Fabulous Fabric Friday [Dreaming of Fabric]

It has been a while since my last Fab. Fab. Friday post and I really want to share this one, so today its happening on a Saturday... yippie!


Today's will be a quick one, but packed with awesome fabric!  For starters, if you've read my about me posts you know that I have a wide taste in music... well, that also transcends to the fabric I love.  Today is a great example of two "Coming Soon" fabric collections that are completely different styles, but have captured my heart and [soon] my creativity.


* * *


The first is LillyBelle, by BariJ, for Art Gallery Fabrics:


I love the way Bari describes this collection on her site, "gorgeous gardens", "graceful chateau"... and LillyBelle, " She's strong and fierce, bright and clever, sentimental and soft. LillyBelle goes where I dare to dream she can go."  The florals and pops of color grab me, as do the geometric prints.

Source: barij.typepad.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: barij.typepad.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Of course I LOVE the sketch of the pretty framed purse!


* * *




Next, Tula Pink's rockin' NightShade:

Source: tulapink.com via Melissa on Pinterest

I love her story of the Von Black Sisters; the lace bird print and of course the pirate references.  These are going to lend themselves to some cool and funky stitching ideas in my idea notebook...

Source: tulapink.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Plus, when collections have colorways such as "Absinthe", you know its gotta be cool, right? Right!


* * *


I am super excited to see both of these collections in 2012... what are some things you would make with them?  What collections are you looking forward to?  Leave a comment and lets talk Fabulous Fabric!


XxOo~ Melissa

Fabulous Fabric Friday #9 [Toile Me About It]

Today's Fabulous Fabric:

Toile

This is what Wikipedia has to say about it:

A quick breakdown: The 'Toile' I'm talking about is Toile de Jouy, which is the repeat of a complex pattern, typically scenery/landscapes, printed on a white or off-white background.  Traditionally printed in black, navy or dark red, on canvas.

Source: google.com via Laura on Pinterest

I love the traditional feel of Toile, but more than that I looove the modern spin on it:

With Color:

Source: fabulousfifi.typepad.com via Kim on Pinterest

And fun prints such as this Derby Toile that I found on Spoonflower.com:

Source: spoonflower.com via Melissa on Pinterest

 How Super Fabulous is that!? You can purchase it from the artist on Spoonflower!

Here's my use of Toile, in the first diaper bag I made for my youngest daughter.  We stayed gender neutral when I was pregnant with Natalie (she's not terribly cooperative... we'll leave it at that), so I went with Black & White... but I love the way it worked out, and I have received tons of compliments on this diaper bag... still do, even though I now use this bag for the beach. *wink*

Gotta love the Toile wrap-around pockets paired with pin stripes! 

Official Call to Fabric Lovers!!

Did you see my Call to Fabric Lovers? No? 

Check it out HERE. 

I'm dyin' to hear your thoughts on fabric, what you sew/craft with, what you want to sew/craft with.

Be sure to e-mail me with your Fabulous Fabric finds, I just may feature them here!

FabFabric[at]sochickhandbags[dot]com

 Have a Fabulous Friday!!

XxOo~ Melissa

Fabulous Fabric Friday #8 [Daisy Chain & My DIY Idea]

Today's Fabulous Fabric Friday is Wildflowers in Navy, from Amy Butler's Daisy Chain line.  I know, I'm a little obsessed with AB Fabrics... I won't apologize for it, its fabulous!

Source: fabric.com via Melissa on Pinterest

This is one of my earlier Daisy Bags... named 'Daisy' after this fabric!

I didn't plan on using this fabric for today's Fab. Fab. Friday post, BUT, as fate would have it... I am.  

Here's why:

I came home to this the other day... apparently someone wanted to look out the window while the girls and I were away and I forgot to lift the blinds.

The Culprit.

Then, last night as my hubby was lowering the blinds, this happened on the opposite set:

Don't you love how I tried to 'fix' them?

Yeah, so now our living room blinds look like this:

Chewed and leaning!

I CAN'T STAND it!!!  It looks even worse from the outside... Don't you feel a little drunk looking at these?  Maybe the effect only works if you're actually standing in front of them in person... I feel like the whole window is leaning to the right. Ha!

Enter Pinterest and a DIY Idea:

Source: littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com via Leigh on Pinterest

My plan is to pick up some yardage of my most fav Amy Butler fabric, along with some light weight drapery lining fabric, and re-purpose my plantation blinds into some pretty custom Roman Shades!  Yippie for re-using!!

