How to put fabrics together!

One question I get asked a lot is how to put fabrics together, especially for patchwork.

I always suggest that you start with your 'showstopper', the fabric you know you just have to use - it helps if it has more than 3 colours in it, preferably more, but you must love it!

I have had my eye on this beautiful fabric from Lewis and Irene since it arrived a few weeks ago, I love the detail and the colours but I knew that I would want to put it together with some more vibrant colours to lift the grey tones, this is Butterfly Bright after all!

So, how many colours do you think are in this print, you might guess at a glance perhaps 5 or maybe 6.

In actual fact there are 14 individual colours - and how do you know this? By looking at the selvedge..

Fabrics have dots of colour (or sometimes shapes, such as the butterflies on this print) repeated along the selvedge, these show an equal representation of each of the colours used in the print. It makes it easier to identify the colours which may only have a tiny impact on the fabric but are there, even in the smallest detail.

 This is the perfect tool for colour matching fabrics from different quilting collections to use in a project. Always try to keep selvedges attached to a fabric until you actually use them, this not only protects the fabric, it helps you identify the warp and weft and of course gives you the colour spots.

I soon got to work identifying other fabrics from my shop to put together with this glorious piece. I used another Lewis and Irene fabric with the cowslips on to match with the grey but brought in some vibrant turquoise and lime fabrics too.

What do you think? I like using a mixture of geometric and natural prints and also mixing pattern size for interest. I just need a project to put them into now...

Shall we try another one

How many colours do you think are in this print...

An amazing 16 colours

here is the selvedge with the more traditional circles of colour.

There are so many options with this fabric you could pick out the pinks, the yellows, oranges or the blues and greens.

I went with orange, mint and lime green as I try to break out of my pink and blue/green habit!

I'm not totally convinced with this combination yet so I might play with it in the next few days and see what else I can come up with. When I am happy with my mini collections I will add them as bundles to the webshop to save you some time!

What colours do you love to put together?

Enjoy!

Ali

Shop for Lewis and Irene Fabrics here

If you like my choice of fabric and would like to get an amazing delivery each month you might be interested in the Butterfly Bright Monthly Fabric Subscription Service.

it's time to close the doors...

As you know I moved Butterfly Bright to 81 Cheap Street in January of this year.

This was a deliberate move to take the shop off the high street and make it more of a “workshop” whilst encouraging product sales via the website rather than the shop. With a growing family this means I can fit the business around my children and still offer a valued service to my customers.

After a trial period where the shop has been open part time I have found that this has simply confused customers and so I am taking the decision to move entirely online from mid May.

Workshops will continue as advertised and from time to time I will hold “event days” where the shop will be open for trade.

I look forward to bringing you bigger and better workshops over the coming months and you will of course be able to purchase items from the shop whilst attending any of our clubs or workshops.

Local customers will be able to collect purchases made online from the shop at prearranged times instead of paying for postage.

There are some items I won't be selling online so if you pop in over the next week you will be sure to find a bargain! (I will be clearing all of my Rowan wool and pattern books at 30% off).

I will be open as follows:
Sat 7th May 10am-1pm
Monday 9th May 10am-4pm
Tuesday 10th May 10am-4pm
Wednesday 11th May 12pm-4pm
Thursday 12th May - closed.
Friday 13th May 10am-4pm

After that the shop will be closed to the public other than for workshops and event days.

Crochet Club will continue on a Wednesday evening - please join our facebook group for updates on meetings.

I look forward to your continued support during this next phase of Butterfly Bright's colourful evolution!

Ali
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Yarn Shop Day 2016

I wish it could be Yarn Shop Day every day!

the sun was shining and it seemed like everyone was in a good mood!

Carla from The Mousehole Woolery came along to talk to people about her needle-felting workshops and to show off some of her amazing sculptures, hardly a person passed through without being amazed with her work and stopping to ask questions.

It was great to see Maisey and Daisy Mole in the flesh as we are looking forward to running this as a workshop in June. You will get the chance to make Hares and Foxes again in August but book early as orders are already coming in after the interest raised at the weekend!

I particularly liked the toadstool detail in the plant pot!

Lots of customers entered our raffle and the winners will be drawn on Tuesday 3rd May, you have until midnight on Monday 2nd May to purchase tickets online - the prizes are pretty awesome!

I didn't manage to take many more photos of the day because I was so incredibly busy and also juggling my 6, 4 and 2 year old due to a last minute lack of childcare however I did catch this gem of a photo when my youngest climbed up to see Carla's work and gently kissed the mole on his nose!

See you soon

Ali

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