i_heart_fabric

Rainy Sunday Curtains...

Since our neighbors cut down a big patch of the bamboo that protects our modesty, it was time for some new dining room curtains. We get a lot of sunlight through these windows, so I was looking for something sort of sheer. The Hancock Fabrics in Greenwood on 85th is going out of business and I was hoping to find some groovy light curtain fabric, but nothing I really fancied. (I am going to stop back in a couple of weeks to get some super bargains though..) I got this great book at the Goodwill today, Hand Made Modern by Todd Oldham.

   

In it was a neat printing idea for sheets and pillows. I adapted the idea for some curtains. I had around 3 yards of white muslin and some fabric paints that I had bought a couple of years ago and never used. The paints are Setacolor and set with an iron. You just dump out the paint onto a plastic plate and use a plastic cup to make circle designs.

 

I used green, brown and deep red fabric paint. It was so fun and easy. The hardest part of this project was trying to keep the kitty from jumping onto the table. She has a lot of creative input. I ended up using the reverse side of the print just because the print side was so bright and I had a few smudges that weren't very pretty. Finished off the edges and hung them this evening in time for bbq party tomorrow :)

Top it off...

Most of these new hat styles are available at the shops Presence or Derby in Seattle or (hopefully) on my website soon. Special orders are welcome, www.suzyfairchild.com

Lucky Me!

Super fantastic! My bags and hats are listed in the Lucky magazine Lucky magazine Picks of the Week, love it!

Girly time...

I am so crazy in love with Catherine Malandrino's Spring Dresses! Being an official girly-girl I could wear dresses every day. I have stacks of fabric put aside in a 'make a dress' pile, so best get sewin' before the summer is over! I found these cute images from the Ron Herman website. I love the backgound fabrics for each item. I can't imagine the time it would take to change the backgrounds for each outfit. It really makes a difference though. Cuteness!

Hi, weird little 70's crafts...

Our road trip to Montana last week gave me the opportunity to indulge in a favorite hobby, buying 70's craft books.

I got a stack of them at the Goodwill in Missoula for 10 cents each.

We hit a few antique malls and groovy little junk shops, I bought loads of 50's dress patterns, a stack of vintage wrapping paper (really great prints!), funky mushroom decals and a few pieces of vintage fabric. Such great inspiration from the 70's, craft was so huge then as it is becoming more now. My knitting skills are limited to scarves and well things made from squares of knitting, but I have recently tried my hand at crochet. I started with rosettes which are good fun, but with all these 70's crochet books I wanted to try something a bit more adventurous. I crocheted this little hat and flower in the car ride from Seattle to Missoula MT.

Most of the way is to winding too look away from the road, but a long stretch through Eastern Washington is very flat, so perfect for not getting car sick. I'm going to try for some abstract flower scarves to sell in the wintertime. We have another road trip in July, so I'll be bringing my huge bag of yarn with us!

Bolster up

This last week has been all about pillows. Bolster pillows! The Derby Salon has ordered 8 of my patchwork pillows in mango and sage for their spa chairs. I have had to put delivery off twice due to the fact that my wholesale pillow forms were taking forever to get here. I used a company that I found on the internet and had never used before. It took over a month to get my pillow forms and ever time I called the company I kept getting "the pillows are in the mail" story. So aggrivating! I went to the fabric store yesterday and bought stuffing and calico to make them myself today, low and behold they actually turned up this morning! A huge box of 17 bolster pillows! I just can't believe my luck. The patchwork covers have been done for a week now, just waiting for their insides and I don't have to stuff 8 pillows! Very happy about that. Derby will have their spa pillows tomorrow, they are to order as well, so customers of the spa can order pillows in any color way for themselves.

Here is the cute logo of the Derby Salon...

 

Making Babies (Bags)

Spring is baby season and funky new mom's are in need of great diaper bags! I have been making a really cute diaper bag for a few years that looks like a really huge handbag. The mom can pick out her fave fabrics and trims and I make it up to order.

I resently tried a new style in leather. It was for a trendy couple that needed something that dad could carry as well without looking odd. So, they chose a faded teal colored leather of which I (luckily) have a whole hide of. I added a brown piping accent since all colors are going back to brown this year. It is sort of an enormous airline bag style, with a belt on the front seperating the front pockets. I recycled the belt from the Goodwill. The pockets are lined in a brown pvc, the inside is lined in an aqua cotton fabric and has an adjustable brown leather strap that is backed with a brocade fabric. There is a zipper pocket at the back and a huge inside pocket. I think when I make this bag again I will try to back the leather with something other than the pvc, I broke about 7 needles trying to sew through 8 layers. It was quite a struggle, but made it in the end!