Spring Cleaning

It does not feel like Spring here in the Midwest - today's high was 36 degrees F, and while that's warmer than it has been lately, it still felt like winter when I was walking around today.  This picture was taken only last week:

Belly wrote that note to the leprechauns, trying to lure them into her trap. 
It says, "Leprechauns, plees hibernate in this snokav. I woot hrt you."

But I've come to understand "Spring" more as a state of mind than an actual season since we tend to go straight from winter to summer around here.

And I feel like Spring, even if the weather won't oblige.  I've got that quickening of energy, that renewed sense of purpose and productivity that I usually associate with the end of winter and beginning of, well, whatever it is that comes next. 

So I've been cleaning up my Pinterest boards and getting excited about fabrics and dresses and skirts for the warmer weather.  I don't actually spend much time looking around on Pinterest, but I have found it to be a great way to share ideas with clients.  When someone is planning a dress or skirt, we can both put up pictures of possible styles and fabrics all in one place - much easier than scheduling a bunch of meetings or sending a gazillion emails back and forth.

And then, of course, I've got plans for my own spring/summer wardrobe.  I love love love the Elisalex dress pattern over By Hand London.  It's rather expensive (especially when you add on shipping) but I just can't get it out of my head, so I'm either going to give in and buy it or knuckle down and draft something similar to it.



The pattern calls for a stiffer fabric to make the most of the tulip skirt.  I have some beautiful stretch taffeta in peacock, but that's a little fancier than what I'm imagining.  I visited one of my favorite Etsy shops, FabricsAndTrimmings, and fell in love with these cotton sateens:

Orchid and Chartreuse Floral Print Cotton Stretch Sateen Fabric

 

Chocolate Brown Mod Geometric Print Stretch Cotton Sateen

What do you think??  And has spring fever hit you yet?

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.