Art Gallery Fabrics - The Creative Blog

Hi Makers, 

HAPPY MONDAY! I'm sure we all can use some "Monday Motivation" today! Here at AGF, we started a new way to feature  our inspiring makers' work that allows them to also win our fabrics, but THE BEST PART is that we all get to know a little more about you! We encouraged makers to post their sewing projects using our fabrics via their social media using the hashtag #AGFMakerMonday, so we could see how talented you are and the amazing work you all do! Once we decide on the winner for the month, the maker receives a feature here on our AGF Blog AND of course...they win A 20-PIECE FQ BUNDLE of our fabric, based on their personal preference.

With that, I'm excited to introduce our first AGF MAKER MONDAY FEATURE to you, "Tracy Martin." She's an incredible quilter based out of San Diego, California who specializes in creating personalized, modern baby quilts! Let's get to know Tracy a little a better and hear her sewing story! 

Fabric Featured: Meadow Collection by Leah Duncan 

  Fabric Featured: "Foraged Garland Peony" from Gathered Fabrics by Bonnie Christine

  Fabric Featured: Loved to Pieces Collection by Mister Domestic 

Fabric Featured: Bijoux Collection by Bari J. 

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

Hi there, thank you for having me here today! I’m Tracy the one-woman show that is "TracyBug Creative."  I'm a wife and a mom of three school-age children. Prior to having children, social work occupied my time.  Long before that, when I was 13 my Great-Aunt Mildred came for an Easter visit. She was working on a hand-quilting project. I must have asked her a million questions. A retired schoolteacher she asked if I would like to learn to quilt. My heart jumped at the idea!

We made tentative plans for me to visit her that coming summer. A few weeks later, a carefully packed shoe box arrived. Inside she had tucked away a quilt kit with tiny notes pinned on various parts to sew and pages of handwritten instructions to get started. I was hooked! That summer I visited her. My uncle made me a small frame, and Aunt Mildred sat by my side showing me the way. I’ve worked on that project little bits at a time ever since. When my youngest was due I got a sewing machine for my birthday. The first quilt I finished was a baby quilt for her. As I wanted to learn new things, I searched the internet for resources, followed bloggers, watched videos, and took online classes while my babies slept.

What are you inspired by?

Color and shape bring beauty and meaning to the world.  Interesting patterns, bright and bold colors and soft muted tones always draw me in. Likewise, I’m inspired by stories. The people and the journey behind designs and quilts add a dimension without which a quilt is really just a thing.

Describe your design style in three words.  

Bright, Fun, Modern.

When did you start creating personalized, modern quilts for kids? How many have you made?

In 2011, I added the personalized modern quilts to my shop. I have made approximately 400 of them.

How do you stay motivated with your sewing projects?

Looking at new fabric lines, following designers on their journey, and hearing my customer stories all excite me. I especially love how AGF designers share their process and inspiration. My customers each specifically choose their quilt fabrics.  This allows me to connect with them and learn a bit about their story. They share things such as how the parents wanted this baby for so long, maybe the close friendship they have with the mother, or how this is their first grandchild. These quilts are not just a textile but become part of a baby’s story.  Participating in that is an honor. As I sew, I whisper prayers for the baby and the home it is going to. Human connection keeps us all going.

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

We were all "new" once.  No one started sewing and produced his or her best work from the get-go. Keep practicing and you will get there! Also, while you are at it, use the beautiful fabric. It will inspire you, cover mistakes, and you will smile more while you do it. Be gentle with how you speak to yourself in the process.  If you are new, be encouraging, kind, and compassionate with yourself like you would a five-year-old learning to read. Lastly, don’t be afraid to learn the rules and then break as many as you would like to develop your own style and creative voice.

5 things you can't live without.

 1.My Juki sewing machine (she’s my third arm!)

2. My seam ripper ;)

3. A fresh cup of iced coffee

4. A photo of my family

5. Of course beautiful, beautiful fabric.

Where can other makers' find your work? 

