The Pocket Tie

Turn an average everyday tie into a wearable wallet thanks to this helpful instructable from Brit Morin of Brit + Co.

You’ll need:
- a tie
- a small piece of fabric (for the pockets)
- needle and thread
- sewing pins
- snap button
- optional: sewing machine

Instructions:

Use scissors or a seam ripper to unstitch the back of the tie. Take your pocket fabric and cut a piece that will serve as the iPhone pocket and base pocket layer.

Iron the fabric. Pin it, lay it in the tie to make sure you’re all good. Sew!

Repeat with the next pocket, using a credit card to measure the size. Sew the card pocket to the iPhone pocket.

Now, you need to attach it to the tie. Pin it to the tie so that it doesn’t go through the front. Turn the tie inside out and hand sew the pocket to the inside layer of fabric in the tie.

Lastly, add a simple snap button to keep the pocket closed.

Hertex launches new Valley of the Vines collection

Hertex Fabrics director Coba Hermann

It's director Coba Herrmann's love for aloes that inspired Valley of the Vines, the latest collection from Hertex Fabrics. "I adore aloes. They are so sculptural in form with the blazing colours. With names like Aloe Africana, what can be more African?"

Valley of the Vines includes Cape floral prints and monochromatic designs with a Franschhoek vineyard flavour on a polished cotton base cloth, teamed with wide co-ordinating stripes. Matching plains in Studio H's contemporary canvas as well as flat woven novelty designs complete this beautiful, local collection.

The designs in Valley of the Vines were designed by Coba (she designed Aloe Africana and Overgrown), whilst designer Jay Smith was responsible for Verres du Cap, Crystal and Wine Route.

For Coba, who describes herself as a botanical artist, this debut work in fabric design illustrates her love for strong lines and sharp contrasts, rather than soft blending.

"As long as I remember, I was drawing – mostly the human figure and portraits. I see myself as a sketcher rather than a painter. I did sculpturing for twenty years and took part in a lot of exhibitions. The botanical side only emerged two years ago when I had to draw plants and butterflies to decorate our home," says Coba, wife of Hertex owner Peter Herrmann.

Aloe Africana - Traditional

All items in Valley of the Vines are locally designed, printed and woven and exclusive to the Stonehaus brand. "And if there is a demand for this work, who knows? I will gladly carry on and experiment with different subjects," says Coba.

To view more designs in the collection click here.

*Taken from the Hertex Fabrics Newsletter.

Celebrate a Star Spangled Winter with Weylandts

Weylandts latest collection of knitted throws, hot water bottles and scatters features on-trend typographic design and Americana-inspired stars and strips that will warm up your winter space and cocoon you against the cold.

Take a trip to their website to view their collection online.