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Colette Patterns + Amy Butler
You know how we’re always complaining that so many cool prints are only available as quilting fabrics?
It seems like the folks at Westminster Fibers are catching on. This year, they’re releasing a whole bunch of Amy Butler‘s colorful prints on a range of fabric substrates, for both fashion and home decor. It includes voile, rayon challis, velveteen, sateen, linen/cotton, and more.
It’s good news, not just because of these particular lovely fabrics. My hope is that Westminster Fibers is at the forefront of a trend toward a wider range of fabrics suitable for more than just quilting. They call them “lifestyle fabrics.” Honestly, I’m not really sure what that means, but I love the variety.
They’re putting together a trunk show of these fabrics, made up in various designs and I’ve contributed a sample Violet blouse in Amy’s gorgeous sketchbook print on cotton voile. Isn’t it so pretty and vintage looking? I love the sketchiness of the roses, a very classic 1950s look to me.
I was so impressed with this fabric. It has an incredibly smooth and silky hand, and the drape is perfect for a flowing and loose blouse like the Violet. It’s seriously a pleasure to touch.
I love having the chance to collaborate with Amy. She’s such an amazing designer and an incredibly lovely and gracious woman.
Thanks to my friend Meredith who helped out with making this sample! I wish I could keep it, but perhaps it will visit a shop near you on its travels this year.
PS: If you have a shop and want to feature Amy’s trunk show, I believe you’ll have an opportunity to sign up at Quilt Market this Spring!
Comments
ladykatza
February 13, 2013 #
I bought some Amy Butler voile from my local shop this past fall and used it on a dress I haven’t finished for my daughter. Its the most amazing fabric, just as good (better?) than Liberty of London. Which reminds me… i need to finish that dress.
Diane @ Vintage Zest
February 13, 2013 #
Yes! That’s so true. I’ll see a print in a fabric store that I love from across the room, and when I get close it has a terrible drape and feel. :( Yesterday, I blogged about a tank dress that I made a while ago with a skirt made of a fabric that I loved the look of, but ended up draping terribly.
I’ve since learned that I have to be much pickier with my fabrics before using them, and I have been much luckier since! However, it usually means I’m working in solids or stripes or else I feel like I’m wearing scrubs. I can’t wait to see these up close!
http://vintagezest.blogspot.com/2013/02/sewing-rewind-self-drafted-edition.html
Lisette
February 13, 2013 #
Oh! I love quilter’s prints, so this is a total delight. I went to their page and it looks like Kaffe Fassett (possibly my favorite quilt designer) also has some voiles, sateens and corduroys! Now I need to buy some!
Colleen
February 13, 2013 #
That is lovely. Anna Maria Horner has been making her incredibly beautiful fabrics available in voile for years now. Velveteen and flannel, too. I would advise people to check her out. She has a different sensibility than Amy. Her voile feels like butter. I have a lot of Liberty and I have to say: Anna Maria’s voile is nicer — Amy’s probably using the same because I think Westminster is a part of Free Spirit which makes Anna Maria’s voile. She hasn’t been using Rayon but I know Kaffe has. (I’m a former quilting nerd: these designers are like my besties.)
Lisa G.
February 13, 2013 #
Wow – this is very different from her usual prints. Gorgeous!
Ginger
February 13, 2013 #
Gorgeous! Love this paired with the Violet blouse!
Melissa
February 13, 2013 #
Beautiful! And what exciting news!
francesca
February 13, 2013 #
Gorgeous. I bought some of her India inspired collection in a rayon, it is fine, flowy, beautiful – finally the chance to have some of these great prints in apparel fabrics!
I’ve also bought rayon by Kaffeee Fassett, and a few of Anna Maria horner’s voiles…. and by the way, people, voile and lawn are two different animals. Voile is meant to be drapier than lawn – I wouldn’t use lawn for something with flutter sleeves, for instance – let’s say Sewaholic’s Pendrell – but I would definitely use voile. They are both beautiful in their own right but have different uses….
