Saturday, January 22, 2011

Simply Beautiful

I've got a soft spot for great artwork. Especially vintage original textile paintings. 
This piece was from the early 60's (not the colors, they're my own twist).
A lot of times I get the question when showing unusual layouts 
(the stems are at one selvage reaching across the full width of the fabric to the other selvage) : 
That's cool but what'll I do with it?
I've usually got a few ideas ideas but what I really love is collaborating with others and the creative surprises that brings. 
These are from the very talented Trenna Lange.
Simply Divine!
A simple skirt
simply stretched and stapled over a canvas frame
beading  and a basic trapunto technique make for a 
simply elegant statement pillow.
So what would you make?
leave a comment
and 3 of you will win 2 yds. ea.
drawing on Fri. 1/28
(and I'd love to see what you do with it)



74 comments:

  1. I would love to make "deconstruction" of such print: cut this in squares, add some sashing - this way you will see the beautiful flowers but in parts - like through windows:)

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  2. perhaps i could use this at the center of a medallion quilt and border it with loads of 2.5 inch squares? i love the skirt as well. beautiful stuff

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  3. Gorgeous! Love the ideas so far.

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  4. I love the idea of a skirt to showcase the whole print. Would probably go with that because I just don't have enough skirts :)

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  5. I love the idea of a skirt... In summer time, I almost only wear skirts....

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  6. This is lovely! I think I like it framed the best so you can savor its full beauty. Thanks for doing the giveaway!

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  7. Wow! The fabric is so gorgeous! I am in love with the skirt.

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  8. This fabric is absolutely fabulous!! What would I make with it? A wallhanging, a skirt, or an inset for a quilt. Lots of possibilities!

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  9. Fabulous! I must make that skirt! Prom Date is currently my favorite fabric and I just made a fabulous bag with it! http://bit.ly/eQYtUc

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  10. I agree that the skirt is a great idea. I could also see this as a full dress for a girl, or maybe a tunic.

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  11. I am thinking a tweenie jumper or full skirt with the polka dots for accents..something they can wear to school and look cool.

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  12. I love the pillow with the beading on it and the idea of a skirt as well. Thanks for thinking outside the box with the great ideas.

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  13. You could put a few repeats of it across a frame or canvas to use as a headboard (sort of marimekko-ish).

    Or you could make it in to a tote bag featuring a corner of the design.

    I think a print that was the same scale but a different color scheme would make great kitchen cafe curtains. (like white background with red/yellow flowers) Or the print as is, but on a white background - it's just hard to imagine black kitchen curtains.

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  14. Oh my gosh all those suggestions are gorgeous. That skirt is sensational, and the pillow divine, but I think I would want to use the whole piece so I would go with a wall hanging maybe using the beading on that to give it some texture.

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  15. Love the skirt!! I would make a handbag out of it. Or a dress for my daughter.

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  16. For a long time, I would lay the fabric out on the back of a chair and admire it and it's lovely colors. I'd hate to cut up the flower, but I bet it would make a beautiful fabric handbag.

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  17. I love that skirt! A simple A-line would look great!

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  18. A beautiful print. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  19. I'm thinking a quilt or a tote bag (I LOVE bags). But I like the idea of making it a picture with lots of embellishments to hang on the wall.

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  20. While I love the skirt and wall art, I think the fabric has great potential for a large bag. I foresee a large red ruffle with it.

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  21. Gorgeous use of the fabrics - just lovely! I want that pillow!

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  22. I would LOVE to make that skirt. That is some beautiful fabric, thank you for giving some away.

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  23. I would make a little girl's sundress or use it as the centre of a spectacular quilt for a wall hanging! It is beautiful.

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  24. That really wants to live in my kitchen in some form!!!

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  25. First I'd love to make a beautiful bag - the colors are so Florida, where I live! Then I'd make a quilted square table topper for my breakfast room to welcome me to world each morning. What gorgeous fabric!

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  26. Love the skirt idea! I'd love to use it as part of an applique on large statement curtains.

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  27. I love the pillow! My couch is screaming for new pillows, and that would be fabulous! I love seeing fabric interpreted in so many different ways - beautiful!

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  28. I would make a quilt with the flowers as the center piece or fancy tunic type shirt.
    It's a beautiful pattern.
    Love it!

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  29. Ooooo, so fun! I can see making a lap quilt and adding a lot of thick thread as the quilting in a lot of bold colors.

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  30. oooooooooooooh so beautiful, i love that skirt!!!!

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  31. I'd like curtains, but I think a bulletin board would be much more fun.

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  32. I think an apron would absolutely be beautiful in this print, because cooking should be fun!

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  33. I love the beaded pillow. I would love to make one.

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  34. I think it would be great as a skirt...or perhaps a handbag?

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  35. Oh lawsy! Those are the colors in my head to paint my kitchen! What would I make with it? I would have to get an apron and the fabric stretched like a canvas picture for the kitchen! Holy cow!

    Must find this fabric. Off to google.

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  36. I'm another who would go with the skirt, but adding some beading to it to highlight the beautiful print.

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  37. Love all the ideas, especially the skirt, and the wall hanging. It would good as a large hand bag/tote, table cloth or curtins.

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  38. it's beautiful! i'm picturing an apron made from this fabric.

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  39. It IS simply beautiful. I like it stretched on the canvas. What to do with 2 yards....hmmmmmm....that will take some thinking!

