Art Gallery Fabrics - The Creative Blog

"As a machine quilter, I drew a lot of my inspiration for Legacy from the quilting designs and sketches that I use for my craft. But as I compiled this collection, I was reminded about the reason I began quilting in the first place. My Grandpa left me a great legacy, and the encouraging belief that I could be successful in any area of my life. It is because of him that I found my passion for quilting, which then turned into my passion for fabric design. That legacy is what fuels my passion today. I hope that this collection inspires you to create and to share your own legacy with others!"

Angela Walters

Today we're happy to finally and officially announce the release of Legacy into the fabric marketplace. The quote you've just read from Angela encapsulates this collection better than any description I can offer, so instead of delving further into the details of how smart the designs are, what perfect colors were chosen for the ten prints, and how much quilting and sewing potential these fabrics hold--we'll have a little chat with Angela instead. I caught up with her to get her perspective on the collection, her quilting habits, and a couple of other fun tidbits.

Keep reading for the Q & A and a fun little video we did that shows just how talented a quilter this woman is.

AGF: How was designing Legacy different from your first collection? 

Angela: It was so different than designing the first one! My first collection, Textures, was just like dipping my toes into the fabric design world. It was a mini-collection with only 3 different prints. However, Legacy, was like diving in head first! It's my first full collection, which means I got to design 10 prints in two different color-ways. I absolutely loved getting to expand on my vision. 

AGF: Is there anything you learned from your first collection that you were able to apply to Legacy?

Angela: When I designed Legacy, I felt that I was finally getting the hang of Illustrator. My practice with it while designing my first collection definitely came in handy!

AGF: What do you enjoy most about being a fabric designer?

Angela: I love that it's a different side of the industry that I normally work on (as a pattern designer and machine quilter). It's a whole different artistic outlet and I love it! Of course, seeing my name on the selvage is pretty cool too!

_{print: decoratifs spearmint}

_{print: grand mosaic lime}

_{print: drawn destiny denim}

AGF: Do you have a favorite print from the collection?

Angela: My favorite print would be the Grand Mosaic. It was the very first print I designed, when I decided to try to be a fabric designer. Seeing it in production makes me so very happy!

AGF: When it comes down to your quilting, do you have a time of day when you prefer to work?

Angela: I find that for machine quilting, I am most productive when quiting in the middle of the night when everyone is asleep. Especially when I have some great music blaring on my ipod! When it comes to fabric design, I do most of my designs while sitting on the couch next to my hubby.

AGF: We know you travel quite a bit for your quilting classes and promoting your work. Care to share which cities you enjoy frequenting?

Angela: I am a total foodie, so going to cities known for great food always make me happy. My favorite cities (based solely on food) are Portland, OR and Boston MA. The quilters that I interact with are great everywhere I go!

AGF: Are there other skills or hobbies you wish you had more time for?

Angela: There are two things that I wish I had time to learn. I wish I could speak a different language fluently and play a musical instrument. But, I wouldn't trade what I am doing for anything else in the world!

Rounding off the post is this neat little video we put together for Legacy. A quick synopsis: our Legacy girl is rummaging through the contents of her grandfather's garage and stumbles upon supplies she can use for sewing and quilting. And that's precisely what she does! The highlight of this video for me are the many frames that show off Angela's long arm quilting. It's fun to pause and marvel at the amazing details and techniques she used all over this masterpiece of a quilt. 

Lastly--a treat from us to you! We have a FREE TO DOWNLOAD quilt pattern for Legacy. Go ahead and get yours here.

Thank you so much for tuning in! Let us know what you think of these new designs, and if you decide to make a project or two with Legacy (and we hope you do!), share it with us either on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.

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Legacy

AGF has a new fabric designer!

Sara Lawson's Dresden Plate Dress

It's a great pleasure for us as a fabric company to have such talented designers on board. We can say this about all of them: they're a hardworking bunch that spend days and nights quilting, sewing and designing. In essence, they're creating a world of ideas and inspiration for you--the very people who give life to these lovingly made fabrics.

Today we're focusing on all the ways you've decided to use and interpret Leah Duncan's fabric collection, Tule. Since its release just a few weeks ago, we've received great feedback from our customers and seen amazing work created and inspired by this modern, desert oasis themed collection.

Ahead are just a handful of sewing and quilting projects we've found for this collection roundup! 

_{pouch by gingercakesews, bags by sewcaroline, quilt by owensolivia}

_{belladone dress by sewcharleston}

_{ruby dress by madebyrae}

_{dress 1 by fiveeighth, dress 2 by stitchologyabq}

_{top by leah duncan, bag by sewcaroline}

_{quilt by sassafras lane design (swatches: native fringe celeste, flora's oasis rosa, sand dunes sienna)}
 

_{quilt top by maureen cracknell}

If I'm being honest, my heart jumps a little every time I receive or stumble upon things made with fabrics birthed from AGF. Even though we should expect it, they still come as a humbling surprise. Thanks to everyone who has reached out to us with their creations and tagged their photos for us to find! We encourage you all to continue!

Want to make a project of your own? We have a free PDF quilt pattern featuring this collection.

(All projects have been linked back to their original source. If you see your project here and would like to make any changes, please let us know).

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Tule by Leah Duncan Reveals the Magic of the Desert

Tule's Summer Tote Tutorial

AGF welcomes Leah Duncan

Triple Bundle Giveaway

Hi everyone!

