Ok, I know I've said it a couple of times now, but I think this may be my favourite collection that I have designed. I can say this not just because every time that I design a new range I have more to choose from, but because I genuinely am in LOVE with this one. Sometimes a collection resonates with me on a personal note and is special to me because of the memories or feelings they evoke, but call me shallow, this one is purely because she is so pretty! I can't wait to give you a peek at my eleventh quilting cotton collaboration with Lewis and Irene, 'The Pressed Flower Collection.' I hope you love it as much as I do!
'The Pressed Flower Collection' was inspired by, you guessed it, pressed flowers. As a child my Granny and I used to collect flowers from her garden and press them in pages of heavy hardbacks. We would press so many that we'd forget which books we'd hidden them in and years later upon finding them nestled in a forgotten books, I would be instantly transported back to my childhood. My daughter and I still do this to this day, although we now use a flower press as I'm far too protective over my books!
I found the idea that one flower can be so evocative, symbolising many different things to one person really inspiring. I really wanted to convey the joy of holding that memory in your hand and reliving it whenever you see that little floral trinket, whilst capturing this feeling of nostalgia in my poem.
Look what I have found! Oh look!
Between the pages of a book.
Forgotten trinket, gently pressed,
Nestled amidst the leaves, safe and caressed.
Sleeping floral beauty, what do you dream?
Of bright summer days and dancing beams?
Once vibrant bloom, now delicate and still,
Awaiting longingly to again thrill.
Suspended in time, your colours dwell,
Every different flower has a story to tell.
Each bloom, a chapter, a tale to share,
Hidden amongst quiet pages to transport you there.
A thousand moments, recollections,
Stirring emotions and old affections.
A whispered ode to days gone by,
To carry you there in the blink of an eye.
Relive the summer sun, a haze of heat,
Endless days of youth set on repeat.
Faded sweet fragrance on the breeze,
Dappled light and sunburnt knees.
Not just a flower, but a thought,
Of days gone past and lessons taught.
Plucked with love, in a brief moment of pleasure,
But to me an everlasting treasure.
Colours fade, but you remain.
To remind me of the summer again.
Although this collection is inspired by nostalgic memories, I really wanted it to have a modern feel. One of the ways in which I did this was through the colour palette. To me white always has a modern quality, especially pared with the brighter pinks and purples. In contrast the charcoal grey gives an edgy feel to the collection compared to the softer pale minks and light teals. This collection really was a pleasure to design and I had fun at every stage of the design process. I'm so excited to see her out in the world and hope you all enjoy creating your own projects with her.
You can find ‘The Pressed Flower Collection’ in all good fabric shops from February 2025. For a sneak preview of the full collection just click HERE.
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