What a week...

So we're on the 15th of Jan, and here I am keeping a new years resolution, writing another blog post...
MIGHT AS WELL THROW A PARTY, 2 POSTS WITHIN 2 WEEKS- AREN'T YOU LUCKY?! 🎉🎉 Anyway, thought I'd tell yall about me week...

MONDAY
No one's keen on Mondays. I don't mind them. I do mind early mornings. And long days. This Monday was one of them... I started my day at home in Tamworth, then popped to work in Manchester (I work in recruitment when I'm not at uni, so travel about quite a bit). Oh and after that, I ran for a train or 2, and ended up in Glasgow... Busy busy busy!
Bit of an ordinary day really at work really, UNTIL I HAD ROOM SERVICE FOR THE FIRST TIME! WEYYYY

TUESDAY
Should just add, that although Glasgow's one of my fav cities, I was there for work purposes, and don't get time to roam around exploring BOO! Had a good day though, met some lovely people through work. And I did get to fly home, on one of those small planes, through turbulance and a storm #notokay

WEDNESDAY
Wednesday I drove back over to uni, to take my work down from last week, found out it had already been taking down, and was being used for moderation, and I couldn't take it home. Didn't waste my time though, did a bit of photoshop and sketchbook work.

Oh and the entire hand brake system in my car packed in.. YAY

THURSDAY ✏
All I did on Thursday was sketchbook work, been as I didn't have a car to go out like... But luckily my dad's a mechanic, so by tea time it was fixed! And by 9 I was back in good old Debados, lying in bed binge watching shitty TV... BACK TO UNI LIFE

FRIDAY
At several points this week I thought my day couldn't get any worse... (when my hand brake broke, being stuck in traffic thinking I was gonna miss my flight, when my brand new sat nav wouldn't turn on (the battery was dead lol)). But Friday tops it all. I was convinced I was going to specialise in Print. But my lectures reckon I'd be good in Knit. I was given the weekend to decide. It's now Sunday. I still don't know...

Anyway, to help me decide, I went on a night out in Notts- obviously...

SATURDAY
Naturally, Saturday was spent less hungover than originally anticipated, yet still watching all the TV I'm behind on.
Oh, and re-watching Sherlock...

SUNDAY
And today, well we had a little family outing to Matlock. Not been before, but it's so cute! My fav part was my chip butty, where Claudia cried over the thought of going the zoo because she was so excited. I'm so glad I've got such a good bunch of friends at uni #blessed
SO there you go... my week. Back at uni, having no idea what I'm specialising in, and being eternally grateful that I don't have lectures on a Monday morning anymore!

Bethan Rose x

Sh*t just got real!

Yesterday, at 10 am, I handed in a portfolio of the last semesters work. 3 months work of knitting, weaving, printing, drawing and designing. 8 domestic knitting samples, 4 Shima samples, 7 digital prints, 5 hand loom weaves, 7 Jaquard weaves and 8 (ish- I can't remember!) sketchbooks. All for one semesters work.


Here's an example of my fav bits!

But this morning it hit me- I'M HALF WAY THROUGH MY DEGREE!!! I am currently, only 6 days away from confirming my specialism choice... I mean, shit just got real!!

So to go along with the cheesey cliché, "new year new me",as well as knuckling down at uni, I'm going to try an post on here more often! (I'm not making any promises, but I'm gonna try!)

Bethan Rose x

LONDON BOUND

So as part of my course at uni (of which I've been very busy with, hence the lack of posts- SORRY!!), we're expected to market research- which basically means having a nosey around the shops and flicking through the glossy mages every now and again! Nah, its more serious than that, though last week I did get to do the nosey round the shops bit.

And what shops they were...

Our lecturers organised a trip to London, to complete our market research and also have a gander around 'The Vulgar' exhibition at The Barbican. The exhibition was great, it was full of interesting fashion designs which many might consider unconventional or inappropriate (I can imagine my Nan would have a lot to say about certain pieces within the collection (the dress with pencils on it or "oh my gosh, that's barely a top")). I can't say I full understood the idea that the collection was 'vulgar' but nether the less there were some gorgeous work by some influential designers! With it being an exhibition, we weren't allowed to take any photos, so here's a picture of the stunning installation in the entrance to The Barbican!

As for the market research, we headed to Regent's Street! After a cheeky Nandos we headed off for a nosey around!

The first shop we visited was one recommended to us by our lecturer- ZARA Home. I visit Zara all the time (there's a fab one in Derby), but had never seen their home wear department. The smell as you walked in was gorge, and the beautiful Christmas displays, along with the Crimbo lights outside got us in a properly festive mood! The items on offer were beautifully organised, with neutral sections contrasting with bright pops if colour! I have to say, they had the most beautiful woven throw collection I've ever seen! And I had never thought they would be such a demand for hair rugs- checked, dyed, metallic foiled- you name it they'd got it! But my favourite part was the collection of slippers! I mean who wouldn't want a pair of silver metallic loafer-style slippers?

When I was younger I remember watching Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium (it was my fav...) and thinking 'why isn't there a toy shop like that by my house?' Now I'm older, its less about a toy shop, but the second shop we visited is basically the real life interior version. Well, that's how I felt anyway.

ANTHROPLOGY. Can't say I'd ever heard of it before, but what I can say now, is that I'll be visiting again as soon as I can! The Christmas themed window display drew us in, but inside the Christmas decoration was very dignified. I suppose it was the standard and quality of the shop, but there was no tacky tinsel or 'glittery tat' as my Dad would say... In fact their Christmassy displays were totally different to products (not too overbearing!). The organisation of the products within the shop was great! The shop itself is a bit of a trades, with the clothing being at the front, and the interior products split over the many other floors in the store. To be honest, I felt like I was in a bit of an art gallery, and that was just the interior décor of the shop itself! And I have to say... this shop smelt fab as well!

