Art Gallery Fabrics - The Creative Blog

Hi, fabric friends!

It’s been a very exciting week here at the office because the team is back together! Working from home was a big challenge for us but we managed to continue releasing new collections and lookbooks, and boy does it feel good to do it in person again. The experience of having the collection right in front of you and feeling how dreamy these fabrics are in real life is something I will never take for granted! Now with the gang back together, we feel like it’s a great time to start with a new attitude and we are excited to pursue so many fresh ideas. This has been quite a year and a half for us and we think it’s important to reflect on what we’ve overcome together. Now, it’s time to pick things up where we left off and what better way to come back with a bang with Bari J.’s latest collection EVE! 

Feminine prints were the main focus of this collection as they express the majesty of our earth and motherhood. This collection is meant to honor the strength and endurance of the female spirit, Eve, the mother of us all, representing the beautiful qualities of being a woman through prints of fierce cheetahs, graceful herons, and gentle butterflies.

*Available in 16 quilting cotton prints

Bari found herons to be magical and essential for this collection as well as her staple painterly florals. With so much meaning behind these fabrics, I can see so many projects being made that are dedicated to their mothers! This eye-catching color palette and unique textures are just asking to be made into home decor like table runners and pillows or luxe-filled quilts.

*Rayon prints in Jardin Robust & Rosefield Sapphire 

*Knit print in Jardin Delicate

Garment makers, you will adore all the possible dresses and accessories you can create with the one knit and two rayon substrates available! Make any dress and top stand out while looking elegant with these prints.  

What I especially love about rayon selection is the versatility of the prints because we have light and dark rayons that can be transformed for any occasion. The print “Rosefield Sapphire” is filled with dark and moody florals that would make the most glamorous night-out dresses. Yet, on the other end, we have the print “Jardin Robust” that reminds me of blue and white vintage plates, representing all things classy & timeless. 

Ready to start your patchwork projects? Then you need some matching AGF Elements! 

PURE Solids: Caviar, Honey, Blueberry Zest, Aurora Red, Sweet Pink, Cotton Candy, Miami Sunset, Crystalline, and Eucalyptus. 

Decostitch Elements: Pink Powder

Floral Elements: Mandarin & Orchidea

Have you ever seen a quilt so pretty you were afraid to touch it? These fabrics will transform all your quilts into a masterpiece that you just want to hang and stare at, and our “Garden of Eden” free quilt pattern is one of them! 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Just flip through the pages of our “Eve Fabric Lookbook” that will show you a variety of sewing projects that you can recreate. Discover tons of new ways and ideas to piece these fabrics together, with the array of textures this collection has to offer you’ll find unique quilt blocks, stunning home decor, accessories, and of course, quilts! 

Sometimes pictures aren’t enough! Check out our “Let’s Talk Fabric” YouTube segment where you’ll get to see “Eve” true colors, scale, and view the fabrics in action as if they were on your sewing table. You’ll be inspired by how these fabrics can be transformed into patchwork projects that will spark that sew-jo. Watch the magic unfold by watching the full video below and stay tuned till the end of the video for a GIVEAWAY to win a fat quarter bundle! The giveaway ends next week and all the rules will be in the description box, good luck.

I can relate to this collection so much as it celebrates motherhood and for me, there is no one more important to me than my own mother. She has taught me so much about life and she played a big role in my life, and the first thing I want to do when I see this collection is create something for her. Being a part of this quilting community, I have never seen such a giving bunch in my life! What better way to make this quilting experience better and finding Eve fabrics to make it extra special. If you create something with these pretty fabrics, we would love to see your creations. Just tag us on social media using the hashtag #AGFEve, so we can share! Thank you for joining, celebrating this wonderful collection back at the office. Until next time...

Happy Sewing!

-Jannelle 

BOO! Did I scare ya? I know it’s July now but is it ever too early to start quilting for your favorite holiday? Half of 2021 is already over, so I know there are still many things on your sewing to-do list that you have to get through but if you are anything like me, Halloween projects are going to be boosted to the top of your priority list! Our much-loved Halloween collection, Spooky ’n Sweet was a hit and we can’t blame you, the characters, the storytelling, and the cute elements are like none other. The color palette is so unique from other Halloween collections and we knew we just had to add more to the love, so today I’m excited to introduce you to our collection Spooky ‘n Sweeter! 

