...fun fabric friday...kiwi fruit harvest by patricia bravo

Ok, we're starting up another new series called Fun Fabric Friday! If the name of the store is So FUN Fabrics, then I ought to point out some fun fabrics, right? Maybe we'll get to the point where we call it Triple F...you know, like how Guy Fieri calls his show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, Triple D. Too cheesy maybe? I don't know, but since Guy and I are from the same town, I think that means I can pull it off :)

So the first fabric for this new series is Kiwi Fruit Harvest from Patricia Bravo's Color Splash collection. This collection came out earlier this year and I don't think too many people know about it. The name pretty much says it all though - there's a ton of color in this line! That's part of why it's so fun...but there's also the creative name. I didn't realize what the repeating design was until I did my first post on the collection. It's kiwi slices!

And to make this fabric even more fun, it's on sale! I just put the remaining prints from this collection on sale for $7.50/yd! Patricia's new line Girly Girl is due out soon and I need to make room for it. Summer is fading, so grab up some of this fun, summery fabric and make something cheery to brighten those soon-to-be dreary Fall and Winter days!


For the love of fabric,


fabric fan

...coming soon...MODA pre-cuts & patterns

So Fun Fabrics is branching out! I'm so excited to be offering Moda pre-cuts. As many of you know, they are a great way to get a little bit of an entire fabric line! Whether it's Charm Packs, Jelly Rolls or Fat Quarter bundles, they're fantastic to work with. Want to make a quilt but don't want to cut squares or strips down to size from a large piece of fabric? Well, Moda has done the work for you. Well, most of it anyway...you still have to make the quilt! For those of you who aren't quite sure what comes in a Honey Bun or a Layer Cake, let me break it down for you.

Fat Quarter bundle - 18" x 22" (approximately)
Layer Cake - 10" x 10" squares
Charm Pack - 5" x 5" squares
Jelly Roll - 2.5" x 45" strips
Honey Bun - 1.5" x 45" strips
Dessert Roll - 5" x 45" strips
Turnover - 6" triangles

Moda's designers do a great job of producing patterns that specifically use the shapes and sizes in the above list. For example, Fig Tree & Co.'s French Kiss quilt pattern uses 1 Honey Bun and 1 Charm Pack for the majority of the quilt top (look for this combination in the shop soon!). And if you're looking for some fantastic free patterns and project ideas geared towards pre-cuts, check out Moda Bake Shop. There's tons of great stuff in there!

As I delve more into the quilting world personally, I find the idea of pre-cuts fascinating. Maybe to a beginner this is much more exciting, but the thought of cutting all those strips and squares seems rather tedious, so why not let someone else do it for you? Although, with family roots in the Midwest, I do understand and appreciate the idea of making the whole quilt yourself - fabric cutting included!

I have a freshly delivered box of Moda patterns sitting next to me right now, and I'm anxiously awaiting their coordinating pre-cuts to arrive. I look forward to offering you some great patterns and pre-cuts from some of my favorite new lines including Happy Campers, Mill House Inn, Simple Abundance and Rouenneries, with more to come in the future!

For the love of fabric,

fabric fan

...in search of...the perfect baby quilt pattern

I've said before that I'm a beginner when it comes to sewing.  And I mean it.   I want to get better, but I seem to be lacking the motivation to do it.  So, to give myself a kick in the pants, I told my friend Mindy that I was going to make her a baby quilt for her baby girl.  I even had her pick out fabrics...some lovely Amy Butler prints.


I've never made a quilt.  I've made 1 dress for a niece (years ago) that took just about all my sanity away at the time.  And most recently I've made some eye pillows.  That's a natural progression right?  Eye pillows to quilts?  Regardless, here I am, committed to making a baby quilt or blanket and I don't know what I'm doing.  So maybe you all can help?  I'm looking for some great tutorials, suggestions, patterns, etc.  Preferably a relatively easy pattern!  I've done some internet research already and in the process have found some amazing blogs - you guys are so creative and talented!  I aspire to be like you!  (I'm thinking of asking Allison from Cluck Cluck Sew to be my friend...maybe I could just absorb some of her quilting genius just by knowing her...)


