1940s wool crepe dress fabric, from Donna Flower.

Tags: 1940s, vintage, wool, wool crepe | Category: The Daily Swatch

Kata Golda’s Hand-Stitched Felt: 25 Whimsical Sewing Projects

Some people have comfort food. Me, I have comfort reading. So Kata Goldman’s Hand-Stitched Felt is like mashed potatoes in craft book form, a book I’d like to crawl into on a cold and stormy day or after a fight. Her wee felt creatures — mice, bunnies, bears — are so obviously and gloriously made with tender care, each stitch shining from the fabric. Their little faces make me smile. And the photography is like whoa; were I writing this from the local coffee shop, the patrons would be giving me funky looks for trying to pet the book I’m reviewing.

I have very little experience with felt in general and wool felt in particular, so this book was my first introduction to Kata Golda’s work. I hope to amend the situation toute-suite, of course; a few sheets of felt and my hand-sewing kit would yield a beautiful project, if her notes are anything to go by. Kata includes 25 projects in this book — more if you count her suggestions for customizing or using alternate design templates.

For those of us new to hand-sewing (or just a bit rusty) she includes a brief section on the tools needed (just a few: felt, needle, floss) and the main embroidery stitches which, in conjunction with the embroidery floss, make up the soul and character of the projects. She also gives a technique for transferring pattern designs using paper.

The projects themselves are refreshingly simple. The beauty comes from the careful planning of colors and motifs and especially the care taken in forming the stitches. Though they are supposed to look handmade, these projects don’t look sloppy or hastily done, which can be a real danger when taking large stitches on a more elemental fabric such as felt. Instead they look accessible and soft and relaxed. My kind of attitude.

The projects include not just baby and children’s items, which I would expect in a book about wool felt, but also accessories for your person, home and office. I think even someone  totally new to hand-sewing should be able to master the stitches with the aid of her instructions.

Kata lives in Port Townsend, WA, where she lives and works and seems to have it going on. (”Nestled snugly amongst the comings and goings of friends and family in a small, mossy seaside town, Kata Golda has grown into a flourishing business and creative space while allowing me to stay true to what I love to do.” That’s the life.)

For a little more about Kata’s take on felt and color, see her interview on The Purl Bee (she used to be a professional quilter!). And if you’re eager to get stitchin’, her eyeglasses case project from the book is available in full at Design*Sponge.

For more Kata Golda, check out her blog, with links to news and appearances, or follow her on Twitter or Facebook. And if you want to see some adorable felt mice drinking coffee and dancing, you better check out this video.

Tags: books, felt, kata golda, wool | Category: Reviews

This week on True Up is dedicated to wonderful wool felt. We have interviews, a source list, book reviews and roundups, and of course, a giveaway. But first off, let me introduce you to this fabric in case you’re not already acquainted, and demystify some terminology.

What is felt? Felt is a nonwoven, non-knitted textile, produced by mushing loose fibers together. It can be made from animal fibers (usually sheep’s wool), a blend of animal and other fibers (usually rayon), or 100% acrylic. Wool fibers felt because they are covered with microscopic scales that tangle and interlock when that magic combination of heat, pressure, moisture, and friction is applied. Wikipedia compares the structure of wool fibers to pinecones, which was helpful in helping me understand how the fibers become permanently interlocked.

I’m not quite sure how the acrylic fibers stick together. If you’ve ever had an acrylic felt project fall apart, you might argue that they don’t stick together!

What’s up with “fulling” vs. “felting”? Especially if you’re from the knitting world, you’ve probably heard people getting uppity about usage of the terms “fulled” and “felted.” The difference is simply this: fulled textiles start out life as woven or knitted fabric, to which the matting process is then applied. Just think of weaves and knits having tiny spaces between the yarns, and the heat/moisture/friction combo causes those spaces to be filled. Since the process and end result is so similar, I grant you permission to use the terms interchangeably around here! Fuzzy Galore has a thorough account of fulling vs. felting here.

Several types of wool fabric are fulled: blanket cloth, boiled wool, coating, loden, and melton. These would all work for most projects calling for wool felt. They vary in thickness, drape, nap, and weave of the pre-fulled cloth, but are similar enough in texture and durability.

