exhibition Guides

I like to think of myself as a bit of a culture vulture! I try to go to at least one cultural thing every weekend, be it going to a gallery/ museum/ theatre/ gig etc. Exhibitions are also a great source of inspiration for our seasonal mood boards.

7. Fabric Swatches

My desk is usually piled high with our fabric swatches. We are always on the look out for new and interesting fabrics and soon will be working on Autumn Winter 2013!

8. Button Size Chart

I picked this button size chart up from a trim store when I lived in New York. It has been so useful when doing my design packs.

9. Sketching Template

Meet ‘Doris’! I do all my garment sketches on Doris, I’d be lost without her!

What have you got lying on your desk? Tell us below or tweet us @LauraAshley__

Having already had the privilege of getting down to the exhibition, it seems us Brits have a lot to be proud of when it comes to innovative design. The exhibition tells the story of British fashion, furniture, fine art, graphic design, pottery, ceramics, architecture and industrial products over the past 60 years. Boasting more than 350 objects this fascinating walk down Brit lane, charts everything from the Queen’s Coronation, David Mellor’s traffic light and Kenneth Grange’s Brownie Vecta camera to the pioneering art of Brit School talents (Damien Hirst/ Richard Slee) and modern technology of James Dyson, Jonathan Ive’s iMAC for Apple, not to mention the engineering of the Concorde! Deep breath.

Traffic Light by David Mellor (1930-2009). As Britain’s road network expanded in the 1960’s, he was commissioned to redesign the national traffic light system. 

‘Brownie Vecta’ camera, Kenneth Grange 1964

‘G-Force’ vacuum cleaner, James Dyson, 1986

Concorde by British Airways

Printed poster for the opening of The National Theatre in 1976. By Tom Philips (b.1938).

Chair Thing self assembly chair. By Peter Murdoch (b.1940)

Our favourite part of the exhibition (during the era of a young Laura Ashley) was centred around 1960’s ‘Swinging London’ with pieces from the likes of Mary Quant aswell as original photography by David Bailey and Terry O’Neil of the iconic Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy. Fashion lovers can also expect some radical fashion including Hussein Chalayan’s Tulle Dress and an Alexander McQueen dress from his Horn of Plenty collection (2009).

Mary Quant Peachy Sleeveless Dress (1960), Mary Quant Mini Dress (1966), Mary Quant Ankle Boots (1967)

Hussein Chalayan’s Tulle Dress

Alexander McQueen dress from his Horn of Plenty collection (2009)

Ending on a suitably sporty high, we got a good glimpse at a newly commissioned model of Zaha Hadid’s London Aquatics Centre, making us even more enviable that we haven’t been able to secure an Olympic 2012 ticket. What a design!

Tickets to the exhibition are £12. For more information or to book advance tickets visit the V&A website here 

Alex has kindly shared some of her weekend snaps at home in her beautiful country escape. Spot her Laura Ashley home pieces…

Laura Ashley Imogen cotton bedlinen

“Saturday starts with clean sheets and a well deserved lie-in”

Laura Ashley Emmeline pair of cream wall hooks

“These clever hooks help keep my dressing room tidy. My husband mounted them onto a beautiful piece of oak to add authenticity. The back of this Stalk Print Cotton Cropped Top has a lovely ribbon tie at the back of the neck”.

Truscott Cotton Reverse Quilt in Duck Egg

“Making the guest bedroom perfect is a joy! We have a subtle butterfly theme and have ensured there is a super-comfy quilt on the bed, alongside a stack of books and magazines, water and chocolate.”

“The guest bedroom Astor curtain tie-backs and my collection of vintage perfume bottles.”

T-shirt: Laura Ashley Limited collection for Uniqlo

“No Spring weekend is complete without time in the garden. Whether it’s tending my herb tubs, weeding or simply sipping iced water under my vintage bunting I can’t wait to get outside!”

Floral Printed Glass Jug

“This jug goes perfectly with my car-boot found bird glasses!”

Curtains in Vittorio Gold Damask with vintage brass tie-backs. Cream footed marble bowl

“Cosy up… My reading nooks where I can settle down with a book if the rains sets in. The cream footed marble bowl I tend to keep well stocked with sweets and within easy reach!”

“The drawing room houses a mix of vintage buys and fresh new finds including the Baylis Pleated Cushion and Archer Gold Leaf Lamp.”

Alex wears Stalk Print Cotton Cropped Top and Willow Under Bed Storage 

“One of my favourite weekend activities is tidying my wardrobe (really!). Archiving old pieces into storage is really satisfying.”

Which pieces do you like in Alex’s home? Love to hear your thoughts below or tweet us @LauraAshley__

If you fancy taking shield from the rainy weather and are London bound this weekend it is well worth popping down. Head to the coffee Lab to perfect your coffee making skills, enjoy a chocolate or tea tasting workshop or even air your stance on the ethical trade debate.

We’re now feeling well informed on our coffee trivia. Did you know that coffee is the second most traded commodity on earth? And that 70% of the world consumes Arabica coffee which is mild and aromatic, the remaining 30% drink Robusta which is more bitter tasting and has 50% more caffeine? Nor did we.

For us coffee isn’t fully complete without something sweet. You can only imagine our delight when we came across stalls hosted by our friends Hummingbird Bakery and Rococo Chocolates appeasing our sweet side. Not to mention newly discovered gluten free macaroons from On Café in Clapham- we couldn’t resist their mini macaroon selection- the perfect petit four!

We couldn’t possibly talk about coffee, tea and delights without mentioning our latest tea and biscuit range. The Raspberry and Clotted Cream Biscuits have become the press team’s new daily indulgence, teamed with some Jasmine tea to reveal our more healthy side!

How did you get into illustration?

I initially started Little Doodles during my degree, I have a great love of research (I often enjoy this part of a project more than the final outcome) and wanted a platform to share everything I had come across preparing for projects and the resulting images that it inspired. Unfortunately I have a condition called M.E. which is a bit like chronic fatigue so through my blog I was able to connect with both people who liked my work as well as other illustrators when I wasn’t able to get out and about in person.  Using it a bit like a digital sketchbook spurs me on to keep creating work even when I’m feeling a bit under the weather and it’s incredibly rewarding when people leave lovely comments about it.

I studied illustration at the London College of Fashion but I’ve always had an obsession with doodling.  So much so that when I was little it was custom to buy a pencil and notepad at every museum I visited (the lure of the gift shop has still stuck with me!).

Kate’s illustration of birds sitting within Laura Ashley tea cups. Uncanny eye for capturing the real thing…

The Elveden Bone China Cup and Saucer

What inspired you to draw these Laura Ashley items?

I often get drawn back to tea related themes, little birds and biscuits seem to be the perfect pairing.  The thought of birds having a secret life that we aren’t aware of has always entertained me, and who could resist a cuppa and a cheeky custard cream?!

To visit Little Doodles and see more of Kate’s illustrations click here