"DARN IT AND STITCH"

I stumbled across 'DARN IT AND STITCH' on Oxford Antique and Craft Market yesterday and felt like a child in a sweet shop. I just couldn't stop taking photo's.

Joanna Hazell's amazing stall is a colourful eclectic mix of haberdashery. A real treasure trove that her website says is 'suitable for any stitching magpie' and I would have to agree.

It's not only the contents of the stall that attracted me but also the clever way that Joanna displays her wares. There's so much going on, with beads and sequins displayed in thread-bound jam jars and sewing silk in plant pots and tin boxes. It shouldn't work, but it does beautifully and everything is very reasonably priced.

The last time that I had a similar experience was on discovering Fleur de Lin, a tiny little shop on the Rue du Petit Fort in Dinan, France. It was packed with display cases and glass fronted wooden drawers full of similar vintage and retro goodies, too.

To carry on the confectionery analogy discovering Fleur de Lin was less like stepping into a sweetshop more like into a scene from Chocolate! Especially as the owner not only had a striking resemblance to Juliette Binoche, she was also wearing a fifties style white cotton dress with a fitted bodice and full skirt!

'DARN IT AND STITCH IT's facebook page tell us that 'One day it will become a shop.....no....an EMPORIUM.' I think that is another thing I would have to agree with.........

You can buy Jo's goodies from

http://www.folksy.com/ - online shop and get in touch on darnitandstitch@gmail.com I think it's really worth checking out.

Not only was yesterday a day for discovering where to buy awesome haberdashery, I also discovered an amazing illustrator. The logo for Jo's work was designed by her sister Kate Hazell. She does the most amazing work, I have seen it around but wasn't sure who was responsible.....I'd love to post some of her illustrations here but will probably be breaking copyright by doing so, but really encourage you to check out her website on http://www.katehazell.com/

I just love her bearded ladies..........