Back from the Nether Regions

Hi Everyone,


It's a bit odd nowadays - there are so many ways to connect with people, that it's hard to know which is the most important. I think I do most things - facebook (both personal and a page for the business), official Atelier website, twitter, blogs for my classes and the wedding dress business Atelier, plus other promo work, such as newspaper/magazine articles, flyers, business cards etc., etc....PLUS the best one - word of mouth. This last takes a little time to spread, especially when it's for a business or service which isn't needed all the time by everybody, but it is ultimately the most reliable.
Sooooooo.....tell your friends!!!The Atelier website can be found at www.bobbiesroom.co.uk and the Atelier facebook page is here. 
I have neglected the blogs a bit recently, as the Facebook side of things is so easy to do, but I realised, or should I say, forgot that not everyone uses facebook. So have decided to keep up better with the blogs! Let me know what you think about blogs - do you read them/find them interesting /useful?

I am currently in the local glossy monthly magazine, Four Shires, with a full page article and photos. Only thing is, this article is a year old, as it didn't go in this time last year, as it was planned to, for what reason I don't know! So some of the information is out of date, and I am no longer collaborating with another designer, and the vintage / recycled / personal meaning side of my design work is called Atelier Redolent, not as named in the article. Still, you can see all my latest stuff on the website (link above). Please have a look if you have a moment - it's available in newsagents in Oxfordshire/Warwickshire/Northamptonshire/Gloucestershire/Buckinghamshire

But here we speak specifically about pattern cutting and sewing techniques, although since changing my website host, the Atelier wedding dress blog can't be accessed by anyone but me! Currently working on resolving that, but until I do, I will use this blog for both strands of Atelier. Hopefully you will find it all interesting though....

My one to one  class students have increased noticeably in the last month or so, which is great, and my students are so committed and enthusiastic, it's quite touching.

Stop press - very pleased to announce that my Atelier wedding dress blog has just been rescued from the nether regions of the interweb, and is now available for everyone to see again! It's here:
 bobbie-atelier.blogspot.com

So, this is just to let you know that I will be more blog active now everything's up and running, but please have a look at the facebook page (link above), if you are a facebooker.

Speak soon,

Bobbie 

Hello People in the the Atelier world!

You may wonder what this is (above).......

well, it's how one of my students returned some pins to me, which had been in  a toile which she had taken home to work on.

I was taken aback and happily surprised to have this miniature pin sculpture.....taken aback, as people don't normally return pins, well, not this amount anyway, so I was impressed by the fact of them being returned at all, and happily surprised and in wonderment at the form in which they had been returned! A beautiful small sculpture of pins and fabric. 

Amazing how something as seemingly simple and functional as this, can be such a surprise, and inspiring. I guess because it's so unexpected - if you had some pins you wanted to return, how would you do it? Put them in a very small box? (Hard to find on demand). Stick them into a piece of fabric all at once in a bunch? (Nice and quick and easy). Or place each one exactly parallel to the other, very close together thus forming a lovely raised area that looks like piping, making the whole thing a rather beautiful object in itself?

If anyone reads this, and has any other interesting ideas for pin (or needle) sculptures or fabric manipulations, please email me or comment below. 

Well....I found it inspiring anyway!! Do I need to get out more?!

On another note - it's university/college show time now, Northampton's tomorrow, and I shall be there to see how it all looks on the catwalk. Presentation isn't everything but it sure makes the work more desirable and therefore sellable, if it has been carefully preened and primped to it's best possible state. If presentation is careless, it doesn't say much about the value of the work to a prospective customer.

For the Atelier classes, I am still offering the 6 lessons for the price of 5 deal to NEW students, so if you are within travelable distance of me (near Banbury in Oxfordshire, UK), you may like to take advantage of this: normal price of 6 x 2hr lessons would be £180, but the special offer reduces this to £150, so in effect, you get one 2hr lesson free of charge! Call 07941 619992

For people who live further afield, (or even if you don't!), I am also offering longer pattern cutting / garment making, one to one workshop days by arrangement, which means that you could come for a whole day, (which would run from 10am - 4pm), with lunch, and drinks included for £150.

