Calico Laine News

Downton Abbey is surely one of the most successful British Dramas of all time and was certainly the most watched Christmas Special of 2013. Since its debut in ITV on 2010, Downton has taken the world by storm, not only for its climactic story lines and breathtaking dramatic performances, but for the exquisite costume design. Downtown's stunning costumes have made...

When working with a fastening in your sewing or dressmaking project, it is important that the correct one is chosen and used - and if you opt to use a zip, it can be a little confusing having to choose from the massive variety we have here at Calico Laine! In today's blog we'll be talking about the different types...

Net Curtains not only have a practical use of providing you with privacy, we offer some stunning designs so you can continue your taste through to your window space. Here at Calico Laine we strive to bring you the most up to date collections and also cater for all tastes whether you are a traditional person, or you go for the more...

Like any dressmakers, or anybody else keen on fashion, we always have one eye on the red carpets throughout the year, looking to be inspired by the latest celebrity trends and 2013 has seen a whole host of stunning looks, many of which will go down in fashion history. This year, the red carpet has been awash with sumptuous fabrics...

Gabrielle Coco Chanel once famously said "fashion fades, only style remains the same", and as with anything fashion related, Coco was always right. Coco Chanel was of course an expert at creating elegant, simple classics which were guaranteed to stand the test of time. The inventor of the Little Black Dress, Coco knew better than anyone what fabrics and elegant...

Happy Christmas from all of us at Calico Laine.   Calico Laine would like to wish all of our customers and suppliers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We hope that you have received everything you wished for including lots of sewing goodies and we look forward to seeing what creations you come up with in 2014.

As 2013 comes to a close and we all enjoy some well deserved time off I always find Christmas a time of both celebration and a time to review the past 12 months. A lot has happened this past year  at Calico Laine including the opening of two new units and the launching of our new website. Both of these...

An early corset, circa 1910. Boning is one of the most useful yet most overlooked items of haberdashery in our collection. When you think of boning you automatically think of bustiers and structured evening gowns and of course boning is an extremely useful way of adding light structure to your formal garments and for holding in place embellishments such...

The first 'LBD' by Coco Chanel showcased in American Vogue, October 1926. From playful party dresses to elegant evening gowns, every girl needs at least one Little Black Dress in her wardrobe. The classic, timeless elegance of the LBD dates back to the 1920's and is attributed to designers such as Coco Chanel and Jean Patou who aimed to...

With the new year approaching, you might be thinking about next year's wardrobe - what fabrics will be fashionable? What items of clothing will be essential and stylish? What dressmaking fabrics should you use and wear? One item of clothing that never seems to go out of fashion is the well-loved maxi dress - these dresses can be worn for...