So I've told you all my challenge and have asked for your help!  Send some suggestions my way folks!  And stay tuned to the blog...I will be posting about this little journey along the way, mishaps and all.  It's bound to be good for a few laughs here and there! :-)


Ok, I've told Mindy...I've told my husband...and now, all of you.  The pressure is officially on!  Baby is due in October, so let's see if I can get it done in time!


For the love of fabric,


fabric fan

...don't be a leader, be a follower

A So Fun Fabrics blog follower that is! I just added the Google Friend Connect gadget to the sidebar and I'd love it if you started following me! It's an easy way to stay connected to the blog and to invite your friends to check it out. It's also a great way to find folks out there with other fantastic blogs! And don't worry, you don't have to be a "Google person" to start following :) Hope to see you on the sidebar!

For the love of fabric,

fabric fan

PS - Don't forget to follow me on Twitter too!

...in the shop now...patricia bravo spellbound

Spellbound is the first of three new lines coming out by Patricia Bravo of Art Gallery Fabrics. Coming up next month is Girly Girl (sweet florals and dainty designs) and arriving in October is Alhambra II (a revamping of her original hit line). I think those of you missing a certain recently discontinued floral line by one of our favorite designers will be happy with some of the fabrics in the Girly Girl line.

Art Gallery's website defines Spellbound as:

"An eclectic, captivating and spellbinding collection. It combines modern, ethnic and retro styles with enchanting and mysterious prints, making it versatile for any project. The color palettes are deep, glowing, vibrant and striking giving free reign to your imagination."

And as always, creatively named colors fill each fabric...spring crocus, larkspur, whisper white, aspen gold.

Here's what you'll find in the shop:

Stop by the shop and take a look at these great fabrics...and while you're there, check out the Sale and Clearance section featuring Amy Butler, Joel Dewberry and Anna Maria Horner fabrics, plus ModKid Patterns!

For the love of fabric,

fabric fan

...on sale now...butler, horner, dewberry, mod kid

Hey everyone! With so many great fabric lines coming out in the next couple months, I have to make room on the shelves for them by having a sale! And that means even more savings for you! The sale section in the shop has just been loaded with a variety of fabrics including:

• Amy Butler Daisy Chain
• Amy Butler Midwest Modern I & II
• Amy Butler Nigella
• Joel Dewberry discontinued prints
• Mod Kid Patterns
• Anna Maria Horner Good Folks

There are just a few remaining prints left from Nigella, Midwest Modern and Good Folks, so get them while they're still available. And the few discontinued Joel Dewberry prints I have remaining, I'll admit, are kind of random, but there's nothing wrong with that, right? And check out the Mod Kid Patterns...they ship free with any fabric purchase (that's already a savings of at least $2.25!) so why not pick out some fabric to make those patterns with!

Stay tuned to Twitter and/or keep your eye on the blog because we've got some great fabrics heading this way...Tula Pink's new Hushabye line, Patricia Bravo's next line called Girly Girl, and some great Moda pre-cuts and patterns!

Hope to see you in the shop!

For the love of fabric,

fabric fan

...in the shop now...patty young mezzanine

Ok, the whole Mezzanine line is finally listed in the shop! It took me forever, I know, but after a little confusion with the manufacturer about my order, the whole line is available for purchase. Patty's website explains that this line "...was inspired by the fabulous stonework, ironwork, terraces, gardens and tapestries she photographed during her travels throughout Northern Europe. You can see the French, Belgian and Dutch influence of cathedrals, theaters, museums and castles in Patty's designs."

There's a little something for everyone in this line. From pinks to greens to blues...from pastel to bright to dark...from bold design to subdued, you're bound to find something that catches your eye. Take a look at how I see this line...

Now here they are individually...

