At claribell i relove found, thrifted, gifted and op-shopped 100% NZ wool blankets in most of my works. I also use your favourite old curtains, clothing, fabric scraps, needleworks and linens so that i don’t just add new things to the world, i give old ones a new chance.
I create my fancywork using the traditional skills my Grandmothers and Mother taught me to produce new items with a retro feel which rekindle memories of the life these fabrics once had.
The handstitching and reloved fabrics make every claribell item unique.
All my fabrics are washed, by me, prior to use. I have recently begun using washberry soap nuts on all my fabrics which ensures they are soft, free of detergents and lovely to work with.
contact me – claire [at] claribell [dot] co [dot] nz
member of the New Zealand Art Guild
Your site looks great
cheers littlegem!
unique and different which makes them so desirable
Wow! Cool website chick! I am impressed – will look in my cuboards for old blankets and curtains ..xx
hey, thanks!! i’m always looking for new (old) treasures
I’d love to hear more about soapnuts… off to investigate. You like them then?
Hi Gina, I was SO surprised the first time i did a wash with soapnuts, i washed woollies and everything was really soft and smelt just clean, instead of perfumed. i now put a drop of meon essential oil on my soapnut bag when i am diong a wash and everything smells a tiny tiny bit lemony. boiling the soapnuts up so that you can use the liquid in a cold wash seems to work really well too.