Open Studio this Saturday!

So no pretty poster this time (after Lara's last one of sneaky trendoid fluro triangles, she's grounded) instead we decided to embrace the land of social media & make a Facebook invite.

Hooray!

So click the link above & do come along - or if you can't make it, please spread the word & invite all your fabric loving friends.

We will do a printing demonstration, there'll be cute Inklet products & fabric for sale (including some remnants), tea, snacks & a toasty warm heater..

See you there!

11am - 1pm
Saturday 9th June
206/10 Elizabeth St
Kensington, Vic

xxT

Just a few new bits and pieces

Happy Winter everyone! If that's possible! It's the season of curling up on couches under woolly blankets with a wheat bag or heading into town rugged up in layers of jackets and scarves and gloves and hats. It's also the season for increased chocolate consumption, as illustrated by all the empty boxes of Old Gold scattered our coffee table this morn. Must stock up, stat!

Anyway, we're just popping in to let you know of some new colourways that have appeared in our shop over the last few days, which hopefully you'll like!


Ginkgo in Black & Greylead


Trams & Bicycles in Snow


Kangaroo Paw in Mustard, Snow & Soft Gold (on a gorgeous raw 100% hemp!)


Wrens in Charcoal


Rooftops in Snow

xx Lara & Teegs

P.S. - we have an Open Studio coming up next Saturday 9th, more details soon!

Proteaflora - a bit of something different

Proteaflora print series (looking curiously small here, though they're actually quite big!)

A bit of a break from our usual broadcasting - but I've been designing something non textile related! You can read more about these prints over on my personal blog, and they're for sale in the Ink & Spindle shop.

'Proteaflora' in A1


'Leucadendron' in A1

'King Protea' in A1

Hope you like! xx Lara

Windows of Wilkins

After a few solid weeks of printing it was soooo nice to venture out of the studio for a bit of off-site working! Wilkins & Kent are one of our very favourite wholesale customers and they recently asked us to do a window display in each of their stores. This isn't something we've had a huge amount of experience doing but it was a heap of fun.


How gorgeous is that timber love seat? Those W&K men are talented indeed, making all their timber furniture in the workshop out the back of their Brunswick St store.


Brunswick St store display coming together


Vessels of southern hemisphere natives


W&K city store - beautiful timber queen sized bed featuring Moochie Lou bedlinen.

Thanks to all the lovely folk at Wilkins & Kent for having us! xx

Events this weekend!

Hey folks, bit quiet here on the blog front as we bust out an epic print job, but thought we'd let you know of some exciting things going on in old Melbourne town weekend!

First and foremost there's the Finders Keepers market on this Friday night and all day Saturday at the REB, which you should already know about unless you've been living under a rock or in a cave or just working too damn hard. The second event going on is the 3rd Modern Times pop-up shop! This looks to be pretty darn exciting too (Danish furniture! Australian art and design!) and we're chuffed to be sending some cushions their way. Their opening night is Friday night also from 6-8.



Hope to see you at one or both!

xx Lara & Teegs.

Hey! Open Studio!

Oh yeah, did we mention that we have an Open Studio this Saturday? That's in two days - oops sorry!

We'll make up for the lack of notice with this insanely colourful poster to catch your attention...



It'll be the usual deal. A printing demo at about 11:30ish, textiles and wares for sale, tea and bikkies.

Hope you can make it! :)

xx Lara & Teegs

Offspring Doona Cover, anyone?

Offspring Doona cover featuring Large Birch and Bonsai in Juniper

So, a little bit of time has passed since our fabric appeared in the form of a doona cover on our favourite show Offspring (yay!). I know lots of people were keen to have one of their own, but we just weren't set up to be able to make them affordably.

But good news! Our lovely friend Olivia from Moochie Lou is just about to make a batch of these doona covers! It's most likely going to be a one-off production run so if you'd like one you need to get in touch with Olivia within the next couple of days (so we know how much fabric to print!).

