Sew What: Out and about in Oxford, ANNABELINDA, Dress Designers

Today when we ventured out it was cold, the coldest day we have had yet. We caught a bus to the station with the intention of finding the coach station, after some time we did find it at Gloucester Green we now are right to make our way up or is it down, to London on Sunday. We left Gloucester Green and headed back towards the city centre when we stumbled upon a gorgeous little shop in Gloucester Street, off the Green, called Annabelinda, Dress Designers. The window display was stunning, there were some fabric scrap packs in the window labelled for patchwork, in such lush fabric that I just couldn’t resist. I went in initially for the fabric scraps and to ask if I could take photos of the window displays. Of course we got talking and the two delightful women, the owner, Belinda and Trish, her assistant were very friendly and helpful. They brought out some beautiful old braids that they had been offered by a bloke that just blew in off the street many years ago. He emptied his back pack on the counter and told them he wanted 300 pound for the lot, but they had to take the lot! Luckily, even though way back then it was a lot of money, Belinda bought the lot and now makes handmade buttons from these beautiful braids to sell in the shop or attach to the bespoke garments they make there. She told us the same bloke turned up about three years later. Same deal, he emptied his bag on the table and told her she could buy the lot or none, again she bought the braids. I think she said that was around twenty or more years ago and she has never seen him again!! She is now down to about the last half a bag of braids. We probably spent about an hour with them, Belinda said at one stage “You don’t want to do work experience here do you?” I would love to, unfortunately that is not possible. I think she recognised a kindred spirit!!

A selection of Belinda's beautiful buttons made from antique braid.

Three images of some of the braids Belinda bought from a "hippy" who just blew in off the street offering this treasure trove of antique braids for the princely sum of 300 pounds.