Sunday 5 December 2010

Fabric and pattern pairings...


I’m happy to report I made tons more money than I expected at my Christmas craft fairs.  Which is just as well as I’ve been buying fabric like it’s the end of the world recently.  So, in an organisational flurry I thought it would be sensible to actually try to match fabrics with upcoming sewing projects.  Note:  these are only the fabrics I’ve matched up, there are many, many more new purchases sitting in my stash box waiting hopefully to be paired up with a pattern.

First up is this old lady-style cotton lawn, which I’m using for Gertie’s Crepe dress sew along.  


The style of the Crepe dress is quite flowery and old fashioned and weirdly I haven’t actually got a flowery dress.  Plus I LOVE grey and red!  


Next up is this beautiful Japanese double gauze fabric I ordered from Fabric Tales.  


I’d never heard of this website before until Nathalie (fellow fabric fiend with very similar taste to me) suggested it as a good place to get double gauze.  Double gauze was suggested by Gertie as a suitable choice for the Crepe dress as it’s beautifully drapey for dressmaking.  She wasn’t wrong - I can’t stop stroking it.  Double gauze IS quite expensive, but as Fabric Tales is based in Japan it’s cheaper than buying in the UK (or the States) and the carriage is really reasonable and ridiculously fast considering it’s coming so far.

I tried to describe the pattern to some girlfriends at a birthday drinks do the other night but don’t really think my description did it justice (“it’s grey with giant chrysanthemums and deer and lions in the background”).  I could have sworn it had lions on it, maybe I’d had one Babycham too many. I think the full panel needs to be seen on this fabric so I’m going to make another Socialite dress.  


Yes, I know the first one was grey too but it just means I’m sure to wear it often (I’ve worn the first one a LOT). 

Moving on, we have another double gauze from Fabric Tales.  


Again, badly described to my friends the other night (“It sort of has rabbits heads all over it”).  Now I know “30’s blouse’ wouldn’t normally pop into your head on first sight of this fabric, but I really think it’s would be perfect for the blouse from this pattern.  


I won this pattern in  Debi’s giveaway at My Happy Sewing Place.  Debi’s been so supportive to me as a rookie blogger (and sewist) and is so excited to see what I make with the pattern that I’m determined to take my time over this one and do her proud.  I may even rein in my laziness and make a muslin (!)

Finally, after I’ve finished the Crepe dress I’ll be doing the Pendrell blouse sewalong hosted by Tasia at Sewaholic.  She’s just produced her very first commercial pattern which I got my mitts on yesterday and it looks fab.  


Again, drapey fabrics are suggested so I thought I’d buy my very first voile.  There was a lot of excitement about the Anna Maria Horner Little Folks voiles this summer but I never got my act together to buy any (I couldn’t make my mind up which was my favourite).  But when I saw her new collection of Innocent Crush voiles at M is for Make yesterday my favourite print definitely jumped out at me.  Surprise surprise it’s this one...


I think it will make a lovely Pendrell blouse.  So, quite a lot to keep me busy over the next few weeks... x

8 comments:

  1. ahhh...thanks Jane. I LOVE the fabrics you picked out! And thanks for including the fabric store link--I definitely want to check out some double gauze too! I giggled at the description of the fabrics....it is difficult to describe prints. They are all so beautiful! Yippeee!

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  2. Ohhh, I love the fabric you chose for the Crepe dress, the reds and greens go so well with the blue. I look forward to see it done :D
    Will check fabric shop link, you can never have enough of that ;)

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  3. All those fabrics are heavenly, AND I want them, well apart from the last one, got that! I wish I could stock the gauze at that price, great link, there are some really unusual ones there. Use a fine needle when sewing with it as it can snag.

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  4. The gauze is beautiful - I'm in love with the fox on it (it looks like a fox on my tiny screen anyway!). I can't wait to see the finished dresses. And yes, kate's voiles - I nearly stopped breathing when I spotted them tonight. X

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  5. Wow Jane, it's so great that you've lined up your projects like that...very inspiring indeed! I love all your chosen fabrics and I particularly look forward to seeing how both the dress with the floral cotton lawn and the 1940s blouse turn out. Happy sewing ;o)

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  6. Aren't Fabric Tales just great? That grey deers and foxes print is particularly fabulous. Argh. Must. Resist.

    Having also had a massive fabric splurge recently (incl. 3 yards of the Velveteen Innocent Crush Roses - ouch my finances, but oh so yummy and velvety), I'm trying to brainwash myself into cutting down until next year as there seem to be some rather fabulous V&A prints lined up, then there's the Michael Miller Tammis Keefe collection, and all the others I don't yet know about... roll on 2011!

    Love your choice of lawn for the Crepe dress. I still haven't chosen mine (it's a toss between one Liberty lawn and another), and the Sew-Along starts today!!

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  7. Ooh what lovely things! I'm particularly excited about seeing your Crepe dress, as that fabric is just stunning. Thanks for the link to M is for Make - good to have another UK fabric shop on my list.

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  8. I know this is post is old but I had to comment on the fabric with the deer...it is gorgeous. It really caught my eye and am sure it is more stunning when worn.

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