sewing Persimmons + Plums

Here is South Carolina, we are buckling down for Hurricane Florence.  School has been closed most of this week and is unlikely to open on Monday, as our buses are aiding in coastal evacuations.  Our family lives 2 hours drive inland on a hill, quite unlikely to flood.  We mostly anticipate power outages, due to heavy winds.  So, if I'm not online Monday, you'll know why!  

Perhaps it's all the storm prep that has me brainstorming upcoming sewing projects too.  I recently ordered this Outback Wife fabric from Fabricworm, to make a fall jumper for Rora.  I'm so glad I did! The fabric is just gorgeous!  

Outback Wife fabrics are only available in barkcloth and merino wool.  To my mind, this makes them more suited to apparel than to quilts.  That's why I've gone so long without them, even though they had me at "hello."  I was particularly nervous about ordering the barkcloth, because I'd never felt barkcloth in person.  Maybe this description will help you, if you're in the same boat. 

Barkcloth is stiffer and rougher than quilting cotton.  The texture is not-quite-linen, but close.  You wouldn't want it for a pillowcase, for example!  Though, as a throw pillow with pearl hand quilting - yes!  It has a drape comparable to linen.  I pre-washed and dried this yardage since I'll be using it for a garment.  Happily, it frays much less than linen.

I’ve started cutting the Elizabeth Plum floral for Rora’s dress. The leftover scraps and yardage instantly started talking to me. I think I have to use them right away!

I keep non-quilting cottons separate from my quilting cotton stash. On this shelf I have garment fabrics like jersey, rayon and voile on the left, a stack of linen and linen canvas in the center and a bucket of non-quilting cotton scraps at right. At the moment, I have lots of linen/canvas scraps, since I recently made a quilt.

I’m thinking a simple squares quilt is in order, to use scraps of these substrates. The Outback Wife mixes right in, don’t you think? Even if I lose electricity for a few days, I’d still be able to use my rotary cutter. I see potential for an autumnal throw.

And speaking of autumnal, I can’t stop looking at these gorgeous Ombre Confetti fabrics! From left that’s Taupe, Plum, Persimmon and Lagoon. I wasn’t intending to create a fall-inspired palette, but these sort of fell together (haha).

I’m actually working on a concept for new twin quilts for Aria and Rora. I was thinking to use mostly solids, but now plan to give Ombre Confetti fabrics a star roll. Pineapple Fabrics has all the colors! The above autumnal quartet are my rejects, as each one felt a little too dusty for what I have in mind. I’ll show you which ones I chose for my girls when I have the solids to coordinate!

p.s. the Holidays are coming. There I said it. Happy planning and prepping to all!