The Peacock and The Tortoise

A new shop has recently opened in Perth’s George Street called the Peacock and the Tortoise it is something Perth I feel has needed for a while since Loose Threads closed about 5 years ago. My son and I went in for the first time yesterday to have a nosey and I really did feel I was in Viv heaven. There were hundreds of pure cotton materials for us patchworkers ad quilters out there, an a ray of ribbons and trimmings, wool tops for felting and just so so much more. It was another shop which gave me more inspiration for for current allsorts project. Talking about that I better get back to the very empty studio downstairs and continue with my sketchbook and prepare lots of papers for collage.

http://www.thepeacockandthetortoise.co.uk

Trust me to find a haberdashery shop – SILKS.

I go on holiday and find a haberdashery shop – you just cannot take me anywhere.

SILKS, 10 High St, Skegness, PE25 3NW.

It was on our second day the Tuesday we decided that we would leave Skyline behind and go into town. The red cab dropped us off at the top end of town so that we could walk up and down the two main streets before heading to seaside peer. The first shop I see is called SILKS and is up a deep staircase which seems like forever to get too also its like being in someone’s house heading upstairs to use the toilet. But I got there and it was a wee shop just full of inspiration and very organised. I still felt kinda stuck on my self lead project – allsorts, then I get in here and everything is hitting me brightly coloured ribbons and trimmings, poka-dotted buttons in all colours and bright coloured threads. So I just had to buy buy buy.

The lady at the desk was called Edmina but known as Eddie for short. It was lovely getting to speak to her as I found out she had also studied Textiles with a small module in fashion back in 1976. I said I was hoping on focusing on knit as my specialism and that is what she had done. She said for some final pieces she had added tulle net to the knitting machine and incorporated it into some of her designs creating toto like designs for ballerinas. She had said it was lovely speaking to someone who is doing a similar course which she done now. I asked her for her details and asked if it was possible if I needed more if she would post it and she said it wouldn’t be a problem. I think I will keep in touch with her and let her know how I am getting on with this current project as she did seem interested.