Here's a really fun one for your weekend. We've seen these around Pinterest for a while and were inspired to make a handful of our own with a scented twist! Stuffed within these tea sachets is dried lavender. We chose this calming and clean scent but you can use a variety of things like dried rose petals, orange peel, or mixed potpourri which can usually be found in the candle section of your favorite store.

These are cute and inconspicuous little things to have anywhere you’d like added freshness. Hang them, tie them, or use them as table decorations for your next tea hour, like we did. You could even use them as bookmarks. This is a perfect project for using the extra fabric we all have in our designated scrap bins. 

Please follow along our super simple and quick tutorial to make your own tea sachets.

_{pictured fabrics: bohemian charms honey (bijoux), dancing harvest guava (bijoux), petite petalie pearl (luxe in bloom), crystalline reef (luxe in bloom)}

Here's a list of fabrics and materials used:

1. (1) 2” x 5” rectangle of Dancing Harvest Guava (Bijoux collection)
2. (1) 2” x 5” rectangle of fusible
3. (2) 1” Squared of Dancing Harvest Guava (Bijoux collection)
4. (2) 1” squared of fusible.
5. Scented potpourri of your choice
6. 6” shoestring

Let’s start by adhering fusible on top of all our fabric pieces. We used iron-on fusible.

Now, take piece 1 and fold it in half. Measure and mark ½” from each side of the top corners and make a diagonal cut along your markings, as shown on the diagram below. 

Next, sew in about ¼” all around the edges of your sachet, leaving the very top open—this is where you’ll stuff in your scents. 

Once the scent is in, insert your string at least ½” into the sachet. Sew up your opening, reinforcing your stiches (sewing over your first line of stitching) if needed.

Lastly, to make the tag on your sachet, you’ll join the 1” squares--wrong side of the fabrics facing each other and the other end of your string in between. Sew around the squares a few centimeters away from the edge and diagonally across the corners.

We finished our tea sachets by trimming the edges with zigzag scissors for some added interest, but you don’t have to. 

It's easy to get inspired. Really, it is. Carolina Moore can attest to this. She quickly found hers under her own roof; a running, playing, sleeping, growing inspiration. I'm referring to her children, more specifically her motherhood, which gives shape to her sons' upbringing, and inspires many of the quilted projects that come her way. 

I'm happy to share her most recent: a quilt and matching pillows that she's decorated her anteroom with: 

We let Carolina have a go with our soon to be released fabric collection, Legacy, and she certainly did the fabric justice. More importantly, she made it her own with the pairing of a neutral "handmade" brown as her solid and a very unique twist on the Dresden block that runs vertically and off-center down one side of the quilt.

The other side has great big stacked-coin pieces with a composition that's equally unique. 

The finished pieces are wonderful. I love the way the cool palette of the fabrics has been offset by the earthly brown. I get a feeling of calming and nurturing hospitality. Accentuating these qualities are stunning little pebbles craftfully quilted all over the negative space.

I think the color combination is both laid back and modern, don't you?

Along with the feature, Carolina has written up a nice tutorial for everyone that wants to make their own Roots and Wings quilt!

Originating post from alwaysexpectmoore.com. Photos courtesy of Carolina. A big thanks to Carolina for her collaboration and showcase of her personal style.


Your comments and opinions are welcome, as well your own quilting ideas for these fabrics. Peek the upcoming Legacy fabric collection at our website or over at Angela Walter's blog.

"Okay, I've got an idea...what about a dress made from Angela's Drawn Destiny in Linen..but the dress has appliqued Dresden plates on it? I think I would use Pure Elements on the Dresdens. What do you think?"

These were Sara's words after I e-mailed her about some of our newest fabric collections. 

--

It's no secret that fabric companies often collaborate with many bloggers and designers for projects and tutorials. Since starting my work at AGF, I am just now beginning to break the ice with them and find out their style, preferences and personalities. Sara, thus far, is one of many who have left a great impression on me.

I'm not sure what I envisioned when she described her idea, but that's irrelevant now because the finished dress is far better than anything I could have pictured!

Sara will be debuting this statement dress at the Houston Quilt Market next month. And I, for one, can't wait to see it in person. 

Thanks again Sara!

--

_{All photos courtesy of Sara. Main fabric used is Drawn Destiny, from the Legacy fabric collection. Dresden wheels are made of our Pure Elements. Original post from www.sewsweetness.com}

Hi everyone!

First off, we'd like to thank the hundreds of followers, customers and friends that entered this giveaway! And most importantly, to all who help spread the word--including the collection's respective designers. Quite an epic giveway in both entry volume and fabric amount. 

One winner was picked from the comments left on our Facebook post, and the remaining two from the blog post comments. We had a total of 1,081 entries and wish we could give every last one of you bundles of fabric, but only 3 were graced by lady luck today. The numbers were chosen with a random number generator. 

On to the winners: 

The first one is Paloma! Her comment was #214 on the blog post

The next winner is Colleen! #286 on the blog comments.

Lastly, the random pick from the Facebook post was comment #67, belonging to Brie Wood Sloan!

Congrats to the 3 winners! Each will receive 3 fat quarter bundles in 1 colorway from Legacy, Tule, and Nördika.

Thanks again to all who entered and left your feedback, opinions and expressive ideas based on these three fabric collections. 

Winners will be notified via e-mail or Facebook by the end of today.