*Available in 18 quilting cotton prints

Here at AGF, we had to go big or go home! This time around this collection comes with 18 quilting cotton prints, so there are more options to play with, perfectly balanced with blenders, medium-sized prints, and large-scale designs ideal to piece together in your patchwork projects. 

This collection brings a lot of nostalgic feelings as a kid, dressing up as my favorite characters and staying up all night with friends trading our favorite candy pieces! It’s even better than a lot of the prints have this vintage vibe to them, it reminds me a lot of this classic 90’s movie called Halloweentown! 

*Fabric panel in Sweet Haunting

Now don’t get spooked and get straight to the fun of the project with our Spooky n’ Sweeter 100% premium cotton fabric panel, already printed on a large scale ready for on-the-go projects! I can see this collection as being a favorite for kids, imagine all the crafts they will be able to do with these fabrics! This panel would be a great opportunity to show your little ones how to create simple projects on the sewing machine like plushies, trick or treating tote bags, and buntings. 

*Knit print in Winging it Dark

Have fun sewing up the sweetest apparel pieces with the one knit print available called Winging it Dark! With things looking brighter this year for treat or treating, you can finally enjoy showing off your outfits made with these fabrics. This playful print would look good on any kid, teen, or adult of any age.

Complete your patchwork projects with some matching AGF Elements! 

PURE Solids: Cabernet, Burnt Orange, Caviar, Sweet Pink, Very Berry, Cotton Candy, and Sugar Plum. 

Decostitch Elements: Lilac Dusk

Squared Elements: Mandarin & Orchidea

Oval Elements: Crocus & Juicy Grape

Make your own Halloween memories by creating magical quilts like our “Charmed Again” free quilt pattern, an easy beginner pattern where you can show off the unique color palette of the collection.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Flip through the pages of our “Spooky ‘n Sweeter Fabric Lookbook” below that will show you a variety of sewing projects that you can recreate! Discover tons of patchwork projects that we put together for you like spooky decorations, wall-art, quilts, and quilt blocks. 

Join the little witch named “Peppermint” and her best friend “Mocha” on an adventure to All Hallow’s Eve! Where you can dance with the pumpkins and play with skeletons in our “Let’s Talk Fabric” YouTube segment! 

• See Spooky 'n Sweeter in action

• Discover matching blenders

• Take a closer look at prints & scale

• Preview whimsical projects

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the video!  

Get your hands on this collection and a chance to win a Fat Quarter bundle of Spooky ‘n Sweeter by CLICKING HERE to enter our Facebook exclusive giveaway! The giveaway will only last for the weekend, so spread the word to all your fabric friends (open internationally). All the rules and details will be posted on our Facebook page, good luck! 

Is anyone else obsessed with this holiday? Let me know in the comments below your sewing plans for the season, and if you make something with this collection make sure to tag us on social media by using the hashtag #AGFSpookyandSweeter so we can see it! We hope this gives you something to look forward to for the season and until next time...

Happy Sewing!

-Jannelle

Hi Makers,

One of the most amazing things about being a part of the quilting community is that we inspire each other! Thanks to social media, we creators get to share our art with the world and open our eyes to new techniques and designs. Being a part of Art Gallery Fabrics, I understand the impact good quality fabrics have on those who cherish their quilt art! We are constantly inspired by you as much as you inspire us. 

Every day we get to see the lovely creations that you share with us using the hashtag #artgalleryfabrics, and we love to spread the love! This brings me to today, our next AGF MAKER SPOTLIGHT feature which I’m so grateful for, to have this blog and to give them the shoutout they deserve. Let me introduce you to “Stephanie” from Bookends Quiltings! We discovered her by randomly choosing her as our PURE Solids giveaway winner and when she started posting her divine quilts using our fabrics, we were blown away! Since then, she has shared quilts featuring PURE Solids and surprising us every time with how creative her color choices and modern quilt designs are made. I was thrilled she wanted to share her story with us and now you get to hear it too, so keep reading before to get to know her a little better and a preview of her amazing quilts.

