New collection

New nursery collection includes prints, bunting and lampshades

Hello! It’s Kirsty here. How are you all? It feels ages since my last post. So much has been happening in the studio. I can’t wait to tell you all about it!

Spring has well and truly sprung and we’ve all been hopping with excitement about the warmer weather and longer days. The extra light in the mornings and evenings means lots more creative time for me – essential when I’m fitting my designing and sewing time around my busy family life!

I had a such a lovely Easter at home with my family. One of our favourite traditions is decorating our Easter Egg tree. This year I hung the branches with sweet little fabric cones. The Easter bunny was kind enough to come and fill them with lots of mini eggs. Yum!

We’re based in the heart of the Leicestershire countryside. I love this time of year because everything gradually starts coming to life again. I’ve been pottering around the garden and veg patch, watching it all wake up after winter. I love to start my day with a wander down to say hello to my chickens in the sunshine. Then I grab the coffee and biscuits and climb the stairs to my little attic studio.



And there’s been lots happening in the studio! I’m thrilled to have launched my new Bunny range, which is perfect for nurseries. Elm Tree Studio started out with nursery products and I’ve really enjoyed going back to my roots. I’ve been experimenting with new designs and I’m so happy to be able to share them with you all.

New co-ordinating nursery fabrics available by the metre

The Bunny design (nursery fabrics) is based on my original appliqué artwork. It’s been cleverly reproduced as fabric, whilst keeping a flavour of the original stitching and embellishments. It’s available on our classic lampshades and as beautiful bunting. It’s soft and pretty – perfect for boys and girls alike.

Bunny nursery bunting

No nursery is complete without a bit of bunting. It’s such a pretty way to add character to a plain room! I design and make everything by hand, so each piece is truly unique.

My bunny bunting has been a joy to make and it’s available in several different styles. Choose from  flag style bunting or more traditional triangular bunting. There’s something for every baby! I can even personalise bunting with a name. It really doesn’t get much cuter!

Beautifully embroidered personalised bunting

Bunny flag bunting

Nursery lampshade

You know I love my coffee, and it’s been so soothing sitting with a cup of my favourite blend while I cut and stitch all that lovely bunting. I know you’ll all love this new design as much as I do.








And while we’re on the subject of new designs, have you spotted my new mustard coloured aster fabric? When I first designed my aster range, I was inspired by the striking natural shape of the aster flowers in my country garden. This dream has translated into a subtly modern design, with a real hint of mid-century style about it. My new lampshades are effortlessly stylish and will inject a bit of scandi-cool into your home. I love mine!

I hope you’re all enjoying spring as much as me. I’d love to hear more about what you’ve all been up to!

A fresh new start!

It been a long time since our last blog post so we are declaring it a fresh new start for this space. After a manic period for Christmas orders (our best yet!), I can practically sew stockings in my sleep! It was a fantastic end to 2016, but I am equally as excited to share a bit more about what we have been working on in 2017 so far. Hint: it involves some beautiful fabrics...

I thought I’d start a new blog regime with a little reintroduction to me (I’m Kirsty!) and Elm Tree Studio. So grab a cuppa and let’s have a virtual chat. Talking of cuppas, I should let you know I’m a big coffee snob and can only drink fresh bean to cup coffee. I definitely can’t get into sewing mode with any decaf brews! I’m constantly in search of the perfect mug.  Being small, I have the bottom shelf in the kitchen all to myself for my mug collection and each one is for a certain drink - builders’ tea, posh tea, coffee, hot chocolate. You could say I’m quite particular about things, but I think that’s a good quirk to have when you are designing products too.

At home I share my space (but not my mug collection) with my hubby Darren (who weirdly doesn't "get" the need for more cushions in the house… a constant battle!) and my children, Josh and Chloe. We take care of two cats, referred to as "the boys" and two chickens called Omelette and Button.

So, coffee and family aside, I mentioned I’ve been sewing in the studio lots! Over the Christmas period, I stitched through the night on some occasions, to make sure all orders went out on time. I discovered Netflix and binge watched Gilmore Girls whilst sewing. I loved it so much I’ve watched it all and started again from the beginning. Have you seen it?

I also had some behind the scenes photos taken in my studio and thought I’d share them with you here, so you can see where everything happens.

January has been equally as busy, but I have returned to what I started last summer and I’m designing my own range of fabrics. The first one, Aster Flower has started to really take off and is now available on a range of textile products, lampshades, lamps, cushions and clocks.

It’s exciting to see the designs come to life on the products. The two existing colourways (dove grey and indigo) will be extended to include spicy mustard which is a beautiful shade! The product range will also grow to include some non-textile pieces. See all the collections here.

We were also thrilled to see our Embroidered Linen Lavender Pillows in Country Homes and Interiors magazine. Seeing our designs in print will always be exciting!

I’d love to know more about you and what enjoy, so do leave me a comment. I’m off to make a cuppa - I’ve just tried Perkulatte Coffee and it’s delicious. I’m really hoping that someone (no pressure, Darren) will treat me to their monthly subscription. Just imagine, fresh coffee delivered monthly straight to your door!

Love, Kirsty

New home and vintage love

Well, we have sold our house, so that means that it's full steam ahead on the building of our new forever home.....

This has me quite excited as that means shopping for new furniture and bits and bobs for the home, although as you can see from the photo, we still have a way to go.....

Well we have bricks.....

I have a love of vintage, especially textiles and have been lucky enough to have been sent a wonderful parcel from my great aunt..... 

Lots of lovely linens, lace, collars, tray cloths........

I have been looking for inspiration and there are a couple of artists work which I admirer greatly for their use of vintage materials. 

The first being the lovely and gorgeous Marna from little a designs 
Marna, takes vintage linens and works some kind of magic to turn them into stunning artwork, with a stitch here and a button there.

One of Marna's fabulous hoop artworks http://www.littleadesigns.co.uk/shop/little-p-frames/


This is a chair that I have been lusting over ever since I first discovered this page.....
Kelly Swallow breathes new life into chairs and sofas using a variety of new, pre-loved and vintage fabrics... 
I can just see this chair snuggled into the corner of the family room......



This wonderful 1925 chair re-covered in vintage flour sacks from http://www.kellyswallow.co.uk/

For all those little nic-nak's there are some wonderful vintage and retro pages in the world of Facebook. 

Another wonderful lady, is Vicky from Love Vintage... Love Retro... http://www.facebook.com/retrogirlie

Vicky also has a weakness for vintage buttons and textiles that could send me all of a flutter if I every got to see it all in "real" life.... I love the collection of blue pieces below, espeacally as we are looking at having a blue and cream kitchen/family room. Vicky sells her carefully chosen pieces through her eBay shop http://stores.ebay.co.uk/retro-girlies-retro-gems

A selection of blues from http://www.facebook.com/retrogirlie

Another of my favorite pages in the world of Facebook is  Milly & Dottie's Emporium

I have been lucky enough to purchase a few things from their wonderful treasure trove of a website. http://www.millyanddottie.com/

A lovely vintage child's cup and saucer that I purchased to use as a prop in my photographs

A vintage tin fulled to bursting with threads.....

I hope that you have enjoyed my vintage picks..... Please pop over to have a browse (and maybe a little cheeky purchase) from these wonderful pages.....

Love Kirsty x