"Does this Go?" How to Choose and Combine Fabrics for your Sewing Projects - Part 2

Last week I posted Part 1 of my interviews with a few of my favorite designers asking them important questions about how to choose fabrics when sewing childrens' clothing.  I asked them questions including, What fabrics go together? Which colors look nice alongside each other? How many prints or colors is too many? What size print should you choose? Do you stay safely with one designer's line of fabric or do you mix them up? And ... where do you even start? Their answers were helpful, inspiring, and most interestingly, very different from each other.

Renae of Fluffy Girl Boutique is a long time friend and inspiration to me. Her fabric choices are always fun without being 'too much'. How does she do it? 

Fluffy Girl Boutique

How do you choose?

When I see a pattern I just get an idea what fabric will work with it. Do I want bold colors or soft pastels? It depends on the pattern. If it’s a nice sweet party dress then I would pick a light colored fabric with small patterns. Ruffled skirts would need less bold prints because you wouldn’t see the entire print. A fun maxi dress would be great with big bold print.

What fabrics "go" together?

Most of the time I pick one bigger print and then find a small print to coordinate with it. I like to add a coordinating dot, stripe or animal print. 

Which colors look nice together?
 I look at my main print, pick a good color and then match it. 

How many prints or colors are too many?

I think too many bold prints aren’t as pleasing to the eye. I’ve always heard it’s better to design with odd numbers. Use 3 or 5 prints. I really try to have one color in all the fabrics. 

What size print should you choose?

The size should depend on the person you are creating it for. You wouldn’t want a big print for a 1 yr old. Tiny prints on a tween might look more childish. 

Do you stay safely with one designer's line of fabric or do you mix them up?

I usually stay with one designer. I do have lots of dots that work with most. I don’t think I ever mix prints with different designers. Several designers seem to have colors that only work with one line of fabric.

Where do you even start? 

I usually start with a pattern. I see how many fabrics the pattern will need. I go through my big stash and see what coordinating fabrics I have in the amount the pattern requires. I just imagine how each will look and one always seems to stand out. Sometimes I see a fabric line and I know immediately what pattern with work with it. I will buy the fabric according to the pattern requirements. A lot is about instinct and imagination. 

Made with TDD RufflePop Skirt Pattern

Renae's shop is on vacation until mid-June but keep tabs on her at the Fluffy Girl Boutique Facebook page!

KPea Original

Kathy at KPea Original was a major inspiration for this blog series! I love to look at her designs and the fabric choices - always bright and fun, and never loud or busy. Here is what Kathy shared:

I am Kathy of KPea Original. I am a fairly new designer and here are my thoughts on design.  You won't know if you are good at design until you try.  I think that some people see the world in color and shape and some don't.  For me I can see the finished dress in my mind before the fabric is ever cut.  I layer and imagine and the dresses are born.  I have a huge emotional tie to fabric.  I love to spend time seeing it in my mind and creating.

How do you choose?

If this question is how I buy fabric then it's great one LOL!  I buy everything I love and nothing I don't love.  

When choosing fabric I always start with the main print.  I shop for fabric in categories.  I buy main prints and decide while buying how many dresses I want to make and then work from there.  I buy co-ordinating fabrics generally without a project in mind.  I just like to have lots and lots of options.

 What fabrics "go" together?

Once i have the main fabric chosen I work out and down to choose the complimentary fabrics.  I ignore pattern totally and design based on color alone.  I think they only way to know if a color looks good together is to layer it and see if you like it.  What I am looking for by layering is to see what color stands out.  I want to draw the eye to each fabrics best qualities.  So if a print has a 'bad yellow' I will make sure the complimentary  fabric doesn't bring out that color.  

 

 How many prints or colors is too many?

To me there is no rule for this.  I never repeat a fabric but I don't believe you can have too many prints in dress.

What size print should you choose?

I buy what I love!  Scale is no issue for me.  I love big big prints although cutting them can be tricky.

 

 Do you stay safely with one designer's line of fabric or do you mix them up?

