Fabric Focus: Knits & Jerseys

I wrote my post about my upcoming experiment with jersey, and then received an email from one of my favorite online apparel fabric stores about a sale they are having this weekend:  15% off knit fabrics at GorgeousFabrics.com.  I think this is a good omen!

So good, in fact, that I think I'm going to gamble on this experiment going well and get some fabric for myself.  Even if experiment #1 doesn't work, I know I'll get there in the end and I should probably be ready with lots of cool fabric.  Right??

Here are three of my favorites:

Up a Lazy River Jersey - Greens/Orange/Yellow/Ivory

The Bold and The Beautiful Floral Jersey - Blues/Green/Purple/Black 

Paging Jackson Pollack Jersey - Black/White (she also has this in grey/white)

I've started a knit/jersey fabric board on Pinterest and I'll be adding fabric from GorgeousFabrics.com and other places as I continue ogling.  If you want to check out the sale on knit/jersey at GorgeousFabrics, just click here.  You only need 1-1.5 yards of fabric to make a great top, so you know I'll be stocking up!

Have a great weekend!

Fabric Focus: Cotton Lawn, Voile and Batiste

It was 65 degrees F in Berwyn, IL yesterday and it felt like the first real day of Spring.  Even though the winter was pretty mild here in the Midwest this year, it still feels wonderful to open the windows and fill the house with the smell of spring: mud, plants, warmth.  I definitely have summer fabrics on my mind now that I can feel it coming (nevermind that tomorrow's high will only be 39 degrees F).

I am excited to sew with lightweight cottons this spring and summer.  Quilting weight cotton is fine, and it can make a lovely A-line skirt, but the lighter weight cottons have more flow and drape.  I've been ogling dozens and dozens of these lighter weight prints and I'll showcase some of my favorites in this post.  If you want to see everything I've found, hop over to the Pinterest board I created here.

Anna Maria Horner, orginally one of the quilting cotton queens, has been branching out into apparel fabrics.  She has a velveteen collection and now her prints are available on cotton voile.  I love the simplicity of this one, and the contrast of the colors:

Anna Maria Horner's Pastry Line Voile in Olive Green/Aqua from Etsy shop GreysFabric

Liberty Tana Lawn art print fabrics are gorgeous, but super expensive (generally $35-45/yard) so I try not to "see" them when I'm ogling.  But I couldn't help seeing this one!  My friend Candice will love it because of the bookish design:

Liberty Art Fabrics: 'Dr. Tulloch' Tana lawn A from emmaonesock.com

While I've been drawn to more graphic/abstract prints lately, I couldn't help falling for this floral, especially in combination with the matching polka dot print.  I think it the mix of sour lime with the cheery flowers - a nice mix/clash!

Cotton Lawn Fabric Lime Darling Floral from hartsfabric.com

Cotton Lawn Fabric Lime Darling Dots from hartsfabric.com

Happy Spring!

Fabric Focus: More Cotton Prints

I do love cotton fabric.  It is easy to sew and it comes in a huge variety of prints and colors.  It's crispness works perfectly for A-line summer skirts and can work for some dresses.  Next week I'll begin showcasing other fabrics like linen, voile, challis, and other good spring and summer fabrics, but I couldn't resist one more week of cotton loveliness!

Please note that all of the fabric listed below is available from a variety of Etsy sellers so I haven't linked it to one particular shop.

I discovered two new (to me) designers last week when searching on SewFreshFabrics.  The first, Jane Dixon, is new to textile design but she has worked as a graphic artist for many years (she also sells cards and prints through her website).  In addition to her designs, I also love that she is a self-taught artist and relocated from a warmer climate to the Chicago area (Go Midwest!).  Here are some of her prints:

Zig Zag on Grey/Green from Primitiva by Jane Dixon for Andover Fabrics

Desert Bloom by Jane Dixon Large Cactus Teal for Andover fabrics

Circles on Orange from Primitiva by Jane Dixon for Andover Fabrics

Wavy Stripes with Purple and Orange from Primitiva by Jane Dixon for Andover Fabrics

I had to show that last one again because I think it is just incredible.  It may be that my summer skirt is calling to me . . .


