Baby Love

Geometric patterns are so much fun and as you can see, with only two colors, a beautiful scene is created and the look completed with the beautiful table cover!  I came across these pictures at Chic & Cheap Nursery and immediately imagined how lucky and grateful this lady must have been to walk into this room with the beautiful decor.  The attention to detail and the time spent on collaborating all these fantastic ideas only develop from love.  I have not had the luxury of having my first child yet, however, I can imagine my shower will be a day I will remember forever.  Why not make it creative and beautiful by incorproating fabric?  The table cloth pictured here is made by Wildflower Linens.  Words cannot describe how beautiful the items are that they carry. 



*Pictures taken by Gertrude and Mabel Photography

Ikat Textiles

Ikat means "to bind," and is an ancient way of creating a design in fabric by resist-dyeing the threads before it is woven.  Originating in Uzbekistan, tiny bits of platic are tied onto the threads of the weft (crosswise filling threads).  When put into the dye, the tightly tied thread resist the color and create a pattern when the platic ties are removed.

Ikats are often symbols of status, wealth, power and prestige.  Modern Uzbek adras ikats in cotton and silk are brightly colored with good imported natural dyes and is a labor-intensive process.   Handwovens, free of the chemical additives and stresses of power-loom production, are vastly different in appearance and feel from machine-made fabrics. Plainweave ikat fabrics, due to the unique resist patterning, look the same on both sides of the fabric; there is no right side and wrong side to the cloth. The Uzbek adras ikats typically have 2” to 3” solid borders along each selvage.

Aren't these beautiful???

                                   

*These fabric images are from uzbekalive.com and very reasonably priced from $14.99/yard to $29.99/yard. 

Take a look at what this fabric can do to a room.  They create an old world feeling surrounded by beauty and culture. 

*Image from Thephilippineslife.com

*Image from chemop.com.pl

*Image from prioritywindows.com

Amy Amy Amy

Anyone who knows me or who has a similar love of fabric, knows of AMY BUTLER.  I looooove Amy Butler fabrics because they are affordable, adorable, and absolutely beautiful.  They create beautiful pillows, skirts, and now wallpaper, EEEEK!!!!  Her chic designs have developed into an amazing brand, and I fully anticipate seeing it featured in home decor magazines, blogs, and perhaps on HGTV.  Who knows, maybe my house if my husband lets me?!?!?

*All images are from http://www.grahambrown.com/us/designer-wallpapers/Amy-Butler where you can also purchase by the roll in her many other designs.  The ones I posted are some of my faves!

For the Love of Chevron

Chevron (or Cheveron) is a pattern with an inverted V-shape continuum.  It is a classic pattern that even dates back to 1800BC on rock carvings and pottery in ancient Greece.  Because it's a classic, it can never go out of style.  It's clean, simple, and one of my all time favorite patterns. 

Premier Fabrics offers some chevron in simple colors below.  Some shades are also available in burlap.  Premier fabrics are available at many fabric stores, and on sale often at Fabric.com.

These chevron fabrics are so colorful and just adorable.  They make me think of a kid's playroom.  Maybe I will order some to decorate my niece and nephew's rooms?!?!  These patterns are by Remix and also available at Fabric.com for purchase. 

           

Now, how to incorporate chevron into your life if you cannot sew your own pillows or window treatments with the fabrics shown above.  Buy from Etsy!  Check out the items I discovered.  

 
  

{ Chevron Scarves at candacescloset.etsy.com }

  



{ Baby Leg Warmers at buggabuggaboutique.etsy.com }





{ Chevron Ring Accessory at daredream.etsy.com }





{ Chevron Plates at aedrieloriginals.etsy.com and follow her blog at aedriel.blogspot.com }



Chandelier Heaven

I came across this chandelier on one of my favorite blogs House of Turquiose.  It is abslutely stunning!!!! The only questions is how can we incorporate fabric into this chandelier (since this blog is onviously about turning fabric into love).  Well, make a chandelier chain cover! 

What fabric to use?  You cannot take away from the vivid colors so my suggestion is a white or beige linen.  Possibly even a brown linen to give it a little texture and sort of disappear so that the turquoise and lime green still pop.

                                                            

It would be easy to replicate this idea into a smaller version with a longer chain, therefore more fabric!  Ahh the love!

Dresser Makeover with Fabric!

My mother-in-law gave us this old dresser years ago, and for some reason I loved it even though it had been scratched and dented all over.  I don't have a china hutch so I store my grandmother's china in it and keep it in the kitchen/dining area.  It needed a face lift so of course it required a coat of paint and fabric to dress it up.  I lined the drawers in this beautiful sort-of Ikat fabric in yellow and pink.  It goes with the blue I chose for the dresser.  I love lined drawers in old pieces like this, especially in a pattern.  It's like a little something extra!

{ Lovely Fabrics }

Wahlah!  Completed!

The Bow Dress

I created this dress for a wedding I went to in February.  Everyone loved it so I've decided to share it here and post it on Etsy as my first item.  It can be made in any fabric, however, my favorite is the dupioni silk because it is soooo lush (yeah I just said a fabric was lush)!  Is there a better color than pink, really?  I don't think so.  The bow on the shoulder just makes it too fabulous for words, eeek!

Having too much fun at the wedding...