Art Gallery Fabrics - The Creative Blog

Calling all you rayon lovers! We have some SUPER EXCITING news for you! For the FIRST TIME EVER, we’re launching four, new rayons that are filled with STRIPES...meaning you’ll have more options to play with regarding prints. From a white and black combination to blue, teal, and a mustard (my fave), these RAYON STRIPED fabrics are timeless go-to’s and extremely versatile for so many different kinds of sewing projects. 

Our rayon is 100% natural (made from wood pulp), so it’s extremely lightweight and flowy that creates an ultra smooth hand and delicate drape. If you've never sewn or felt our rayon, I highly recommend you get your hands on some, ASAP. It's seriously so dreamy feeling! I have several dresses made from our rayon and LOVE the way they feel, the colors also hold up after each wash.

Since we love thinking “outside the box,” we decided to switch things up for this substrate’s fabric lookbook and create not only garments but a quilt and some fun accessories too. This lookbook was a lot of fun to put together, so we hope it inspires you to try something different and sew outside your comfort zone, especially with quilts. :)

For more rayon-filled projects that include a quilt, garments and cute accessories like scrunchies and scarves, head over to our "Rayon Striped Lookbook! 

Here's our dreamy "Stripy Quilt" for you to sew up using our rayon, just click the below link for the FREE pattern:

Download Quilt Pattern

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

For the prize, you'll receive 5 YARDS of your FAVORITE, Rayon Striped! (white + black, blue, teal, or mustard)

 To enter this giveaway, please click here. Giveaway ends Friday, February 22nd, 2019.

Winner will be announced here on our blog. Open Internationally.

Good luck! 

*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!

"When there's not enough time for making, sometimes you just need to get away. Handmade getaways are a rare chance to sew from morning to night, to eat delicious things, and to take care of our friends. There is nothing else quite like it."

If you're looking for a new book that's filled with projects and TONS of inspiration, you should definitely check out Handmade Getaway! This book was brought to life by the talented  Jacqueline Sava Clarke (who I had the pleasure of meeting at last year's Spring Market in Portland!) and Karyn Valino who have been "getting away" together with their friends, sewing projects, scrumptious food, cute dogs and a camera for over seven years. They decided to put these "getaways" into a book and filled the pages with 14 individual and  7 group projects, planning tools, tips, and of course..a lot of gorgeous imagery for their adventures to inspire you. I think my favorite might be the "Cyanotype Printing" technique and the ideas they show of how to create things with it. I want to make some tea towels for gifts using that technique! 

Whether you're a beginner sewist or an advanced maker, and if your preference for a "getaway" is the woods or just your sewing room, there's something for every level and interest in this book that will help you focus on your strength and passion!

- HANDMADE GETAWAY GIVEAWAY - 

Congratulations to Melissa Brockway! Please check your email. 

I remember walking into my "Sacred Geometry" class in art school and being so confused by everything our teacher was explaining for the first, few weeks. The class involved a lot of math and applying it to creating art, and well, math and I aren't the best of friends, haha! It wasn't until a few weeks when he started breaking down how artists during the Renaissance period used a special grid to create their paintings that I suddenly become super intrigued and wanted to know more and more! The special grid was called "The Golden Ratio" or also known as "The Divine Proportion" and was used by some of the greats like Leonardo Da Vinci. From that moment on, I've never look at a painting from that time period the same way and feel super grateful for learning that secret! I often use it in my own approach to design. 

Fast forward to modern day where we still use grids to not only create paintings, but also use them in almost everything from using them as guides in Photoshop for graphic design, on our phones to take a that perfectly symmetrical picture, and even to design that perfect quilt block. Grids are also used in architecture, city planning (NYC is all on a grid!), and can even be found in nature. Our designer Katarina Roccella was inspired by this whole idea and decided to make it her main focus for her PhD thesis in art. After spending time researching and becoming more inspired, she decided this whole idea had to be turned into a fabrics which is now our latest collection, GRID! 

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

Here's our  "Megapixel Quilt" for you to to make! Just click the below link for the FREE pattern:

Download Quilt Pattern

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

- - - GRID GIVEAWAY - - -  

Congratulations to our winner, Buffie Lorah! 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, 

Hope you're all enjoying 2019, so far!

This year, we're planning BIG things here at AGF and super excited to share all of them with you, these next couple months! With that, I'd like to announce that our AGF family is getting a little bigger and I'd like to introduce you to our newest designer - Alexandra Bordallo! Currently residing with her husband and young son in Spain, Alexandra's whimsical style caught our eye, and we just knew she had to be part of our talented team.

