Textile museum Tilburg

We live almost 4 years in Holland and try to visit museums, national parks, different cities as much as possible.
Holland is usually associated with Amsterdam, tulips and cheese. It is worth to be visited and tested but there is much more.
One of the treasury which we have discovered recently is Textile museum in Tilburg.
One of the interesting facts that it is not only the museum, but running factory with the small production of wool blankets, weaved, knitted, embroidered, printed textiles. Here professionals and students can try new techniques and their own designs.
The building was perfectly restored from old neglected brick construction to the modern and stylish complex.
I love dutch architecture. They are so many buildings which received a new soul thanks to the contemporary dutch architects.
What impress us as well when we visit museums in Holland, that there is always something to do with kids. And not only list of questions provided to them. Usually it is allowed to touch, try, play with the exposed objects.
My older son was very happy to make about 2 cm of weaved textile with the bike-like device.
There is a working weave machine which  is driven by the movement of the pedals! Incredible! It was very funny to see him biking and saying: ''Mama look, I am working hard!"
My both sons made a piece of knitted textile together. In the textile lab hall there is another machine with a hand mechanism to show children how their socks are produced. They turned a handle for making 2-3 cm of knitted sock. Suddenly we heard explosion of laugh when museum employer put on the button and their sock became in two seconds much longer.
It was very nice visit.
When you will have a chance to come to Holland, put this address on your list.

Machine from Woolen Blanket Factory (everything is working)

Just piece of textile I like inside Woolen Blanket Factory

Modern weave machine

Damask Weaving Centre with huge wooden machines

Furnitures covered with Damask linen on the top level

Museum cafe

Building and summer terrace from outside

Curtain descends, everything ends...

The title of this post have inspired the words from one of the song which I was listening somewhere in december on the radio. At this period I have completed the idea of my dress for the end of the fashion design course which I follow. When I have chosen the fabrics, brought them home and assembled it on the dress form, I have immediately understood that it is the theatrical costume. That's why the words of the song stayed in my mind. Tomorrow will be the last lesson and I can show you my creation.

Last friday we were invited to participate in the photo session with the students of the photography course in SKVR. The teacher of the photo class Carina Hesper has announced us that our creations were supposed to be photographed on the models! Later it will come in the booklet.

It was very exciting and inspiring day! When I came into the room where girls (our models) were preparing for the photo session, the memory of my student's theater came up. Clothing, shoes, make-up, stylist, professional photo studio equipment - everything were here giving the artistic atmosphere.
3 photographers made a photos of my dress! Such honor for me! We were working on the small space between 2 staircases with Rivka de Jonge, suddenly 2 other photographs came to participate.

I would like to say special words to Rivka de Jonge who shared with me here beautiful photos and left kind words on here blog about our cooperation during photo shoot session.

Here are photos of my dress
photography: Rivka de Jonge
model: Gwen

I would like to show you more photos of the young talented photographer Rivka de Jonge.

Rainbow bag - 1st upcycling idea of 2011

Hi everybody
Finally after big break of the Christmas and New Year holidays I can type the story of the brand-new upcycling idea - Rainbow bag.
I feel that denim becomes my favorite material for the reuse projects. Being busy for 4 months with the collection, cut and reuse of it I cumulated a small bag of the jeans cuts.
It looked like this

Initially I had the idea of the christmas decoration. But I was so buy before Christmas that finally I have abandoned this idea.
In this beginning of the year I wanted to create something bright, collage of colors in combination with the dark but fashionable denim pieces. Another small bag of silk cuts waited his turn as well. I am shamed to show the photo of my studio. It represents a big big mess! I wish I can organize it the near future. But it is another story, the story of my new studio....shhh... it is only a project yet
Ok, in my small atelier 2 bags decided to place themselves nearby and highlight me a new bright idea.
I do not have a photo of the second bag content. There are a cuts of the silk fabric. I bought it in the month of december a long narrow piece of silk on the handwork fair in Rotterdam. The colors are my passion! I came across a belgian store. They sold beautifull threads for knitting. In their factory they produce luxury silk fabrics as well. When they start a new pattern the colors have to be tested. Thus come out long pieces containing the stripes of every color used for particular pattern. It is really beautiful! I could not leave this shop with empty hands. On the top part of every stripe there is a hand writing which delimite a narrow piece. It could not be used in any big project. But being a collector of amazing useless pieces I have left them for the ''better days''.
This is my new delightful creation - Rainbow bag.
Inside I have used a pocket from one of my jeans.
Now available in my Etsy shop

Today morning we were doing photos of my products with Damien. We were trying different position for this bag and children were observing us. Suddenly Gabriel came with his favorite bag and asked to make a photo of his bag. If mama shows her bag, I would like to show mine. The photo is so funny and connected with the upcycling story, that I have decided to show it. If you prefer the bag with Thomas train I will send you the address of the shop