According to my calculations, this little project should cost under $50 to do both shades!  If that sounds like a lot, note how much custom designer window treatments run.... Not Cheap.
So, if my plan works out, I'll have custom, one-of-a-kind, roman shades for a steal... yippie!


Now, to convince the husband that we need to paint the living room to match.... *wink*


Have a Fabulous Friday!


XxOo~ Melissa

Fabulous Fabric Friday #7 [Heirloom]

Happy Friday!!  I've mentioned how I go about Fabulous Fabric Friday (here) and made a Call to Fabric lovers (here), but as a quick recap... Fab. Fab. Friday is my way, as a lover of fabric, to browse, become inspired by and drool over fabulous fabric!

I check out my fav online shops (ex. here and here), I also search blog recaps of Quilt Market (ex. here) and I'll browse Etsy, and Pinterest for inspiration.

Through my Etsy travels this week I stumbled upon this shop and this fabric:

Source: etsy.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Let the drooling and ogling begin!

This weeks Fabulous Fabric is Joel Dewberry's Heirloom in Citrine.  (You can see all of the colorways here.)

I love the color combination of the coral/tangerine, light aqua, and the soft yellows.  From what I read, this line was debuted in March at Spring Quilt Market and was available late June/early July in shops. **Please correct me if I'm wrong!

Of course I think of all the pretty Daisy Handbags and Perfectly Pleated Pouches I could make... but I also love this dress:

Source: trueup.net via Melissa on Pinterest

And, I can see fun throw pillows and pillowcases and maybe a quilt to match!

I may have to add some of this to my stash, but also I can't wait for it to get out to other crafters and sewers so that I can ogle what they've created with it! I love doing that, too!

Have a Fabulous Friday and great weekend!  I'm heading home this weekend so I won't be posting, but be sure to check in on Monday when this chick (me) gets personal! *wink*

XxOo~ Melissa

Fabulous Fabric Friday #6 [Olive Rose by Valori Wells]

I am down in Georgia for the next two weeks staying with my Mother-In-Law, who is partly responsible for the push I needed to get into sewing in the first place.  My girls have been down for a week already!

My MIL and I always talk about our fabric finds and share sewing stories; it's great to have someone to share that stuff with who actually appreciates it! (A big reason why I enjoy doing these Fab. Fab. Friday posts!)  A while back she and I talked about her trip to a fabric store that was having a huge sale and the fabric she picked up while there.

Now that I'm down here and able to see the fabric in person... I'm in love!  This is an older line by Valori Wells, released in March 2008 for Free Spirit Fabrics, called Olive Rose.  It was originally inspired by the designer's daughter Olivia Rose, and features the designer's take on the timeless rose pattern.  'The prints mix geometric and organic forms to bring you a truly romantic, bold, contemporary approach to a classic flower', said The Jolly Jabber about the line back in May of 2008.

The colorway my MIL picked up, and that I've fallen for, is Topaz...

I'm crazy about these blues!

Little Roses

Floral Diamond

Roses
Love, LOVE, the pairing with Grey... Very Chic.

Wild Roses

 Although it's been around for a bit, it's always great to share Fabulous Fabric Finds... I can totally see some pretty totes using these fabrics... now to search for some for my own stash!

Do You know of some Fabulous Fabrics?  Want me to feature them for Fab. Fab. Friday?  Check out my CALL TO FABRIC LOVERS and e-mail me your Finds: FabFabric[at]SoChickHandbags[dot]com

Hoping to share a fun Weekend Project with you tomorrow... be sure to stop by!  Have a Fabulous Friday!!

XxOo~ Melissa

Fabulous Fabric Friday #5 [Chevrons & Calling All Fabric Lovers!]

Welcome to this week's Fabulous Fabric Friday!

Chevrons, zigzag, whatever you want to call 'em... I'm seeing it everywhere and am totally hooked!

So fun and fresh, with great eye catching colors... you will see some Chevron love in the SoChick Shop in the near future!

If these colors don't make you happy, well, sorry.. I love them!! A prefect mix of sunshine poolside, no?!

Source: fabric.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: fabric.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Chevrons are such a happy, put-a-smile-on-your-face, bold print...  I think that's why I'm so drawn to it.  Even in darker colors, black/white, hunter/white, navy/white so fresh (yet classic and timeless), always fun:

Source: gudrunsjoden.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Okay, here's the deal.  I want to try something new for Fab. Fab. Fridays, so let's see how it works...

When I started Fab. Fab. Friday a few posts back the idea was to post about my fabulous fabric finds, either fabrics I've used, would like to use, or just adore for their uniqueness, prettiness, etc.  Well, then it hit me... why not feature fabrics that other's love, too? I mean, if you're reading this blog you have some sort of appreciation for handmade, right? And, I'm willing to bet you either sew or craft for hobby or your own Handmade biz, riiiight?!

