Art Gallery Fabrics - The Creative Blog

Hi makers!

The holidays are coming to an end once again, so it’s time for cleaning, eating leftovers, and deciding on New Year's resolutions. One of my resolutions for this next year is to try and be more eco-friendly and reduce my carbon footprint as much as I can. I was recently shown these super cute pin cushions that use those scraps that almost always get thrown away due to no usage… selvages. Here at AGF, we have so many colorful Pure Solids with selvages that include the name of the color, so what a great idea it would be to make my very own color card out of pin cushions! Sure, an actual color card takes up less space, but this way is so much fun and a great scrap buster, so what’s not to love? 

For this project we are using the selvages of our Pure Solids in Sweet Fig, Hydrangea, Plum Preserve, Bewitched, and Amethyst.

Let’s get started! 

Cut your selvage pieces 5 inches long by 1 ½ inches wide. Cut your backing piece 5 inches by 5 inches. 

Sew your selvage strips together at a ¼ inch seam allowance. 

Press your seams in one direction. 

Place your selvages and the backing right sides together and sew ¼ inch all the way around leaving an opening to turn

Trim your corners and turn your pin cushion right side out, making sure to poke out the corners. 

Stuff your pin cushion with your choice of stuffing. I used polyester fiber fill, but you could use batting scraps, walnut shells, scraps of fabric, or anything else you have. 

Hand sew the opening closed and your pin cushion is ready to be poked! 

If you want to create the other versions, I listed each color I used for the other cushions below. 

Blue: Tranquil Waters, Parisian Blue, Tile Blue, Night Sea, and Nocturnal

Green: Icy Mint, Tender Green, Jade Cream, Emerald, and Peacock

Yellow: Honeydew, Lemon Tart, Empire Yellow, Turmeric, and Raw Gold

Orange/Red: Georgia Peach, Dried Carrot, Mandarin, Burnt Orange, and London Red

Pink: Candied Cherry, Weathered Brick, Dried Roses, Miami Sunset, and Blossomed

Black/White: Caviar, Magnetism, Steel, Ash, and Snow

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! It was a fun one for me to recreate and since I love colors, I had to make one from each color of the rainbow. These would also be so cute with selvages from a collection, or selvages from complementary colors. Please let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or tips you’d like to share! 

What else can you sew with your selvages?

As always, please share your pin cushions by tagging us in your photo on social media with the hashtag #artgalleryfabrics! 

Happy Sewing!

-Karli

Mister Domestic takes us to the great outdoors with his newest collection, "Catch & Release." Inspired by trips with his family to their favorite fishing spots in Oregon, he captures the spirit of relaxing and unwinding in nature with these 12 prints. 

Catch & Release is a whimsy collection that’s for those who enjoy disconnecting and being present in the moment. From swirling, schools of fish to gorgeous mountain scenery, these prints are perfect for creating fishing-inspired quilts, weekender bags, plushies, or even fishing gear for all ages.

In this collection, you'll discover schools of cute fish, paddles, ladybugs, a gorgeous mountain landscape, and even a fun, fish-scale print! 

This collection also comes in 3 knits - a super cute fish print in navy blue called "Catch & Release," a sweet fluttering ladybug print called "Good Luck Trails," and a ditzy floral print called "Flower Stream."

This collection also comes in a gorgeous, flower-filled rayon print named "Blue Bank Flora!" 

Along with Mister Domestic and other talented makers. we collaborated on fishing-inspired projects in our "Catch & Release Lookbook!" Make sure to check it out for inspiration of what to sew with these fabrics. 

Here's our "Making Waves Quilt" that's filled with tons of fun print and movement, just click the below link for the FREE pattern:

Download Free Quilt Pattern

---- CATCH & RELEASE GIVEAWAY----

Enter a chance to win this fish-filled bundle of "Catch & Release" by signing up to our giveaway:

Congratulations to our winner, Michelle Olejar! Please check your email.

*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!

Hi Makers - 

It’s that time of the year again where we get to share with you a PREVIEW of our NEW AGF COLLECTIONS for Fall/Winter 2019!

With this round of collections, there's definitely a lot of amazing storytelling involved in each line. You'll get to see a glimpse of what's new from designers like Maureen Cracknell, Jessica Swift, Sharon Holland, Mister Domestic, Katarina Roccella and AGF Studio. With these collections, you'll also discover lots of different places around the world..like the ocean, an African grassland, an English countryside, the midwest prairie, and an enchanted forest! 

For production this time around, we decided to switch things up and film all of our collections in ONE VIDEO for you to see. Don’t worry, we’ll also be posting each collection preview this week on social media as well. 

We hope you love this video and enjoy what we've been secretly working on the past few months, make sure to comment below and tell us what's your favorite upcoming collection too!

