I am an antique textile dealer and also make things from a variety of my textiles,usually things that are distressed and can be recycled to extend their life and enjoy their beauty or workmanship.
I buy antique quilts exstensively ,log cabin pattern is my favourite. "Paisley" shawls are another passion of mine,even the damaged ones find a good home with me! love the colours, so rich.
I have a soft spot for anything in wool, must be my Northern roots and upbringing,Blankets, sweaters, tweeds and felts , the more rustic the better.
Lizzy and I share a love of French linen and textiles and have a joint collection , " Franglais " which we source together on our travels, bedlinens , soft furnishings , sheets for curtains , the more rustic the better we like them Handwoven linens and hemps from the 19th cent. wonderful shirts and chemises.
Lizzie and I had a great trip to France and are wading through the new buys, washing and ironing is the order of the day. We had a lovely drive down to our friends after a good crossing arriving in time for a pre supper drink outside on the bench watching the horses. The girls had their friend Troy staying and he is a rather handsome bay hunk so there is lots of squealing going on, all amusing entertainment. Lizzie and I managed to fit in quite a lot of our calls and the pile was growing nicely with one or two really star buys. Sunday Ticky took us to a huge Vide and we were so early we nearly proceeded the stall holders! the French are not as fanatical as us about early starts. We had a coffee and croissant while watching the scene unfold .It was a bit wet and mizzly and the site is hilly so the tractors were pulling vans onto the site!! Anyway in due course we did the rounds and hoovered up some really nice things, plus Lizzy got a chandelier for her bedroom and Ticky a pitch fork,we were home in time for a " full English " before the rain set in.