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Latest News
Please check the blog entries for the latest news or follow Sparklewren on Livejournal,
Swiss Cincher with Burgundy and Salmon Flossing
Yippee, the first of the Swiss Cinchers is complete. [Click image for larger…
In other news today…
...I received a really lovely email from the recipient of the flossed wonder. An email like this is always…
Two New Corsets on Etsy
The burgundy cincher and pale satin overbust are now available on etsy
Cloth dolls and super-shinies
Oh dear, we're firmly within July already! This month is going to be crazy busy, which is wonderful,…
Of swiss cinchers and other pretties
Gosh, June just flew by! But thankfully I've been working hard as (nearly) always and will have some pretties to…
Swiss Cincher - limited edition
There is something about the sloping top and bottom lines on narrow sided cinchers that lends itself really well…
Etsy Shop: update
The Sparklewren etsy shop has served a dual purpose since the business opened. It has been a place for…
Contented sigh
Earlier this afternoon I watched Al Green on the BBC iPlayer. I know that *everyone* loves it and so…
Facebook Fans!
Hey guys and girls, don't forget to become a fan of Sparklewren on facebook
Some inspiration for the pretties
How beautiful! Also, a bit of Gaultier corset love from last year. But oops, the busk…
In other news…
...some samples turned up. And whilst lovely, the raspberry silk is just *not* raspberry. Sigh. Maybe if the raspberries had…
Masks
Right, as promised, lots of photographs from my mask-making weekend! *First things first... templates*
A lovely weekend
Ooh, a Rob Ryan interview on etsy. I'm having a lovely weekend. I've been learning some bits…
R&L variant number… 6?
Yet another piece that was cruelly put into…
A good day :-)
The flossed wonder is complete! Yay! Today has…
Late Night Sparklewrening
I should really be in bed, but I just had a good friend visit so I'm not sleepy yet
Such Cool Stuff interview
The kind people at Such Cool Stuff have an interview with me this month! The blog is…
Last night’s fun
It was a lovely fresh evening! The rain even stopped as we arrived and unpacked…
Preparing for a night of sparkles
I washed my hair at 8am this morning and it still isn't dry! I'm starting to remember why every few…
Flossing progress
The flossing is almost done on this piece since the client gave me feedback on…
In the deepest corners of the internet…
Uh oh! Someone has been using my images for their interesting pay-per-click blogs... you know the sort,…
For UK brides and ladies who crave luxury!
Hey there corset fans, I hope you're all well and happy …
Neutral summer corset - flossing sampler
There's a few ideas here, as the client has pretty much given me free reign…
Still mulling it over…
Hmm, can't decide. I do really want to (I love that darker shade of thread…
Cold cold hands
Doing a flossing tester for a client this morning, but I can barely feel my fingers. Why is it so…
Elite Style Event, 26th May
Following on from this Easter's wedding fair, Sparklewren will be attending a Style Event at Close House, Northumberland this…
Paper toiles
Today has been a day of pattern drafting, combined with constant BBC news updates on the election. So I…
A Lazy Sunday
Well, half off it was lazy! Yesterday, I spent the morning finishing off some stitching, then we went…
Flossing and relaxing :-)
So, what does a Sparklewren like to do whilst flossing a corset? Watch the Badminton Horse…
Getting dressed this morning…
...and hoorah! Must have lost a couple of those recent inches that I had gained off my hips as the…
Satin Wedding Corsets and Boring Paperwork
Drool... _[Linkage courtesy of the FR facebook page.]_ Took delivery of some embroidered…
The “Sparklewren Learns to Drive” Fund
"What?!", I hear you cry! But it's true, not all of us 27 year olds have actually learnt to drive.…
Back to work
Hi guys, after a thoroughly refreshing mini-break I am back to work! We popped down to the
“Out of the Atelier”
Well friends, I will be away from my emails until Thursday. I'll respond to any enquiries and messages then. …
Wedding Fair - done!
Whew! Done! I was quite nervous about this wedding fair, as many of you know, simply because it…
24” RTW underbust and collar for sale
Hey guys and girls, I've got a recent RTW underbust corset and posture collar for sale. They were…
Pale Blue corset with lace - completed
Finished! Previous post. 56 steels in…
Black & Gold posture collar & underbust
Further to the little glimpse you had the other day, here's some images of the first ever Sparklewren posture…
Pale blue corset for a sparklewren
I've been getting a load of work done on a corset for myself today! It's made using the pattern from…
My email thing-a-me…
...went a bit loopy this morning. So, if anybody has messaged or emailed me and I haven't responded,…
More images of the lilac overbust
As you may know, I'm taking part in my…
As requested…
...a couple more photographs. And a quick banner idea: …
Burgundy & Cream cincher - glimpse
Following on from the posture collar, which is now finished, here's another glimpse of one of my current projects…
A little glimpse of today’s work
…
Tightlacing R&L corset - completed
…
Golden Pink sample - completed
…
Crimson Collection - caged experiment
Also today I found a bit of time to apply some black casings to an experimental design I've been playing…
R&L frosted green update - texture
With this tightlacing corset, a high number of steels is desirable for comfort and shaping. My client and I were…
Remember the draped corset idea to make you go cross-eyed?
