Cath Kidston In Print

Cath Kidston opened her shop in Notting Hill in 1993, initially selling second hand furniture and vintage fabrics. Her business really took off when she started to sell her own floral print ironing board covers. She now sells over 500 items from dog beds to bath towels and the collection is growing. She has a knack for placing floral prints in clean contemporary settings, whilst making sure that everything she produces is practical and utilitarian. With a fascination for fabrics from an early age, Cath is an active collector of vintage fabric whilst also designing her own lines.

Cath Kidston In Print is about bringing her style into your home and making it work. Although the book, on first glance, might seem a bit light on editorial, it is full of ideas and simple sewing projects. Pia Tryde's photographs do an excellent job on showing you exactly what you can achieve.

Cath has some very simple ideas that go a long way in making a difference, whether it's for a table setting or recycling old fabric into dusters. If you too are bitten by the collecting bug but have to buy new fabric, Cath suggests washing it a few times or running a pale coloured dye through it. Pale blues, greens and pinks will give fabric a 50s feel. You can also use tea. Make some tea in a washing up bowl and then remove the bags. Put the fabric in and keep it moving around so that the colour staining is fairly even. Remove it once the right colour has been achieved.

Have you thought of mixing a couple of bold printed pillowcases with white bedlinen or using a big floral fabric to cover a bean bag? Tablecloths work very well with these kind of prints but to be just that bit different, layer one on top of another. If you've got the space, think about making an ironing table. It's so much easier to iron large sheets and it looks good as well, given the Kidston treatment. Cover the table with a blanket and then some pretty but hardwearing material, using a staple gun to secure the materials underneath.

There are lots of ideas for present making which require very little dexterity with a needle. Some projects just require scissors and glue. Look out for the fabric covered matchboxes or the fashioned rubber gloves.

Cath Kidston In Print is a good book, either for yourself as it opens up new possibilities or as a present. You can't really go wrong.

Publication details:
160 pp. Photography by Pia Tryde. £14.99
Published by Quadrille
ISBN 1844001571
2005

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