Well, here is my...

Official Call to Fabric Lovers!!

Do you know of some Fabulous Fabric?

This can be anything you have sewn/crafted with, would like to work with, or that you just love drooling over.   Try not to be too broad in saying 'I love all cotton'.  Most of us love cotton... heck, it's 'the fabric of our lives' and pretty much all I work with. *wink*.  I want to hear about a fabulous print, fabric line, designer. etc., that you think is Fabulous!

What makes this fabric Fabulous?

Tell me why you think this particular fabric is fabulous!  

Have you used it in a project? How and/or on what?  Is it out-of-print? Rare, unusual?

I'm always up for hearing creative uses, too! Did you frame it or showcase it somehow?  Are you hoarding it away for safekeeping because you can't bring yourself to get rid of it? Hey, it's totally okay if you have a prized piece of fabulous fabric stored for safekeeping, I do! (... confession of a fabricaholic.)

Send me an e-mail: 

FabFabric@sochickhandbags.com

Answer the above questions and include a picture or direct link to the Fabulous Fabric.  Please be sure to give proper photo credit if the pictures aren't your own.  Pinterest is great for this!

If you have a blog, include that in the e-mail as well... even better, do you have a blog post that features said Fab. Fabric? I want to see that, too!

The Plan:

Each week I will select a Fabulous Fabric from the e-mailed entries

 and feature it for Fabulous Fabric Friday!

I figure this is a great way to see and share fabrics I may have otherwise overlooked or not been exposed to... plus, I love seeing/hearing everyone else's thoughts on fabric, too!

I really think this will make for some awesome Fabulous Fabric Friday posts... so, get your Fabulous Fabric finds ready and e-mail away!

XxOo~ Melissa

Fabulous Fabric Friday #4 [Children at Play]

This is my fourth Fabulous Fabric Friday, and if you've read the first few (here, here, and here) you may notice that I've not gone in any one direction as far as what fabric I choose to feature, I like this direction of no direction... it keeps me on my toes.  I feel that it doesn't allow me to close my mind to any particular fabric design or designer.  You will notice from the custom items I've done and even some that are in my shop, that my taste is varied as far as color and print.  I appreciate fun tattoo print fabric as much as vintage-mod florals... call me crazy. My taste in music is just as varied... think metal to country with pop and classics in between... I know, RIGHT?!


With that being said, lets get on to today's fabric!

I first heard of this artist when she was featured in Gussy Sews' Quit Your Day Job post about two weeks ago.  When I read that she was a new designer for Michael Miller Fabrics (whose fabrics I LOVE!) I had to check her out some more... this week's Fabulous Fabric is Children at Play by Sarah Jane Studios

Source: sarahjanestudios.com via Melissa on Pinterest

I love the colors, the light pinks, robins egg blue; all of the girly-ness of the Meadow and Playhouse colorways... of course being the mother of two little ladies, this catches my eye first.

Source: sarahjanestudios.com via Melissa on Pinterest

I need to make these pillows!!

Source: sarahjanestudios.com via Melissa on Pinterest

I do, however, adore the Over the Fence and After School prints as well... I like 'boy' prints that aren't all trucks and sports all the time.

Source: bestbuds801.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: sarahjanestudios.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Yep, those rockets are way cute!

You can't help but smile when you look at her illustrations of children parading around, blasting off rockets, flying paper airplanes, swinging, dressing baby dolls... you know... Children at Play!  So fun.  Check out her blog here to find out more.

Have a Fabulous Friday!

XxOo~ Melissa

Fabulous Fabric Friday #3 [Get Nautical]

Its Friday, yay!

Do you have any big plans for the weekend?  Trista, my 8yr old, has a sleep over party and we may take a day trip to Wilmington, NC (about 2 hours south of us). Fun :-)

This week I've been working on some custom orders, but my brain has been all over the place thinking up new fabric combinations for bags and accessories.  With this week welcoming the first day of Summer, and our not living but 20 minutes from the coast, I'm really drawn to the shades of blues, bright reds, sandy neutrals and sailboat whites of nautical decor and fashion.  So, for this week's Fab. Fab. Friday I'm highlighting Nautical Inspired fabrics.

Here is a taste of what I would decorate a bright-white-beach-front living room in... enjoy!