You can find me telling quilt stories and sharing creative ramblings on Instagram @tracybugcreative

My Etsy shop is www.tracybugcreative.etsy.com  and my blog is tracybugcreative.com

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Since Tracy LOVES "warm colors," we curated this 20-piece bundle for her as her prize! :)

 
Thanks so much Tracy and to all you makers who have been posting away! It's incredibly inspiring to see what you all make and how you add your personal stories and styles to your projects. 

We'll be picking a winner and announcing them via the blog next month. 

In the meantime, keep posting and sharing your beautiful handmade things with us using the hashtag #AGFMakerMonday for a chance to win.

Good luck and keep creating!

- Sophia 

Hi Makers! 

Besides being all about fabric, are you also an "art lover?!" I'm definitely one! From an early age, my parents introduced me to many art museums near and far around the world where I had the incredible opportunity to see so many types of art. It was during this time I was introduced to the "Rococo Period." This art movement consisted of highly ornate and a extravagant style of architecture, art and music that flourished in Europe in the 18th century. I fell in-love with all of it! 

As I grew older and went to art school, I took an art history class and re-discovered my love for this time period and wrote many essays and created several, fashion projects around the motif. One of my favorite films "Marie Antoinette" directed by Sofia Coppola also captures the absolutely gorgeous art movement. (Watch it if you haven't! Amazing cinematography and costume design) Fast forward to present day, I'm super excited to announce our latest fabric collection, Decadence is inspired by the Rococo era! :)

Inspired by the Rococo art movement, our AGF designer Katarina Roccella’s created her latest fabric line, “Decadence.” These twenty prints feature gorgeous peacocks, opulent florals, stylish geometrics, and romantic, painterly textures that embody that light-hearted, Rococo spirit. Grounded in pink and teal, Decadence offers an inviting color palette utilizing charcoal and ivory backgrounds with metallic specks, making these twenty prints provide countless ideas for sewing projects. With the upcoming holidays in mind, Decadence is a great go-to collection to create luxurious quilts, stylish garments and home decor for you and your loved ones!

 For more elegant-inspired projects that include quilt, garment and home decor patterns, head over to our "Decadence" lookbook! 

Here's our mesmerizing "Tartaneuse Quilt" for you to enjoy, just click the below link for the FREE pattern:

Download Quilt Pattern

I've also included these blenders for you (in case you need some ideas) that can easily coordinate with the lux-inspired prints of "Decadence."

Enter a chance to win a "20-piece Decadence fabric bundle" by signing up to our giveaway:

 ---  DECADENCE COLLECTION GIVEAWAY ---

 To enter, please fill the form below. Giveaway ends Friday, September, 21st, 2018 - 

Our winner is Christina Grant! Congratulations and please check your email! Thanks to everyone who participated!

*Once you have entered the giveaway it's normal for your information to disappear. To confirm your entry check your email for a confirmation and approve it. By entering our giveaway you'll be automatically signed up for our newsletters. Don't worry, we don't spam!

Hello my creative friends!

Have you seen how influential the "tribal look" is right now? Well, today we will be learning a very easy piecing technique inspired on this trend.

I will show you the process step-by-step featuring two prints from the worldly, bold, and geometric Craftbound collection: Clover Compass (Fabric A) and Marked Sights (Fabric B).

Also, you can download the Tribalism pillow to get more ideas on how to apply more than two prints, using this technique in the same project.

In this example, I joined WOF (Width of Fabric) strips: three (3) WOF x 2 1/2" from fabric A, and two (2) WOF x 2 1/2" from fabric B, in the following order: A-B-A-B-A.

The only requirement is that all the strips measure the same. In the following diagram, you can see that I got four blocks from 2 1/2" strips. However, if you choose to cut smaller strips, you will get more blocks per strip set, and if you choose to cut bigger strips, you will get less blocks per strip set.