The second designer is Khristian Howell.  She's been on the fabric scene a bit longer and has collections with Robert Kaufman and Anthology.  I prefer her Anthology prints:

Wired in Love from Rendezvous by Khristian Howell for Anthology fabrics

 "The Woodlands" Cotton Fabric by Khristian A Howell for Anthology -Woodgrain in Teal

Theory by Khristian A Howell for Anthology fabrics

High Society Hannah by Khristian Howell for Anthology fabrics

Theory Vines Sierra by Khristian A Howell for Anthology fabrics

She also has this print that I may have to get to make little dresses for my girls:

The Woodlands Collection by Khristian Howell

What I like about both of these designers is that the way they use color and lines seems to give texture to the fabric.  And all of these fabrics are from quilting weight fabric collections so they come in other colors and with coordinating contrast fabrics.  Nice!

Fabric Focus: Spring is Coming

Or at least that what I keep telling myself.  It's sometimes hard to think about spring when it's the coldest it's been all winter and there is new snow on the ground, but spring prints give me hope.  I recently discovered a wonderful fabric shop on Etsy called SewFreshFabrics that has twice come through with a fabric I couldn't find anywhere else.  Here's a few cotton fabrics I've ogled lately in their store that make me want to get out my flip-flops and pretty summer tops:

Happy Mochi Yum Yum by Monica Solorio- Snow for Lecien Fabrics

Choma in Bermuda from Echo by Lotta Jansdotter for Windham Fabrics

Ruta in Navy from Echo by Lotta Jansdotter for Windham Fabrics

Pink Waves from Tokyo Rococo by Carol Van Zandt for Andover Fabrics

Impressions Capri from Modernology by Art Gallery Fabrics

High Society Victoria by Khristian Howell for Anthology fabrics

Wavy Stripes with Purple and Orange from Primitiva by Jane Dixon for Andover Fabrics

Take that, Old Man Winter.

Fabric Focus: Brandon Mably

You have probably figured out by now that I love things with a bit of pop or edge or umpf (I apologize for the highly technical language here!).  Something that makes the ordinary a little less ordinary, something that makes you look twice.

Brandon Mably's cotton fabric designs certainly have umpf.

Brandon Mably - Flora Grey

Brandon Mably - Bones Blue

Brandon Mably - Herringbone

Brandon Mably - Splash Orange

I love the way he uses color contrasts and the rough edges to his lines.  The fabric is beautiful without being too pretty.

I've seen folks using his fabric for kids' clothes (the dots) or quilts, but I think they would be great for women's clothes and accessories, too.  You'd need to be careful - a little Brandon Mably goes a long way!

I can picture these prints as a spring/summer skirt or handbag:

Brandon Mably - Bones Yellow

Brandon Mably - Scales Blue

Brandon Mably - Fish Lips Grey

Brandon Mably - Wrinkle Red

And for the super daring I can imagine mixing up some of his fabrics for a funky tunic, like this one I made from the Sew Serendipity tunic pattern (Amy Butler fabrics here):

I used the Scales Grey print to make bias tape trim for a skirt (see here).  And here's a sunglass case I found on Etsy from seller TheCraftQueen:

His bio (from www.brandonmably.com):

"Brandon Mably designs knitwear patterns for Vogue Knitting and Rowan Yarns, and leads workshops in knitwear design and use of colour throughout the world.  For over a decade, Brandon has been the Studio Manager of Kaffe Fassett Studio in London England, and has worked closely with Kaffe in the design, creation, and execution of knitwear, tapestry, patchwork, mosaic, and mixed media artwork. While working side by side with Kaffe, Brandon has honed his unique style of bold design and vibrant colour."

Vibrant.  Yes.  And umpfy.  Definitely umpfy.