EleanorLucy Millinery - Blog

Tis The Season . . .

Mon, 01 Dec 2014 18:46:25 GMT

. . . to be cosy in the house !

Brrr! Sorry I'm a week late (again!) And worse still, it's the season when I'm busy making lots of things (admittedly no hats) that I can't show you until after Christmas in case their recipients read this! :/

Good news is that the post-yuletide blog will have pretty much written itself, but for now, here are this year's garland (slighty less red and more pink and orange than I promised my other half...whoops!) complete with ridiculously startled owl (and it's looking likely that our tree will be COVERED in birds this year!); and after a blissful weekend of cooking in my pyjamas, my first ever attempt at canapes - not especially pretty but they were delicious! - spiced beetroot chutney and chorizo jam! :)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas over at Handmade Harbour too - if you need a festive boost to chase away any premature bah humbugs, then pop on over.

See you soon folks!

One night in Wonderland !

Mon, 10 Nov 2014 22:36:29 GMT

I'm living the theme!

In that this post is a) a week late and b) late for a Monday)... That's my excuse anyhoo - I'll let the pictures do the talking ;)

Handmade Mondayers are much more eloquent here. I'm off to drink my last glass of wine as a lady what's in her 20's..! See you soon my loves! x

The journey into Wonderland begins

Mon, 20 Oct 2014 18:04:40 GMT

Evening campers! Hope you've had a good fortnight - I for one cannot believe how quickly it's gone! And only three (ish) weeks left until my Mad Hatters Unbirthday Party - and frankly if the past two weeks are anything to go by, it's going to be BUSY!

Business first - this has never happened before and after a rather miserably grey Monday last week, I was so touched to receive a thank you card from my latest client, Christine (MBE!) Totally made my day!

(Thank you again if you're reading this Christine - and hope you don't mind me sharing your message - it was just too lovely not to share!) :)

Floral fancies next - and no fabric in sight unusually for me! ;) The Angels' Trumpets did not disappoint, in bloom nor in scent! The house has smelled like heaven for a couple of weeks, although sadly one of them fell off rather unceremoniously this morning!

I can't really take any credit for this as it seems to have thrived largely on neglect (I'm trying Very Hard to live up to my mum's and granny's green fingers!)

There are 105 crepe paper origami roses in that box. I know this, because I folded them. All of them. I'm having a break from origami for the next week or so!!!! The white ones wil be daubed with a bit of red and interspersed with paper paint-brush-brandishing Playing Card Guards (these are the templates) - I've got my work cut out! (Boom boom.)

I'm hoping the finished guards looks a little less like they've threatening my guests with meat cleavers...

My own transformation into a Wonderland Wanderer is also well underway - as soon as I've finished this post I'm back off up to the studio to join the brim and the crown, line it, and finally (all going according to plan) to make the ears... ;)

Watch

This

Space.

Ha!!

Meanwhile, for a little light relief (it's hard to hat and watch TV - knitting's much easier!) this year's 'Summer jumper' (now my 2015 Spring jumper probably, let's face it!) is taking shape. I'm so obsessed with this pattern that the colour chart is the background on my phone (I really need to get out more).

I even love the zigzagged back which (in my eyes at least!) has accidentally become a pattern in itself!

I know my Granny (Head Knitting Coach and Master of Jumper Fitting) would be super proud :)
(But would probably also have helped me by advising me - before I noticed i.e. when it was too late - that my ribbed hem on the back piece is far too tight. I'm hoping it'll just cinch the back in..!)

And that's that for another week! Handmade Monday is still going strong here, see you in a couple of weeks!

Another delightful deadline & party prep begins . . .

Mon, 06 Oct 2014 17:35:18 GMT

Sorry I'm late Miss (-es and Mr's!) It's bumper blog this week - busy busy! First up - Christine picked up her hat on Friday and looks totally fabulous in her new peaked button beret! And quite right too - one must always look one's glamorous best when collecting one's MBE from the Queen! What an amazing lady! (And hopefully a hat to match!) :)

Next up, mixing business (ish) with pleasure on a gloriously girly weekend in Bristol with my bestie :) We also discovered that stretching steaming hot felt is significantly easier when you've got rugger-guns on hand - introducing my new glamorous assisant! #yourehired ;) (Ooh and Mary - I hope Mad showed you the stitching round the headband this weekend: it's so tiny and neat and even, we knew you'd be proud!) :)

And finally, just pleasure! Decorations for my mad hatting 30th are finally underway - and boy have I got my work cut out lol! Only another 29/78 roses to go for the Queen of Hearts' rose garden... Exciting!

Working equally as hard, my super talented daddy has finished the donut brim block for my party hat - what would I do without him!?

And surprising everyone with its determination and optimism, my Angels' Trumpet plant has panicked about winter (happens to the best of us deary!) and put out two more flowers (currently in the form of the weird green triffid fingers...but you just wait!) I'm very much hoping they'll be out for my birthday too - they smell of heaven!