Have you ever been on a road trip that just inspired you so much? There's something just so exciting about packing up, jumping behind the steering wheel and heading out on an unforgettable adventure. Windows down, music up...observing all the sounds, sights, smells..as you drive through quiet forests, open fields, majestic mountains, serene deserts...welcoming spontaneity and the unexpected. Trips like this often bring new perspectives and creative ideas, and this is exactly what happened to our designer, Bonnie Christine! 

Bonnie recently went on an 8,000-mile road trip across the country with her family in a vintage Airstream named "Miss Marjorie"! With each state that she visited, she collected wildflowers from the roadside and also took tons of photos of wildlife and nature. Once she arrived home, she decided to use everything she had seen on her trip and turn it into her latest collection, "The Open Road"! 

"The most challenging print is also my favorite…the animals print called “Walking with Bear” (and Doe). It’s one of the most detailed and intricate prints I’ve ever created and although it was challenging, I loved every minute of it. These are all animals we had sightings of during our travels, and I love how it represents the wildlife of our beautiful country."

The Open Road is a sweet collection for children as well as those young at heart. With these 16 prints that are filled with wildflowers and cute animals, there’s plenty of options for you to create nature-inspired quilts, throw pillows, travel accessories, and romantic boho garments!

This collection also comes in two colorways! Bonnie created both of these groups of colors by pulling inspiration found in photographs she took during her trip. The "Under The Sun" colorway has earthy tones of blush pink, sienna and sage. The "Under The Trees" colorway has sunny hues with pops of navy and kelly green. 

To learn more about Bonnie's inspiration, the story behind the fabrics and projects you can create with this collection, head to our "The Open Road Fabric Lookbook!" 

Here's the lovely "Marjorie's Quilt" that features a map of the United States...just click the below link for the FREE pattern:

Download Quilt Pattern

- - The Open Road Giveaway - - 

Here's your chance to win a bundle of these gorgeous fabrics! To enter, just sign up to our giveaway - details below. 

Congratulations to our winner, Josina Dunkel! Please check your email. :)

*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!

Anyone else preppin’ for the "most wonderful time of the year," a.k.a. Christmas in July?! 

I know a lot of us get a jump start on holiday sewing this month which is definitely a fun way to take a break from the summer heat, cool off in the air conditioning and get ahead on that big gift list. Handmade gifts definitely take time, especially when it comes to quilting! If you're searching for some fabric to use with your holiday-inspired projects, look no further! We got you covered with options. 

Introducing our first ever, holiday-inspired collective, “Merry & Bright” that’s filled with whimsy prints from designers like Amy Sinibaldi, Pat Bravo, Maureen Cracknell, Katarina Roccella and Bonnie Christine. Inspired by winter and cozy feels, you’ll discover snow-covered forests, twinkling stars, mistletoe, ribbons, and berries. 

Grounded in a color palette of frosted berry, evergreen and vanilla cream, these 10 prints are great for quilts, pillows, wall art, and gift giving! "Merry & Bright" is our first ever holiday-inspired collection so we're super excited to share it with you, and hope it brings your sewing lots of joy. 🌲🌟 It's available now in stores too! 

Now that you're familiar with our latest collection, check out our "Merry & Bright Fabric Lookbook" that filled with tons of holiday ideas! 

Here's our whimsy "Noel Quilt" that's great to add to any wall! Click the link below for the FREE pattern:

Download Quilt Pattern

- MERRY & BRIGHT GIVEAWAY - 

Enter a chance to win a fabric bundle of this collection by signing up to our giveaway:

Congratulations to our winner, Cyndi Black! Please check your email. 

*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!

Let's talk AGF canvas! Okay first off, have you ever sewn with our canvas?! 

I remember the first time I touched our canvas, I was instantly surprised by the softness and lightness of it. It didn't feel like your typical rough and heavy material that often comes to mind when you think of this substrate! 

Our canvas fabric comes in a wide selection of colors and designs, and is ideal for upholstery, home decor, garments and much more! Did you know AGF canvas fabric is sturdy enough for structured projects yet soft enough for apparel?! From classic florals to modern geometrics, and typography prints, there are tons of different prints to choose so you can create a wide range of unique projects. Unlike most competitors, our canvas is lightweight and unexpectedly soft! With a cotton blend that adds some wrinkle resistance to the fabric, our canvas is a great option for outer garments like blazers, jackets or even a pair of cute overalls. Its also OEKO-TEX certified, so it's free from harmful chemicals! 

Here are some quick tips about sewing with our canvas (just in case you need a refresher)!

Because we want you to feel MORE COMFORTABLE and CONFIDENT with sewing using this substrate, we put together a "Canvas Fabric Lookbook" for you that has TONS of inspiring ideas! :) 

- CANVAS GIVEAWAY -

Enter a chance to win 2 yards of 2 prints of our canvas by signing up to our giveaway! See details below.

Congratulations to our winner Patti McG! Please check your email.

*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!