Art Gallery Fabrics - The Creative Blog

Hello Fabric Lovers,

Our newest collection called Mayfair by Amy Sinibaldi takes you straight to London! Inspired by the neighborhood of the same name in Central London. A small interesting fact, the name Mayfair comes from a 17th-Century springtime celebration once held in that area. In this lovely collection, fabric patterns range from small dainty to big and expressive florals. Pastel to deep rich tones. Super versatile and perfectly suited for upcoming seasons like spring and summer.  

Reminiscing on her visits to Shepherd Market, Piccadilly, Hyde Park, and Covent Garden. Amy sketched the flower-filled neighborhoods that surrounded her beloved hotel in Mayfair. With a color palette rich in greens, plum, and marigold, this collection truly echoes the path of a wanderer in the city of London.

Below is a mood board to help create the atmosphere that is strolling through Mayfair, the main inspiration for Amy Sinibaldi's latest collection. 

*Available in 12 Cotton Prints

*Available in 1 Rayon Print

*Available in 1 Knit Print

Mayfair is available in twelve cotton prints, one rayon print, and one knit print. These prints would look super cute made into pouches or bags of all sorts! As we all know florals will never go out of style. Our rayon fabric showcasing a beautiful deep orange could even be used for the fall season as a dress or a top for that special occasion. As for our knit the muted light navy blue pairs wonderfully with some light blue denim. I can automatically see this knit made into any casual apparel. For more inspiration on what to create with this collection and free patterns, view our latest lookbook below!

DOWNLOAD FREE QUILT PATTERN HERE

Enter a chance to win a bundle of this collection (every single print!) by signing up to our giveaway:

 To enter our giveaway, just click here and enter your info!

Giveaway ends 2/27/20, the winner will be emailed and announced right here on the blog.

Good luck! 

THE WINNER IS Debbie Hargrave!! Please check your email to redeem your prize! 

*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 Makers!

I’m here to bring you exciting news, our second fusion collection of 2020 called Foresta Fusion is available! This collection is perfect for all the nature lovers out there. What I love about this collection is the color palette and fabric prints immerse you into the coziness and atmosphere of being in the woods. Being a Florida native, I’ve been surrounded by beaches all my life, but always preferred a more forest scenery. There is something magical about the peacefulness and vibrant colors from nature that you experience by exploring.

Foresta Fusion Fabrics will make you discover an enchanting forest that awakens at dusk when woodland animals come out to forage amongst dark florals and towering trees. Grounded in cranberry & pine with dusted pinks, this collection is for those whose hearts are filled with wanderlust.

*Available in 10 Cotton Prints

*Available in 1 Rayon Print

*Available in 1 Knit Print

Foresta Fusion is available in ten cotton prints, one rayon print, and one knit print. Perfect to use in projects ranging from quilts and accessories to garments. This collection is filled with gorgeous versatile florals, trees, and textures. These prints are for sure to reminisce about your love for the wilderness and inspire beautiful creations. "Fields Of Foresta" our one rayon print flows beautifully in the wind rustling through the trees. Making it into a dress would be a wonderful way to showcase this floral print. Our knit print "Simple Defoliage Foresta" which are these dainty small white pine trees set against this deep forest green looks lovely made into a cozy sweatshirt. To see these fabrics transform into everyday items and more inspiration check out our lookbook below!

DOWNLOAD FREE QUILT PATTERN

As a celebration of the lookbook being released, we'll be giving away a bundle of Foresta Fusion:

To enter our giveaway, just click here and enter your info! 

Giveaway ends Tuesday, February 18, 2020. 

Winner will be emailed and announced right here on this blog. Good luck! 

THE WINNER IS Mickey Louth!! Please check your email to redeem your prize! 

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

Are you ready for a fun home décor project?

I've got a fun one for you!

Shannon here, popping in one last time from Shannon Fraser Designs, with an idea to bring comfort and style to your living room, bedroom or family room.

Remember when I mentioned in my previous guest post that I had fun exploring some new to me AGF substrates? Last time, I got to work with their PURE Solids, Premium Linen Blend and their Denim. This week I’m diving into canvas.

Did you know Art Gallery Fabrics had canvas on offer? I didn’t! Not until my AGF friends told me it was something I could play with.

I’d been meaning to make some floor pillows for the longest time and having this fun stack of pretties to dive into finally got the project kick-started.

