star stripes

 

Alice and I went to see Coco Before Chanel at the weekend and thought it all very lovely and good, but with nowhere near enough about the way Coco Chanel developed her ideas, created her designs, and incoroprated her inspirations into her clothes. In short, we would have liked to see a lot more in the atelier and a lot less in the bedroom. 

But the love interest longueurs gave me plenty of time to consider the details that we did glimpse, and I was once again bowled over by the beauty of simple, striking, timeless stripes, seen in the film in the Breton sweaters worn by the fishermen and then on Coco Chanel herself (who wears hers loose and cinched at the waist with a belt, so looks nothing like an old sea-dog). For years I, too, wore stripey Breton sweaters and long-sleeved tops (and no doubt looked more like an old sea-dog than Coco Chanel) after first discovering them on French exchanges to St Nazaire. And I still love blue on white stripes.

When I was making quilts for my book, I was thinking about stripes a great deal, and went looking for more inspiration. I found plenty in the deckchair and hammock fabrics sold by Deckchair Stripes, which has to have the best selection ever. I bought a swatch pack which contained a strip of every fabric they sell, and had a great time sorting them out and playing with stripes - making pictures that resemble the great canvases of Bridget Riley and testing out their infinite variety.

 

And agreeing with Coco Chanel that stripes are complete stars.

Comments

[Aoife]

I love these pictures. I've said it before, but I really can't wait for your quilting book to come out. A x

[Ro]

ahh - your photos transport me to another world.
Lovely and I quite agree there's something so inviting about crisp and clean stripes. I'm currently painting a playroom with stripes and while it's taxing, it will be brilliant when completed.

[lucy]

I am with Aoife on the quilting book waiting list. I have had one cut but not pieced folded in my kitchen for the last eighteen months, maybe the inspiration will get me going again x

[Janice]

Coco is on my top 3 films to see - J&J and the one about vogue too. I would quite like to see all 3 in one session. Saw today that the V&A are putting on a quilt exhibition next year - can't wait. Have been to the room full of quilts at the American Museum in Bath and that was almost too much for me! Am already longing to see how the V&A will display them.

[Julie]

Looking forward to the next book. I love stripes!

[Laura Paine Carr]

I love stripes. In Nature, in Life. In drawing and painting. Everywhere! And now it is approaching the fall and winter months, when I seem to see a movie or two now and then, read more, sew more, write more and paint more! Yum!

And I love your blog even more than I love stripes!

[Susan M.]

Speaking of your much anticipated book...when will it be published in the US. Please say this winter!

[magsmcc]

Stripey Yarnstorm-still my original blog and still the best!

[dee]

Nice pix, as always... I haven't seen the Chanel movie yet, but I felt the same way about "Julie & Julia", which I just saw (& loved) -- I wanted to see more about Julia Child and how she went from being an ambassador's wife to culinary queen of the television... instead, the movie ends with the publication of her book.

[thevintagekitten.blogspot.com]

Love all the colours! X

[catofcuriosity]

Gorgeous colours and yes I agree - I also need to go see the film! xxx

[Kay]

All I see are garter-stitch strip/stripe blankets using someone's vast hoard of discontinued Rowan Handknit Cotton colors.

Damn you Brocket Woman, you've done it again.

[Peg in Kensington, California]

Brilliant. I showed this page to my husband, then we went off to the Deckchair Stripes pages and then had to bookmark the page for Christmas ideas. Best combinations I have ever seen.

[ali]

An absolute stripes fanatic myself, I'm in love with your stripey pictures!!

[mendozy]

Hi Jane,

Haven't commented for a while but just to say, a lover of stripes like you will love this (I'm not involved with the site in any way, just thought of you when I saw this):
http://posterchildprints.com/Untitled-BordersSeries/
xL

[vanessa]

I had a very quick peek at your blog when I was away on holiday, and when i saw this post, delight was the emotion! Picture card perfect is another thought that springs to mind. I had the difficult task of choosing five free samples at the beginning of this year, and I remember thinking, as I was choosing, why not just go for all of them?! The ones I chose languish by my bed, and i feel happy every time i look at them, which is when I go to bed, and when I get up!