The Handmade Mondayers have been equally industrious as always - check them out here and I'll see you in a fortnight! x

Hi Ho Silver lining

Mon, 15 Sep 2014 21:12:51 GMT

Another crazy couple of weeks with The New Job - the good news is that a) I think I'm enjoying it now (phewf!) and b) the silver fur button beret is well underway and providing regular sanity. What on earth would I do without hats! (Don't answer that - it's not a viable option!)

This week I discovered that even though I may never use my beloved bonnet blocks for their true purpose, their irregular curves are a milliner's best friend! My current project is based on Hilda, the peaked raffia button with blue orchids - the peak on this hat occurred entirely by accident in a folding / pleating experiment, and so whilst I knew I could repeat it on felt, I wasn't 100% settled on how I would achieve it... Victorian blocks to the rescue! Christine's royal hat should be assembled by the weekend and ready for a generous scattering of pearls :)

In other (somewhat loosely) hat related updates, I've started preparations for my 30th (yikes) birthday party with some enormous crepe paper origami roses and my clever Dad's knocking up a new donut brim block to complement my party hat - which actually will use on of the Victorian brethren for its crown (once I've fixed the chip!) Quadruple yay!! (<< Party / new block / ACTUAL Victorian blocked hat - which counts as two!!) And because I forgot to take a photo of the en route brim block, here is also a gratuitous nail photo - partly chipped through blocking and gardening...

This week's Handmade Monday's creative kernels are just here, and I'll see you next time! x

A Hat Fit For [Meeting] The Queen !

Mon, 01 Sep 2014 19:59:48 GMT

NEWS FLASH! Last week, I received a call from a stranger who I am now delighted to be able to call my latest client! She needs a hat to wear to receive her MBE (no seriously) from Buckingham Palace in October. I am Beyond Excited! I have offered to make her a dress completely made out of my business cards, but ultimately it didn't go with the hat that we'd just designed to go with her MBE-receiving outfit. You win some you lose some I guess! ;)

The ever reliable and super helpful Parkin Fabrics delivered my order the very next day, and as you know already I LOVE getting post - this was a bumper box :) I also ordered about a mile of buckram (my best frenemy block used up my previous supply. Selfish.), and some wool felts for a wild weekend of winter floppy hatting with my bestie in Bristol at the end of next month. There will be photos! (Mad: Loving the Moonstone! I went for Russet. Tres autumnal I think you'll agree.) :)

I've had to take a permanent job again (hence the *ahem* missed blog last fortnight - apologies) so hatting is both my escape from reality and an evenings and weekends activity again for now. Boo hiss. I was worried that hatting to deadline under 9-5 pressure would suck the fun out of it, but nothing can take the joy out of this showstopper for the most glamorous MOTB I've hatted to date! I'm so pleased with the elegance of this one, and I love how the sprials look like they're blowing in the wind even though they're securely attached! It's all boxed up and awaiting Jacqui's final fitting - I literally cannot wait for the wedding photos!

(Ps. I'm considering mutiny against rolled sinamay edged headbands after I did this to my poor old fingers last week... Having said that, I'd rather have blisters than computer glazed eyes, so I'll take it on the chin...! #notliterally)

So, that's it for this time. As usual, the Handmade Monday lovelies are still going strong, head over and see what they've all been up to. See you in a fortnight, dearests!

Wedding Belles

Sun, 03 Aug 2014 20:02:06 GMT

What a weekend! An amazing wedding on Friday (congratulations again Katy & Arno!) and a super fun London hen do yesterday before the tres glamorous wedding next week! As a result I have been very busy finishing and fitting happy hats for such happy occasions; it's been mental and brilliant and I think I might be broken!

First up, I conquered the new buckram brim block at last! After spending so much time together, we've decided to put our differences aside and be friends! And thank goodness - because look at my wedding hat! Love it! Even if I do say so myself (which I do!) :P Quite a few creations were out on loan and there were even a couple of previous commissions on show. It's so nice to see my hats out enjoying themselves in the sunshine as they were intended to do! (And look at Katy's beautiful dress!)

The orange rose percher was delivered this week too - photos to follow of the whole glorious ensemble in the next blog, as Jess & David's wedding is next weekend! No hat for me this time: even better - I'm a bridesmaid! Exciting!!

The hen do was so much fun, and I can add vintage jewellery making to my crafty CV after a very rewarding afternoon class courtesy of I Made It Myself. This necklace's centrepiece is a vintage shoe clip!

And so, after so many deadlines and frankly a little too much excitement for a single weekend. I have a long overdue date with my duvet! The Handmade Monday crew are still going strong so head on over for a nosey at the creative adventures this week too :) See you in two weeks!

Flower power !

Mon, 21 Jul 2014 20:37:09 GMT

Evening all! So I've finally been driven back to temping, which is a) great, because despite earning minimum wage I've now stopped dreaming about not having enough money, and b) quite stresseful because I have less than two weeks to finish a block, two hats and three flower girls' headbands in my 'leisure' (what's that?) time, and then another three weeks to finish the other MOTB showstopper. Yikes!! I'm taking the drip feed approach of having a needle and thread in my hands at pretty much all times when I'm not entering almost illegible data (#yay.) and I'm pleased to report: so far, so good! Thank god there are roses involved - it is scientifically proven that silk roses make Ellie a happy girl :)

First up...sneak peek of the first MOTB deadline - obviously I can't show you the hat or even an overall impression until its new owner has wowed her fellow guests on the big day ;) so until then this will have to do! After some unsuccesful experimentation with tranditional hand embriodery straight onto the sinamay (it was far too twee) I reached for the Aquafilm, which frankly my dears never fails me :) I love this hat!! Can't wait to show you the whole gorgeous ensemble!!