Now floor cushions are not revolutionary. It’s not a new idea by any means, but I figure they’ve been around for a while because they satisfy several needs: they bring comfort, are pretty to look at and are practical to have around!

Stitching this floor cushion totally brought me back to my early days of making and selling aprons, bags, and pillows. I still make them on occasion, just not as often as I used to (quilts have kinda stolen the show for me!). But I’ve been on a kick lately and have been wanting to make a floor cushion for the longest time. Getting my hands on some AGF denim and canvas finally got me fired up to make it happen!

My family get-togethers are pretty packed and seating is always at a premium (with lots of musical chair shenanigans to go along with it!). So, I thought a floor poof would be the perfect addition for added seating when I’m in a pinch. Or, at the very least, a fun napping spot for Pips 😉

Having never sewn with canvas, I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was in for a treat!

First off, it cuts amazingly well. Having been used to working with silky slippery cotton, the canvas just stays put – ha! You can’t layer it as much as cotton when cutting (it’s a workout to cut through allll those layers), but otherwise, it was a cinch to work with.

Since I just adore the tree print featured on the "Mystical Woods Solar" canvas print, I opted to forgo piecing and kept the cushion top and bottom as a whole cloth. Even better, was that my Juki had no problems stitching through the layers of canvas, batting and muslin. It was as though I was quilting through any other cotton. It was fantastic! Just look at the pretty texture the organic wavy line quilting adds to the printed textile. It’s like the trees are nestled amongst hills. I love it!

For the sides of the cushion, I decided to go with the AGF Denim in Indigo Shadow. I love how it pops against the soft cream and pinky/ peachy tones of the canvas. I wanted the focus to be on the tree print, but I wanted to add some additional texture through simple 1” straight line quilting. It adds a little dimension without being too bold. Plus, running your hands along it feels ah-mazing! AGF’s denim is the same weight as their PURE Solids, so you’re not dealing with the typical density of traditional denim. This means their denim has that silky softness you’ve come to expect from their quilting cotton. It really does feel divine.

A quick heads up – I didn’t pre-wash my fabric, and I did notice some dye rubbing off on my hands as I was quilting her up. You may want to pre-wash to avoid that transfer and/ or make sure to use some color catcher sheets when you do wash your project.

Since the devil is in the details (and we love our details, right?), I opted to add piping around the top of the cushion. I would have had this poof done way quicker had I omitted this step, but just look at how cute it is. I used the AGF Denim in Fading Darts and some cording I picked up at my local fabric shop. It was quick to piece and I feel adds that perfect finishing touch.

Now that I’ve got one made, I’m eager to try it again. Except for next time I plan on making the poof a little smaller. I'm thinking of featuring the trimmings leftover from my Cloud Surfing quilts (read more about the inspiration here and the design evolution here) that have been beckoning me to play with them! I’ve already got most of a top pieced, I just need to finish her up and decide whether she needs to become a pillow or a wall hanging - decisions, decisions. Sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss out on how I finish her up!

I have had THE best time guest blogging here and chatting with you 😊 A special thank you to the AGF team for having me and trusting me to play with all the fun fabrics! I hope my posts have inspired you to step outside your quilty comfort zone, to explore different substrates and, most of all, to just have FUN!

Happy quilting my friends!

xo,

Shannon

Welcome, fabric friends! 

Who’s ready to start the year with fresh, new fabric? I’m delighted to be showing you our first fusion collection release of 2020, called Ballerina Fusion! This is a new Fusion collection from AGF, meaning we grab a couple of prints from your favorite designers, and then we recolor them to create a new exciting group. Crazy to think how much a color palette can change how you feel. I personally really enjoy this collection because of its soft neutral colors and minimal prints. It makes me want to dip more into my feminine side and make really elegant projects.

Ballerina Fusion fabrics are all about low volume with a delicate twist. Inspired by certain coziness that comes with a quiet morning and a warm cup of tea, this collection highlights blush tones with soft, dainty and subtle textures. 

*Available in 10 cotton prints

With this mood board, I really wanted to provoke the feeling I got for this collection. Soft, youthful, and pretty. Sometimes it's just better to visually show it than to say it! It reminds me of being a little girl and having my mom by my shoulder, talking through on how to apply her pink lip balm. Those are precious moments I plan on never forgetting! I hope these fabrics remind you of a special moment in your life, that just makes you want to create something beautiful that encapsulates that feeling.