The exact choice of subject is yours, but you could for example:

• Learn the basics of pattern cutting, and how to make a block (template pattern) that fits your body shape, (beginners), 
• Make a finished pattern from a chosen design, which you can then use to make a garment at home, (intermediates),
• Learn practically any sewn technique - trapunto, quilting, applique´, reverse applique´, hand rolled hems, tucking, making flowers, bows, free machine embroidery, in fact most techniques you can think of,  and use this in the making of a small accessory - scarf/hat/bag/wrap.
• Learn some Couture Techniques: You may have always wondered how to set in a sleeve perfectly, make things lie flat that are supposed to lie flat (!), stop darts having annoying points, make a perfect welt pocket, and most other sewing and pressing techniques that make your garments look really professional.   

As these workshops are one to one, the workshop day would be designed especially for you as regards content, and by arrangement as regards day and time.

If you've ever had a burning desire to learn something specific in the pattern cutting or garment making line, I can almost certainly help. This is a couture lesson service!

For information about me and my previous work and experience, please look at the home page of my Atelier website: www.bobbiesroom.co.uk, and either email me through the site, or phone: 07941 619992

I am in the heart of the beautiful countryside of Oxfordshire, as you can see! 

Bobbie 

View from the studio window

Monet-like fields across the river

View from the kitchen window

That's me!

Gloomy February? Not at all.....

February NEWSBLOG

 

 The studio

 Bottom of the studio steps

 Another view of the studio

Hello Atelier Class students!

A new monthly NEWSBLOG to let you know what's gong on at ATELIER -  news about the sewing and pattern cutting classes mostly, plus goings on at my wedding dress business, and the parallel 50/50 recycled and new fabrics wedding and event dress business called ecoEureko, and as many other things fashion and clothing related that I have time to tell you about.......

This is a new thing I am starting up - an online newsletter, to let you know that the grey February gloom doesn't necessarily mean that things are gloomy!

In fact, I have a little present for new students in the shape of 2 free hour long classes.

Most people find that a two hour class is a good length of time, but you are welcome to come for hour long classes - whatever suits your schedule and budget.
 So, for this 'one time' offer, if you pay in advance for 5 two hour  lessons,  (10 hours), you can have an extra lesson (2 hours) free, if you make an advance booking. This works out at £150 for the 6 two hour classes, instead of £180.

Of course, the 'pay as you come' classes are exactly the same as before, £15 per hour, £30 for a two hour class, with pattern paper, basic sewing threads and tea and coffee inclusive.

In case you have a friend or relation who may be interested, this is just to remind them that all you need at first are:  fabric scissors, dressmaking pins and an unpicker. Ask them to ring or email me (go to the contact page) for more information.
And one last thing on that front - don't forget that I welcome students of all kinds, old, young, very experienced or total beginners - everyone has a different way of working and learning, and I love to discover the best way for each individual.  Please see the home page of my Atelier website for a bit of my personal and work history.

So, as a bit of a shortcut to latest developments for me, please see my blog on the Atelier wedding dress website: http://atelier.blog.bobbiesroom.co.uk and why not join me on Facebook (if you do that sort of thing?!) I put regular info and posts up there connected to fashion, art and music.

Lastly, please don't forget to check out our (myself and collaborator Rachel David's) ecoEureko website for bespoke wedding and event dresses, (designed and made from at least 50% recycled fabric with new fabrics), which is still under construction, but quite viewable unless I'm working on it, in which case, try a little later.

Please be a follower of this blog, (if you have any of the accounts that let you do that), by clicking on the link at the top right of the page, and please add a comment at the end of this blog, if you have a little time to spare.

Bobbie