A Conversation with Angela of Lil Delights

As a pattern maker and sample machinist in the NZ fashion industry, Angela of Lil Delights had all the skills and passion necessary to create her own label featuring fabulous garments and accessories for little girls - from sweet skirts and pinafores to rain ponchos and aprons.  She shares an insight into her creative world here...

Who is Angela Newson? 

The creative and technical mind behind Lil Delights, a range of young girls clothing and accessories. I’m also a full time mum, loving wife and domestic goddess :-)

What’s your “handmade groove ?” 

I really just love creating and playing with gorgeous fabrics. Mixing and matching prints and embellishments, all to create a special piece to put a simile on someone’s face when they see it.

What’s on your bedside table right now? (hey, no tidying up or censoring)

A book which has been there over a month and I’ve only just managed to start. A baby monitor, bodyshop handcream and water bottle.

Who are your creative role models? 

What music, books, images, poetry spark your creative fire? Fabric is my biggest inspiration. I see the fabric first and then decide what to create from it. I’d have to admit google and pinterest are often inspiring too.

What could you talk late into the night about with like minded people?

Depends who I’m with, if it’s other parents probably kids and if it’s old work mates then fashion would be the go.

If you could go to three free workshops/creative events this year which ones would they be? What are they about? 

I’m keen to see and I’m going to make sure I do, the homesewen exhibition on at the Dowse at the moment. It’s all about the history of home sewing in NZ, and I think would be fascinating.

I also make sure I check out Fabric a brac whenever it’s in town (and it’s coming again soon), lots of treasures to be found there.

How do you balance your creative life with your family, life commitments? 

I’d like to say I’m super woman and it’s easy but that’d be a lie. As I also work as a freelance contractor in the fashion industry, multi tasking and life juggling has always been a part of my life. But now with two young daughters the need to juggle is greater. I have reduced my freelance work to help here and I fit in creating for Lil Delights whenever I can manage a little free time really, this is getting easier as my eldest daughter is now at preschool 3 days a week.

What is your favourite creative screw-up? 

One I always remember and it’s from my childhood actually, was when at school as a class we were all colouring in pictures for a local colouring in competition. As I was carefully colouring away I made a smudge on the background of my picture, I was so disappointed and in tears. My teacher trying to consol me suggested perhaps I make use of the situation and create my entire background out of smudges. So I did, and low and behold I won first place! with the help of my teachers suggestion of course. There has no doubt been many others like this since, too many to note, but I find making the most out of a bad or unplanned situation generally works out in the end.

Kitchen table or studio? Studio. As I also work freelance 

I’m lucky to have a studio set up with everything at hand.

Do you have a wish list? Can you tell us what’s on it?
Of course: I recently went into a sewing shop to get some needles and came out with a brochure for an industrial iron (this has always been on my dream list). Trying to convince hubby it’d make a wonderful Christmas pressy J

I wouldn’t mind a coverseamer too

And I love collecting fabric so always wishing for great finds in the fabric department. Need to access my storage for this one though.

You can find Lil Delights on-line shop ... here

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