Well, here is the flat pattern taken directly from the drape! Inspired by the complex diagonals and seams of…
Crimson Collection - lattice corset
Over the weekend I got a touch more done on the crimson corsets, but mostly I just relaxed which was…
Crimson Collection - in progress
…
Whistle while you work
I can't actually whistle though. My workroom is south facing, so on a lovely, moderately sunny, day like…
Second Design Sheet - red caged corset
Following on from our first design ideas…
Curves and decoupage :-)
As some of you will have read last week, I have a delicious new mannequin! She's a modern re-interpretation of…
Busy/tired Sparklewren…
Ooh, I've been busy today... *lots* more sewing of various items that I've had prepped and waiting during my time…
Design sheet - a “caged” corset
A…
Design Sketches
…
Tightlacing R&L - design refinement
…
Interior Finish
Oh, and before I forget, I wanted to show an image of the interior: …
Glory to the repair man!
So, my 201k and secondary 99k are taking a longer time than hoped to get running. Essentially, my…
How sparklewrens can be both fearful and stroppy
It's in my nature, as it is in so many peoples', to feel very anxious from time-to-time. This is generally…
Client Photograph - pink & black sample cincher
Many thanks to Marianne and her photographer for sharing these images. …
Sample Sale through-out my etsy
Hello friends, today, I proved once again that I fail at self-control when I purchased a gorgeous
It’s snowing again…
...boo. In other news, the instructions for my steam iron say that you "must not operate the machine…
Facebook Badge
Ooh, just learned how to make a "badge" for my facebook page! I'm so slow with technology sometimes. …
26” Gold Silk with French Lace sample - for sale
…
EYE CANDY - how personal style transforms a corset
This evening a good life-long mate visited ("Breezer" to you, one…
Etsy update
Hello lovely creatures I have slightly reduced the 29" underbust corsets…
Black Cherry corset - completed
Ah, happy day. The last grommets set and the laces tipped. …
“Black Cherry” underbust - progress pictures
I have been hard at work and the bulk of the stitching is now complete. We began with…
Mmm… Toffee Apple red 22” cincher - completed and for sale
I *love* this colour, though I must apologise for the dark photographs. I can't remember what it was called (I…
Golden Pink sample - teaser shot
All I want to do is pay for an ebay purchase, is that really so hard?! Anyway, whilst…
Midnight Blue with Cream Lace corset - finished
So, having worked on the partial overlay for the lace, my client and I then decided to take the design…
New laptop
As you'll know, my darling boyfriend recently gave me his old laptop as he had purchased a new one. Today…
So, in haute couture…
...everything that can be hand-stitched, is. So, what about corsetry and corset-type foundation structures? It is plain enough that a…
Ooh, shopping!
Off to the shops in a bid to find another desk for my atelier! Yeah, small things excite me. …
My poor little hands are freezing!
Which makes *everything* tricky... typing, turning the pages of a book, doing the dishes... Ah well. *"Plans for…
“Corsets - A Modern Guide”
There is a new book coming out 25th July 2010. Has anyone heard anything about it?
Excitement!
One of my clients linked me to this blog, and it is wonderful! I love seeing people learn new…
Happy New Year!
Hi all, well I am officially back from my Christmas break. The next two or three…
Sparklewren Signing Out
Right friends, as of tonight I am officially on my Christmas holiday …
29” Sample Cinchers - playing with steel
As I mentioned yesterday, for Foundations Revealed I was asked to embellish upon my previous studies on the uses…
29” Sample Cinchers - teaser images
Ah, I've had *such* a…
Etsy Samples :-)
Well, it could be someone's lucky day! If you've had an eye on my 22" black & gold sample on…
Black on black - boleros, dresses and corsets, oh my!
As you may remember, I'm…
Sparklewren Christmas Break
Hello all, I have just finalised my Christmas break this year, so if you are interested in commissioning a Sparklewren…
18” Pink & Black sample - for sale
Hey friends! So, I've had…
Fanfare please…
My bench grinder! In the kitchen, as we just set it…
My Dremmel has been dumped…
...my mama got me a small bench-mounted grinder as an early Christmas present today! Although, neither of us could remember…
DUCFS part2
Following on from everyone's very helpful suggestions and preferences, I have scrapped Image 1 and it is now between the…
DUCFS
That's "Durham University Charity Fashion Show" to you guys! This year it is being held in aid of…
“OUT OF THE ATELIER”!
...until Tuesday. I'll reply to messages, emails, posts, etc. then. Thanks guys
Foundations Revealed
The team behind online magazine
Teaser image
Taking the Cage to extremes! I have no…
Chocolate/Aqua - stitching/colour sampler
This little sampler shows a couple of stitching options…
Longline Underbust, classic black satin coutil
So this was a trial pattern I produced a fair while back now, and when I photographed it on my…
Pink & White Corset - final design ideas
…
Pink & White Corset - refined design
Following on from the original three sketches, we've now narrowed…
Chocolate/Aqua Corset - the fabrics!
Mmm... Started cutting this morning,…