After popping into some of the other shops such as H&M and a random pub for a wee, we visited LIBERTY London.

I don't know what I was expecting from this one, but I can definitely say it wasn't what I saw! I was completely overwhelmed by the interior of the store! What a stunning shop?!

My favourite part of the shop, as a design student, was of course the haberdashery! Liberty stock a beautiful array of fabrics, in the beautiful array of prints! I was in owe, it was literally heaven!

Finally, we took a trip to Selfridges. I've been to the one in Birmingham multiple times, but there's nothing like an original! As this was the last shop we visited, we were all a little tired, and to be honest the only thing I really photographed was the Christmassy stuff!

So overall, a fab day of Market Researching!

Bethan Rose x

(PS- as you can tell, I'm not very good at regularly updating my blog... oops! But I do update my Instagram all the time- bethanperrytextiles  )

Weaving my way back in...

So this is my third week back of uni, and inbetween the freshers events, lectures and work, I've barely had any time to post anything on here! (That's kind of a lie- I have 3 half written posts in my draft box that I never got around to finishing and posting, and are now no longer relevant!) But anyway, I just thought I'd let you know what I've been up to!

 As a second year at UoD, we spend the first semester doing 4 week rotations of Weave, Print and Knit. Its relatively similar to last year, however this year, I'm being trusted with machinery! Looking at using the Jaccquard in the Weave rotation, and digital printing in the Print part! The above image has probably given it away, but I'm starting this year off with a bit of weave!

When I started Uni, I thought I was going to almost definitely going to become a printer, and go on to design a wallpaper range or something like that. The truth is, other than a few sessions with an WI lady, I'd never knitted on a domestic knitted machine, and the only weaving I'd ever done was a large abstract piece for my A-levels based on the lack of sustainability in my local area... The only thing I knew was printing!

The truth is, I'm not 100% sure I want to be a printer anymore- weave is becoming more and more appealing!

And last week we were taught how to thread our own looms! Its something I've never done before, and I'm not going to lie, it took me 3 attempts to get it right! But when I did, I was so proud! (And releaved- everyone else managed to do it straight away!)

The colour scheme I've chosen, is based both upon the African Artisan project completed over the summer, and the naturally dyed weaves I created. (The colours are a bit brighter than the natural dyes- but I like it that way!)

As you can see, I've only worked on this piece a little, but that's because we haven't started our pattern practicals yet! I've started drawing up a few patterns and I'm excited to get started!

Bethan Rose x

One week to go!

I LOVE being at home! Don't get me wrong, my brother annoys the hell out of me, and  Mom worries about me a tad too much about me when I'm on a night out, but I love being at home!

I love the home cooked meals, the fact that the house is always warm, and that if I fancy a custard cream, there's some in the biscuit box down stairs, and I haven't got to walk to Salisbury's Local, to then have to compromise with a Bourbon because they haven't got any Custard Cream's left- and even the its like 3 pound a packet!

I love the social aspect of it too- my Nan lives 5 minutes round the corner, most of my Aunties and Uncle's live within walking distance, and all of my friends are home for summer as well. And I also get to see Liv, Fin and Dyl, my brothers from another mother! (and sister..)

Oh, and Thumper, appropriately nicknamed "Dump" (I think you could work out why...), my lil house rabbit 

Despite all of this, I can't explain my level of excitement this morning when I realised that ITS ONLY ONE MORE WEEK UNTIL I MOVE BACK TO DERBY!

I can't wait to be reunited with the girls off my course! This time last year I thought I had it all- a good job, a car, a good friend circle- In fact I was in some delusional world where I thought I would keep in touch with EVERYONE I ever met at Sixth Form, and we'd be friends forever.

In truth, what I have learnt over the last year, is that I have more acquaintances than friends. Some of the people I used to spend everyday with, I now only see once every few months... But there are a few who I've stayed in touch with. 

It is true what people say though- you do meet friends for life at Uni. And although we've spoke, texted, Skyped or Snapchatted nearly every day since we've been off,  I can't wait to see them all face to face!

I'm excited to get back into the routine of WALKABOUT WEDNESDAY- out little traditional night out! Though this year I think I need to tone down the going out- 2/3 times a week isn't sustainable of a student budget- not on top of the Nandos, kebabs and midnight Maccies trips!

And the stupid photos!

I'm excited to see our new Textiles Studio! And get back into knitting (even though I hated it last year!), and weaving and printing and drawing and essay writing. OK, maybe not essay writing but still... I just want to get back into Textiles- I've enjoyed our little summer project but I want to get out of a sketchbook and into something a little more textural!

(This is Sean- the ONLY lad on our course! (had to get a pic of him in somewhere))

BUT MOST OF ALL, I'm looking forward to moving back in with some of the best friends you could ask for! We may have argued countless times, and fought over whose turn it was to wash up, but those negatives are outweighed by the film nights, the times we've just sat around drinking instead of writing important essays, and our pathetic attempt at a flat party- which resulted in 4/5 of us being drunk before the few people who bothered to turn up came... I had a great year, and because of our unorganized lifestyle, we left it too late to get a house for this year, so we're staying in halls again- meaning we can o it all again! Unfortunately, Lauren, who lived with us last year won't be coming back to live with us, cos' she's chosen to commute this year. She has agreed to pop round every so often, with the promise of the odd Nug Nug, for old times sake!

I have to admit, when I started writing this blog, I was going to talk about all the new sketchbook work I've done, not focus on the memories of last year. But then I suppose it still shows, THAT I CANT WAIT TO GET BACK TO UNI!!

Bethan Rose x