Describing what I do

Coming up with a short, snappy line or two about what Ruth Singer Studio does is harder than writing an whole book. Well nearly.

Here's the problem. 

The company name is Ruth Singer Studio. 

We run workshops, classes & tuition in sewing, textile and a range of crafts. We also offer mentoring, business training and consultancy in textiles and creative learning. We (me) also design & make stuff. And write books about it. We are a venue in Leicester. An actual bricks & mortar place to go. This needs to be clear at first glance at a leaflet. And we want you to want to come!

So....

New logo is in progress which reflects the making aspect. I am after a line or two which sums up what we do. You, my friends, are my market consultancy. 

What do you make of this?

Ruth Singer Studio

A space to make, a place to learn

Sewing and craft classes for all levels (in the heart of Leicester)

A coat of many circles

Back in January, when April seemed like a million years away, I agreed to create a piece of collaborative work for the fashion show taking place at the Haymarket (my pop-up studio sponsors) this weekend. I also agreed to run a drop-in sewing activity at Makers Mart last weekend & figured that maybe I could combine the two. Creating collaborative work with members of the public is something I am really getting into. I do this with schools - I design & drive the work, they create elements of it and I assemble it. Working in this way gives me much more job satisfaction than working with people to create something I think doesn't quite work or doesn't look professional. Everyone is happy; collaborators and me.




So I decided to make a coat out of (beloved) Suffolk Puffs, something I have been thinking about for a while anyway. Makers Mart took place around performances of Joseph. So a many-coloured coat seemed appropriate.



Lots of workshop participants, Makers Mart visitors, friends, students and helpers have been part of creating this piece. I have probably made 70% of the Suffolk puffs, but I do churn them out rather, so it has been a pleasure! I've spent a few hours this week assembling it - it is actually only tagged together with the amazing Microstitch (my new best friend) for reasons of speed - otherwise I'd be spending weeks sewing it together. It may yet have another incarnation. I often make pieces more than once before I settle on the final outcome. Or it may go on display somewhere else. Who knows. But for now it is done & ready to be shown (on a mannequin) on Saturday.



The more I look at it, the more I realise I like the back more than the front, so it may well get remade at some point. But I am pretty pleased with it.

Makers Mart

As part of my ridiculously busy 12-hours-on-the-go Saturday, I had a stall at Makers Mart, our local selected contemporary craft fair. The fair has a way to go to make it truly fabulous along the lines of Lustre, but there were a few makers that really stood out for me. In my usual fashion, I bought lots of lovely things & got to know some lovely makers - this is part of the reason I do fairs & shows!

Those that stood out for me were:

Alys Power who makes quirky & charming pieces from vintage jewellery. I bought a little ruler brooch & am saving up for some recycled silver earrings. And maybe these bracelets. Her blog has a fascinating series about tools, too.



Clare Pentlow's paper cuts were really gorgeous. Her laser-cut silk jewellery was interesting too. I bought a small paper cut with map backing in shades of green & beige which will go beautifully in my living room. From her website, the laser cut wall panels look fantastic. I did like her 3D work at Makers Mart but the ones online look more intricate & more original.



I have ordered some red 'Cluster' earrings from Ema Kelly. I am hoping they will resolve my endless search for the perfect red earrings since some old favourites from Sarah King broke.

I also bought a sweet little silver and cherry wood bowl and a silver spoon from Gillian Tidgewell, another local graduate. I have a bit of a thing for spoons and bowls, these will be perfect additions to my collections.

Makers Mart

One of the contemporary craft highlights of Leicester is Makers Mart, a small but excellent quality craft fair, held in the cultural quarter.

The next event is Saturday 21st April at Curve. I will be there from about 3.30pm representing Rutland St Studios, the new building where Ruth Singer Studio will be based from November 2012.

I'll be running a drop-in sewing activity where you can make and contribute a Suffolk puff which will be incorporated into a garment to be shown at the Haymarket Shopping Centre fashion show on 28th April!

Ruth Singer Studio

I'm delighted to say that Ruth Singer Studio is open and proving incredibly popular after only a week open!





First drop-in free workshop making fabric flowers with 15 people! I had to use every seat in the room!




Lovely spacious room to work



Shop area with books, sewing equipment and vintage fabrics


Lots more photos here.

Ruth Singer Studio is happening

right before your very eyes....






Saturday: enormous trolley & tears at Ikea
Sunday: packing, packing & more packing
Today: 3 car-loads of tables, chairs, fabrics, irons, sewing machines up in the lift, across the entire shopping centre & finally in place.
Tuesday: attempt to get 60s sideboard into car & then into studio, pack more of home studio, hang quilts & stuff, make it look nicer
Wednesday: find all the power leads for all the sewing machines (ummm), iron fabrics, price patterns, make things look all nice, change my mind & rearrange everything.
Thursday OPEN!!

I have dreamed of doing this for about 5 years. For the last 12 months it has been top priority. Finally it is actually happening. Tired but SO EXCITED!

Dressing up

There is nothing like a dressing up challenge to get me going. As soon as I heard about New Age of Discovery, I couldn't help but plan an outfit. Something a little Victorian but *not* historically accurate in the slightest. What liberation! So weeks and weeks ago I set out on the designing and making process, with wild ambitions about how much time I had to create something entirely new for the event. As usual with my own making, I was wildly optimistic about the time I had.

My inspiration came from the wonderfully-costumed film Vanity Fair. No problem watching it again for research purposes! Some pottering on Pinterest also showed up some wonderful stuff (although I have issues with the copyright Pinterest), including this by Charles Worth (a much-loved designer).
I even went out and bought a 1810s stays (corset) pattern so I could have suitable underpinnings. I planned a dress from a pink & gold sari, a jacket from an orange beaded Indian jacket and a decorated top hat, perching on my head.

Plans were scaled back due to the time (argh!) but not the overall ambition of the outfit!



The dress was as planned - Empire line dress from about 1810 from Patterns of Fashion but the jacket was one I already had - made for an abandoned book project. The extraordinary parasol is one I've had for years and was a last minute thought as I left the house. The hat I decorated in an hour before the do with the knitting needles also being a last minute inspired decision.



I hope some of the professional photos of the night will appear online so I don't have to make do with me in the dressing room or self portrait in the loo mirror...

Pop up studio!

Yes. I won! Thanks to all who voted for me in the Haymarket Big Idea competition.


I'm really pleased to say that I will be opening Ruth Singer Studio at the Haymarket Shopping Centre in Leicester on 29th March. I'll be there for a month running masses of workshops and events.





I'm still working on a final programme but here are some of the fun things coming up


Opening night party : Friday 30th March 4-7pm

Lampshade restyle workshop 1^st April

Easter holiday activities for children 5^th April

Open studio & Craft Cafe 8^th April

Fabric manipulation Masterclass 14^th April

Dressmaking classes 15^th April

After school activities 18^th April

Handbag making workshop 22^nd April

A day of activities for local schools 25^th April

Customising clothes workshop tbc

PLUS 

Coffee & Craft Mornings

Free regular Learn to Sew taster workshops

Sewing machine hire by the hour

Private hire for groups

Sign up for my mailing list on my website for up to date info on the studio


If you can't wait that long, there are plenty more workshops coming up in January -March including trapunto quilting, dressmaking and more learn to sew full-day workshops.