liberty print bridesmaids

I'm busy working on a new collection of dresses for bridesmaids and flower girls.  Like all my dresses, they will be handmade in your choice of my Liberty prints.  This is 'Mirabelle'. 

Brides Magazine's shopping editor, Astrid Joss, kindly wrote in her Fashion Blog:  "For slightly alternative BOHO but still bridal...I have also just discovered a great new brand Peak Princess who do great dresses in cotton floral liberty prints - seriously cute! They are also good for baby bridesmaids as they start at three months and go up to nine years (www.peakprincess.co.uk). What I love about them is the print gives a different look yet it's still perfect for little girls to walk down the aisle in!"

I was a bit anxious about whether this longer midi length version of my 'Lily May' twirl skirt would work with my Tilly Toadstool pinafore bodice.  But I think the effect's delightful - particularly with the wide satin ribbon round the bodice, tied so it drapes down the back of the dress. 

Now she just needs a name.

peak prince & princess in country living

I was over the moon in May when Country Living featured my Liberty Wiltshire print 'Mia Rose' shift dress so you can only imagine how excited I was today to pop into Chinley's newagent to find both my Peak Prince Liberty 'Phillipa' bicycles 'Samuel L' shirt and 'Freya Bean' Liberty 'Phoebe' print blouse in July's issue.

We went to the VIP preview of the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition in London on Wednesday for my Mum's birthday. The artist Grayson Perry (who designed the Phillipa print) was there but I didn't dare go up and tell him how much I love working with his designs.

(In case you're wondering Mia and Sam are my god-children and Freya's one of the little girls in the village who does my modelling.)

emily pickle for peak princess

I'm immensely excited that the talented fabric designer and creator of beautiful purses and bags Emily Pickle has agreed to make Liberty print hair bobbles and clips for Peak Princess.

They're available made-to-order from just £3.99 to match my range of handmade Liberty print blouses, dresses and skirts.

my lovely friends

A big thank you to the immensely talented Liz Holcroft who helped me redesign my website over the weekend. Liz is the interior design director at the award-winning architects AllisonPike. She's introduced soft greys, dusky pinks and understated chocolate tones as well as new fonts.

I should add that I run my own website using the fabulous Mr Site.

Their technical team of experts are always on hand to advise me for just £99 a year. I've been quoted in excess of £2,000 for a custom built retail site.

And last but not least, thank you to Anna and Linn who've patiently let me wrap tape measures round them and photograph them in my new 'Freya Bean' blouse for grown ups. (Limited preview samples available for just £49.99).

my lovely customers

For every new design I offer preview samples at around half price via my email newsletter. (Sign up via my website or mail@peakprincess.co.uk).

The latest newsletter featured my new ruffle top cami, pinafore and maxi dress. I always feel so lucky to have such lovely customers who are so helpful. Brigitte, Catherine and Kath sent me these pics of their Peak Princesses. It's hugely useful for me to get feedback on dress lengths, fit and style before launching a new design to the public.

In this case I've adjusted the fit across the chest as the initial samples were a little roomy under the arms and I've made the adjustable straps even more adjustable to allow for growth.

So a huge thank you to everyone who sends me their thoughts and comments. And a special thanks to all those who send pictures. I'm always bowled over and full of pride to have so many of you who send photos of happy little boys and girls wearing my designs.

the view from my sewing room

This is why I love working from home!

puppy power

This is our new puppy, Otso with our dog Moses. He's named after the Finnish bear spirit because he's a Finnish Lapphund and looks like a little teddy bear. He is terribly cute and a bundle of fun but a terrible distraction from sewing!

Meanwhile, our Norwegian Forest cat Loki's been living up to his namesake (the Norse god of mischief) and fell in a tub of diesel (where & how we don't know) so the poor thing's been washed five times now. After a weekend of him being touch and go he seems to be on the mend thankfully.

peak politico

Some of my customers may already know about my former life as a BBC news journalist and before that a party political press officer (and in the dim and distant past I used to know more than is healthy about the Common Agricultural Policy but that's another story).

Tonight Peak Princess will be taking on her other guise as Peak Politico doing the overnight election coverage for our local radio station, High Peak Radio. Thankfully for me there's no listen back but you can listen online.

So this evening I'm thinking about votes swinging rather than skirts!

mini, midi, maxi

It was supposed to be my last dress for the summer collection, but sitting in the hairdresser waiting for my highlights to take inspiration struck - why not turn the Edie Grace ruffle-top pinafore into a little cami top and a full-length maxi-dress. So Bank Holiday Sunday's been spent in the sewing room. Here are the results...

grand designs

...well perhaps not grand designs but I'm feeling pretty chuffed after finishing the sample of the last design in my spring/summer collection. It's a floaty, ruffle-top, ribbon-strap pinafore called 'Edie Grace'.

I generally spend a long time mulling ideas over in my mind. 'Edie Grace' was inspired by a pretty dress I saw in a boutique in Paris on a trip just after Christmas with my Mum and sister-in-law.

Then I make a pattern (today I chose bright green card) using my existing designs as basic blocks to get the size right. Ideally every size and style should be in a different colour but the reality is a rainbow mish-mash hanging on a rail in my sewing room). I try and make samples as far as possible in cheaper cottons to avoid using up my precious stock of Liberty prints.

This is Mark One - too blocky with very little movement.


You then have to take the plunge and use the Liberty Tana Lawn because the flow and feel of the fabric transforms a design.

So here's Mark Two in Liberty Nina - but still not enough character.

When the mojo deserts you close the door on the sewing room - a lunch with friends proved the break I needed.

And here's Mark Three - I'm really pleased with this - it floats deliciously.