I almost never use designers color ways together.  It can be so boring!  Mix it up and try to put crazy fabrics together to get an unusual or remarkable result!  I never want my clothes to look like anything I have seen.  There is no 'safe' in design.  I don't think safe have ever sold well for me!  

Thank you so much to KPea Originals and photographer Hannah Hilliard for letting me share these inspirational photos with you! 

I hope you've enjoyed these interviews as much as I have! Grab some patterns, dig through that stash, and go sew! Remember, always 25% off when you buy 3 or more patterns at www.tiedyedivapatterns.com, just enter code BUNDLE at checkout.

Tie Dye Diva's FREE Layered Fabric Flower Tutorial

I love fabric flowers as a finishing touch  handmade items - hats, sashes, clutches, and more. They add a splash of contrast and a point of interest that really makes a garment look like a million bucks. I'd like to share with you how to make the fabric flower featured on one of the Tie Dye Diva Perfect Party Dress pattern samples (complete instructions are also in the pattern).

Tie Dye Diva's Layered fabric flower tutorial 

Materials:

·      Fabric strip 2” x 8” for inner layer

·      Fabric strip 3” x 10” for outer layer

·      Button at least ½” diameter for center

·      Hand needle and thread

·      Pin back

This tutorial makes a flower about 3.5" in diameter. For a larger flower, you can increase the width of the strips - the diameter of the flower will be very roughly the width of your larger strip. For a smaller, simple flower, use only the smaller strip and make the flower one layer.

Cut the strips in the materials list. Press the longer strip in half lengthwise to make a crease and unfold. 

Now fold the strip widthwise with right sides together and sew along the short edges using a ¼” seam allowance. Trim the seam allowance to 1/8”.

Turn your seam to the inside and refold along the center line you pressed, so that you have a long narrow loop.  Hand-sew a running stitch along the raw edges of the loop, through both layers – in and out, without backstitching. While you can machine-sew this step, I find hand sewing allows you to pull the center of the flower tighter for a prettier and more finished look.  Sew all the way around.

Pull the thread to gather the fabric tightly and tie them off to secure the gathers.

Repeat with the shorter strip, using a long (about 24”) length of thread. After tying the final knot off, do not cut the thread. Layer the button, the smaller layer, and the larger layer. Use the thread tail to sew the button to the center, then to secure the flower layers together, and then to secure the pin back to the flower (you could also hot-glue the pin back).

 

Here is the important part of sewing on the pin back. Don’t center the pin back on the flower – it will result in a floppy, face-down flower. Instead, decide which is the top of your flower and affix the pin closer to the top of the flower.

Now pin into place with the pin at the top of the flower, and remove for easy washing!

Shown on Tie Dye Diva Perfect Party Dress Pattern

Perfect Party Dress pattern. Photo by Kinder Kouture.

I hope you've enjoyed this free tutorial - please link to it, Facebook it, Tweet it! There are easy-share buttons up at the top (um, except for Pinterest, which is below. I'm not sure why.) Then come find some patterns in desperate need of fabric flowers to go with your new-found knowledge - you'll find for clothing, accessories, home, toys and more at www.tiedyedivapatterns.com. Enjoy!

"Does this Go?" How to Choose and Combine Fabrics for your Sewing Projects - Part 1

"Does this go?" I see this post a lot in sewing forums as seamstresses are laying out choices for their next project. Choosing fabrics for your sewing project can be delightful as being a kid in a candy store, or frustrating as putting together a puzzle with pieces that just won't fit. What fabrics go together? Which colors look nice alongside each other? How many prints or colors is too many? What size print should you choose? Do you stay safely with one designer's line of fabric or do you mix them up? Where do you even start?

I feel like choosing fabrics should be the most fun part of the whole creative process but sometimes I get bogged down asking myself questions like these. So I "talked" with a few of my favorite childrenswear designers and they graciously agreed to share their expertise on choosing great fabrics for a child's garment. Today we talk with Ashley at Chickadee Chickadee and Michelle at Hypernoodle Fabrics. Be sure to read all the way to the end for a treat from Michelle! Hint: Did I mention she runs an online fabric shop?

