Commissions

I love breathing new life into treasured materials and really enjoy a good collaboration. I do undertake commissions, depending on my workload at any given time and the nature of the request. Feel free to drop me a line if you have an idea you'd like to discuss!

Here are some past custom makes:

Jane asked if I could incorporate this antique embroidered panel into a shirt, as the cottage looked just like her house!

This tartan mohair blanket vest was commissioned in a slightly smaller size than my usual and it turned out so well with the gingham lining! The new owner Philippa declared herself thrilled :)

Jodie asked me to make her a dress out of a beautiful peach-coloured linen heirloom tablecloth and I was happy to oblige. This is a shot of the back, which I was especially pleased with.

This cute top with shoulder gathers was also for Jodie, made from another of her family's beautiful vintage linen tablecloths.  

Emily asked for a copy of her favourite dress in a Circular Story style. I constructed a new version from patches of reclaimed linen tablecloths, replicating the shape of the original and finishing off the ruffle with vintage red ric-rac. 

Nancy asked if I could make three the-same-but-different shirts for herself and two friends from a beautiful embroidered vintage bedspread. I really enjoyed working out the pattern placement on the three pieces - I hope they have fun wearing their matching shirts.

This was a really sweet make - Bill commissioned a shirt for his girlfriend's birthday and here she is wearing it on the day, it suits her soooo well. 

Detail of an exquisite little boxy top featuring three lacework bunny rabbits! Specially made for an animal-loving customer in Holland from a vintage nightdress case patchworked together with antique sheer cotton hankies. 

I was honoured to make Emily a shirt from linen tablecloths and tray cloths that had been embroidered by her grandma.

Emma asked me to make her a shirt from a tablecloth she'd brought back from a long-ago Greek island holiday. The yellow buttons that finish it off so well are from her grandma's button box. 

Beth sent me a beautiful vintage floral blanket and requested a vest with angled pockets and a little stand-up collar - and very nicely it turned out too.

This pretty linen cutwork tablecloth blouse was commissioned by a group of coworkers for a colleague's leaving gift. 

Another very special custom make for Mairead, from some nearly 100-year-old hankies bequeathed to her by a lady called Alma, who embroidered them in her younger days. Lots of the hankies had the monogram letter 'A' in the corner and when I patchworked them together, I dotted the 'A's around the shirt.

Sam asked me to make her a jacket based on a very early A Circular Story make, with quilting representing sunrays, hills and a cloud, in her favourite colour - orange. She supplied the outer fabric which was a remnant from her work as an upholsterer and I used deadstock cotton wadding and patchworked the inside from found cotton shirts.

I made this shirt out of a tablecloth that had sentimental value to the customer, Linda. I knew she was a fan of ric-rac, so I snuck some in on the hanging loop.

This customer liked the look of a jacket I'd made, and as luck would have it I had enough spare quilt left over to make one in her size - she provided the Suffolk puffs/yoyos which look adorable appliquéd onto the pockets. 

Lightweight voile is not a fabric I'd really worked with before but Alison had two lovely old pieces with polka dots in her stash and wanted me to make her a delicate, floaty shirt. I mixed the two colourways and finished it off with sturdy french seams and reclaimed natural shell buttons. She is going to wear it on her honeymoon 💕

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Jane entrusted me with her collection of vintage table linen and a favourite dress for me to copy. It's finished off with three pockets, reclaimed shell buttons and a hand-bound hem.

🪡 As a general rule I make custom shirts and jackets in sizes S-M and M-L and not made to measure. In special circumstances I can draft a pattern to a specific size but there is an extra charge for this. After agreeing on a price for any commission I will ask for 50% upfront as a deposit and the balance before delivery 🪡

To enquire about custom orders, you can email me directly at acircularstory@gmail.com or message me using the Contact form and I will get back to you asap.