She's selling a Queen Sized doona cover + two pillowcases for $450, or a King sized for $485. **

Hop to it!

xx

**purchasing one of these doona covers does not guarantee the presence of tall, brooding, handsome, doctor-type men in your bedroom. But one can only try.

Curtains in Kensington

What happens to a freshly printed roll of fabric after it's been heat set and bundled off with the courier? You know, we'd probably be able to give you a clearer answer if you asked what Melbourne's weather is going to do tomorrow. Most of the time we have no idea where our fabric ends up. Or if we do, it's rare we get to see the results.

Fortunately, one particular client happens to live in our beloved suburb of Kensington, a mere 15mins walk from the studio! Cathy has been fantastically supportive of our little local business over the last few years, and her decision to make three sets of curtains and blinds from our fabrics has left us feeling really pretty chuffed. Check out the amazing results, all made by the great folk over at Bradleys Curtains & Blinds.



Large Birch curtains in Olive on Hemp/Yak


Lace Fans curtains in Deep Red on Unbleached organic cotton/hemp



Rooftops in Deep Red on Natural cotton/linen - LOVE that pelmet!


Thanks again so much Cathy for letting me pop in today and take these shots, and of course for all your support!

x Lara.

Mark your diary!

Finders Keepers Melbourne is back & bigger than ever!

We're so looking forward to taking Inklet along to this FK at the beautiful Royal Exhibition Building - we'll be surrounded by a huge chunk of Australia's leading independent designers AND as an added bonus we are going to be right next door to our dear intern alumni, Georgie B Design :)

It's almost too much excitement to bear...



See you there we hope!

xx Teegs

May we present..

It is with great pride that we present our beautiful new selection of fabric, in gorgeous Autumnal colourways.


New textile collection - 100% linens and hemp/yak basecloths
Photography: Eric Ronald
Model: Camilla Mckewen
Studio: Manysquaremetres
Makeup: Lady Day (thanks Dana!! xx)

The beginning of this year saw us reassess the direction of Ink & Spindle and so we are now focussing much more on our two passions; textiles aimed at interiors & apparel.

We sourced some gorgeous new linen basecloths, had a great time playing with new inks, sewed some elegant & inspirational garments, upholstered a chair or two, found ourselves a super talented & highly recommended photographer (thank you, Eric!) and a gorgeous model (thank you, Camilla!). We're so happy with how it's all come together, and we hope you like it too :)


Camilla wears an A-line skirt in Copper/Rust Ginkgo on 100% linen and silk Sencha blouse


Flowering Gum in Mustard and Leuca in Rust on mid-century chair upholstered in Chalk (custom).
The chair is for sale, please contact us for more info!


Sailorgirl shorts made from Linear in Mustard


Cute things!


Sencha blouse made with Wrens in Soft Gold 


New textile collection - 100% linens and hemp/yak basecloths


Flowering Gum in Black and Greylead Scarf secured with Emily Green brooch

xx Teegs & Lara

It's a SALE!

Hey folks! We're having a sale! It's time to say goodbye to a bunch of old colourways to make way for the exciting new things. I can't tell you how good we feel to be finally doing this!

It's sale time! Discontinued fabrics on sale in the shop

So, head over to our shop and check out what's on sale. Once these colourways are gone they're gone. We may print one or two of them again some time in the distant future, but it won't be any time soon :)

xx Lara & Teegs.

Open Studio this Saturday!!

Open Studio sign thanks to our latest intern from Massey Wellington - Stacey Wong!

Hey folks! Just a reminder that we're having our first Open Studio for the year this Saturday 11th! Come watch a printing demo, have tea and bikkies and most importantly check out our newly renovated workspace and shop area! It looks much nicer now :)

This will also be the last chance to purchase some of our discontinued colourways at our studio price :)

Date: Saturday 11th Feb
Time: 11am - 1:00pm
Where: 206/10 Elizabeth St Kensington
Printing Demo at 11:30ish.

Hope to see you there!

xx Lara & Teegs

Newness...

2012 is off to an awesome start!