I am a huge fan the fresh, all-girl style I see over at Chickadee Chickadee. It's playful, it's colorful, and the twirly dresses and ruffly skirts always maintain a sense of balance. Here is what Ashley had to say on the subject of choosing fabrics for her designs:

Chickadee Chickadee

It’s so easy to fall head over heels in love with delicious fabrics and yummy new patterns...combining patterns with ideal fabrics and then fabrics with other complementary fabrics can be a little bit trickier. Sometimes I choose a pattern that I want to work with first and then go fabric hunting, but other times, I browse my fabrics and combine prints long before I know which pattern I will use to spin them together.

Many times new fabrics will arrive on my doorstep and my eagerness to play with them fresh from the box beckons me to pair other prints and get to work on something--anything--just to bring those new prints to life as quickly as possible. When I start with fabrics and then go searching for which pattern to use, I often consult my pinterest pattern board. Pinning all the patterns in my library has been so helpful in visualizing what look would best bring out the spirit of the fabric with which I am working.

Freshly released patterns also capture my attention and when I purchase a new one, often I feverishly look through my fabrics to find something suitable to test out the new design and watch it come together right away. I generally start by selecting a fabric that I want to become the focal point of the item. If the main print is big and bold, I select complementary prints for sashes, sleeves, skirt banding, etc. that are more subdued and smaller in repeat. Sometimes my focal fabric will be the bodice, other times the skirt. 
 

For this dress, the knit bodice is very loud and colorful, so I wanted the rest of the piece to be quieter and more predictable. I chose tone on tone dots and tiny circles that wouldn’t distract from the bodice for the prints that would be positioned closest to the colorful knit. I didn’t want anything super noisy for the trim on the dress, so I matched an aqua knit with the houndstooth that gives some character to the bottom of the dress but doesn’t take away from the happiness of the top portion. Sometimes I combine fabrics by thinking about the main print and its characteristics and what it means or what other images it conjures up in real life. 

For this dress, I selected the cherries first and then thought about that delicious summer fruit, and then instantly things like picnics (red/pink check fabric) and ants (black and white sash print) came to mind--from there it was pretty simple to bring it all together. Often I am often drawn to opposites or contrasts when it comes to fabric combining. 

The main print in this dress is of course masculine. So I thought that feminizing it by bringing in soft pinks and girly prints would be really fun. 

Sometimes I approach design by thinking about a point that I want to make or a message I want to convey or a spirit I hope a piece will embody. 

I think this is beyond brilliant!

I put together this dress to give to a sweet little girl who lost her siblings in a tragic situation. So much innocence was forfeited through that experience that I wanted to create a dress for her that spoke hope, childhood, fun, play.  I knew it needed to be twirly--figuring any girl would smile when given the chance to spin and that smiling would be great medicine. The fabrics themselves all have a few colors in common, but mostly don’t coordinate at all except that they each are bright and happy prints. I chose a simple knit for the bodice, knowing the tiers would be loud. The top tier is an abstract-ish floral and I selected it because of the hope and color that flowers bring in the springtime after the winter drear. The middle panel is a hopscotch print and I chose it because I wanted to convey laughter and childhood. The bottom is a bright patterned print and then another one with little birdies (my girls love it when there are critters on the clothing I make them-- those pieces become known as the “pig dress” or the “bunny dress” in our house and are frequently requested as a result). I chose the patterned print because of its bright colors and rounded lines--happiness and ease. The birdies popped out to me because of the chorus and chatter they make--I so hoped the little girl would sing and soar again on wings that lifted her high above the troubles she endured. 

Choosing fabrics for holiday outfits is lots of fun! The pink in the main portion of this Tie Dye Diva Butterfly Dress is an non-traditional Christmas color, so I knew I wanted to incorporate lots of greens and reds where I could without taking away from the girliness of it all. Bold red trim on the bodice and a simple green polka dot and non-busy green ruffle at the bottom brought out the flavors of the season. The aqua sleeves played to the chalet in the skirting and balanced out the traditional colors with a bit of the unexpected and fresh.