Now, this collection is only available in quilting cotton, so all you patchwork lovers are going to have a blast sewing up quilts! But for you garment makers out there, don't let these fabrics limit you because it's still just as soft and lightweight! You can definitely make some dainty dresses, and/or elegant tops.

In this lookbook, you'll find some charming bedroom decor, handy sewing accessories, candied quilts and more. Take a look for yourself! 

DOWNLOAD FREE QUILT PATTERN HERE

I hope you're as excited about this collection as I am, and if you can't wait to get your hands on it- you're in luck because we are doing a giveaway!! 

To enter our giveaway, just click here and enter your info! 

Giveaway ends Monday, February 10th, 2020. 

Winner will be emailed and announced right here on this blog. Good luck! 

THE WINNER HAS BEEN CHOSEN! Serena Stanley, 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 confirmation and approve it. By entering our giveaway, you'll be automatically signed up for our newsletters. Don't worry, we don't spam!

It’s an exciting day, my fabric loving friends!

Shannon here, popping in again from Shannon Fraser Designs to share the design evolution of the original Cloud Surfing quilt I posted last week (click here if you missed it). 

When I designed the Cloud Surfing baby quilt, I fell immediately and madly in love with it. But I wasn’t sure whether other quilters would get as fired up by it as I did – ha! An occupational hazard of being a quilt pattern designer 😉

But you’ve blown me away with your love for this modern design!

I didn’t really have any intention of offering her as a pattern, but then there was a delay in my guest post here and I found myself with extra time to sneak in a new version. This time, I was eager to expand on the original design and take it a step further. I played around, but I kept coming back to this final layout. It had all the movement I love in a quilt pattern and meant it was now large enough so you can snuggle with her on the sofa. Which is key, right? The quilty snuggle factor plays into my quilt design all the time!

What I particularly love about this version is that the colorway is a true collaboration with the AGF team. They had visions of retro surfboards / tropical vacation in Hawaii – the cozy sand with pops of orange and soothing blues. Yummy!

I took this theme up a level by featuring the "Laki Island Daylight" print from Mister Domestics’ Aura collection, which is designed based on his trips to Hawaii with his daughter – aw. I also added in a little retro pop with the "Hula Dolphins Vog" print. It’s a riff on a polka dot, but with the added dimension with the subtle dolphin silhouette design around the dots. It’s like it was made for the Cloud Surfing quilt 😉

Did you know that AGF has linen? I didn’t have a clue and I ADORE linen. It even made its way into my very first quilt!

So, I was super excited to dive in and start cutting up this textural and soft beauty. Here’s a close-up so you can see what I’m talking about!

I always like to know what fabrics have been used in a quilt I love, so here’s a full rundown of the fabrics featured in this retro Cloud Surfing quilt:

• AGF PURE Solids in Tiger Lily
• AGF PURE Solids in Dried Carrot
• AGF PURE Solids in Maldives
• AGF Premium Linen Blend in Sand
• Denim Fabric by AGF in Indigo Shadow
• Laki Island Daylight from Mister Domestics’ Aura collection
• Hula Dolphins Vog from Mister Domestics’ Aura collection

I especially love the combo of the textured linen, with the silky soft PURE Solids and then a little pop of their denim!

Quilting cotton + linen + denim – all in one quilt?

Say, whaaa?

Yup! I did it!

I threw in all the different fabric substrates to create the most quiltalicious texture.

And did you know their denim is the same weight as their PURE Solids? Cool, right? No need to worry about whipping out a denim specific needle or wrangling with tension issues because you’ve got different weighted fabrics. Plus, if you’re looking to add in some hand quilting details there will be way less strain on your hands compared to traditional denim.

Proof that mixing textures, solids, and prints can lead to a quilt with lots of visual and tactile interest without feeling overdone.

What are you waiting for? Stock up on all the amazing Art Gallery Fabric substrates and then head to Shannon Fraser Designs to grab the Cloud Surfing quilt pattern and get ready to get your quilty curves on 😊

To celebrate the launch of the Cloud Surfing quilt pattern, Jenny from Papper Sax Sten, the team at Art Gallery Fabrics and myself have joined forces to bring you an epic giveaway including:

• A full set of Jenny’s amazing Oval Drunkard’s Path rulers – which include all 3 sizes featured in the pattern.
• All the fabrics I used to create this lap quilt, including the backing and binding – yassss, which means you’ll get to totally recreate this retro beauty!
• And 2 free PDF copies (one for you + one for a friend you tag) of the newly launched Cloud Surfing pattern from me.