Clover Dot

Gothic Flower

Tapestry

Stained Glass

Secret Garden

Gothic Wave

Gothic Arch

Love the last one - it's my favorite! Head over to the shop now and get some of these beautiful fabrics!

For the love of fabric,

fabric fan

...customer creations...sweet pea fabrications

One of my favorite things about selling fabric is that I occasionally get to see what my customers create with their purchases. This will be the first in what I hope will be a series showcasing customers' designs and creations. We all love handmade and what it stands for...extra care, attention to detail, the joy of creating and on and on. But sometimes there are hidden gems or shops just starting out, and I firmly believe that word of mouth is a key component in promoting handmade items (and supply shops!:) This is just my way of saying thank you for purchasing fabric from me. And who knows, maybe you'll find that perfect something you've been searching for!

Today I'm featuring Sweet Pea Fabrications, which offers a wide variety of handmade items including photo clutches, smocks, burp pads and Wee Wubby's. What are Wee Wubby's? Well, you're just going to have to go check out Janis' store to find out! In her shop, you'll also find some great bags, one of which she used fabric from my shop.

I love the combination of Amy Butler's Morning Glory and Full Moon Dots, plus you can fit everything you need in this fabulous sling bag. These fabrics not your cup of tea? That's ok, because Sweet Pea Fabrications will let you choose the fabrics you want! Just head over to my shop (or another fabric shop, if you must:) to pick out what you want and let her know! Janis is great to work with and I'm sure you won't be disappointed!

You can also check out her blog here and her Facebook page here to learn more about Sweet Pea Fabrications!

For the love of fabric,

fabric fan

PS - If you've purchased fabric from me and would like to be featured in a future post, please let me know! If you haven't purchased fabric from me, why not? :)

...(almost) in the shop now...patty young mezzanine

It's finally here! Patty Young's newest collection, Mezzanine, sold out of its first printing so quickly, many retailers were forced to wait for the second printing. Can you imagine how hard it has been to wait?! But let me just say that it's been worth it...the colors, the designs, the possibilities! I have so many ideas swirling around in my head it's not even funny!

I'm off to take pictures and start working on the listings. Be back soon with a full write-up!

For the love of fabric,

fabric fan

...in the shop now...patricia bravo revive

A while ago I wrote a post about another Patricia Bravo line. I intended to write up this current post soon after, but incoming fabrics and vacations made me forget all about it! So although this is later than I intended to introduce you to Revive, it's still a great time because this line is PERFECT for summer! With colors like turquoise, sea green and crisp white, and designs reminiscent of tropical islands and the ocean, you'll be taken away to a relaxing, tropical getaway...or at least to the beach or pool with your family! Take a look at these fabrics and tell me they don't just scream summer...

Sea Graphic Bloom

Eggshell Flower Fusion

Blue Restful Medallions

Fresh Wispy Seedheads

And when you group them all together you can see how well all the individual colors just blend from one design into the next. And did you notice how Sea Graphic Bloom has those Wispy Seedheads running through the pattern? Love it!

Now, as I've mentioned before, I'm just starting out in the sewing world and I'm a little intimidated with the whole process of "making" something, but this fabric has inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and attempt something new! I have a bag pattern that has been sitting in a drawer in my studio for quite a while now and I think this fabric is perfect for it.

And, if the bag goes well, I have lofty goals of making one of Patricia's quilts, seen hanging to the left of Patricia in this photo from her Quilt Market blog entry:

This photo is property of Patricia Bravo / Art Gallery Fabrics and was used with permission.
Please do not reprint, copy or use without permission from them.

Patricia is one of the feature designers in Quilt Magazine's Oct-Nov issue (hitting stores very soon!) and this quilt will be featured! I can't wait to get my copy! If these fabrics have me ready to make a quilt, then you know they must be inspiring!

And if you need a little more inspiration, check out Patricia's blog for lots of great ideas, photos, tutorials and even free projects! In the meantime, head over to the shop and check out these perfect summer fabrics!


For the love of fabric,


fabric fan