I hope these little “recipes” that I use might help you choose wonderful prints and use them together in fun ways! This all might be just my method to this madness that is sewing and designing, though! Either way, it is great fun to chat about fabrics and patterns!!

See more of Ashley's creations at http://chickadeechickadee.bigcartel.com/

Hypernoodle Fabrics

If you like to buy your fabric pre-matched, Hypernoodle Fabrics is the place for you! Michelle makes beautiful fabric pairings for you, so if you have a two or three-fabric design, your work is done! Here is how she does it:

When choosing fabrics to go together, I typically start with a manufacturer’s collection or “line” of fabrics.  It’s a quick, easy and reliable way to coordinate!  Here’s an example of matching coordinates with a manufacturer’s line:

But I’m a “think outside of the box” kind of gal and I don’t always stay within a line of fabrics.  Sometimes the best coordinates may be from the same manufacturer, but are from different lines, like this:

or this:

And going even further, sometimes two fabrics from two completely different manufacturers can be simply amazing-like this:

 
For the most part, I stay in the same color story but also like to go  to the opposite end of the color wheel.  Sometimes it is great to go all the way to the left with a look that is vibrant, contrasting and fun.  In general, unless you’re doing a quilt or some type of patchwork, it is best not to use more than 4 prints.  It can look too busy and muddled, especially on a garment.  If you find you want to use more than 4 prints it can still be ok, just make sure the scale and pattern of the print don't cause an eye sore.  Throw a solid into the mix!  It can easily “ground” a group of fabrics for that perfect combination.
Don’t be afraid to play with your fabrics and mix combinations:  paisley and stripes, floral and geometric, dots and chevron!  Print size really depends on the scale of your project, so keep in mind the size of the item your making when looking at small, medium or large scale prints.  Mixing scale is another great way to give your item depth and interest.

The last piece of advice I have is to really look at the coordinating fabrics in a line.  The coordinates are considered secondary prints to the main print in a collection, but take a good hard look at them…sometimes they are *better* than the main prints!  So don’t overlook them as red-headed stepchildren!  If you pull out a coordinate from a line and pair it wisely and originally, you will have a one-of-a-kind, eye catching look that hasn’t been seen before!  Happy Sewing!

Michelle is graciously giving Tie Dye Diva blog readers 10% off any order with code FABMATCH and, for any order of $50.00 or more, code BUNDLE for 15% off PLUS Free shipping on US Orders! Go shop at www.hypernoodlefabrics.com but hurry, coupon codes expire Friday 5/24/13.

Thank you to Ashley and Michelle for sharing your inspiration! Now don't you want to go dig in your stash right now? I know I do. Stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon from Fluffy Girl Boutique and KPea Original!

[Go to Part 2 here]

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day Winner!

Thanks everyone for entering the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day and thank you to Sew Mama Sew for sponsoring! I loved reading about what you are all sewing, all over the world. I've put the 175 comments into Randomizer and ... ta daaa ...

 

Number 93! This corresponds to the comment by Hueisei at Love It Sew It who said "Thanks for the wonderful giveaway! I am making a girl dress for my niece". Well now you can make a whole bunch of dresses for your niece, you just won a $25 gift certificate to my shop - congratulations!

For everyone else, please don't go away all frowny faced and empty handed.  Everyone is a winner -please take 15% off all day at Tie Dye Diva Patterns with discount code MAMASDAY15. This code is good only at www.tiedyedivapatterns.com. Remember, if you are purchasing 3 or more patterns, you'll want to use code BUNDLE to take a full 25% off your order, no limit. The 15% code expires in 24 hours from the timestamp of this post.

Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day **CLOSED**

**COMMENTS CLOSED** Come back May 12 to see if you won! 

Oh yeah baby it's Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day! I love Giveaway Day!

