Sewing Inspiration

Last month I visited the Leicestershire Museum Services Resources Centre at Barrow upon Soar.  It's a brilliant place to get design ideas for making clothes, using their historical costume collection.  Sarah the Collections Officer is so knowledgeable about the clothes in her care, she is great to talk to and you learn so much from her. Anyone studying fashion, or anyone interested in clothes design and construction should make an appointment to visit the centre it's the best resource around.

This sampler shows some of the beautiful stitches applied to historical corsets made by the Symington Family at their factory in Market Harborough in the 19th & early 20th century's.  The corset collection is outstanding and it's worth a visit just to explore the corsets.

I really love the tailored garments and found this beautiful jacket. I want to use the design idea but to bring it into the 21st century with a modern twist.

 I was so taken by this garment, that I have asked Sarah if she will get it out for me when I visit with my City and Guilds group next month, because I need to see it again to take more detailed photographs.

It's hard to believe that a woman somewhere in the past wore this suit with pride during the 1940's or 50's and although it has some marks on it and one of the button holes is not as it was, it's in very good condition.  The garment is preserved for another generation to view and to understand how clothes were made in the past.

The skirt is amazing, the way it's constructed with the flaps and the pleats, I don't have a fondness of skirt wearing, I prefer trousers and jeans they are more comfortable, but I might even start to wear skirts if they have this kind of style and I can make them as well as this one is made.

Visit- Snibston Discovery Park and the Fashion Gallery at Coalville Leicestershire.  www.snibston.com
         The Collections Resources Centre at Barrow upon Soar, by appointment only
www.leicsgov.uk/museums for information