Carnations X Large Tapered Shade Half Price

One lesson I have learnt to my cost is never make lampshades in bad light. Easier said than done on a gloomy, wet and dark afternoon (in July-ha ha!). But the truth is original vintage fabrics have flaws. Many find their way to me as curtains and after all the unpicking of the seams and the oh so careful laundering there are some flaws you can just do nothing about. Sun fading is one of the most annoying. The fabric might on first sight be perfect - its only in good light that you spy a line of slight fading where the sun has worked its magic over time.

This is what has happened to my last piece of carnations barkcloth. Such a pretty print on a clotted cream background. Just one little problem - a line of fading on the back seam. Nothing dramatic just a small section where the background is more "single cream" than "clotted cream"

I've taken pity and done something I rarely do and trimmed this shade rather extravagantly with a really unusual super soft natural linen tassed trim and linen braid. I think it compliments the barkcloth fabric really well.

With the trim (which was from France) this shade should have been in the shop for £60. Its a real one off bargain at £30. Please select whether you'd like to fit it to a floor lamp or hang it as an oversized ceiling pendant. 

Lampshade Making at Made in Lewes

Can't tell you how much I've loved running the last two workshops on lampshade making. Jill and Josie from the Patchwork Dog and Basket have created such a wonderful warm and friendly atmoshphere for Made in Lewes events I soon lost any nervousness.

Vintage Embroidery Patchwork Shade from FollyandGlee

Workshops just seem to incapsulate what we all need more of - working together to learn a new skill put to use creating something we'll treasure...whilst sharing our trials and tribulations into perspective!

The Patchwork Traditional Shade Workshop

It's hard to imagine many other parts of our life when we get that chance anymore. Work is so pressured, families so busy, friends so varied in their interests.

Applying trimmings

In sorting the ins and outs of how to roll the edge on a lampshade, and the best way to bind our frames, what trim to choose etc we were united in a common aim.....and it felt good!

The rolled edge drum shade workshop

I don't know about running lots more but I'll certainly being booking to attend more workshops myself - love them.

Jill's beautifully finished map print shade

A special thank you to our guest from VivaLewes Magazine.  He was pretty darn good with a needle for someone who "hasn't sewn a stitch since he was seven".

I can't mention Viva Lewes without encouraging you to their website. We are blessed with what must be the country's most stylish community "what's on".



VivaLewes Covers

Just take a look at some of the specially commissioned covers available to purchase as prints. They are always simply stunning.

FollyandGlee Bargains on Shoplocket

I've decided to have a little experiment with a rather nifty app called ShopLocket.

I am lucky enough from time to time to get requests from magazine and other stylists for one off pieces. This is obviously great publicity and if I can say yes I do. The downside is that when items are returned to me they have "seen a little life" on their adventure. Invariably they get moved around a photo shoot a few times and often take a few knocks. They are not damaged but I feel less than happy about just poppinf them straight back in the shop....and as they are one offs its somethimes hardly worth all the listing time/fees etc.

The other scenario is of course of my own making. All FollyandGlee items are handmade by my less than fair (kind of gnarled actually) hands. This means mistakes do happen and a line of stitchy can be a bit wonky, a rolled edge might have a fray at the end, and horror of horrors sometimes I discover a slight fabric flaw....after all the work has been done.

Well I'm hoping with this ShopLockety thing we might all be winners. I don't have to sit and stare and projects I'm not sure what to do with and you dear customers get rather lovely things at rock bottom prices.

I promise to make the reductions on my ShopLocket widget at least 40% off and I promise to tell you what the flaw or "unique little character forming feature" is. So first off - here is a smaller than usual 25cm diameter drum patchwork lampshade in a combination of blue/lilac barkcloths. He's a one off made to order for a very highly regarded Interiors Mag and set to feature in their October issue. he returned home in a very big box with some heavier lamp bases and he got a bit dented on one side. I've steam pressed him and 99% of the dent is gone. He's almost half price at £20.

Of course the FollyandGlee shop is still very much alive and soon to be refreshed with lots of new season fabrics. Do still hop over and have a browse please but if you are short on time and want to grab a one off bargain the ShopLocket window just lets you click and pay securely online with PayPal right from the blog and hopefully my the FollyandGlee facebook page. Let me know if it works!