On the Cutting Table: Fabric Fun!

So right now I am busy behind the scenes working on all sorts of things. As you know from my post on Monday, I am working my way through the many assistant applications that have arrived in my inbox and I am so grateful for the many, many of you that are interested in coming to work for me. I’m still accepting applications through Feb. 1, 2014 so if you haven’t applied yet, there is still time! I’m also in the process of drafting and photographing my next round of sewing patterns as well as preparing to teach again at the Martha Pullen School of Art Fashion the first week in February (if you are coming, I can’t wait to see you!). I thought I would just share some of the pretty fabrics that are being played with in my studio since we all like fabric, right?

The top bundle is the selection of fabrics in the kit I picked for the Round Neck Ruffle Dress pattern found in my book for the School of Art Fashion. This is Sidewalks by October Afternoon for Riley Blake Designs. This fabric is just about everything I could ever want in a fabric for children’s clothing. Sweet, vintage, beautiful colors, varying print scale, classic and feminine.

Each one of the projects that I teach at the School of Art Fashion (SOAF) has a kit that the students receive with all the fabrics and trims that will be needed for them all to create the same garment. I pick all of these in advance and Martha Pullen Company puts them together. As much fun as it might sound, and it is to an extent, but let me tell you, it’s a VERY tough job. I am picking fabrics to be used for the February and July schools and if one print is out of stock in the large quantities that we need, I usually have to completely re-do my kit selection because every print matters in the way I pair fabric. For one of the pieces, I went through four different complete selections of fabric before we figured out something that would be available. But now they are all ordered and being kitted as we speak! Wahoo!

This next selection will also be used in my school for the Classic Coat that is found in my book, ‘Sew Classic Clothes for Girls‘. This fabric is cotton sateen, so it’s a heavier weight and is by Joel Dewberry. I’ve selected some baby blue rick rack that we will be using and I think it’s going to really help bring out the light blue in the darker navy blue fabric and add some color pop to the garment. I really and truly wanted to use velveteen for the school kit (like the coat pictured on the cover of my book), but the manufacturer was completely sold out of any of the beautiful, bold patterned velveteens (such a bummer). So if you happen to find some in a retail shop, snatch it up because there aren’t any new ones coming out soon. But I think this sateen is going to be quite stunning and I’m excited to introduce this fabric to my students.

Liberty of London, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…….

These pretties above are fabrics that my mother-in-law brought me back from England. All four of these are Liberty of London Tana Lawn that she actually picked out at the official Liberty of London store. There are 1. 5 meters of each print and this was seriously one of the most thoughtful gifts. The top print was a newer one which I think is stunning and I love the little cars on the bottom. The pears were so sweet since pears were a theme that we used in our wedding when my husband and I got married 9.5 years ago. And the purple floral was not one that I had seen before either and I can totally see that on my girls. If you’ve never felt Liberty Tana Lawn before then you might not understand the hype, but it is seriously the most dreamy feeling fabric…….if I could swim in it, I would.

This bundle of fabric and trim was sent from Riley Blake Designs. It’s Country Girls by Tasha Noel for Riley Blake Designs. This line is just the sweetest and I believe it came out this month. I’m using this fabric in several projects that are cooking in the studio. One of my favorite things about Riley Blake is their selection of coordinating trims and buttons. This pile just holds so many possibilities!

I’m also playing with some machine embroidery to embellish some of my children’s garments, but we’ll save that for another post. I often get asked where I purchase my fabrics. We have a local quilt store in town that carries a lot of what I like and I also highly recommend the fabric shops that sponsor my blog. You can find a link to their shops in the right side-bar of the blog and they all carry fabrics that you will find here at The Cottage Mama.

So that’s what I’m playing with in my studio……..how about you?