Thanks to Brides magazine for featuring our 'Kate Charlotte' ruffle top dress in their feature 'Step-by-step styling for DIY brides'.  Being Liberty lovers we can't get enough of floral prints so love the idea of creating your own photo backdrop by suspending fabric from a curtain pole.  Other clever ideas include flower combs and handkerchief favour bags.

This dress is one of Millie's creations - her little girls love it because the elasticated neckline means there are no fiddly buttons so they can dress themselves.  (It's named in honour of Kate while Rose's namesake is our cord blouse/dress).  It can be made in tana lawn or cord and is a perfect party dress or flower girl dress.  For different looks try puff sleeves or double tiering for even more ruffles. 

Click here to browse and buy.

One of my all time favourite bloggers is Tilly Walnes - who by day works for the Independent Cinema Office and by night (well more probably in the evenings and at weekends) is a seamstress.

What I love about her blog Tilly and the Buttons is that Tilly only learnt to sew recently - in fact she only learnt to thread a sewing machine 2 and a half years ago.  Living proof of what my Mum's mantra - "sewing's not magic".

I'm terribly flattered to have been asked to contribute to her regular Day in the Life series chronicling the daily routine of those of us who've turned stiching into a career.

She's also a brilliant blogger.  I would throughly recommend following her posts.  I use her top 10 tips as part of my social media training course.  They will be the subject of a soon-to-be-published blog post of my own.

If you really know what time I go to bed and I how combine PR and sewing you can read more here...

I was over the moon earlier this week when Jim and Amy sent me pics of their wedding which was featured on the wedding blog Love My Dress.  I admit I shed a tear or two over my morning coffee.  I made six ties in various Liberty prints for groom Jim and his ushers.  Photographer Andrew JR Squires has kindly given me permission to reproduce them here. 

Photography courtesy of Andrew JR Squires (copyright) - please do not copy or reproduce without permission

Often new product lines come from customer requests.  I was rather daunted by the prospect of making ties and could find little advice on this specialist art.  So last summer I set about tearing up my husband's favourites including a lovely one by Daks that I bought from Simpsons on Picadilly, long before it became Waterstones.  Once I had a pattern I was happy with I product tested it on Nik and his friends.  Rory O'Curry and his Dad were adamant my ties weren't weighty enough.  Back to the drawing board.  In addition to the Liberty lawn lining I needed to find suitable interlining.  Trickier than you'd think.  I finally found a roll of suitable weight wool interlining at the marvellous Abakhan on a trip back from my sister's in Wales with my Mum.  MacCulloch and Wallis also sell a good weight alternative.  Still Rory wasn't satisfied so I doubled it up.  Voila - it passed Mr Cook's full windsor knot test.

The other issue with ties is that they are cut on the bias (diagnonally to you and me).  If you take a piece of cotton fabric and pull it top to bottom or sideways there is very little stretch but pull the corners and you get a lovely give.  It's what gives a lady's bias-cut dress that lovely drape over curves and it's what allows a tie to tie.  Think about the curves of the neck and the way a tie needs to move to be neatly knotted.

In practical terms it means the simple looking tie is actually a terribly time consuming to make.  First I cut and mark the lining fabric (I use white cotton lawn) including roll lines.  Second I cut the Liberty print.  Then I cut two lots of interlining and finally the contrast end linings.  Once linings are joined and the tie rolled and pinned the final step is hand slip-stitching the 1.5m length of the tie.

I love the way Liberty prints transform depending on how you use them and the diagonal cut of the tie on the narrow tie is a case in point.  A plain stripe looks much more interesting.  Add in the possibilities of using contrast colourways or plain end linings and suddenly the boring old tie takes on a whole new life.

This week I've added slim width ties to my range.  I was first asked to make one in the autumn for Matt Day's wedding to complement his handmade Liberty Glenjade waistcoats.  Wedding photographer Vicky Dawe asked me to make two for her fiance Oliver in a beautiful feather print to match her bridesmaid dresses and page boys' waistcoats.  And my god-daughter's Uncle Ben will be wearing one later this summer.

Click here to browse pictures of all the handmade Liberty ties I've made and to order.  Ties are £74.99 or £64.99 if you prefer to buy and send me your own Liberty print.
 

Just a quick one for April.  Huge thanks to Conde Nast Brides magazine for featuring three of my bridesmaid dresses in their May/June issue which is out now.

Handmade Bella Luella puff sleeve bridesmaid dresses in Liberty Wiltshire berries and Betsy green and Grace Kelly pleat shirtwaister in Liberty Lou Lou Isabella - all avaiable handmade to order in print of your choice

Handmade Ophelia Rose puff sleeve bridesmaid dress in Liberty Fitzgerald Preview sample 25% off at £89.99

Handmade Laura Joan swing bridesmaid dress in Liberty Fitzgerald Preview sample over 25% off at £74.99

And you might also like to take a peek at two new bridesmaid dress designs that Millie and I have been working on.  There is a preview sample of each new design in size 5-6y available at 25% or more off on the website.

First, a gorgeous, sophisticated 'Laura Joan' swing skirt sleeveless dress named in honour of Millie's niece.  It's aimed at the older girl who wants a grown-up look but would work equally well for the little ones who'll adore twirling round in the acres of Liberty print this dress takes to make.

Then Ophelia Rose - named after my friend Fi's baby girl who lives in Denmark.  This is a more formal pleated skirt with cuffed, puff sleeves.  Both have rouleaux button fastenings - Millie is a whizz at this technique which adds an extra something special to the detailing.

Photo shoot sample 25% off at £69.99

Photo shoot sample 25% off at £74.99

And lucky for you, there are also two samples of my best-selling Bella Luella dresses made for a photo shoot (not worn) - a sleeveless Mirabelle and a puff sleeve Felicite (5-6y) - also available at 25% off.

They are all available to browse and buy in my online Ready to Wear shop.

I've been absolutely inundated with orders for Hello Kitty print blouses and dresses over the past couple of months - Millie and I are dreaming about kittens!  There was just the tiniest bit of Wonderland left - enough for me to squeeze out a baby size Freya Bean smock blouse (6-12m). 

I've teamed up with the lovely people at Angels & Urchins magazine (London's indispensable parents' guide) to give it away in a competition in their weekly A&U email newsletter.

If you don't already subscribe, I'd heartily recommend it.  The fashion is gorgeous and it's packed with ideas to keep your little ones amused in the big smoke.  Even if you don't live in London it's a great read - editors Annie and Emily are always trying out new products and services and it's packed with interesting articles.  And if you can't wait for the quarterly issues, sign up to Claire's weekly email newsletter.  It's the most beautifully presented, easy-to-read guide to what's on and where and what's hot and what's not.

They've been incredibly supportive since I set Peak Princess up three years ago and dared pick up the phone to Annie to see if she might have time to look at my designs and have featured me several times.  So a big thank you.

Enter the competition via my contacts page.

Terribly flattered to have been 'spotted' by the lovely Laura and Katy on their fab blog LittleStuff.  They've picked out my Freya Bean blouse in gorgeous grey Liberty Clemmie print.

In the Know. Commissioning Editor Hannah Shuckburgh's big day was full of home made touches:  "My dress was my great-grandmothers's and I bought mu jewelled headband from Hammersmith Vintage Fair.  My flower girls wore pretty, Liberty frocks."  Liberty print dresses from £60.  Visit peakprincess.co.uk.