Wool felt is expensive, but so are all wool fabrics. But a little goes a long way, and once you try it you’ll never go back to the cheapo craft store stuff. It is soft, super sturdy, comes in tons of gorgeous colors, and is incredibly easy to cut and stitch. It doesn’t fray and there is no nap or wrong side. Since it is so pricey, most people use it for small things: stuffed toys, pincushions, and other crafts.

American Felt & Craft wrote up a great “felt smackdown” comparing acrylic and eco-felt, wool blend felt, and 100% wool felt on several factors. No shocker here, but wool felt wins, with wool-rayon blends coming in a close second.

Any questions? We’ll answer them by the end of the week!

Tags: wool felt week | Category: Fabric Study

Vintage Japanese woven wool, from orime on Flickr. Orime sells (amazing) new and vintage Japanese fabrics on Etsy.

Tags: vintage, wool | Category: True Up News

It’s wool felt week here on True Up! So the back-from-vacation Daily Swatch is back with a wool theme (not sure photos of vintage wool felt would do anything for you, so I’m opening it up to wool in general). Pictured here: Welsh wool collection from H is for Home on Flickr. More of these beauties in the Welsh Wool Tapestry Photos Flickr group. (Yes, there is a group for everything now.)

Tags: tapestry, vintage, welsh, wool | Category: The Daily Swatch

Fabric.com: 20% off minky including textured and prints including the cuddle hibiscus print above. (through tomorrow only, 11/09/09). Designer Home Decor fabrics 40% off (through 11/30/09). Free shipping on all U.S. orders $35+.

Above All Fabric: 25% off tons of great fabrics, including Michael Miller and FreeSpirit designers, Echino, and Art Gallery Fabrics. (while supplies last)

Aunt Bea’s Fabric: All RJR and Thimbleberries prints on sale, $4-6/yard. yard. (through 11/14/09)

Bunte Fabrics: 20% off your total purchase. (through 11/30/09)

Contemporary Cloth: Paisley Party and Neutral Territory 20% off (through 11/14/09) And look for additional markdowns in the clearance category — Home Dec Designers now $4.99/yard.

Denver Fabrics: Fabric Stimulus Sale with tons of fabrics priced $1.99-7/yard. (through 11/16/09)

Fabric Depot: Online: 50% off select quilter’s prints and flannels and Warm & White packaged quilt batting. (through 11/11/09)

Fabritopia: Whimsy by Pillow & Maxfield $7/yard, Oh Boy! by David Walker and Be A Man by Douglas Day $6.50/yard. (through 11/16/09)

Fat Quarter Shop: 40% off Everything But the Kitchen Sink V by RJR, and tons more in the sale section. (while supplies last)

Flair for Fabric: Inventory Reduction Sale! 30% off Heather Bailey, Patty Young, Tanya Whelan, Jennifer Paganelli, Erin McMorris, Heather Ross and Valori Wells, 15% off Amy Butler’s Daisy Chain and Midwest Modern. Combine this sale with Buy More, Save More program to save up to 48%! 10%/15%/20%/25% off storewide on orders $50+/ $100+/ $150+/$200+ (through 12/25/09). Free shipping in Canada, no minimum purchase required.

Gorgeous Fabrics: 20% off a large selection of misc. fabrics. (through tomorrow only, 11/9/09)

Hancock’s of Paducah: 10% off Kona cotton solids (one yard minimum purchase). (end date unknown)

Home Ec: Free shipping (Int’l included!) with coupon code NEWSIES. (through 11/10/09)

Marie Madeline Studio: All patterns 30% off, including the
multi-sized chic sisters apron pattern, and their new summer shade jumper. (through 11/13/09) All orders $50+ receive free shipping with code CHRISTMAS09 at checkout.

