The Spring and Summer 2010 runway shows have gone to Paris for their fashion week – the last of the “big four” fashion weeks.
I always find it incredibly inspiring to see what the best and brightest minds in fashion are doing to fabric.  How many ways can you be creative with a bolt of fabric?
Let’s see…
You can distress it, embroider, embellish, applique, fold, tuck, stitch and fray – just to start!
Check out some of the amazing ways the designers have altered fabric for their runway shows:

Lanvin covered every inch of their clothing with hand-stitched beads, sequins and embellishments.  I can’t …read more

I prefer to dye my own fabric in the summer – there’s something about hauling plain white fabric outside and with the magic of chemistry, ending up with something completely different.
And besides, dyeing fabric is messy!
I’d much rather end up with a little extra dye and water on my lawn than in my bathtub…

My favorite method of dyeing fabric is a low water immersion process.  I stuff my fabric into heavy-duty plastic bags, dribble the dyes on top and let them brew.  You can end up with some amazing colors and patterns that way.
I’ve also soaked my fabric in the …read more

In my last post, I mentioned that I was pre-washing my fabric before it was going to be used.
So why go to that trouble?  It looks nice and clean, right?
Well, there are a few reasons why I like to wash my fabric before it gets used…

Lots of fabrics will shrink in the washer and dryer.  I’d much rather shrink my fabric first, than end up with a garment that shrinks itself into too small of a size afterwards.
Fabric is generally treated with a “sizing”, a chemical bath to make it feel nice and crisp on the bolt.  Depending where the …read more

Are you a sewer, crafter or fiber artist who’d like to share with people who need some help overseas?
Iraqi Bundles of Love is a project set up by a soldier who is deployed in Iraq right now.  He’s seen the need for so many different little daily necessities and wants to help.
What does he want people to send?
Fabric and sewing notions!
The “bundles of love” will be donated to local women to use to benefit their families and their community.  Think about how much good some basic sewing supplies and fabric can do for a family that essentially has nothing?  We …read more

Batik has made a real comeback in the past few years – especially when it comes to fibers artists, quilters and crafters.
In fact, most quilts shops now have an extensive selection of very pricey batik prints to choose from!
But why is batik so expensive?
Well, for one thing – it can be a very labor-intensive process.  The dye and wax must be layered on for each color, which takes time to do, set and cure.  The fabric is usually quite a high-thread count quilting cotton as well, which adds to the price.

But you can also make your own batik fabric as …read more

Quilters, fabric artists and seamstresses generally have a love of fabric.  That’s sometimes why they’ve gotten involved in these hobbies, then turned them into businesses to justify all the fabric they collect.
How to disguise the fabric as they bring it into the house and then where to store it once it’s there becomes a challenge.  What are your techniques and where do you store your fabrics?
My cousin uses some of her fabric (that which overflows the sewing room/office) in the living room as part of the decor.  When I walked into her home, my eyes immediately focused on the fabric …read more

Are you a Memorial Day bargain hunter?
Well I’ve got a doozy for you!
Fabric.com is having a big online sale today only, with 30 – 65% off all sorts of goodies like craft and quilting cottons – even pricey upholstery material!

You don’t need any coupons, but the sale does end tonight at midnight – so hurry if you want to snag some fabric    They also have free shipping on any order over $35 – and you don’t need a coupon for it either.
image: Fabric.com

Alrighty, the fabric has been washed and dried.  Just to refresh the story, this is the fabric that the salesclerk was adamant would run if I put it into the washing machine.

Let’s take a look at the unwashed fabric first:

And now let’s see how the washed and dried fabric fared:

The edges have a slightly pink tinge, but other than that – the fabric looks just fine.  I didn’t do anything different, just washed it on warm with detergent and rinsed on cold.

The result?  Fabric that I can handle without sneezing or causing rashes

images: C Findlay-Harder

One of the perks of moving has got to be rediscovering my stash!
It’s inevitable that fabric gets pushed down to the bottom of a box, or to the back of the closet.  Reorganizing my fabric has given me a chance to “find” different fabrics that, I must admit – I had totally forgotten about
I’ve got fresh ideas for clothing, decorating and crafts – and all without stepping foot into a fabric store (which is probably sensible…)
So when was the last time you “rediscovered” your stash?
Now if I could only remember which box my scissors and pins are in…

My post, Cotton vs. Polyester Blend in Quiltmaking, has drawn quite a few comments since it was written.  I’ve enjoyed the various opinions quilters and fabric artists have expressed.
The early quilters used mainly cotton, wool or linsey-woolsey fabrics because that’s what was available.  In the latter part of the 1900s, polyester and poly/cotton fabrics became available and were popular.  However, the traditional quilters looked with horror upon this new innovation and felt to be a “purist,” you must use solely cotton.
Many quilters still prefer cotton, so much so that it’s difficult to find in some quilt fabric stores, I’ve been …read more