The Couture Knitwear Room Opens Today

It's an exciting day at The Shop Floor Project. After waiting three tantalising months, the new Couture Knitwear Room is now open.

Back in August we commissioned, New York based designer, Melissa Halvorson to create an exclusive, limited edition knitwear collection based on her love of 19th Century Costume. The results are wonderful Leg O'Mutton Gloves, scalloped edged Lace Spats with alluring hook and fastenings along the back and boned Neck Corsets that are, surprisingly, very comfortable and extremely flattering!

Equipped with the wool from a small flock of goats and sheep living on her parents farm on the outskirts of New York, Melissa, a designer and university lecturer, creates the most beautiful, wearable sculptures.

Melissa often carries out the whole process from harvesting, spinning and dying the wool to pattern making and knitting. Her work can be seen in the Yarn Museum and in the new publication Vogue Knitting Cables on the Go.

They arrive wrapped in black tissue paper and in a lovely brown box, so you can keep them safe when you're not wearing them and with just one of each colour available, you truly won't see anyone else wearing these!

In Stock and available from the Couture Knitwear Room.

In stock for Christmas!

As you know all of the products sold by us at The Shop Floor Project are handmade by independent designers which normally have an order period that reflects this.

However during this festive period we have been busy ordering as many items as possible in order to satisfy demand!

Therefore we can announce that the following items are in stock and are ready for immediate delivery.

Artist Baubles

Artist books and cards

Megan Price Kitchen Linen

Modern Hosiery (except Betty Tights/Cream)

Hilary Laing Silk Scarves

Erica Weiner Jewellery

Vanda Noranda Jewellery

Stephanie Simek Jewellery

Lee May Foster T-Shirts

Lee May Foster Jewellery

Natatlie Thakur Piggy Bank Purse

Natatlie Thakur Penny Sweet Purse

Finsk Shoes

Erica Weiner shoe Clips

Please feel free to email us info@theshopfloorproject.com with any questions regarding delivery or to read more about our Christmas delivery times visit the main menu page

Sail away on a Bauble + Free Delivery Offer

Two more designs have just been added to Samantha Allan's popular All I Want For Christmas Bauble Collection.

("All I want for Christmas is a Tall Ship to sail across the North Sea") £10

("All I want for Christmas is a Steam Train just like Stephenson's Rocket" £10)

So now you can dream of sailing away in a beautiful old Tall Ship or own your very own early steam train. Available in the Bauble Exhibition Rooms

Also just to remind you that the free delivery* offer ends this Sunday. Details of the offer can be found on the top bar of the website.

More Ceramic Tea Service Jewellery In Stock!

We had such a response to Bethan Lloyd Worthington's ceramic Pea Green jewellery collection when we launched it last week (see post below) that we sold out in three days!

But fear not! We have managed to get hold of a few more pieces before Christmas, including these wonderful 'Saucer' pins which are part of Bethan's Tea Service Collection. They look great casually pinned onto a vintage cardigan or blazer.

As well as the lovely 'Delft' blue and white Tea Cup charm bracelets, there is also Bethan's Caterpillar glazed ware.

These are the last pieces from Bethan until Spring 2009, when she launches her new jewellery collection, so we advise to buy early to avoid disappointment.

Available from Jewellery Room 2 at The Shop Floor Project

Wearing your teacup on your sleeve

I have a confession to make. I am normally, and unashamedly, unfaithful when it comes to jewellery, I can change necklaces three times a day without a care, despite the fact that I have been searching for years for a 'signature' piece that I could wear everyday and it would be known as 'my necklace' or 'my bracelet'. Recently, however, my long search may be over, in the form of a humble little charm bracelet.

I have been wearing 'my' pea green Snowflake Teacup Charm Bracelet for the past few weeks and I just can't bring myself to take it off! Created by the celebrated ceramicist Bethan Lloyd Worthington, these wonderful gold lined ceramic charms, in the form of 1950's inspired teacups, teapots and jugs are hung on vintage Art Deco brass chains, fastening with a stylish clasp.

Charm bracelets have a long, romantic, history which might explain my desire to hold on tight to this piece of jewellery more than others.

Amulet or Charm from Europe, 2nd century BC-2nd century AD

Dated as far back as Ancient Egypt, the different charms were seen as ways to identify each other and to help the Gods guide the wearer and his/her possessions to the proper status level in the afterlife. Kind of an "if found, please return to" tag. Throughout history, charm bracelets have been worn by kings and knights for luck and to show allegiance. Later, into the Victorian era and into the World Wars they were used as a way to declare the love for a specific person. By the end of WWII charm jewellery, as we know it today, was a commercial enterprise. Soldiers leaving Europe and islands in the Pacific purchased little handmade trinkets as gifts to bring home to their sweethearts.

It seems now when we think of charms we picture those heavy bracelets with the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty dangling off. But in the past they have been subtle, secret objects, perhaps just with one single charm that identified a person's status, love or profession and it's that significance that is so charming about Bethan's collection of single charms.

The Tea set Charms are available in Jewellery Room 2 in The Shop Floor Project.

£24 each.

Alphabet Owl Hand Printed T-Shirts + Free Delivery

The T-shirts of Lee May Foster are possibly some of the most coveted around. Based in her studio in Cornwall, Lee May hand draws strange worlds inspired by the nature around her which are then turned into wonderful T-Shirts for men and women.

Printed onto the softest cotton t-shirts by ethical manufacturers, American Apparel, they are also cut well and wash brilliantly.

So whether you choose The Winter Hare and Tree or the Alphabet Owl you will be sure to stand out amongst the plain T-shirt brigade!

All available in the T-Shirt Department of The Shop Floor Project

Just a little reminder that we are offering FREE DELIVERY* for November (the best month to buy online for your Christmas shopping). See website or below for details.