THE Cheese and Pineapple Tankie

About a year ago I met the wonderful man who was to become my wonderful boyfriend. He’s an interesting guy with an off the wall kind of sense of humour. As we met around Christmas there were a lot of parties on and as my birthday and a large number of my friend’s birthdays are in January it makes it a kind of month long party season. Anyway, he’d call up and we’d chat about what we were doing and every week I was going to another party. Every time I told him that I was going to party he would said “are you having cheese and pineapple on sticks, (commencement of raucous laughter)” “All parties should have cheese and pineapple on sticks. It’s not a party otherwise” (commence further hysterical laughter). It was kind of funny the first time. After that I just thought he was a little unhinged. After hearing the words ‘cheese and pineapple on sticks, hahahaha’ for the 20^th time I had a thought. 'I will make him a gift', I thought, 'the gift of Cheese and Pineapple immortalised. I will do it by appliqueing them onto a chic woollen tank top.' I went with a friend on a shopping trip to find the perfect top.  I managed to find one that looked a bit like a waffle. It was the colour of a deceased alpacas nose. The hysterical laughter it brought about from my friend and I sealed the deal.

I fashioned some traditional holey cheese and pineapple from yellow felt and using a ribbon for the stick appliqued the culinary party delight onto the woollen, waffle tank top. I was delighted with it. So disgusting it had to be cool, (said the little voice in my head).

My boyfriend came down a few days later and I handed him his thoughtful, painstakingly made gift. He plays poker but he doesn’t have a poker face per se (he plays online), and hiding his emotions or thoughts are most definitely not his forte so I got the impression fairly swiftly that he wasn’t that keen. To his eternal credit he did try it on. Words failed me; I actually cried with laughter. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a garment make someone look so different or so bad. Incredible. He point blank refuses to put it on to be photographed. I can’t say I blame him really. I have however, photographed it for your viewing pleasure. I maintain that it could look awesome teamed with a suitably vintage pair of slacks on a skinny fashionista somewhere in Shoreditch. Perhaps a little too gauche for the Isle of Wight at this moment in time.

My Boyfriend? Well, despite my error in judgement over my first ever gift to him, he still deigned it feasible that he could Love me and my lack of taste, and for that I am eternally grateful. 

The Cheese and Pineapple tank toppy goodness? I feel ready to part with it now and will put in in my Etsy shop for some fortunate Shoreditch type to buy.  

Znok Childrens Fabric

Znok – Scandinavian Kids fabrics

This terrific fabric range is truly scrumptious. The designs are typically Scandinavian and a little bit retro. The fabric is a stretch jersey so great for children’s clothes. Their patterned ranges also have matching plain jersey knits to accompany. I really like this design studio for it’s less stereo typical ranges. Although it’s lovely to have ‘girly’ girls clothes why not mix things up a bit by making a little girl a dress covered in blue dragons (which is what I plan to do). It does really lend itself to be made into very Scandinavian clothes like  dungarees,  comfy trousers  and onesies. I think some of the Nordic kids designers use this range of fabric to manufacture their clothes. 

My very own order of the Znok dragons fabric in blue/petrol has just arrived. My daughter loves it and has requested some leggings and PJs in the fabric. I will post pictures when they are made and if I have any spares I will put some clothes with this fabric in my Etsy shop.

The website is in Swedish so a little tricky to navigate unless you’re fluent but the pictures are fairly self-explanatory. http://www.znokdesign.se

Njut alla!

Birch Organic Fabrics Story boek / Rebeka Ginda / Mod basics / Elk Grove

I’m always on the look-out for good children’s fabrics. Having a daughter myself and lots of friends with children of both sexes I feel a creative urge to make them cute little outfits or decorate their bedrooms with kookily designed quilts.

The choice of lovely children’s fabrics out there is quite varied but there are some amazing designers around. Let me tell you about the wonderful people at Birch fabrics. Birch have ranges in cotton and jersey cotton that are suitable for quilting and fashion purposes. The story Boek collections have whimsical prints of woodland animals, trees, flowers and mushrooms. Rebeka Grinda has a collection with Birch involving lots of foxes and swirly trees and, er, mushrooms. (I see a theme emerging….)

Mod Basics and Elk grove knits offer deer and stag inspired prints with matching colourways in chevrons, flowers and tree bark. I can’t wait to get my hands on the new interlock fabric in these designs to make some baby sleep-suits and matching bibs and little hats. I good, bold masculine statement for a little boy whose parents don’t like pale blue or robots or dinosaurs. 