Next up, the first of two white silk organza roses for my own head (any excuse!) for the eagerly anticipated wedding of Katy and Arno... CAN'T WAIT!! :D

The next set of petals are drying to shape as I type, and I'm hoping to have the flowers at least finished by tonight...wish me luck! ;)

Tres Midsummer Night's Dream dahlinks, I'm sure you agree! :P

I'm wearing a cream and navy 80s trouser suit (yep, yes I am..!) and so it's shoulder pad central chez moi - my wooden brim blocks are dwarfed in contrast, so I'm borrowing Jacqui's brim block's maiden voyage (makers' privileges surely!) in the process to balance it all out!

It's finally off the clay and getting stronger by the day, but my poor fingers are like sandpaper! It'll be worth it in the end!

And finally, I was in lovely Yorkshire this weekend - when the promised heatwave didn't materialise (rude) we spent a rainy but happy afternoon in the Castle Museum :) Imagine my delight when we discovered a milliner's on the recreated Victorian street!! Amazing! :D Even th hat stands are ornate! My kinda place ha! :)

And so I'm off back to my trusty thimble, see you in a couple of (hopefully sunny!) weeks and pop over to Handmade Monday in the meantime. TTFN my dears! :) x

Short and sweet

Mon, 07 Jul 2014 20:36:14 GMT

[Disclaimer: Apologies for the untidiness of this post - Weebly have rather unhelpfully removed the columns feature, which my s format pretty much totally relies on, so it feels like a bit of a mish mash! I'll either get the hand of it in a couple of weeks or they'll be receiving a strongly worded email!]

Bit of a flying visit on the blog this evening - it's been a busy couple of weeks but whilst there's been progress, it's not especially visual so I'll keep it to the point!

Firstly, I've added another couple of layers to the new brim block - one one bind around the edge, smoothed and pressed, cut away then wired and roped and we're done! Well, we're ready to start the *actual hat* in any case...!

The traditional methods are the most rewarding for sure, but they're also the most time consuming!!

Next up, latest progress on one of the MOTB commissions - this has taken waaaaay longer than it should on account of having to use some of my blocks rather imaginatively, but it's exactly how I want it at the end of a very frustrating but ultimately satisfying couply of days!

It's the fun bit now - embroidery, abstract silk flowers and feathers! I can't wait to crack on :) (I should add that I've cut off the sketch of the final design - I don't want to steal this very stylish lady's thunder, she's going to look blummin awesome!)

Glastonbury action shots as promised! I had an absolute (muddy) ball with a totally amazing group of long lost friends, and now I need a holiday ha! ;)

So, that's it for this week! As ever, pop over to Handmade Monday and see what everyone's been up to. See you in a fortnight! x

Summer love-in !

Mon, 23 Jun 2014 21:15:58 GMT

This week - weddings and festivals!

Firstly, call me old fashioned, but I LOVE getting post, and especially any post that is even remoptely related to hats! In part because of this, and in part because every time I enter the shop in person I'm incapable of leaving without being several metres of silk heavier and a good £50 lighter (but it's all so beautiful!), this time I ordered from my favourite Broadwick Silks by phone.

[NB: To be honest it didn't seem to affect the amount I spent, but at least this fabric's for bona fide orders!] ;)

Imagine my delight then, when the silks I ordered for two commissions I'm working on arrived the very next day (yay!) with this super sweet note from the shop (double yay!)

Adorable! :)

All the silks are for my tried and tested / obsessively beloved silk roses: the ivory for me for Katy and Arno's August wedding, and the orange and purple for the two MOTB hats I'm working on.

The purple hat is going to be a true showstopper, and has required a clay and buckram block experiment which has been messy, challenging and hugely enjoyable in equal measures!

It's well on the way now, but there's still a lot to do! And I haven't even started on the hat itself yet! Cripes!

[Another NB: Jacqui if you're reading this, don't worry about the smudges - it's normal on buckram blocks, I promise, and your hat will be pure Emperor purple!!]

Here's the first layer of the second hat,a black and white satellite percher which will be bedecked with the orange roses... and features my dad's amazing monster block at last, I love it!! (He's so clever.) :)

Last but not least, this year's Glastonbury headband is all set for adventure - the fairy lights are going on tomorrow and I'll be sure to get some action shots to show you on my return!

Perfect for a mud fairy I think you'll agree, and let's face it there's going to be no losing me, which is probably for the best!

And with that I'm off to make a list of lists I need to write (and then do - yikes!) before I go. If you need a creative fix whilst I'm glasto-gallavanting then there's no better place for a browse than Handmade Harbour's Handmade Monday. See you in a couple of weeks! x