Look out for my next email newsletter for preview sample offers.

congratulations...

...to Lucy Pugh from Bristol who entered Daisy Green magazine's competition to win one of my handmade Liberty print 'Freya Bean' girls' blouses. Lucy chose this gorgeous Amber's Rose print for her little girl who's name is Amber!

Thanks to everyone who entered. And check out Daisy Green's excellent online mag for ethical & sustainable fashion & lifestyle features & reviews.

piggy wig wig

I just adore this little knitted pig that Just Herding Cats blogger Amanda Banham sent me that she's made from my offcuts. Piggy's sporting Liberty Tatam print ears. It just goes to show that you can put even the tiniest snippets of Liberty prints to good use.

You can buy Liberty print offcuts from my website in two, four or eight ounce bags.

tilly toadstool in bella luella

Our lovely friends have just sent photos of my little god-daughter Tilly (aka Tilly Toadstool or Tilly Teaspoon) wearing the 'Bella Luella' puff sleeve baby dress that I made for her last year. Isn't she just scrumptious??

Followers of Peak Princess may know that it was a picnic with Tilly in the park two summers back which inspired the whole idea of handmade clothes for little people. That, I suppose, makes her my muse.

as featured in Country Living

I'm over the moon that my handmade Liberty print 'Mia Rose' dress (£34.99 to £39.99 sizes 3-6m up to 5-6y) and head scarf (one size) are featured in this month's Country Living magazine fashion spread "The Darling Buds of May", styled by Corinna Kitchen.

spot the difference?

Oops-a-daisy - I was cutting this pair of 12-18m shorts with 2 other pairs on a print which didn't have an up/down direction so without thinking I flipped the pattern. My husband loves them but isn't surprised at the cock-up - he's seen me trying to park our car so no surprise these are upside down!

They are on sale on my website reduced for just £12.99 (normally £19.99-£24.99).

Still it proves they really are handmade!

Guardian Buy of the Day

How exciting - after my Anya Rose Liberty print cord shift dress being pick of the Guardian's Liberty floral pops last week, today the editor's made my 'Freya Bean' Liberty print blouse her Buy of the Day.

Kate Carter writes: "Last week's celebration of the iconic Liberty print threw up nothing finer than this gorgeous blouse. Handmade to order (so you can chose other prints if you prefer) for little ones from baby to eight years old. If only it came in adult sizes ..."

Watch this space Kate - I've had so many people ask for grown-up blouses that I might start making them soon.

handmade liberty print blouse 24.99 to 29.99 (sizes 6-12m up to 7-8 years)

Flower power in the Guardian

The Guardian's Life & Style editor's featured Peak Princess among her pick of Liberty prints. Kate Carter writes: "The floral trend is in full bloom this spring, and no florals are more iconic than the classic Liberty print. Few things are guaranteed to induce misty-eyed nostalgia among a certain demographic as a Liberty-print frock. The venerable retailer is launching some interesting new collaborations, from affordable florals at Target to more pricey but beautiful shoes by Repetto. The Liberty site is also replete with items using classic prints from their own range. Other manufacturers are snapping up the material for their own ranges - our favourite being the handmade children's clothes at Peak Princess. Here's our pick of the most fabulous florals on offer. Lissa Cook makes a beautiful range of children's clothes using only Liberty prints. You can choose your favourite pattern and match to a style as all clothes are made to order. They're wonderful clothes to treasure and keep long after your little ones have outgrown them."

barnaby bear

This is Barnaby Bear. He's been staying with my friends for the weekend and they asked if I'd make him a Peak Prince outfit. Here he is looking very swish in his handmade designer jeans with Liberty print cars trim.

Note the 3 button fly, matching Liberty cars print patch pocket and bear tail hole.

I'm hoping that teacher will be impressed with Barnaby's new wardrobe.

Little boys and bears alike can order their own made-to-order Peak Prince denim shorts from £19.99 to £24.99 (ages 6-12m up to 3-4 years) online.

meadow & menasse

Is there anything nicer than getting 2 new Liberty prints in the post?

These are Meadow & Menasse & I have just a couple of metres of each to make up in your choice of lots of lovely styles for little girls from 3 months to 8 years. And there are dozens more prints to choose from in my online boutique.

you're it!

I've just be tagged by Helen, the creative genius behind Storeyshop who's challenged me to publish a photo from my album and tell the story behind it. It's a great idea - to see other people's random pics and the stories behind them and a wonderful way to discover new blogs.

THE RULES:

1. open you first photo folder
2. scroll to the 10th photo

3. post the photo and tell the story behind it

4. tag 5 or more people

MY PHOTO

Well, this really is random! My husband and I wrote & published a book (using the fab blurb.com) for my god-son, Sam, called "The Growl & The Pussycats go on a big adventure to the top of the hill". The characters are our Finnish Lapphund (Moses), our Streatham street cat (Mr Enos Knibbs) and our Norwegian Forest Kitten (Loki). The sneak out of the house up the hill behind our house (Cracken Edge). I photo-shopped the animals in a rough & ready way and we set the words to the rhythm of Edward Lear's The Owl & The Pussycat.

Subsequent publications have been The "12 Days of Christmas" for our god-daughter Mia ("On the 1st day of Xmas my true love sent to Mia, a Moses in a Pear Tree" etc) and "Tilly Toadstool's Dictionary of Big Words and Little Words" for my other god-daughter.

Peak Princess fans will know my handmade Liberty print clothes are all named after friends' children so "Mia Rose" is my shift dress; "Tilly Toadstool" is my pinafore and "Samuel L" is my shirt.

I'm tagging:

DulwichMum
Domestic Godd-esque
Gossip Mum
Emily Pickle
and Working Mum on the Verge