Sanne
February 13, 2013 #
That’s great! I’m always disappointed when those gorgous prints are just too stiff for most clothing.
Ines
February 13, 2013 #
Oh, I have some things made of Liberty of London cotton voile and they are such a delight to sew and wear!
I resented the price the first time, but now I have feel the quality I would not invest my time in sewing something made of cheap fabric. Unfortunately as someone mentioned in previous post horribly cheap fabrics are becoming more usual in the shops as more and more people are returning to sewing out of necessity. Either that or extremely expensive luxury yarns, fabric, etc……
Ines
February 13, 2013 #
Sorry, that was meant for ladykatza.
Tasha
February 13, 2013 #
GREAT to hear! I saw Anna Maria Horner was coming out with some rayon challis prints this year (though none had quite the look I wanted, a bit more boho). I really hope this is a trend that continues! I am an ardent print lover so this would send me over the moon.
Calling it “lifestyle” fabrics reminds me of the old cotton commercials… “the fabric of our lives”. lol
Sarai
February 13, 2013 #
Ha, yes. I think I just have an aversion to the word “lifestyle.” It sounds so marketing gimmicky.
Elena
February 13, 2013 #
Amazing! I really loved the Denyse Schmidt voile that I used for my second Sorbetto. Even though she seems to mostly be known for quilting stuff, I have consistently seen her beautiful prints in voile at my local fabric store, The Workroom.
Fiona
February 13, 2013 #
My goodness, that is so pretty pretty!
Marie
February 13, 2013 #
Oooh, this is so exciting and I love your Violet blouse! I hope these lighter weight prints hit stores near all of us soon!
LJ
February 13, 2013 #
YES!!! This is so exciting! As a newbie taking classes right now my biggest frustration is that the studio I go to carries mostly quilt weight fabrics and insists we use them for the garment classes. I understand their reasoning that it’s easier for beginners to work with, but after spending hours and not an insignificant amount of money learning to make a few dresses, I’m always disappointed to get home and find I can’t wear them because the drape and fit are atrocious (I’m petite and all curves so the muu muu look is not my friend!) I thought I was doomed to sewing jersey versions at home behind my teacher’s back and using the prints I love for tote bags, but now I can have the best of both worlds! Yay!
maddie
February 13, 2013 #
okay stop it. This is just too cute!
christine
February 13, 2013 #
I saw your bra and shorts pattern in her Blossom handout too and they looked adorable! Colette Patterns + Amy Butler fabrics = a perfect combo. And I agree, in real life Amy is sooooo nice!
Miss Crayola Creepy
February 13, 2013 #
The perfect marriage between fabric and a pattern. It’s so cute!!
poppykettle
February 13, 2013 #
That floral is fabulously divine! I would snap it up pronto if I saw it. Gorgeous blouse too :)
fangaroni
February 13, 2013 #
Such a beautiful blouse – print fabric and pattern! I’m excited for this new trend of prints normally only found in quiliting fabrics, now become available in garment fabrics!
Carie
February 13, 2013 #
Oh frabjous joyful day! I love the Rowan (UK) fabrics for quilting but they are too stiff for many clothes so I’m really looking forward to sewing gorgeous patterns on nice floaty fabric. Your sample blouse is lovely; something of a Liberty vibe about it.
Elizabeth Pauly
February 13, 2013 #
Thanks for posting this. I love to sew, but gave up sewing clothes because I could not find fabric that I liked. I have loved Amy Butler’s designs for quite some time, and hope that this is definitely a trend.
Ashley at The Feisty Redhead
February 13, 2013 #
I noticed the new Liberty line was called Liberty Lifestyle. Is that the same idea? I’m on board, even if it sounds tacky!
Lisa
February 15, 2013 #
I think the Liberty Lifestyle line is more like a quilting cotton instead of their usual Tana Lawn or other substrate.
Sarah
February 13, 2013 #
Ooh, so very, very pretty!!