Modern Organic Fabrics: 25% off all Harmony Arts fabrics, 1 yard minimum, Discount will be refunded via PayPal after purchase. Please send a message if you would like more than one yard. (through 11/13/09)

Niesz Vintage Fabric needs to make some room on her shelves — several fabrics marked down on the website and on Etsy. (while supplies last)

Phat Fabric: 20% off all Japanese Import fabrics, including Nani Iro and Echino (end date unknown). Paula Prass 25% off (through 11/30/09).

Pink Chalk Fabrics: 10% off your order with coupon code TRUEUP2009 (expires 11/9/09 midnight Pacific)

Pink Panda Fabrics: 20% off Fairy Tip Toes by Tina Givens; 10% off orders $39 CAD+ with coupon code HOLIDAY10. (through 12/1/09) Free shipping on all orders in Canada; free shipping on U.S. orders $99 USD+.

Reprodepot: additional 10% off sale items with coupon code SALE10. (through 11/11/09)

Rosebud Quilter: All Tina Givens and Robin Pandolph prints on clearance. (while supplies last)

SomeArt Fabric: 29% off orders $50+ with coupon code Happy29. (through 11/15/09)

Spice Berry Cottage: Fall spooktacular sale continues! All Halloween fabric at blowout prices!!! New Sale Lila Tueller’s Santorini 10% off. All orders $100+ receive one free yard of fabric! Please let us know your 1st and 2nd choice in the event we are out of your first preference (does not include Japanese Import fabric). (end date unknown)

Whipstitch: Deborah was hit by the recent floods in Atlanta. Some of her fabrics got wet when her studio flooded, but they are undamaged, and she washed and dried them and they’re as good as better than new! Help her out by picking up some great Joel Dewberry, Anna Maria Horner, or other prints from the flood sale section. (while supplies last)

Z&S Fabrics: 10% off storewide. (through 11/9/09)

Tags: coupon codes, Sale Alerts | Category: Sale Alerts

Flair for Fabric (Canada): Inventory Reduction Sale! 30% off Heather Bailey, Patty Young, Tanya Whelan, Jennifer Paganelli, Erin McMorris, Heather Ross and Valori Wells, 15% off Amy Butler’s Daisy Chain and Midwest Modern. Combine this sale with Buy More, Save More program to save up to 48%! 10%/15%/20%/25% off storewide on orders $50+/ $100+/ $150+/$200+ (through 12/25/09). Free shipping in Canada, no minimum purchase required.

Pink Panda Fabrics (Canada): 20% off Fairy Tip Toes by Tina Givens; 10% off orders $39 CAD+ with coupon code HOLIDAY10. (through 12/1/09) Free shipping on all orders in Canada; free shipping on U.S. orders $99 USD+.

Still Water Designs (Germany): 10% off select designers’ fabrics, changes weekly through November. This week it’s Jane Sassaman and Valori Wells. (through 11/7/09) Free shipping within Germany on orders over 50€.

Totally Fabrics (U.K.): 40% off the entire site. (end date unknown)

Tags: | Category: Sale Alerts

Please tell the audience a little about yourself, where you live, your blog and shop if you have them, what you do when you’re not sewing …

I’m Kim, a 37-year-old stay-at-home crafty mama to a preschool-going girl, and a 10-month-old boy. We live in Berkeley, California. I have a blog and an Etsy shop where I sell handmade kid stuff made from vintage fabric, felted wool, and Japanese fabrics and, of course, some vintage fabric. When I’m not sewing, I’m busy being a mama. Or baking. Or collecting more vintage fabric, buttons, or trims to sew with

How long have you been collecting vintage fabric?

Not long enough to justify my collection, that’s for sure!

Do you have any special memories of textiles from your childhood?

I don’t come from a crafty family, so there are no heirloom quilts or inherited feedsacks of which to boast. I do, however, own a fat quarter of a vintage, upcycled sheet that I had as a kid. It was a purely sentimental purchase; as vintage sheeting goes, it’s not the very mod style to which I’m usually drawn!

Kim writes, “these are two feedsacks purchased with projects in mind; in this case, I plan to make twirly skirts for my 3.5 year old daughter.”

How would you describe your vintage stash — what is the predominant fiber, era, colors, etc?