*Moonlight Reflections designed by Bookends Quilting 

*Aftershock Quilt designed by Wren Collective 

*Moonlight Reflections Quilt designed by Bookends Quilting

*Left: Floyd, designed by Toad & Sew, Right: Summer Solstice, designed by Alderwood Studio

Hi, Stephanie! Congratulations on being our "AGF Maker Spotlight" feature! Can you please tell us a little bit about your background and how you got into quilting?

Thank you! I live in Seattle, WA, and am a mental health counselor for a children’s crisis program. I’ve been quilting since the summer of 2008 when my high school best friend randomly suggested, “Hey, let’s make quilts for our freshman dorms!” She had previously sewn garments and had a machine, and I loved any arts and crafts, so I said, “Okay!” That summer we taught ourselves to quilt. I fell in love with it and bought my own machine shortly after and brought it to college. I have made at least one quilt per year since I bought my machine, and in the fall of 2020 I started quilting more frequently and now I always have a project (or several!) going.

What are you inspired by? 

I absolutely adore both Amber, from Alderwood Studio, and Laura, from Vacilando Studios. They were the first designers I came across that I really connected with. I love Laura’s geometric designs and how she makes “simple” look so beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. I love Amber’s aesthetic and all of her stunning modern designs. I’m also inspired by colors in nature, whether that’s the vivid colors in a sunset, rainy days in the PNW, or the way the sun filters through the trees. 

Describe your design style in three words. 

Earthy, vibrant, adventurous.

Why sew with Art Gallery Fabrics?  

I had been wanting to try out Art Gallery’s Pure Solids when I was fortunate enough to win the giveaway for their newest solids this spring. I’d heard great things about the fabric quality and absolutely fell in love with them when they arrived. I love that they don’t fray as much as other brands, and all of the fabrics are silky soft and just wonderful to work with. I also appreciate how active AGF is online and makes the effort to connect with the people who are using their fabrics. 

How do you stay motivated with your sewing projects?

I tend to jump from project to project quickly. When I find myself in a bit of a rut, talking about a new project or getting together a fabric pull can really reignite my drive and inspire me to keep moving forward. I love getting results when I’m working on a project, whether that’s just getting my fabric cut, getting blocks pieced, or the entire top put together. Results are so easy to see that I find it encouraging to move on to the next step as pieces start coming together. I also typically have multiple projects going at once. Currently, I have at least 8-10 works in progress that either just need to be quilted or bound. I also love hand quilting, and I have a couple of small projects on the side that is nice to sit down and work on. 

Any words of advice to those new to quilting or who are interested in starting? 

Just dive in! The quilting community is so welcoming and friendly. I’ve made so many great connections and friends that I hope to meet at QuiltCon in the future! Don’t be afraid to ask questions. We’ve all been new at this and there are so many great blogs and tutorials out there to receive support from. It’s okay if your seam allowance isn’t great and if your seams don’t match perfectly. I still have seams that I deem “good enough” and once a project is quilted, they are difficult to spot anyway. Have fun with it and play around!

What’s next on your sewing list? 

I’m taking Alderwood Studio’s Pattern Writing Academy this summer and am in the process of writing my first quilt pattern, Moonlight Reflections, which I plan to release this fall. I’m also working on designing a quilt coat with my sister-in-law who sews garments. I actively test other designer’s patterns as well, so I typically have at least one test that I’m working on.

5 things you can’t live without. 

My family (including my two cats), a library card, running shoes, my bike, and my Juki sewing machine.

Where can other makers find your work? 

I’m @bookendsquilting on Instagram. I’m hoping to get a website and shop opened as well this fall!

Thank you so much Stephanie for allowing us to share your story and encourage makers out there dipping their toes in the quilting world or continuing in this quilting journey.

Comment below, follow her on  Instagram, and spread the love! We hope you are just as inspired as us, so go ahead and show us your makes with our fabrics too! You never know, you might be our next feature! Thank you for reading along and your constant support.

Until next time,

Happy sewing!

-Jannelle