Spring Lotus block print fabric – looking amazing!!

We always thought that our Spring Lotus natural-dye hand-printed fabric was pretty cool – but we’re blown away by how good some of our customers have made it look!  What clever customers we have!!!

First of all is Billy & Lola’s gorgeous vintage style swimsuit which we found on The Market Lane and Billy & Lola’s lovely Collection site.

The Swimsuit…

found here at The Market Lane.

and then we saw this on Etsy, made by SeedSewn.  A matching vintage style bag!

Nice work ladies.  So now you can suit up in your amazing vintage swimsuit, pack a gorgeous maxi bag, and saunter off to the beach!

My favourite hand block-printed silk dress.

Well it’s summer in Australia, and that means it’s time to make some new summer dresses.  Although, to be honest, I live in Brisbane and we can pretty much wear summer dresses 11 out of 12 months here.  But this is my favourite, and it’s not all that hard to see why.

First, the fabric is Monsoon Weave fabric: hand block-printed silk and cotton blended fabric.  It is made in India, by skilled block-printers who have passed down the skills of block-carving and printing for generations.  I think that is pretty cool.

Secondly, I sewed it with my Nana’s old Singer sewing machine, which is just the loveliest machine ever. But, just to cap off the

vintage vibe completely, the pattern dates back to December 1972, and cost my mum $1.80.

http://vintagepatterns.wikia.com/wiki/Vogue_8438

(Thanks Mum!)

So, here are a couple more pics of my lovely dress.

Happy creating,

Anna

New Hand Block Printed Fabrics!

I LOVE it when we get new fabrics.  I love the smells, the textures, and all the ideas that start flowing through my brain about what to make!  It’s exciting!  So I wanted to share it with you!

Our new hand block printed fabrics: Dec 2011.  And if you haven’t found what you’re looking for here, check back in early Feb as we’ll be getting another delivery of hand printed voiles then too!

All our best wishes for a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

The Monsoon Weave team. xo

Jacquard Print in Red

An old favourite back in stock: Autumn Leaves Block Print

Light weight cotton voile: Flowers in Red

Christmas Crafts – The “mother of all buttonholes” tissue box cover

It’s nearly December now and this past 6 months has passed so very quickly.  So much achieved, but it has made the year pass way too quickly for my liking.  Coming up to Christmas (and summer here in Australia) I am looking to make some little gifts as well as some pretty dresses for those hot days and balmy nights.  Lucky for me I have a pretty solid stash of beautiful hand printed fabrics to choose from!!

But first to nimble up the fingers with a very easy little craft project – a tissue box cover, made out of a gorgeous earthy paisley print.

Supplies needed:

1 x fat quarter fabric (50cm x 1/2 the width) from Monsoon Weave = $3.50

Scissors

Pins

Ruler or tape measure

Trusty Singer sewing machine

Thread of an approximately similar colour

Dressmaker’s pencil (or a dodgy substitute!)

Tissue Box

1. Fold ends like wrapping a present.  Pin in place.

2. Sew along edges at each end.

3. Now we are going to make the mother of all buttonholes in the top!  Easy peasy.  Use your zigzag setting a bit wider than usual, with a very small stitch length.  I make mine like an I beam, with a reinforced top and bottom which makes the buttonhole like a capital I.

4. Fold up the bottoms, pin in place and sew around the bottom of the tissue box cover.

And there it’s all done.

Looking cute and it would make a lovely handmade Christmas present.  You could even make a matching fabric card.

Happy creating!

Renzo Mongiadino – Indian Silk Inspiration

Renzo Mongiadino.

When I first saw this photo I was stunned.  And obviously I’m not the first.  They say that the Italian stage designer and architect Renzo Mongiadino (1916-1998) had a clientele that mirrored any kidnappers wish-list including the Onassis family, Gianni Versace, and Princess Firyal of Jordan.

What is interesting about Renzo Mongiadino though is that most of his ambient interiors are “smoke and mirrors”, like a stage which is marble built from ply, or tapestry built from block printed fabric.  Not that it’s less impressive, but interesting.

In architectural circles his work is described as “decorative”, “ostentatious”, or “opulent”, which is demonstrative of his unique approach for the 20th Century, in a time when the architectural movement was headed towards the honesty and transparency of modernism, heralding the clean lines of architects such as Le Corbusier, and away from “decoration”.

Notwithstanding, I love the effectiveness of this application of traditional Indian fabric.  It is warm, and luxurious, in a way that Le Corbusier wasn’t ever.  I would love to stay in a hotel room that looked like this.