Mostly cotton feedsacks, though on the yardage front, predominantly 40s through 70s with particular emphasis on 40s-50s as I’m a sucker for 34″-36″ selvage widths. I used to be magnetically drawn to blue and green colorways, but now I’m attracted mostly to motifs like daisies, strawberries, apples, butterflies, ladybugs, apples, paisleys, and western prints. And I’m surprisingly fond of floral prints, given that I never wear them.

What does your collection say about you?

That I’m compulsive! And hopefully that I have good taste

What are your favorite sources for buying vintage fabric?

I love to buy in person, since then I can actually see and feel the fabric (textiles are so tactile for me!) and, of course, save on shipping fees. The monthly antiques fair in Alameda, California is a favorite destination. I also have online sources, including though not restricted to some great sellers on Etsy and eBay. If I said who they are then I’d have even more competition for their better offerings!

What are your very favorite pieces in your collection?

How do you store it? Any special ways of cataloging it for posterity and/or organizing it all?

All of my vintage fabric is folded and organized by genre (feedsacks here, corduroy there, 40s/50s stuff here, 60s/70s stuff there, etc.) in a closet in the office. All of my juvenile, and western fabric is up on a shelf, but the rest is in stacks on the carpeted closet floor. I plan to get it onto shelves very soon, though.

Are you more of a collector or do you use your vintage fabrics a lot in sewing?

Both, as it will take a concerted effort to use it all up. But I do believe in using it!

a stuffie, a doll blanket, and a kid tote … all made using one of Kim’s favorite fabrics, a vintage Rondo print.

Are there any holes in your stash that you’d like to fill, for example a particular color family, country, print type, or design era?

I love feedsacks with solid-colored backgrounds. I’m also still seeking that perfect bit of aqua-on-pink, narrow-width yardage. And any additional colorways that I come across of my favorites. More Rondo prints.

Do you have a holy grail — a particular piece that you’d really like to add to your collection?

More of my favorite mushroom-and-cherry Rondo print (above), in the pink/red colorway.

Do you have any favorite designers or design styles from the past?

Rondo!

What are your favorite contemporary fabrics/designers/companies?

Kokka, Lecien, and Yuwa, Heather Ross, and Liberty of London.

Two Kimmymade doll quilts created for a Craft Fair on 14 Nov at Studio Grow in Berkeley, CA. The cowboy quilt on the left is made from three different vintage Western prints (all yardage, not feedsack). The pink hopscotch on the right is made from five different feedsack prints. Kim says, “I love these both so much that if neither sells, my daughter gets one and my son the other!”

Any parting words? Please take this opportunity to answer any question you were hoping I would ask you …

I like to make kid’s stuff with my vintage fabric, both for my daughter and for sale, like totes, napkins, skirts, doll blankets, PJ bottoms, T-shirts, etc. The Western prints I’m specifically collecting to make a quilt for my son.

…
Thank you so much, Kim! Kim’s mind-blowing collection of feedsacks and yardage — not to mention pictures of the things she does with them — can be seen on Flickr.

This wraps up the first installment of the Vintage Fabric Collectors Series! We hope you enjoyed it — we loved it and are planning another for the future. Whom would you like to see featured? Let us know in the comments.

Tags: feedsacks, interviews, kimmymade, vintage fabric collector series | Category: Fabric People, Q & A

Please tell the audience a little about yourself, where you live, your blog and shop if you have them, what you do when you’re not sewing …

I’m Cassi, I’ve been blogging on my personal craft blog, Bella Dia, since 2004 and on my newest blog, The Crafty Crow (a children’s craft collective) since 2008. I’ve contributed craft designs to books and magazines and when I get a chance to do some sewing for myself I sell items from my blog or my shop on Etsy. I’m a happily single mom to three that I homeschool and we live in the mountains of southern Idaho. We also have [gulp] 18 pets that keep us entertained and busy. I haven’t been sewing as much as I’d like to in the past year and have been spending a lot of time growing The Crafty Crow but it doesn’t mean I don’t have a hundred ideas flying around in my head all the time. I just started volunteering at our senior’s center teaching arts and crafts so I’ll be able to do more hands-on crafting and sharing the fun at the same time. I also relocated my studio and I’m still trying to find places to put all my stuff. I’m a pack rat to be sure!