Large, blue throw and floor pillows would be in my beach house:

Source: fabric.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: fabric.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: kaboodle.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Today's indoor/outdoor fabrics are  really well made and many are soft and comfy; perfect for beach house pillows... you know, since there's lots of sand and water around, *wink*.  Also, very kid and pet friendly!  I have two large floor pillows in my living room (see Tommy Bahama print below) and they have held up wonderfully, clean easily (my dogs mostly claim them) and are still super soft! They make for awesome totes, too!

Can't go wrong with Seashells and Ships:

Source: fabric.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: fabric.com via Melissa on Pinterest

And just for fun, I adore these Tommy Bahama prints:

Source: fabric.com via Melissa on Pinterest

(p.s. I do have a large floor pillow in my living room using this lagoon print!)

Source: fabric.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Wouldn't this make a cool beach tote, paired with Natural Cotton Webbing straps?!

Ahhh, nice and relaxing... I swear I hear the waves crashing.

Have a great Friday!

XxOo~ Melissa

♥ Don't forget to save 20% in the shop 

thru Saturday, June 25th at 12pm EST ♥

Fabulous Fabric Friday #2 [School's Out For Summer!]

Today's Fab. Fab. Friday is coming a little late in the day, oh my!  It's been a whirlwind of a week between getting SoChick's Summer '11 products ready and Trista, my eldest, finishing up 2nd grade (today!!).

Head on over to the Shop to check out what I've added for the summer, and beyond!  I'll be continuing to add some items here and there over the next few weeks.

Okay, okay... On to the fabric!!

With today being the Official start to summer vacation, everyone in my house is in high spirits as the care-free days of summer are upon us.  I can't help but be caught up in the feeling, remembering getting out of school and the freeing feeling of not having to go the next day, or the day after that, or the day after that... you get it. *wink*

This youthful-playful mood reminded me of a fabric I came across a while back which featured banner bunting and was perfect children's fabric, really... in my search for that fabric I came across this fabric:

Source: etsy.com via Melissa on Pinterest

*Thank goodness for Pinterest, I can actually keep track of stuff now!

Source: etsy.com via Melissa on Pinterest

How ADORABLE is this fabric?!  It grasps my mood perfectly, fun and playful with its primary colors, bunting *wink*, clown-girl and black poodle (we have a black Standard Poodle!)... Circus = playful = youthful... like I said, totally catching my mood!  This fabric would not only be just right for children's accessories, but how cute would it be on a little upholstered toddler-size bench or ottoman?

  I really love the other fabrics that the designer, Elvina Kaplun, of New Mom Designs, has in her Etsy shop... you may be seeing some of these in my SoChick designs in the future! *Wink*

Have a wonderful Friday!  Don't forget to check out the new items in my Shop... you may recognize some of the fabrics from last week's Fabulous Fabric Friday!


See you soon!

XxOo~ Melissa



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It's Fabulous Fabric Friday! ~Yay!~

Keeping true to my commitment, another first for this week is Fabulous Fabric Friday. ~Yay!~  I'm a self proclaimed fabric addict, so what better way to end the week than with browsing around and drooling over fabulous fabric finds?!

Each Friday I'll post about fabric I have used, would like to use or just plain ol' love for the sheer feeling of joy I get from seeing it being used in other folks' projects... because let's face it, my 'to-make' list is way long and in the meantime I can fill the need with pictures of what others have made and call it inspiration!

This week for Fab. Fab. Friday I'm going to chat about designer Amy Butler's newest line, Soul Blossoms.  Amy's fabrics are always fresh, fun and of excellent quality.  I have used her quilting cottons as well as her cotton sateen home decorator weight fabrics... and am completely in love with them all!

The 'Passion' colorway absolutely makes me think of  summertime, with the use of bright colors like coral and orange, with splashes of aqua and lime.

Source: amybutlerdesign.com via Melissa on Pinterest

I picked up some Soul Blossom fat quarters at Sewing Expo back in March and can't wait for you to see how I put them to use... you'll have to hold out, though, but I promise it will be So worth it!

  Here is a beautiful quilt I found on Etsy which uses Soul Blossoms...

Source: etsy.com via Melissa on Pinterest

... are you hooked or what?!  Don't you want to wrap up in that quilt on the front porch swing with a good read and a summer breeze!? (With a cold... lemonade?!) *wink*

"Beauty is in the way you live. Enjoy your surroundings. Let them inspire you. Follow your own path, and approach everything you do with love in your heart." ~Amy Butler

I hope you enjoyed this week's Fabulous Fabric Friday as much as I enjoyed writing about it... I wish I could drool over fabric every day... wait, I do... almost. ;-)  Have a wonderful Friday!!


XxOo~ Melissa

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