Here's a little interview I did with her, so you can get to know her a little better and hear about her background!

1. Can you describe your creative path and what brings you to where you are today?

As a kid, I enjoyed making woven bracelets with my friends and I took painting and piano classes. When I was age 15, I bought my first sewing machine. I’m always trying to challenge myself to learn new sewing and quilting skills. I also have a knitting, crochet and embroidery obsession which also are my favorite fall and winter activities.

Being a mom has changed my perspective in every way. When my son was born, I wanted to spend all my time with him. I was working part time as a social worker and selling my sewing creations on my Etsy shop. I built my sewing brand and was sharing my creations on my Instagram account, just for fun. My love for sewing and fabrics are the reason why I started to learn how to draw and design repeating patterns. In September 2015, I took my first surface design course. I've been learning so much by following Bonnie Christine’s Skillshare classes! She’s an amazing teacher and her advice encouraged me to follow my dream. I started drawing and designing repeat patterns all the time.

I focused all my energies into only one industry and started calling myself a fabric designer. I keep learning and practicing. I often work late nights just to finish a repeating pattern or draw some new sketches for future designs. After five years of hard work with a few ups and downs, my dream finally came true and I can't wait to sew with my own fabrics soon.

2. Describe your design style.

It’s a tough question. I think my work is constantly evolving and I like to experiment with new drawing techniques and materials. My style often includes hand drawn inky lines, naïve motifs, quirky sketches inspired by nature and everyday objects.

3. How do you find inspiration and organize it?

Inspiration comes from people around us, feelings and experiences. I love being outside in nature with my family, reading books with my son, listening to music and taking photos as future inspiration. I start with an idea or object to draw as reference. When I do not know what to draw, I often draw flowers and from there everything begins to flow again. All my designs start with hand drawing in my sketchbook. When I have a bunch of sketches I am happy with, I scan them and start coloring in Adobe Illustrator, building the repeating pattern. I can spend hours recoloring a design. Color is everything!

4. When you're about to sit down and begin designing, do you have a certain ritual you have to do in order to begin your creative process?

I need to wear comfortable clothes, a pair of leggings and a big t-shirt. I have some nail polish on my desk and I often find myself painting my nails when I feel overwhelmed. Recently, I decided to draw directly with ink pen into my sketchbook to avoid my stupid perfectionism voice and just draw without thinking too much.

5. My spirit animal is....

A dragonfly!

6. Five things you can't live without....

My son, water, music, my sewing machine, and....my son :)

7. Do you have any goals lined up for 2019?

Last summer, I released my first sewing pattern, the #2in1summerbag and I’m writing new patterns to release with my first fabric collection. I also would love to learn how to sew garments for myself!

Please make sure to give Alexandra a warm welcome and stay tuned for more to come!

Keep creating,

- Sophia 

Even though it's technically winter, here in Florida we're used to warm sunshine this time of year! You'll often find us Floridians decorating palm tress with Christmas lights, and there's been several years where I've even gone to the beach on New Year's Day with the family. 

With this in mind, we decided to stick to what we know and bring in some warmer climates with Maureen Cracknell’s latest collection, Sun Kissed! Inspired by soaking up the sunshine and glowing skin after a cool swim, this fabric line features cute smiley suns, swimming pool tiles, tropical florals and palm trees swaying in a relaxing breeze. It's like one big tropical dream. 

With a color palette of ocean blues, cherry reds and citrus fused yellows, Sun Kissed is sure to create a “island escape” feel in your sewing projects.  From “summer time” feeling quilts, throw pillows, rugs, beachy accessories, and effortless, resort-inspired garments for strolling along a boardwalk, you’ll definitely have some “fun in the sun” sewing with these twenty prints!

For more beachy inspired projects that include quilts, garments and home decor patterns, head over to our "Sun Kissed Fabirc Lookbook!" 

Here's our lovely "Sun Spots Quilt" made by Maureen Cracknell for you to enjoy, just click the below link for the FREE pattern:

Download Quilt Pattern

- - - - SUN KISSED GIVEAWAY - - - - 

Congratulations to our winner, Sarah Zimmerman! Please check your email to claim 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!

Hope you enjoy our last collection of this year and wishing you all have a happy, healthy 2019! 

Keep creating,

- Sophia 

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!