Krista
February 13, 2013 #
Oh, this is so exciting! I love prints! I often blame not starting a project on not finding a print I like on a fabric I can actually wear…. This trend may rob me of one of my biggest excuses! ;)
LaNell
February 13, 2013 #
Absolutely beautiful! I live in a place where fabric is hard to come by and seeing such lovely prints and then having you describe the material makes me want to order tons of it right now!! Thank you so much for your site and your insight!!
Claire
February 14, 2013 #
Beautiful! I have made things with Anna Maria Horner’s voile and it does have a lovely feel. Recently I haven’t seen much available in the UK. I hope that some UK sites and shops will stock Amy Butler’s voile.
Now I need to get properly back into sewing, seem to have been in a sewing slump recently. Lots of knitting done!
Samantha
February 14, 2013 #
It ‘s wonderful to see the fabric manufacturers responding to the market this way! When I started sewing (again) 18 months ago, the only choices for apparel fabric were a small number of solids like Robert Kaufmans Essex. Between the voiles and rayons showing up, the modern apparel sewist is finally being served as a market. Very exciting! Oh the clothing we can make!
Aimee
February 14, 2013 #
I had no idea this fabric existed! Something other than a regular cotton is such a treat and I’m not a big fan of the Liberty of London print style. Thanks for the headsup. The blouse you made is lovely. Perhaps I will try a Jasmine in it. I got it for $8 a yard! :)
anne
February 14, 2013 #
lovely fabric! i hope some of it shows up in fredericksburg, va!
Nicole Morgenthau
February 14, 2013 #
I totally agree! I just ordered the Pistachio colored cherry blossom print and have it stocked in our fabric shop. I can’t wait to see what people do with it!
Lyann
February 14, 2013 #
Thank the LORD! Finally. I’m ready to move away from stiff cotton. I can not wait!
Hannah
February 15, 2013 #
This fabric is gorgeous! Does anyone know where you can / will be able to get it in the UK?
Lisa
February 15, 2013 #
Sarai,
I totally love this fabric with the Violet and I’d love to make it too. I love the feel of voile but it usually is a bit sheer. Did you underline this shirt in anyway?
Sarai
February 18, 2013 #
This fabric isn’t really sheer. It actually seems closer to what I think of as a lawn in terms of weight, but they call it voile.
Jaya
February 19, 2013 #
wonderful that finally apparel fabrics are being introduced into the reach of home sewers.
loved the blouse.. dont you think it would be gorgeous if it had a lace collar?
Barbara
February 19, 2013 #
Beautiful fabric! Yes finally cotton that is wearable and looks amazing on. Thank you so much for sharing this!
ElisabethB
February 19, 2013 #
Ah! J’aime beaucoup le tissu et le patron !!! I love so much the fabric and the pattern ………..I need to find this kind of pattern…….
Mary Ann
February 19, 2013 #
I adore this lovely blouse. You did a wonderful job. What is the name of the Amy Butler print you used?
Sarai
February 19, 2013 #
The print is called “sketchbook roses” from the Alchemy line.
Ginny
February 19, 2013 #
I bought a friend your Crepe pattern for Christmas and then I bought myself a copy of The Colette Sewing Handbook because we are wanting to start sewing our own clothes (I did as a teen, but haven’t in some time). My main obstacle has been finding fabric so thanks for this post. Can I ask if you think this Amy Butler voile will work with the Crepe pattern or should I go with a linen?
Sarai
February 19, 2013 #
I think it would work beautifully!
Mimi
February 20, 2013 #
That blouse is lovely in that fabric!
Marcie
February 21, 2013 #
This makes me very happy! Quilt fabric is so ubiquitous… if something has no description other than “cotton” you know it’s quilt fabric. As if nothing else exists in yardgoods. Please… how many coverlets do I need for my bed? Now ask me how many outfits I want for my bod… and how much I really don’t want to spend my precious time hand sewing them out of fugly bargains from the “craft” place.
lucia
March 1, 2013 #
lovely