We are so excited about what this year has to offer. Some much needed time away from the studio has been great for finding some new perspective on things. We're feeling refreshed and inspired again, we're able to look at what we're doing with fresh eyes, identifying the things that we really love and the things that we don't. It's funny how without even knowing it you can get lead down a path that isn't really where you want to be. And it's really not that hard to change direction once you become aware of it. One of the benefits of being a small business I suppose!

So! What does that all mean for our customers? Well mostly it means that you can look forward to some exciting new things - we have some new basecloths to suit more purposes (such as upholstery and apparel) which will be printed with colorways that we feel have more practical applications and are more useful day to day.


Some gorgeous new hemp and linen basecloths that we've been eyeing off...


But of course, the process of refreshing the range will also involve discontinuing a lot of things. A large chunk of our current range will be discontinued to make way for our new ideas. We'll be holding a sale soon on those fabrics and advise that if you love them then this will probably be your last chance to buy them. We will have more sale details soon!

xx Lara & Teegs

Hello 2012!

Greetings to you, dear friends & hello 2012!


We're a bit excited. This first week back has seen us set some new plans in motion! We had been feeling a little uninspired of late & after having some much needed time off/headspace to think, we've come back to the studio with a stack of ace ideas to develop! All *top secret* for the moment of course, but you guys will be the first to know when the time is right.. I promise.


In the meantime, while we scheme & plan all the wonderful things to come this year, cast your eye over one of our client's beautiful works! 





The delightful Olivia of Moochie Lou is responsible for this Birch & Dashes Duvet Cover. Isn't it lovely?


Lara was a busy bee while I was off gallivanting in warmer climes over Chrissy & with the super fantabulous help of our dear friend Mr Matttbags, she did a COMPLETE reorganisation of our workspace. Now it looks amazing. A-MAAAAAZING. Although it's not *quite* finished, so no pics for you - yet! Stay tuned!

xx Teegs

Ups & Downs

As 2012 winds to a close we can't say this year hasn't been without it's fair share of drama. The last few weeks especially have seen some rather full-on happenings - not least of which has been the destruction by fire of our  much beloved and much dependent upon dyehouse & heat setting company Bulace. This has been such a devastating blow to our already tiny industry - Bulace are one of the last remaining dyehouses in Australia who are able to process meterage and many local labels are dependent on their services.

We personally have used Bulace every single week of the last three years to heat set our fabric - not one metre of fabric has rolled off our table without passing through their hands. Of course we were shocked and devastated to hear the news, and it's only due to the generosity of another print house in Melbourne (Veronica Textiles) that we've managed to keep on trucking without too much delay. Of course we're all very hopeful that Bulace will get back on their feet and continue to be a crucial part of our local industry.

There has also been good news however. Last Tuesday, ourselves (and half of Kensington) caught the train in to Town Hall to sit in on a council meeting that would decide on the fate of our beloved Younghusband Wool Store - specifically a Planning Scheme Amendment to rezone our building from Industrial to Mixed Use so Younghusband could be gutted & 3 residential apartment towers built. Many people spoke up against the proposal, including Teegs, and we played this video produced (in less than a day) by the very talented Yong of Studio Limo (of course) and a little help from me:



And it is with very proud and relieved hearts that we can announce that council UNANIMOUSLY rejected & abandoned the proposal to rezone our building! This is fantastic news for Kensington and the greater creative community. Of course we don't know what the owners will do next, but for the time being we can all feel a little bit safer, hopeful and more confident about our future here. A very good Christmas present indeed :)

x Lara.

Open Studio this Saturday 17th!

Hey guess what? It's our very last Open Studio for the year THIS SATURDAY! How did that happen? I'll refrain from blathering on about how fast the year has flown by - we've all heard it before. Instead I'll just beseech you to come visit, say hi, have a cuppa and help us bid adieu to 2011!

xx Lara & Teegs.

Harvest Market this Sunday!

Yay, we're taking our Inklet range plus some other cute bits and bobs to the Harvest Xmas Market this Sunday. Last time Harvest had a market it was an explosion of awesome cuteness, nice people and good tunes, so we're excited to be a part of this one.