MOD BASICS

ELK GROVE

 Story Boek 

    

Lotta Jansdotter

Lotta Jansdotter for Windham Fabrics

In my continuing quest to share with you my favourite fabric designers, today I will be offering you an short insight into the collections of Swedish Archipelago born American fabric designer Lotta Jansdotter.  I came across the Jansdotta collections whilst looking for simple, clean Scando type designs.  Her fabric collections are available in upholstery and quilting weight fabrics (also suitable for fashion usage).  The designs could be described as sleek and contemporary. Things you could well imagine in a New York loft or a stylish Stockholm apartment. The fabrics are all printed using a maximum of 3 colours with a nature inspired look. Beautifully simple flowers, curves, leaves and misshapen circles in matching colourways. Imagine gorgeous bags in two tone fabrics, sweet but stylish little girls dresses, women's tunic dresses, scrumptious cushions for your modern look living room. Endless possibilities.  Yay to Lotta Jansdotter!

      

      

    

Up-cycled leggings

I went off on one of my weekly charity shop hauls recently with a good friend and my 3 year old daughter (who actually really enjoys this kind of shopping weirdly). Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a fabulous azteccy patterned pair of handmade leggings. Seconds later, as I was walking towards them, I watched in horror as my friend whipped them off the rail and declared that she had found them first. This is often a problem when shopping with this particular friend as our impeccable tastes are very similar. Anyway, on the rail right next to the leggings was a maxi dress with a really appealing pattern. The actual dress was fairly uninspiring but in a eureka moment I realised that I could make it into whatever else I fancied, perhaps a pair of leggings  to equal the bargainous beauty of the pair my friend had snipped up first. 

I got the dress home and my daughter and I painstakingly removed the elastic shearing and laid out the dress ready to be cut up. We decided that little person leggings would be best so using a pair of my daughters leggings as a template we made some very funky leggings for her. You can see them below. 

I have also now made her a comfy dress to go with them from the same material. Not bad for a dress that cost a quid! My etsy shop may have  some in stock and further up-cycled leggings will be added as our charity shop foraging continues.

Kona colour card

I have searched high and low for a Kona solids colour card and finally my mission is complete. I now have in my possession swatches of all 246 Kona solid colours on a pretty rainbow coloured card. I found the aforementioned item on ebay of all places. Good old ebay! As anyone that sews or quilts are aware, matching colours from a computer image is very difficult. Colours are hardly ever what you expect them to be once they are arrive. Kona solids have such a huge range of colours it’s fairly easy to match up exactly what you want to what you already have.

My life is indeterminably better. Really….

Parson Grey Curious Nature

David Butler – Parson Gray – Curious nature

At around the same time as I found Amy Butlers Fabrics I also came across the Parson Gray range. Really simple two tone designs. Very modern, some designs exquisitely feminine, others more deliciously masculine. Curious nature is my favourite range, particularly in the silver colourway. My mind ran away with me at the joys I could create with the material. I settled for buying a few metres of the starcombe and dimitri vine fabrics in the silver colourway.  I’ve made a range of PJs with some bright contrasting Kona Solids fabrics in pomegranate pink and purple. These are mainly as Christmas presents for my friends with taste although a few pairs may make it to my etsy shop.

There is a free downloadable quilt pattern on the Parson Gray website that is rather charming. Check it out www.parsongray.com

Having been trawling the internet for various designers trying to establish who floats my boat in the fabric designing world I have now settled for a few favourites (for the time being).  That being said, there are, I’m sure hundreds more amazing designers yet to be discovered. How exciting!

Let me give you a quick run down of one of my favourite designers

Amy Butler

Amy has a few extraordinary collections out at the moment. My favourite collection has to be ‘Lark’ a modern take on Floral design. I managed to acquire a scrap of her temple doors fabric in green from ebay recently too. It’s only a small bit so I’m thinking of a little girls tunic dress. My daughter will love it!

She is also launching a new fashion range this December. The range will encompass the usual quilting weight fabrics but the fashion fabric offerings include rayon challis, velveteen, sateen, voile and linen cotton. Beautiful, I’m  looking forward to getting my hands on them. Her website has links to all her ranges of fabric, patterns and home décor. http://www.amybutlerdesign.com

I am currently making a quilt using Amy Butlers Nigella fabric that I was lucky enough to find in a local shop here on the Isle of Wight. The quilt is my own design and every panel has been individually cut and measured to fit around the randomly sized patterned material.

I chose some of the Kona Solids range from Kaufman for the purple and muted green shades. I haven’t decided how I plan to finish the back off yet. Something simple I think. When it’s finished, I will pop it into my etsy shop for some lucky soul to purchase.

 King Size quilt with green and purple kona solids and Amy Butlers Nigella fabric.

Blog post #1

Welcome to my Fabric Blog!
I am a fabric fanatic. I could happily while away my days sewing and leafing through beautiful fabrics. Everyday I will share with you my favourite new fabric designer of the day and show you the lovely and rather wonderful things I have made with them.
Today a few little packages of joy fell through my letter box. A simple design by Parson Gray and a couple of Kona solids in bright pink and a deep bright purple. I can't quite decide what to do with them yet. Perhaps PJ's - maybe a dress. We shall see!
Thanks for reading.