Life LackaDaisiCal

The Kaffe Exhibit at the Textile and Fashion Museum in London is closing on Friday.  A lot of people have attended - it has been their BEST show EVER...and a lot of bloggers have shared their photos.  Photography was a challenge - lots of items were behind glass...the lighting was dim to be frank....with spotlights on the displays - great when you are there, but not the best for photography.  Keep that in mind will you? I wanted to do something different....so I've made this slide show.  If you attended, I hope this reminds you of all of the fabulousness you saw there!  If you didn't manage to get there, I hope it lets you experience it the way I did......get yourself a cuppa and enjoy! Links you may enjoy.... The Fashion and Textile Museum , London Kaffe Fassett Studio Kaffe has had a long relationship with Rowan Yarns - more about this in future posts! Kaffe designs for Ehrman Tapestry Kaffe designs for Rowan Fabrics - t...

In that little room,  was another sweater that I thought was just amazing! It was designed by Kaffe for Scottish Fashion Designer Bill Gibb, for his "Moon and Buddha" collection. It was in a lit window box of glass - so very hard to photograph.  I almost didn't but decided, what the heck and went for it! A small closeup photo of this coat appears on page 104 of Kaffe's Dreaming in Color autobiography.  I was intrigued when I saw that photo, and I was DELIGHTED when I saw this sweater displayed at the F&TM! Kaffe designed the knitwear for Bill Gibb's collection for 15 years!  I've been hunting around the internet for photos but haven't found very much... But I did find this.....another version of this coat....it's in the V&A storage, given to them by a Mrs. Sandi Lacey.  (I wonder who she is and what else she has in her closet!)  This one has a matching scarf... Look at this!  "The Harem Suit", from Bill Gibb...

I called in a specialist to review  Rowan's Studio Issue 30 . 12 Designs for children, sized for newborns to 5 years! (10 in the book - 2 are on-line) Designed by Sarah Hatton using Rowan's Baby Merino Silk DK My reviewer is 4, so he is in the targeted market range! A thorough assessment was made...every photograph scrutinized and critiqued... "I like blue" was the most common comment. His Mom is a great knitter....and of her 3 kids (2 girls, this one boy) he regularly asks when he will be old enough to knit! Here he is fellow knitters!  The Future of Knitting! If you have any little ones in your life to knit for (kids or grand kids), you'll love Rowan Studio 30. " Folk influences were to be found for both adult and child's wear this season and Rowan Studio 30 offers a capsule wardrobe of knits for every little fashionista! From a cosy 'grandad' cardigan for boys to a pretty cape for girls. Hopefully this collectio...

Almost before you even had your ticket taken, there was a little room on the left - lots of photos of Kaffe's youth in California with his family at their restaurant - it was too dim and dark in there for photos of black and white photos....so, let's see, here's a link to the  Nepenthe  web site. Trivia Question:  What movie filmed (sort of) at the restaurant - starred Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton? Nepenthe has been around a long time and look at this - Kaffe talks about the 60th anniversary of Nepenthe! Did you know that Kaffe is not Kaffe's real name?  Do you know what his real name is??? While googling around, I came across a video...Big Sur narrated by  Richard Burton!  I'd never seen this before!  Elizabeth is shown being directed as she paints on the beach.....a close up of her laughing....oh my she was gorgeous! Oh, want to have a look for yourself? ok, ok...back to the exhibit. In this small "introductory" room the...

I thought about blogging about our trip and leaving Kaffe to the end....but frankly, I wanted to get right into these fabulous photos! Oh yes, how did I manage it?  Well, we arrived back in London at 7:30 on a Tuesday night.  Our return flight was the next day.  Usually we are travelling from somewhere distant to Heathrow...and that means up early and in the car for the long drive.  It dawned on me that we would be in London...our flight was at 4:20....the F&TM opens at 11....Hubby insisted we were on our way to the airport by 1:00 at the latest...that's only 2 hours.....ok, we can do this! We grabbed a cab and told him where we wanted to go... The Fashion and Textile Museum on Bermondsey Street, 83 Bermondsey Street! He corrected my pronunciation of the street name....and then told me that he had never heard of the Fashion and Textile Museum! Oh dear... Armed with the exact address, and my knowledge  that it was a large yellow building, ho...

Every textile enthusiast knows his name....and we know it means colour! Hubby and I were planning a trip to Switzerland.  We had always wanted to go there, to enjoy the fabulous scenery, the amazing transport system of trains, trams, buses and lake steamers, the swiss cheeses and of course chocolate! Everything was booked and our British Airway tickets bought and paid for.  We would arrive on Sunday morning and catch an early Eurostar on Tuesday.  Great - plenty of time to see the Kaffe exhibit at the Fashion and Textile Museum in London. Not so fast Anne, the Fashion and Textile Museum is closed on Sunday and Monday each and every week...no exceptions.  Why didn't I think to check on this before the tickets were booked!  Sometimes the most obvious things are the details we overlook! I actually contacted Brandon Mably - he suggested I BEG!  I did - no results!  I was totally despondent to think that I'd be in London, the exhibit was still...

My Colour Play Wrap was finished... time to take some photos! I think this will do....The St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London! Isn't this an amazing place! See that tower on the far left? There is a spectacular 5 floor staircase - hmmm.....this might be the place! Here I go....photography was a bit tricky with all of the light coming through those windows! and the bright light fixtures! Up, up, up I went.... It was a bit scary at times....trying to balance and hold onto my lusciously soft wrap! But I made it to the top!  Isn't this ceiling just too much for words? (I'm running out of adjectives here!) See the woman spinning - there in the dome! far left! The St Pancras station and hotel building were scheduled for demolition. When  Sir John Betjeman , a poet and railway lover heard of these plans, he led the campaign to save the building and it was given a Grade 1 listed building designation in 1967. The St. Pancras rail station i...