Fabric that blows my mind…

Well I wish I could supply these fabrics…  or even afford to buy them.  They are quite amazing, and the story is told here: Lost City.  This business inspires me to evolve Monsoon Weave into the most heavenly fabric emporium, where the fabrics are part of the “Slow Cloth” revolution, and weave a wonderful story.  This is the part I like best:

MANIFESTO

Lost City is driven by the desire to create the most beautiful hand embroidered products in the world by employing artisans who would otherwise lose their livelihood. We believe that business and humanity can co-exist. The extinction of the rare skills possessed by families that still earn their living working with needle and thread will deprive us of a sophisticated art form that has existed for over five hundred years. Our primary goal is to evolve this art by nurturing its craftsmen and using conscientious business practices.

It is no secret that technological progress often has a human cost. Modernization has pulverized many genteel traditions and often entire civilizations have been sacrificed in the name of advancement. Cities once rich in art and culture have vanished. We are not reformists but we are passionately devoted to preserving some of the craftsmanship that enhances our lives and saving a bit of the magic that illuminates our cities.

Our mission is to make hand embroidery a flourishing art again.

Isn’t that wonderful.  Here are a couple more pics of fabrics made by Lost City Products.  It makes me very happy to know that such a company exists.

Now go and do something beautiful!

Anna  (-:

New Inspiration in an odd form

So my latest inspiration came from an odd direction.  Coffee hession bags!  Check these out, and wouldn’t they make wonderful hand bags and door mats?!  In fact, I’ve made one already with string and a very large “sail repair kit” needle!  I gave it to my best friend as a house warming present already, but I will try to get a photo of it to post here.

Happy Sewing!

Anna

Blog of Inspiration (& Feedback)

Floral Garden

Today I read a quote: “Done is better than perfect”, and since it came from Mark Zuckerberg it made me stop and really think.  Whilst I want Monsoon Weave run perfectly, perhaps a little “imperfect” blogging will be ok…?

Hence this post.

Calling all sewing enthusiasts everywhere to try out our fabric and tell us what you think!  We are asking for open feedback, directly from the source, mostly because transparency and openness is the best way to build trust.  We think our fabrics are beautiful.  What do you think?!

We are also planning to turn this blog into a “Wall of Inspiration”, which will take time, but we hope it will make you feel more at home at Monsoon Weave.  So someone be inspiring, and someone be brave…  :-)

Happy sewing!

Anna

A belated block-print update…

If you haven’t seen our latest summer range of hand-printed block prints, then you are missing out!

And with free shipping for all orders over $25.00 to Australia and New Zealand, today is a great day to design a new dress!

Antique

"Mahal"

"Flower Jungle"

"Leaf Geometry"

All fabrics are hand-printed in India, and absolutely lovely.  Find out more at www.monsoonweave.com.au.

Happy Sewing!

Anna

New Fabric Arrivals!!!

Today at Monsoon Weave we are sitting amongst PILES of exquisite brand new handmade Indian fabric!  So many textures.  So many smells!  It’s SO exciting!

The cotton block print fabrics are just lovely, and I am constantly amazed at the complexity of their handmade fabrication.  Take a peak…

Lovely to look at, but now have a read about the manufacturing process:

Hand block printing has been a traditional art form in India since the 12^th Century.  The woodblock carving process is intricate and multiple different complimentary blocks may be required for one pattern, involving some very tricky hand carving.

Here is a picture of a beautiful Indian wood block:

Once the blocks are ready (softened for weeks by soaking to enable them to absorb the dye), they are dipped into the dye and pressed onto the cloth, repeatedly and accurately, making the print pattern.  This delicate and precise process must be continued for each colour in the pattern.

The artisans pass their skills from generation to generation and generally work in small family studios.

However, over the past 30 years there has been a shift towards machine-printing in India.  For the weavers, embroiderers and printers who have been honing their skills throughout centuries, this change has had massive ramifications.  Many have found their skills redundant.  Forced to turn to other menial labour, the skilled artistry of generations is lost.

Thankfully, there are small groups still practising this timeless and exquisite art form and discerning consumers to support it, bringing it to the forefront of modern fashion today.

Amazing isn’t it?!  I will post a more detailed account further down the track, but right now I want to show you what else is filling up my lounge room!

Crewel embroidery fabric (aka Jacobean, Chain-stich & Crewel Work) is also blowing my mind right now!  At the moment I have metres and metres of this amazing fabric that really should be called pure “tapestry”.  This upholstery & curtain fabric is still hand-embroidered in the Kashmir Valley, India!

Look at this!

So there you go!  If you would like to see more then please have a look at www.monsoonweave.com.au .

Happy sewing!

Anna