I'm Jen, and I'm giving away a $25 gift certificate for sewing patterns from my shop! The winner can choose from any of my nearly 70 downloadable patterns for baby, children, adults and home at www.tiedyedivapatterns.com.

Maybe you'd like to try out my newest pattern, Perfect Party Dress for Girls. No party needed.

With $25 to spend, you could pick up the matching 18" doll dress pattern, in case dolly's the party type too.

No kids? No problem. I bet you have a head ... how about the Reversible Sun Hat Pattern for Women?

Or maybe you have a man to sew for. Big or little, we've got patterns for them too.

Or any of the remaining 60+ patterns.

Here's how to enter. Just leave a comment! Let me know what you are sewing this time of year or if you are a sewer-to-be. There are, of course, no non-sewers, only those whose inner sewer is begging to be let out. She probably has scissors in there so don't keep her in too long.

If you purchase from me during the run of this contest (between time stamp of this post and the time comments are closed on May 10 at 5 p.m. PST) and you end up being the lucky winner, I will refund your purchase price for up to $25.

Winner will be drawn randomly via Random.org and announced by May 12 here on the Tie Dye Diva blog. One entry will be counted per person. I will email the PDF patterns to the winner anywhere in the world.

Post your comment below, leave a way for me to contact you, and check back on on May 12! If you can't stand the wait and want to chat about my patterns in the meantime, come join nearly 8000 Tie Dye Diva Patterns fans on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tiedyedivapatterns or in our newly-opened group of almost 800 members at https://www.facebook.com/groups/tiedyedivapatterns/ I hope to see you in both!

To enter more giveaways from other designers, bloggers, and generally awesome people, click the Sew Mama Sew logo at the top!

Sew Special WINNERS

The winners of the Sew Special Baby Gifts giveaway are:

 First Prize: Book + Sewing Kit - #64 Hun E Bee Hive

Second Prize: Book only - #54 - Joyce Jacobs
 
Congratulations to the winners, please get in touch with me for your prize!

Baby Sewing Patterns Book Giveaway!

[[COMMENTS CLOSED - winner posted in next post]]

I am so excited that the Sew Special Baby Gifts book from Annie's Catalog is finally here! I am one of several contributors to this book and I am so thrilled with the final product. It's a book I would buy even if my pattern weren't in it! Projects include a 'fun to touch' playmat, sweet giraffe plush by Ahmelie, handy nursing cover by Little Lizard King, hats, booties, bibs and more.

My contribution is the Peek a Boo Baby Block, it even made the back cover!

 With a photo endorsement like that, how could it not? The block babies love to munch.
 

I designed the Peek A Boo block to be easy for babies to hold and to be made from fabrics of varied textures. It can be stuffed with a squeaker or other noisemaker, and features a easy to open 'peekaboo' flap that reveals ... well, whatever you have decided to feature on the block face beneath ... a sock monkey, robot, kitty, baby-mesmerizing black-white-and-red design, or maybe a cute lil' lion face. The flap itself can be lined with crinkly cello for added baby fun.

The Peek a Boo Block sample featured in the book uses several prints from the adorable Robert Kaufman Lion, Roar! fabric line, some other fun bright prints, and textured chenille, with a squeaker inside and a crinkly flap.

Wouldn't you like to make one just like it?

For FREEEEE? (cue Adam Sandler from Bedtime Stories!)

I'm giving away a copy of this book plus a kit to make your own like the one you see featured. The kit includes 8 pre-cut fabric squares including that Lion, Roar! and the yummy chenille, a craft squeaker, crinkle material, patterned ribbon and even the little piece of hook-and-loop tape you'll need. You supply the stuffing, thread and love. I only have one kit, but I'll have a second place prize of the book by itself.

I'm going to make this real easy - just leave a comment to enter! For a bonus entry, share this giveaway and then make a second post letting me know specifically where you shared the link. Be sure I have a way to get in touch with you! Entries close Monday 4/8 and I'll draw a winner via Random.org. So sorry, due to the cost of postage, entries are limited to US residents only.

Good luck!