Fairytale photo shoot!

Yesterday my daughter, Rain and I drove to a beautiful stately home and garden to take photos of some of my latest handmade fairytale clothing. Here’s a little sneak peak!

silk fairy clothing

We were a little rushed as they locked the car park gate at 5pm, but we wanted to have the softer light of late afternoon. So we had eleven outfits altogether to fit into a very short amount of time! I’ve had a quick look and I’m really happy with the results.

And over the next few weeks I’ll be adding the items to the Threads of a Fairytale shop so look out for all the new whimsical and romantic clothing coming your way!

Glastonbury Fairy Fayre 7-8th March

Hi! I’m excited to tell you that I’m taking my fairytale clothing stall to Glastonbury Fairy Fayre this weekend. I’ve been as a visitor many times before and I love it – there’s always a wonderful mix of artists and crafters and completely original items that you can’t find anywhere else. This is my first time as a seller and I’m currently busy making a new fairy dress to take with me. I’ve only got space for one rail of clothing, so please come and say hi, but you might need to part the clothes to find me sitting behind it!

Glastonbury Fairy Fayre March 2020

I’m back in England!

Hello! I hope you’re well! It feels like I’ve been away forever, and can’t wait to get back to the sewing machine! I’m back home and raring to go, so do get in touch if you would like to order a custom dress for an upcoming special occasion. 🙂

As you know, I used the time away to get working on the new Threads of a Fairytale website, which will include a shop. It takes a lot longer than you might think to add about eighty items of clothing! Anyway, progress is happening; we have the main pages ready, but need to add some more still. And make the shop layout look pretty!

I’ve also been making plans for courses. I almost always share how I make everything on my YouTube channel, and I’m often asked to make the videos longer and more instructive. However I think that most people on YouTube are just watching for entertainment and would find that boring, so for those of you keen on having a go at sewing in a similar style to me, please sign up for newsletters, so that you’re the first to know when they are ready.

Have a good week. 🙂

Helen

x

New website in progress!

Hi everyone! I am giving this website a complete update and overhaul! I’m so excited that there will soon be an integrated shop here, along with several new pages of information and stories about Threads of a Fairytale that might interest you. I’m working on this with my husband in his spare time, so it is still likely to be at least a couple of weeks until it’s all finished. In the mean time, don’t be alarmed if you spot any weird changes during the process of changing from this layout to the new one!

Have a good week!
Helen x

Fairytale lilac wedding dress

I’ve just added a new dress to the Threads of a Fairytale Etsy shop – a very pretty lilac and grey fairy dress. I absolutely love the colours in this dress – I began with more lilac tones at the top, and blended in grey and silver further down the dress, with pale grey tutu net layering underneath for a fairytale shape. I think it would make a beautiful bohemian wedding dress, ball gown, or even for an upcoming Christmas party!

lilac fairytale wedding dress

 

A blackberry-dyed silk fairy skirt

Although this wasn’t a natural dyeing experiment as part of the kit I told you about yesterday, I had dyed the silk layer of this skirt with blackberries from our garden, and I love the foresty print left on the fabric!  It could be part of a pretty Mori girl style outfit. I’ve just added this new fairy skirt to the Etsy shop, if you’d like to take a look for more photos and info.

Mori girl fairy outfit

Pastel Goth outfit ideas

Over on my blog, When I Grow Up, I’ve written a post with a few pastel goth outfit ideas. I thought that now would be a good time because many of us have reached into our wardrobes for our black items to make a witch’s costume for Halloween, and now need some inspiration for how to wear them again! I’ve found some gorgeous tops from independent designers, so do go and check them out! Plus, if this is your kind of style, I have several pastel goth dresses for sale in my Etsy shop in the Fairytale and Cosplay clothing section. 🙂

Pastel goth kawaii dress

Pure silk purple fairy outfit

I loved experimenting with a variety of natural dyes in the summer, and one that was very successful was logwood chips – they produced this gorgeous shade of purple on the pure silk I used to make this fairy outfit. There is more of a toned down version on the cotton that lines the pixie skirt.

I decided to split the outfit into two listings in case you would rather wear the top or the skirt in a more casual fairytale manner, rather than a complete adult fairy costume. The silk cami top, for example, would look great at a Christmas party worn with smart black trousers; or with jeans at a summer music festival. The purple silk skirt would look lovely with a simple grey t-shirt or a chunky knit jumper worn with leggings underneath and boots.

Or, of course wear the top and skirt together for a pretty and unique fairy outfit that would look amazing at a special fairytale event, or even an ordinary muggle party! Here is the Threads of a Fairytale Etsy listing for the pure silk cami top; and here is the listing for the pixie hem skirt.

Fairytale frock coat

Hi! I’m just starting to realise quite how many items of clothing I’ve made this year, and how behind I am on listing all of them in the Threads of a Fairytale Etsy shop! So apologies for the frequent updates at the moment letting you know about the latest additions. Today we have a unisex fairytale frock coat made with beautiful green and purple two-tone brocade satin. If you haven’t got a fairy ball to attend soon, this would actually make a perfect unique jacket to liven up a simple black outfit at a Christmas occasion with bohemian flare. It would be a great conversation starter!

bohemian coat

New Forest Fairy Festival 2019

Hello folks, sorry it’s been a while. When you really get your mind into something, I’m afraid I neglect other things! First of all I was determined to get my new website finished, but that hasn’t happened. Instead I turned my attention to the New Forest Fairy Festival, which is taking place this coming weekend, 10th and 11th August!

I am very pleased to let you know that I will be back with my stall this year, so I have been super busy preparing for that. I’ve made several more sheer goddess dresses, jackets and kaftans, as they are always popular. I’ve also made a collection of silk and cotton skirts and tops – most of which I’ve dyed using natural plant dyes. I think they’re really pretty and can’t wait to show you! And also new this year: my fairytale undergarments collection!

The stall is also having a bit of a makeover this year – it will be less of a woodland feel, and more of a crumbling castle ballroom vibes. I hope so anyway! So gone is the thick hessian I had adorning the walls of the gazebo, and instead I’ve been hand-stitching together lace curtains. I’m hoping this will give a much brighter airy feel. I’ll still have ivy about the place, but mixed with tassels too! If you’re a regular visitor at the fairy festival, I’d love to have your feedback on this change. 🙂

By the way, if you can’t be there, I will be trying to remember to Insta Story the weekend. Go to Instagram.com/threadsofafairytale and follow me over there to have a look. I’ve also been showing behind the scenes and work in progress and adding them to collections so you can catch up on those little clips too if you like.

Lastly, a newsletter went out last night, so if you’ve signed up, please check your e-mail folders. 🙂

Helen x