Hope to see you there!! xx

New Inklet colourways!

Hey guess what? We've got some brand new Inklet colourways up in the shop! We decided to go a bit bolder and also a bit more gender neutral. We're loving the red and almonds and just want to find little people to put in them! (so long as we can give them back).

Trams & Bicycles Tee in Ruby Red (also in a Onesie!)

Pirates & Sea Creatures Onesie in Almond (also in a Tee!)

Little Forest Tee in Ruby Red (also in a Onesie!)

Hope you like :)

Mobile & Garland kits

Yay, our garland and mobile kits are now available in the shop! Just in time for xmas :)

Suitable for any non-sewing folk out there who still like to make things!

Make Your Own Garland Kit - in Pink/Red or Saffron/Robins

Make Your Own Mobile Kit - in Pink/Red or Saffron/Robins

Hope you like! x

Intern Tales: Gretta

We've had a lot of interest in our intern position lately & so we thought you guys might like to know a little bit about the lovely (for some reason always) girls that spend time learning new things with us here at I&S HQ.

Here's some words from Gretta on her final day with us - 'bye Gretta!

We'll miss you!

xx T

How did I, an Environmental Studies student from the United States, end up in the Ink & Spindle studio? A long journey! I’ve been in Australia since late August on a study abroad program. The focus is Sustainability and Environmental Action. Because it’s through an organization (The School for International Training) and not a university, my group was able to travel all around Australia. We did workshops about everything from sustainable agriculture to rainforest ecology to social change. What has stuck with me through the whole program is that sustainability can mean many things. Sustainability isn’t just about the environment; it’s about people and communities. Part of my program is a month-long independent study project (ISP). From the first week in Australia, we each had to develop a project- an internship, creative piece, or research-based project. When I heard “internship”, I instantly thought of Ink & Spindle! The only limits on my project were that it had to relate to sustainability (check!) and had to be in Australia (check!). My mom is an art quilter/fabric addict and had found Ink & Spindle on the blogosphere a few years back, so I was already a fan upon my arrival in Australia. When I approached Lara and Teegs about a possible internship, I was happy to find they were enthusiastic about the idea!

What has amazed me about Melbourne is the creative community. During my time with Ink & Spindle, I’ve had the opportunity to go to the Melbournalia opening, Markit@Fed Square, and meet all sorts of awesome-sauce Melbournians doing and making amazing things. Seeing all the collaborating that happens gives me hope for the future! I’ve been reflecting a lot on sustainable consumerism and whether or not it’s an oxymoron. While consumerism has caused immense damage in this world, it is also at the forefront of environmental change. It has the potential to be an easy way for people to lower their impact. Lara and Teegs have worked hard to produce textiles that are sustainable from beginning to end. By sourcing organic cotton, they aren’t buying to a toxic industry that has led to 250,000 farmer suicides in India. By using water based, solvent free inks, they aren’t putting themselves and others at risk. The quality means durability, so their products last. While people may care about the environment, it can be really difficult to live your life sustainably. I struggle with it all the time, and I study it! It is important for consumers to have more sustainable options. It is equally important for young people like me to see that running a sustainable business is viable. The supply side needs to grow, and the consumer base needs to use its voice.

Besides learning loads about sustainable business practices and textile design, I got to get to know Lara and Teegs and all the other wonderful people in and out of the studio. I had adventures in Melbourne, often as a result of my poor directional skills. I got very inspired by Melbourne’s architecture, especially the colors and designs around Fitzroy, where I was staying. The result: some lino block prints of windows, door, and fences, and a print run of stenciled fences! I’ve completed a “Prismatic” quilt top from Kathreen Ricketson’s book “Little Bits Quilting Bee” from the fabric I printed. I will complete the quilting upon my return to the United States in a few weeks.

Thanks to Teegs and Lara for an amazing experience! Melbs, I’m sure we’ll meet again!

Gretta's lino cuts, she made some lovely art prints from these &

developed the idea further to create the design & handcut stencil

which she printed as a two colour separation below!

Quilt top completed! Didn't Gretta do a wonderful job??