Where does the time go! I disappeared into the task of building our Wildly Created e-commerce site as well as preparing to move house. I will miss the view of the sea, the freedom of rural living and the fresh produce from the land. Moving to the village will be a sea of change and make life easier on many levels. The beach is still only a short bike ride away and the native woods close by, nature is so important for me to refocus and reground.
Hopefully we will move in the next week or so and set up our atelier in our new space.
Our website is set to go live with the next new moon on the 4th of November. I like the idea of setting a new project in motion with the energy of a growing moon. We have over 50 products on our website eagerly waiting for new homes to go to! Lots of new ones planned too. This is a dream come true for Emma and a whole set of new challenges for me. I can’t believe I have learnt how to make hats! Such fun. Once we are settled, I think I may make some instructional videos on the way we make our hats as we found it very difficult to find ones that met our requirements. As they are couture hats which involve a large amount of hand sewing, the first stages have to be super accurate and follow a tried and tested method. Our first hats had pressed board inners which make for gorgeous smooth finishes but we decided to go for the more traditional millinery buckram inners, this meant I had to figure out the hows and whys of hat-making from scratch. I have a background in dressmaking and have made many a bridal outfit and for special occasions as well as day wear. Boned bodices were garments I loved making and I was self taught in the lengthy method of putting all the layers together for those. Making hats was really taking some of that knowledge and bring it more 3 dimensional. Also looking at methods used in the previous centuries where hand sewing was at the fore. Without a good foundation, nothing stands up properly, the same as for buildings.
We also finally took delivery of a huge 25 meter roll of buckram for our hat making…that stuff has been like gold dust and just as elusive. So I have also been stitching away making hats both for myself and Emma to decorate.
We offer a bespoke service for our creations so bridal parties and those looking for something really special can avail of our expertise.
My first bridal set is completed, a gorgeous ivory silk hat and cuff, and two other hand dyed silk hats too. The wrist cuffs are so elegant and feminine, I am really delighted with them and I know they will be loved.
Last week we made a rather splendid seasonal hat loaded with stuffed pumpkins which we aptly named Anu.
Look out for our website wildlycreated.com coming very soon!
Comments as always please below. Thanks!
Karima Rebecca Powell Artist 