dugdales | HAWTHORNE & HEANEY

To mark lockdown easing, last month saw a Marketplace pop up in the area usually used as a cafe in the Service, Savile Row. Reinventing the space whilst we still were not able to have indoor seating, the ‘Theatre of Craft’ was organised by The Pollen Estate and Alpha Kilo to bring together crafts people from the world of bespoke tailoring. We were delighted to be involved in the creative space where we could display some of our wares along with the likes of fabric merchants ‘Dugdale Bros and Co’, Dry cleaning and pressing extraordinaires ‘Savile Row Valet’ to name a few.

For our section we had live embroidery going on in the form of both hand and machine, here Victoria is demonstraing a hand embroidery kit from our sister company ‘London Embroidery School’ whilst the machine is running off a sample for interiors.

We also had a little display of our London Embroidery School kits amongst some of our favourite bespoke embroidery samples like these velvet pieces.

And of course we had a gold rail, because if you have the choice to have a gold rail or not to have a gold rail… you have the gold rail right?! You can also just see some of the beautiful silk hankies by Millie Bridget Henry and Ready to wear garments from Cad and the Dandy.

Always wonderful to be a part of such a creative community, especially in such an inspiring and historic area of London. If you would like to get us in for your own instore personalisation event, we are now taking bookings for the festive season 2021 so get in touch info@embroidery.london

Or if you want to do something a little more low key, why not try one of our London Embroidery School online classes and kits for yourself. Techniques and levels to suit you whatever stage you are at of your stitching journey.

Around this time of year, the Bespoke Tailors’ Benevolent Association meet to hold their inaugural festival dinner and Auction to raise funds to support the trade. The BTBA was established when two charities; the Master Tailors’ Benevolent Association (est. 1887) and the Tailors’ Benevolent Institute (est. 1861) merged together. Beneficiaries include tailors, woollen merchants and those from associated trades and suppliers.

Our Director Claire Barrett was there this year to represent Hawthorne & Heaney and assist in the smooth running of the evening as a new steward. A special acknowledgement to should be made to Geoff Wheeler of Dugdale Bros. & Co. who was this years Appeal Chairman and gave the address. As we share an office with the Dugdales gentlemen, we can assure Geoff that all his rehearsals were well worth it for a job well done.

The BTBA relies on the generosity of the business and individuals which it supports so Hawthorne & Heaney were very proud to have contributed to the BTBA’s head table, table cloth. Dugales provided the Navy Barathea for the cloth itself and Hawthorne & Heaney donated the hand embroidered Gold Cut Work Crest.

The Gold Cut Work is quite a laborious process involving the design being fully padded and prepared before the decorative gold can be introduced. This can be seen on the left of the images above with the padding exposed, and on the right the cut work application.

All this preparation gives the embroidery a very rich effect by elevating the embroidery from the surface of the cloth. Once the piece is fully filled and symmetrical, all will agree that the effect is quite striking.

Hawthorne & Heaney also donated the raffle and collection bags which were circulating during the night which sported a much smaller machine embroidered crest onto Navy velvet.

Hawthorne & Heaney at the Savile Row: Theatre of Craft Marketplace

Hawthorne & Heaney supports the BTBA