Cambridge Vintage Fair

30/01/2012

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We are very excited about going to Judy's Vintage Fair this Sunday. We will be there with a whole host of our vintage and retro homewares to suit all eras:

For admirers of Twenties chic we'll have our Gladstone China upcycled cake stand.

If Thirties is more your style our Royal Venton Ware willow pattern plate and Grindley 'Wild Cherry' ware will help create the look.

For some Forties fashion look out for our gilded Windsor bone china three tier cake stand and soy candle trio.

For Fifties lovers our 'Twintone' Poole coffee set and bathing beauty tablecloth will conjure up retro nostaligia.

If Sixties is more your thing you'll love our JAJ pyrex ware and Phoenix Opalware.

And if you want the Seventies look then our Poole 'Broadstone' and Hornsea 'Cornrose' coffee pots are for you.

We'll have this and so much more - we really do have an eclectic range to suit everyone - and all at good prices too. Judy's prides itself on being affordable and so do we here at Retrovert. Our cake stands are up to half price what you would pay on the high street - and much nicer we think too! Our tea and coffee sets also offer great value for money too at always less than £2 a piece, and often much cheaper. There will also be lots of other great bargains from other traders offering the best of vintage fashion - we'll have to resist the temptation to buy too much for ourselves!

Here is a preview of some of the items we'll be bringing along:
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From the Sublime to the Ridiculous

19/01/2012

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We recently acquired this beautiful vintage blue and white plate. The stylized tree, pagoda and birds are reminiscent of the traditional features of willow pattern, but the floral border suggested it was something a bit different.

After a little research we discovered it is 'Olde Alton Ware,' made by Stoke on Trent china company Swinnertons and probably dates between 1930-50.

The pattern depicts the Japanese Pleasure Gardens at none other than Alton Towers. How things have changed over the years!
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Vintage in Bloom

13/01/2012

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A great post over on Your Vintage Life got me inspired today. Florals are right on trend, and not just for fashion but for your home too. Here at Retrovert we have a veritable garden of floral homewares, and these are some of our favourites that I want to share with you.
Romantic flowers - this Royal Albert 'New Romance' pattern plate.
Scented blooms - our vintage container candles.
Classic flowers - this vintage wild rose tablecloth.
Exotic blossoms - this handpainted Alfred Meakin plate.
Daintier blooms - gilding on a Windsor bone china saucer.
Loud florals - this Camelot fine bone china bell.
Bulbs - our upcycled cake stand made from J&G Meakin 'Tulip Time' plates.
And finally our multicoloured flowers - these bold print textiles.
I could share so many more - we are obviously becoming quite taken with all things floral, but who can blame us when they are so beautiful and versatile.
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Creative Reuse

07/01/2012

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We always love to know what people do with their purchases from us. These bold flags are going to be used in French teaching to help with learning masculine and feminine words. What a fun and creative approach!
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Handdyed Silk Scarves

04/01/2012

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At Retrovert we are working towards being a low carbon and eco friendly business. So, when we source a material or make a new item we always consider the environmental impact that they have and this informs the choices that we make. Sometimes it is not always clear cut what the ‘greenest’ options are. This is something I encountered when making my handdyed scarves. Obviously the greenest thing is not to dye them but we are not eco autocrats, instead we strive to balance our love of luxury with their effects on our planet.
So, after much research I chose to dye the first batch of scarves with fibre reactive dyes which, though made from petrochemicals, require low quantities, have no hazardous ingredients (as defined by the Dangerous Substances Directive of The European Commission), and don’t need large amounts of heat. To further reduce their footprint I used rainwater to rinse them. 
I would have thought that the environmental impact of natural plant dyes would be lower, but the more I consider this I see that often they require more heat in order to extract the dye and that the mordants to increase colour fastness and colour range can be hazardous. I would like to look into this more though, as natural dyes can produce wonderful hues and have a magical quality.
Only two scarves remain now so come along to Cambridge Market to see them. Their lightness and softness are best appreciated in person.
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Owl Cushion

02/01/2012

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My sister and I fell in love with the beautiful Woods Cafe in Cardinham Woods, Cornwall when we were on holiday. Inspired by a cushion we had seen there, I made her this owl cushion for Christmas. All the fabrics are recycled - the main body is an old skirt, chosen for its very feathery pattern, and the wings and face piece are from no longer wearable shirts. Reusing fabrics inspired more creativity - the beak is a shirt collar and the tail on the back is a pocket. I used machine applique to make most of it, though don't look too closely at the stitching as I made it in a hurry! I then hand sewed the eyes on, made from yarn crocheted in a spiral and vintage buttons. As a finishing touch I added the tufty ears when sewing the front and the back together. It is such a pleasure to give something handmade and I know that the owl will be even more loved because of its uniqueness.
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