How long have you been collecting vintage fabric?

I think more consciously around six or seven years but I have some fabric that I’ve had for much longer and I’ve always picked up pieces I like here and there.

Do you have any special memories of textiles from your
childhood?

My mother and grandmothers all sewed for my twin sister and I so I have lots of memories of great fabrics. We had one dress we called our psychedelic dress (um, yeah, this would be the late sixties) and we always made sure to wear it when we knew we’d be playing Red Rover at school — that way we could run over on any color that was called We also had a matching faux fur poncho and mini skirt …

How would you describe your vintage stash — what is the
predominant fiber, era, colors, etc?

I snatch up just about anything that suits my fancy so I have fabrics from the 30s through the 70s. I like prints, novelty and floral especially, and bright, crisp colors. I don’t think I have a predominant fiber but if there is one I’d say it’s cotton, that’s my favorite anyway.

What does your collection say about you?

Well, I’ve only heard rumors but apparently they can’t understand how I could love them so much, yet, let them languish on the shelves barely seeing the light of day. ;D

What are your favorite sources for buying vintage fabric?

I wish I had a dependable resource but most of mine have been found by chance at thrift stores, estate sales, and flea markets. I love eBay but I’ve grown impatient with the auction platform so I don’t use it much anymore. When I have time, I like to look through the offerings on Etsy as well.

What are your very favorite pieces in your collection?

Oh boy … I have a sweet graphic daisy print in blue, yellow, and red that I love for no other reason than that it makes me happy to look at it, a pink and red floral with dark navy details, another floral graphic in dark pink, pink and chartreuse and a cute print covered with red and blue patterned hobo knapsacks.

How do you store it? Any special ways of cataloging it for
posterity and/or organizing it all?

No special ways of storing it — it’s all folded on the shelves with my other fabrics. I do try and take a picture of each new piece and add it to my photos on Flickr. I have framed a few favorites too, just so I get to see them, but that’s about it.

Are you more of a collector or do you use your vintage
fabrics often in sewing?

It would probably seem I just collect them but I really do intend to use them someday! I’ve used bits here and there as part of a patchwork like this drawstring tote and journal.

Are there any holes in your stash that you’d like to fill,
for example a particular color family, country, print type,
or design era?

I would love more feedsacks and some vintage Dutch designs would be heaven.

Do you have any favorite designers or design styles from
the past?

Feedsacks, definitely. I love that they were a utilitarian item but visually appealing. I wish modern manufacturers would follow that approach. I love Swanky Swigs, one of my other collections, for exactly the same reason.

What are your favorite contemporary fabrics/designers/companies?

Japanese novelty prints, Denyse Schmidt (love Katie Jump Rope), Alexander Henry, Lecien (My Folklore!), Kaffe Fassett — of course, and, well, so many more!

Any parting words? Please take this opportunity to answer any question you were hoping I would ask you …

I just want to thank you for asking me to participate Kim. It was fun going through my stash and enjoying my pretties all over again!

…..
Thank you so much, Cassi! If you’re not already familiar with Cassi’s wonderful, intricate pincushions and softies, you’re missing out! Witness: pincushions, houses, and other crafts. Her vintage fabric collection is archived on Flickr. Cassi is a fellow Tammis Keefe fanatic and even admins the Tammis Keefe Textiles group.

Previously in the Vintage Fabric Collector Series: Vicky Grubb of Something Fine, Kate Kolstad of Cluttershop, doe-c-doe.

Tags: bella dia, cassi griffin, interview, vintage fabric collector series | Category: Fabric People, Q & A

I just want to give Alexander Henry a running high-five for this new-in-stores quilting weight cotton collection, Lorenza. Above, the scandalously named Nude colorway; below is Aubergine. These images are from Hancock’s of Paducah; Pink Chalk Fabrics also has the Sage colorway and a couple more prints not pictured here. (Shops, please let us know in the comments if you carry this collections!)

Tags: alexander henry, fabric collections, fall 2009 | Category: Fabric News