Art Gallery Fabrics - The Creative Blog

Hi Makers!

If you have been following AGF for a while, you would know that we don't often focus on contrasting colors of black, red, and white in our collections. Well, we decided to do things a little different this time and this time, and bring them to center stage in our latest collection! Inspired by what you’d discover while traveling the trading route that connected The East to The West, AGF created its latest collection, “Silkroad Fusion.” This fabric line celebrates the emerging trend of Asian influences in textiles with designs from ancient techniques of brushwork that’s modernized with geometrics and florals, creating a unique, exotic mix for your sewing.

We decided to do a new take on color combinations and use full bodied hues of scarlet red and charcoal black mixed with pops of white. Silkroad Fusion is ideal for creating elegant and impactful sewing projects. Available in cotton with select prints in knits and a rayon, these designs can be used to sew bold quilts, pillows, table runners, wall hangings, Japanese-style garments like kimonos, and statement accessories.

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

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

Download Quilt Pattern

In case you need some ideas for blender to use for Silkroad Fusion, here's my picks from our AGF Elements: 

-- SILKROAD GIVEAWAY -- 

Enter a chance to win this fabulous, fabric bundle by signing up to our giveaway:

Congratulations, Nancy Page!  You're our WINNER to our giveaway! 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!

Have you ever spent a day exploring an artsy neighborhood?! You’d probably start your day, grabbing a cup of coffee at a cute cafe, wander in and out of art galleries, browse small shops that are filled with unique, artisanal crafts, and of course, spend some time photographing all the amazing murals you’d unexpectedly find in alleyways. In Florida, if you're looking to see some street art or explore some unique shops, galleries, plant stores and delicious cafes, our biggest art district here is "Wynwood" which is a fun place to head to! If you were here this past weekend, you got to experience the annual "Art Basel" in full action with artists arriving from all around the world, creating unique, pop-up installations and events. There's never a dull moment in the art district between the art and people watching, you'll always leave with a ton of inspiration. 

Inspired by a city’s art district, AGF created its latest collection, “Art District Fusion.” This fabric line features all the sights you’d spot while strolling down quaint streets that are home to many artists and creative like-minds. From bright colors and eye-catching designs like friendly cats, decadent ice cream, and painterly textures, this fabric line is available in cotton with select prints in knits and a rayon for garment makers! Designed for all you “art lovers at heart,” Art District Fusion is perfect for creating modern and playful sewing projects like geometric-filled quilts, pillows, rugs, and accessories that make a bold, artistic statement.

Head over to our “Art District Fusion Lookbook” for more sewing ideas and projects!

Here's our lovely "Street Signs Quilt" for you to enjoy, just click the below link for the FREE pattern:

Download Quilt Pattern

Here's my favorite blenders that can easily coordinate with "Art District Fusion!" 

-- ART DISTRICT FUSION GIVEAWAY --

Our giveaway winner is Nancy Hart-Kline! Congratulations and 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!

Hello Fabric Friends,

 We are still on our "Quilt Market high" remembering all of the amazing new people we met and catching up with our long time sewing friends. Quilt Market comes around twice a year, in the Fall and Spring season. This is where fabric, notions, and pattern making companies congregate to showcase what NEW exciting products they have to offer shop owners in the quilting/sewing industry. Our booth this year celebrated the beauty of COLOR and how color plays an important part in our lives. With a ton of team work and trial and error we created quite a impactful backdrop to which we then added framed triangle pieced mini quilts in a array of different colors to coordinate back with our wall.

AGF Pure Element Solids where used to create this display.

For extra detail and to embrace our love for nature, we incorporated hand drawn stencil florals, birds and this majestic looking deer pictured below!

We also created the AGF Shop, a place for shops attending Market to purchase a few (or more then a few ) of our new AGF Curated Bundles. We made sure to bring a nice selection of our Designer Palette, Color Master and AGF Bundle Up Bundles and Boxes!

 Here I am below doing a little shopping myself! Clearly, I couldn’t decided on just a few bundles but since Quilt Market only happens twice a year it is a good time to splurge a little and treat yourself!

It took two days to set up our booth and I couldn’t be more proud of what we accomplished! Below are a few progress photos of how we turned a boring old space into a colorful, bright, inviting place for our sewing friends to stop by and say hi and talk about all things fabric and so much more! 

The event lasted three days where we showed all that came by our newest fabric designs and of course the AGF Crew was all decked out in AGF Fabrics!

Two of our lovely designers Bonnie Christine  and Dana Willard stopped by to say hello and it was so great catching up with them! 

We also were so honored to see so many of you wearing or toting around your AGF makes! 

Long Sleeve T (Made with AGF Craft Bound and Backpack made from Indie Folk Fabrics.

For all of you who followed along to our social media and IG Stories, I hope you had a blast and thank you for all your kind words and support! You all mean so much to us, you are the reason we keep working hard to strive to bring you the best of the best in color and design and in everything we do!

Happy Sewing,

Meli

If you haven't gone yet, you MUST go to Hawaii at least once in your lifetime! There's so much beautiful scenery to take in there! The sunsets, the gorgeous Pacific Ocean, the amazing food like fresh pineapple..it's truly a gorgeous and magical place. My favorite part of visiting Hawaii was going horse back riding where "Jurassic Park" was filmed, I felt like at any moment a dinosaur was going to pop out of the huge trees there. It was completely surreal and breathtaking. 

Say “Aloha” to Mister Domestic’s new fabric collection, “Aura!” Inspired by an island adventure with his daughter "Helena" to Hawaii, exotic botanicals, playful sea turtles and dolphins come to life in “Aura.” Using hues like brick reds and golden mustards, this color palette is filled with a warmth that radiates from Hawaiian sunrises and sunsets.  Aura is perfect for your quilting or sewing needs, available in two knits and a rayon for garments. This collection can be used to create tropical-inspired quilts, pillows, table runners, wall hangings, garments, and travel bags. I would definitely love to make some retro-inspired Hawaiian mens' shirts with these fabrics and a travel, duffel bag! 

Head over to our “Aura Fabric Lookbook” to discover sewing projects and ideas!

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

Download Quilt Pattern

Here's my top picks for blenders that can easily coordinate with gorgeous, tropical prints of "Aura!"

Wait, wait there's more! You guessed it! Enter a chance to win this fabulous, fabric bundle by signing up to our giveaway:

Congratulations to our winner, Deanna Wall! 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!

Happy October! This month is my absolute FAVORITE month since it's officially fall and Halloween is SOON!

To make this amazing month EVEN MORE EXCITING, here at AGF we're going to launching several new products for you! We've been secretly working on some things the past few months, and now the time is finally HERE to share it all with you! Drum roll, please!

 The secret is out! AGF NOW HAS BUNDLES!       

We’re so SUPER thrilled to introduce you to a new way of sewing, AGF CURATED BUNDLES! This amazing sewing community is always inspiring us everyday to be better and to create better! We ALWAYS love seeing what you create from start to finish. We feel we're a part of you, and at the same time we feel you’re a part of us, that’s why we’re constantly trying to help you to design and sew your best projects with our fabrics! These are not your standard pre-cuts, but bundles specially curated to sew easy and fast, making the most of your time because we understand that in these crazy, busy times you need ideas to sew simple and quick projects.

We call it “conceptual sewing” and we’re sure you’ll absolutely love it! 

Stay tuned THIS WEEK and THIS MONTH via our Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Pinterest as we will be posting more details about these amazing bundles! :)

Until then, keep creating and thanks for being our biggest inspiration! 

- Sophia 

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