To enter – head over to my Instagram feed and follow the instructions to join the fun!

I’ll be back again next week sharing a fun home décor project! You’re not going to want to miss it!

xo,

Shannon

Hello, my fellow fabric lovers!

It’s Shannon, from Shannon Fraser Designs, popping in again to share some creative inspiration with you. 😊

In case you missed my post last week, you can read my Introduction post here.

Where does your quilty inspiration come from?

Is it the fabric? A specific color? An idea that came to you while you were driving? Or maybe even a pattern you’ve seen that you just had to make?

All of these fit the bill for why I create, and I could enumerate a bunch more. It’s amazing the plethora of sources for creative inspiration.

I’m always curious to know what sparked a fellow maker to come up with a new design idea, so I thought I’d share with you a little about my creative inspiration.

Today’s project all stemmed from having the opportunity to work with my quilty friend’s range of oval drunkard’s path templates. I do love a good curve design and I was particularly curious to explore the design options featuring these unique rulers designed by the talented Jenny Hayes of Papper Sax Sten.

I got the templates back in the summer and spent a few days during my summer vacation playing around with different ideas. I got about 14 designs in and then changed tracks.

If you follow me on Instagram, then you know I have a soft spot for improv quilting. I call them my ‘freedom sessions’ and they satisfy a creative need like no other technique has.

Normally I approach improv quilting on the mat – without any idea of where the design will end up. It’s a piecing adventure that always leads to a fun result – whether I love the end product or not. That’s not the point, the point is to not question myself, just trust that what I need to create is being created in that moment. It’s seriously awesome! If you’ve never tried improv, I highly recommend giving it a go.

But this was my first time using that technique on the computer. What surprised me was that I got that same feeling from letting loose at the computer as I do at the mat, just quicker!

And it left me fired up to bring her to life.

You know that feeling.

It’s like a light goes off inside of you where every fiber of your being is yearning to bring the idea to life. It’s the one that gets you out of bed early (on a weekend, no less) and raring to get slicing and stitching!

And that fired up feeling is exactly what I’m seeking in my makes. I don’t want to just make to make (although there is merit in that), but I’m always seeking that “must make this” feeling. It’s the best feeling that calls to you no matter what you’re doing, beckoning you to dive in and start quilting.

That’s what this design did for me – even though my hubz didn’t get the design.

Which brings me to another key point, quilting is not about what others need, want, see, understand – it’s about YOU! Unless of course, the quilt is for that person 😉 Otherwise, it doesn’t matter what others think. All that matters is that you have a vision, an idea, a need to make. That’s what matters most.

At the very moment that I was on the hunt for the perfect colors to match my digital mock-up, the AGF team and I connected about collaborating featuring their PURE Solids. I’d worked with them before in my Modern Heart baby quilt and I knew how fabulous these solids were. So, I jumped at the chance to stitch with them again. After perusing their solids collection, I found my ideal matches:

*PURE Solids in Burnt Orange, Quartz Pink, Weathered Pink, Mauvelous, and Peach Sherbet.

I do have a soft spot for coral (so much so, it even sneaks its way into my wardrobe!) and have found it to be such a versatile color. Nowadays, I actually consider it as part of my neutral repertoire. I’ve yet to find a color it doesn’t pair nicely with. Here I focused on pairing coral with a soft peach and deep burnt orange, a touch of mauve and then this dramatic burgundy that I feel makes the design.

To really up the quilty texture, I opted to hand quilt her using a combination of 12wt Aurifil Thread and pearl cotton thread in size 8. I love the chunkiness of those threads. They stand out and have the most amazing hand feel when you run your hand over your quilt. I especially love the juxtaposition with the silky softness of the PURE Solids. It’s seriously heavenly! If you haven’t tried this combo, I highly recommend giving it a go.

I hope this curvy abstract and the story of how she came to inspire you to look beyond your current quilting practice and seek out fun new quilty adventures – you never know where they may take you 😉

I’ll be popping in again next week to share another take on the Cloud Surfing quilt design and will also be releasing the pattern so you too can make your very own!

Happy quilting!

xo

Shannon