 Once you have joined your strip sets, press them to start the trimming process:

1. Fold your strip set in half, making sure the seams are aligned. Then press again to keep it in place.
2. Starting from the folded edge up, draw a line using the 45 degree guide on your quilting ruler.
3. Trim on the line. Draw an opposite line using the 45 degree guide from the quilting ruler, but now from the top down.
4. Trim on the line.
5. Open up your piece, you should get a diamond.
6. Repeat the same steps to get as many blocks as possible from your strip set.

The best part about this technique is that once you have your blocks ready, you don't have to worry about matching seams.

Turn all the blocks 45 degrees, making sure all the pieces are placed in the same direction.

Start joining them by rows, so row one will have one block, row two will have three blocks, row three will have five blocks...until you reach your desired width, and then start reducing the amount of blocks row by row until you get to one.

Your project will be on point, so now you will have to turn it 45 degrees again and square it!

Now, how about those perfectly cut triangles that were not used in the Tribal Piecing technique? Well, those would be ideal for a geometric backing, the perfect complement and contrast to the quilt top.

Take four triangles and join them following the diagram to make squares, then join the squares until you reach your desired size.  

What do you think about the Tribal Piecing technique? Do you already have projects in mind that would work for it? What strip size would you use?

Enjoy discovering!

Laucara

Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone had a nice break from Labor Day weekend and is still looking forward the short week. Although it may feel like a Monday, let’s start the week with an exciting announcement! Thank you all for your patience and participation trying to guess what’s in the mystery bag! The time has come, the reveal of “AGF Mystery Monday” is here!!

In case you missed it, last week we announced a NEW Mystery Monday giveaway where we'll be giving away a mystery bag with lots of fabrics and sewing goodies! Every month, we select a theme for the bundle and give you a few hints. So in order to win, you have to guess what’s inside and enter the giveaway!

For those of you who’ve entered…

Here's the BIG REVEAL to this month's mystery's bag, and the theme is… “Cactus Flower”

Inspired by all the bright and gorgeous flowers that sprout out of cactuses, like the ones pictured below.

So the winner is… *DRUMROLL*

All of this fabric is going to Mary Davis! 
*Please check your email

Congratulations! :)

In case, you're wondering where to find this fabric, I've listed it out for you, so you can easily find it via our site:

1. Coyote & Quail Jojoba 
2. Angle Folie Pristine 
3. Joy Plante Chartreuse 
4. Plantae Sunrise 
5. Fluxus Teal 
6. Ni Hao Faires Hu 
7. Illusionist Vine Boho 
8. Petits strokes rose 
9. Arista Keepsake 
10. River Shadows Rain
11. Very Berry 

Stay tuned for next month’s "Mystery Monday" and thanks to everyone who participated!

Make sure to comment down below with what theme you’d like to see in the next “mystery bag”, we appreciate any wild or crazy ideas!

Enjoy,

- Jannelle

Hello Fabric Friends, 

Ever get bored of your work space, either at home or at work? Some times all ya need is a little pick me up and I think I have the perfect way to give your desk that make over it so badly needs. Let me introduce you to the "Star Spindle" Block that I made in my latest video for the AGF Quilt Block Collection. I made my block with AGF's NEW Capsule Collection called CraftBound! Mixed with design elements that celebrate traditional skills such as tapestries, mosaics , and stamps and embroidery, this collection is just calling my name. 

Using the corner square triangle technique and four at a time half square triangle method this block comes together in a snap! :)  View the video below and check out my neat table runner or rather desk runner design below! :)

Hope you enjoy the video below! How do  you decorate your work space? Share with me in the comments. 

Finished Block Size: 11"

I love how changing up the fabrics can make the same block look completely different! Below is my table runner design using the same block four times and then adding a 1 1/2" strip border. Now all you got to do is add a few handmade tassels and you got yourself one festive table runner!

Happy Sewing, 

Meli