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  40. Such pretty fabric. I would make a skirt if I won.

    ginger c at gmail dot com

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  41. Instant reaction: shower curtain with the coordinating spotted fabric and solids - maybe slice up one pattern and deconstruct with the full panel on the other half of the curtain. To go with the black walls I want in my bathroom.

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  42. This is beautiful. I see fabric I like and have trouble figuring out what to do with it. These are great ideas and get the creative juices flowing! I love the skirt, maybe a tote would look great too. How pretty!

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  43. This is gorgeous! I will admit, though, had I not seen your gorgeous inspiration and completed pieces, I'd probably not have been creative enough to come up with something on my own and would have passed it by. Not anymore! I'd love to win some!


    chelsealexander at hotmail

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  44. LOVE it!! I could very well be doing the same ideas with this!! :)

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  45. That fabric is amazing. I love the skirt too, but I'd have to make a dress, simply so I could show off this beautiful fabric

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  46. Oooh la la...I'd love to sew with some of that gorgeous fabric...I'd probably end up making a dress or skirt!

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  47. I would make a large tote to show off this beautiful print.

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  48. I would make a lovely purse! I love to make purses and am always watching for vibrant, unusual fabrics like this beautiful piece.

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  49. this fabric is amazing! i'd love to do an artwork piece like you've done. and the pillow is beautiful.

    so many options! thanks for the chance to win!

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  50. Would definitely do a bit of artwork, since I have the PERFECT wood for a "frame" which has been waiting for the PERFECT fabric!

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  51. Breathtaking.....all of it. This fabric is fabulous and so is the artwork made from it.....

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  52. We have so many shelves at our place instead of cupboards. The problem: there's no doors to cover all the piles of odds and ends I keep for crafting. I'd love to make this gotgeous print into some curtains to run over my shelves in the craft room. They'll bring a bit of sunshine into the room and hide my hoarding habits! :)

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  53. Super fun. I love the bright colors against the dark background.

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  54. I love it streched on a frame, but I am also the queen of pillows. My husband said just the other night. When we were crawling into bed. "Oh another pillow!, How lovely!" and he was being very sarcastic.

    But I can't help it. I would probably make a pillow.

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  55. The panel is gorgeous. I adore the brightness of all the colours. As to what I would do with it, I'm torn between using the panels to re-upholster a chair or going with my old stand-by -- a quilt. However, I think if I used it in a quilt, I would create a Welsh medallion style quilt using the panel as the center and coordinating fabrics to form the various patchwork borders before hand quilting it with perle no. 8 cotton in various coordinating colours -- Something fun and colourful.

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  56. That's so stunningly beautiful, I'd probably frame it too. Just lovely!

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  57. I would make a skirt. how beautiful!

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  58. First choice is framing it as is. If cut it up, pillows of large cathedral windows with the lovely cuts showing in the windows.

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  59. Often rather than having slipcovers made, I'll make a wrap for sofa pillows (the big ones against the back) and this fabric and look would be perfect for that! Also have a couple of small scale wing chairs and I think this flower centered on the back would be awesome! Great find - thanks for sharing.

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  60. Wow-this is absolutely fabulous! Love the boldness of the design and the colors. I'd probably use it for curtains or tablecloth. I wouldn't want to waste any of it!!

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  61. I would make a classic bog coat - if it doesn't drape well enough for the sleeves & yoke, I would combine it with plain black (but I might embellish the yoke a bit with the 'scraps' if there are any... or maybe put part of it on a sleeve... Love the character of this print.
    It reminds me of a dress I had in highschool, made with a huge cat on the front & back - from a very similar style of selv. to selv. design.

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  62. Kathy -

    Good afternoon. I love this print. The skirt is beautiful and I think that the canvas is whimsical.

    Thank you very much for opportunity.

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  63. That is GORGEOUS!! The boldness of it is so fun and funky, yet elegant, too! I love the simple skirt, but I also love the pillow! Those are both fantastic ways to showcase this panel. I would love to make a simple a-line skirt (I think it allows all the unique colorful pattern on the flowers to be seen) and embellish it with a bit of sparkely eads and trim it in a thin band a red crotchet trim! It would be so beautiful!

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  64. Love it.. I would incorporate into a apron I think.

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  65. i think i would use it in curtaining. i have a gorgeous window in the landing halfway up the stairs to the second storey. i've been thinking of something in black for the window coverings. in the summer, the blinds are open and the window is covered in an opaque flower patterned vinyl because it faces the neighbors' house (and in my experience they haven't always been fully clothed!) but in the winter the blinds are always closed and it hides the floral - this would be absolutely perfect. if i don't win this I'm going to have to figure out how to get some to calgary!!!

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  66. What a cool fabric! I had to think about this a couple days, but what I think I'd love to do with it is make a tall messenger bag/tote for next year's Festival!

    I'm lucky enough to live close enough to make it to Festival every year, and have learned that a messenger bag is definitely the best way to carry my stuff and not get worn out. My current one is falling apart though, and this fabric looks just perfect for a new one for me and a new one for my Mom!

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  67. I love your new prints. I would make a shower curtain, also a quilt with the flowers being the center, curtains to match,and perhaps a wall hanging. Very striking..Thanks

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  68. Love the fabric! I like the idea of making it a canvas.

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  69. Your cat and mine must be twins! they look so alike, it is weird :)

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  70. Why you don't post the pattern in your blog? it would be so nice!

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  71. perhaps i could use this at the middle of a medallion cover and boundary it with many 2.5 inches squares? i really like the dress as well. wonderful things

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