#LongLiveIndieBiz - June 2022
While the cat’s away…
With Summer making a sudden appearance this week, all we wanna do is curl up in the shade with a good book and a crafting project, and we think this month’s picks reflect that! This month’s picks have been curated by Untld Project's newest recruit, Joy, as Nerrisa and Holly are taking a well-earned break. Not together. They’re not that close.
So, grab an iced tea or a cocktail, sit back and enjoy some of the indie businesses that have been bringing joy to our bookshelves and Instagram feeds recently…
From L-R:
We love using woven labels on our homemade garments and these Bonjour Beauté labels (€12.95) from la Petite Maison Couture offer the perfect morning pick-me-up and instant laidback Parisian vibes!
Joy’s keen to push her sewing skills and try her hand at quilting this year. Cambridgeshire creative Cait Lisle Designs sells colourful modern quilt patterns (from £3.99), custom quilts and workshops. We can't get enough of this summery colour combo and are wondering if this quilt could double up as a picnic blanket?
Edinburgh-based online fabric shop Hey Sew Sister is absolutely smashing it with her fabric choices this Summer! We’re dreaming of a tiered maxi dress in this Groovy Chick Salt Crinkle Cotton (£8.50 per half metre). Cotton is a great choice for beginner sewists to use as it’s stable and easy to sew - keep reading for more newbie sewing recommendations…
These buttons were cut from acrylic sheets left over from Plastic & Floss owner Amy’s other business - we love to see it! Buttons aren’t just for dressmakers and are a great way to upcycle thrifted garments. Wouldn’t these fluorescent pink buttons (£6.00) look amazing with green?
From L-R:
If you’re not following Ben Pechey on Instagram, where on earth have you been?! As well as being an absolute style icon, they’re a freelance writer, proud Leo and LGBTQ+ activist. The Book of Non-Binary Joy (RRP £12.99) is top of our TBR pile, and is a resource for the non-binary community as well as a valuable learning opportunity for allies.
We love a good craft book, and were so proud to pick up IRL pal Mike’s debut offering, Modern Paper Piecing (RRP £15.99). Paper piecing is a form of patchwork sewing, that allows you to create super-accurate, detailed designs with ease. As stationery fanatics, we’re particularly excited to try out Mike’s pencil patchwork design!
Wren and Wilson’s quirky illustrations just fill our hearts with glee! Colouring Adventure with David Attenborough (£14.00) is filled with cheerful illustrations of friendly wild animals and their fascinating habitats, and is printed on recycled paper. The perfect lazy Sunday afternoon activity!
Anyone else hooked on this year’s Great British Sewing Bee? 2019’s winner Juliet Uzor not only wrote this year’s accompanying Sewing Bee book, but has just published her very own beginner sewing companion: You Will Be Able to Sew Your Own Clothes By The End of This Book (RRP £19.99) All the patterns have been named after inspiring women whose names begin with J, and no big deal but rumour has it that the “Joy” pattern was named after our very own…
From L-R:
Nerrisa grabbed a couple of boxes of Random Buns of Kindness’ (from £17.99) vegan pastries to enjoy at our photoshoot last week and OH. MY. GOD. The pistachio and salted caramel was genuinely one of the most delicious things we’ve ever eaten and a far cry from the slightly depressing vegan pastry attempts we’ve tried in the past. Nailed it!
These incredible handmade frog art dolls (from $260.00) by Jenna’s Whatever sell out pretty much instantly but her photos and reels are pure dopamine and definitely worth a follow! We’re seeing a lot of adorable cosy content on Instagram right now, and we’re here for it. Here’s another froggy fav!
This I Love You / Feed Me tee (£20.00) from Jessica Jumpers is probably the most-worn item in Joy’s wardrobe at the moment! It’s oversized, made from super soft organic cotton, and has a cat on the front. What more could you ask for?
We’re no stranger to a fancy small business candle but MDT candles (£30.00) are something else! From the effortlessly chic black design to the rich and multi-layered aromas, they really are a little taste (smell?) of luxury! It’s a tough choice as they’re all amazing, but the Alora scent is the perfect blend of sweet and sophisticated for us.
Wanna be a part of our monthly round ups? No worries babes, simply use the #longliveindiebiz hashtag on IG and we’ll give you a cheeky shout out in one of our future blog posts!