I know I promised you a glimpse into upcoming fabric lines, and here it is – these will be coming in from now right up through November, so don’t be upset if you don’t see them in your nearest Pacific Fabrics right away!
Here now:
Joel Dewberry is releasing, Ginseng, his first line of Home Decor weight fabrics for Westminster. His brown and rust palette have just arrived in our stores, and they are fabulous – I have two picked out right now that I am taking home to make a purse. We were excited at Market to see that he is also extending into a lovely green/pink colorway in the Ginseng patterns, and we ordered a lovely selection. Quilters, don’t be intimidated by the weight of these – they are not too heavy to use in quilting, and the heavier weight sateen just makes it easier to adapt the fabrics for fashion and home accessories.
Michael Miller also has a new line of home decor weight fabric coming called Modern Flora. All in leaf green, a deep turquoise and snow white. It's a small group, but had such a striking, clear look that nearly everyone from Pacific Fabrics was smitten!
Due in July:
We loved Sandy Henderson’s Ginger Blossom line last year – it was the fabric for our booth staff aprons at this year's Sewing Expo in Puyallup, and we have a fun selection out at our stores. Michael Miller has a new line out from Sandy, Farmer’s Market, which continues in her style of bright, clear, colors and striking design work and is due in July. We are also looking forward to Sandy's adorable line of patterns for kids clothes. Designed under the name Portobello Pixie, the collection has cute dresses and ruffly pants to delight girls everywhere.
When I took Child Development at the UW, I was fascinated to learn that the pastel patterns we think of as perfect for babies can’t even be seen by them – their eyes at birth are only developed enough to see high contrasts, and the only color they can see is red! What does this have to do with fabric? Michael Miller must have taken the same class, because they have a smashing baby group called First Sight, all in bold black, stark white, and vibrant red. This group was too fabulous to be just for babies, though – I can’t wait to get my 30-something hands on some. This is also due in July, along with a terrific updated Dick and Jane – thery’re in the 60s now!
Due in August:
Hoffman, the master of batiks, has joined Moda and Pacific Fabrics in releasing collections of 2 ½” strips for strip patterns. These collections, called Bali Pops, have 40 strips per package and come in six coordinated color packs. They are also releasing two Asian-inspired lines: Papillon, an airy collection with butterflies and blossoms in soft spa blue and willow green, shimmering with pearl highlights, and Kasuri, a traditional sashiko, style collection in both the standard indigo color, as well as a striking deep red/black colorway. All of these should be in our stores by August.
New from Moda:
There was just too much good new stuff to see at the Moda booth. April Cornell has a new line, Portugal, due out next month that reinvents her classic Poetry collection in more vivid shades. In September, American Jane is releasing another awesome, playful retro line, called Recess, featuring happy tykes at play. There will be kits for a fun quilt that comes in a coordinating collector’s lunchbox. Also due in September will be Collection for a Cause, a great reproduction line in soft brown, blue, and rose. Moda is donating the proceeds from this lovely line to Gilda’s Club, helping people fighting cancer. Personally, the Moda group I’m most excited about is Charisma by Chez Moi. If you haven’t seen Posh, their current group, get thee to one of our stores and have a peek before it’s gone. Charisma is designed like Posh – watercolor paisleys, stylized florals, and subtle go-withs, but it is in richer, brighter colors – green, teal, red, coral, and gold. I already have a quilt planned, and I think we’ll be making kits, so you all can have your own dash of Charisma at home.
A new fabric line for us:
I am very excited that we are going to begin carrying a quilting line I have personally collected in bits and pieces, Art Gallery Quilts. They have gorgeous quality fabric and printing, and their fabrics are really interesting in color and design. We are ordering several of their latest additions: Alhambra, a middle-eastern inspired group, in teals, rusts, cream, and olive, Floral Elements, an elegant tonal, in a range of distinctive tones, and Dashing Roses/Gypsy Glitter, two groups that coordinate and weave together shades of rose, pumpkin, burgundy, and taupe in Art Deco and Nouveau floral, geometrics, and paisleys. I am passionate about these fabrics, and I can’t wait to see what you all think. Alhambra should be in by August, Floral Elements will be arriving late in the summer, and the other two are slated for the fall.
Ooh, I’m going on too long, so here’s a quick few:
You Got the Notions is the latest Project-Runway inspired line from Robert Kaufman, and features sewing 
notions in a red/white/black colorway, as well as a fashionable chocolate/aqua colorway. Amy Butler is releasing a second Home Dec line, August Fields, that promises to be more lovely modern simplicity in light vibrant colors. Lakehouse has a new magnificent floral collection in rich periwinkle and sage, called Le Grande Jardin. We also saw new lines form Lorelei, Mary Engelbreit, and Laurel Burch, so all of you fans, keep your eyes peeled! There’s goodies in store for you!
If you are eagerly awaiting one of these beauties, just feel free to leave your name at any of our stores – they will let you know when the fabric you are waiting for arrives! (Plus, I bet there’s a tempting yard or twelve just waiting to join your stash already in stores now!)
-- Anna-Beth
The quilt you see me working on here is kind of a cool story. My boyfriend Steve’s Great-Grandmother made the top for his Grandmother, but it was never quilted, and just sat in a box, which was given to Steve’s mom. I offered to quilt it, and his Mom is going to give it to his Grandma for her birthday in July - so its like a present from her daughter, her mother, and her grandson and his girlfriend all at the same time. (Steve paid for the backing, batting, and thread and helped pin the quilt last night.) It's such a cool quilt and story - it inspires me to make a scrappy log cabin too! But, as I believe I’ve mentioned before, I live in a teeny tiny little house, and it is always a challenge to find a way to layer my backing, batting and binding. 
