Where to start...

[girlyswot]

A friend of mine from church recently gave me this




These two are silk:


These two have fun border prints:


These are just deliciously soft cotton, a little like Liberty Tana Lawn, and beautifully subtle prints:


This is my favourite, I think. I hope there's enough to make a summer skirt from it:


So many possibilities, so little time...

Comments

[girlspell.livejournal.com]

So little time is right! Wow...some of the fabrics I don't believe I've ever tried. Lawn? And I'm a dyed in the wool polyester girl. Lots of fun for you, though.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Lawn is a very fine, very soft cotton fabric. It almost feels like silk. It's lovely to wear in summer.

[alkari.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, and the really fine stuff needs almost no ironing, if you just it drip dry. I love it.

[kinderjedi.livejournal.com]

Ooh, how pretty. What a thoughtful friend. :)

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Yes, wasn't it a nice thing of her to do?

[tdu000.livejournal.com]

Lucky you! Are they all in usable quantities? Though I suppose, as you do patchwork, you can make use of even the shortest lengths. I hope you let us see some of the results.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Yes. Not all of them are enough to make garments but there's at least a yard or two of all of them. So a couple of summer tops and skirts definitely. Though some will be for patchworky things too. There's only a yard each of the silks, I think. Any ideas what I should do with that?

[tdu000.livejournal.com]

You could probably get a nice top out of a yard (depending on width). I remember my mum having a "1 Yard Blouse" pattern, so it should be possible. Of course, the checks will make that harder. If you could get a plain contrast, that would give you a bit more leeway.

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Oh that's a good idea about finding a contrast fabric. I think I may need another trip to NY... Having fabric always necessitates buying more fabric, I find.

[tdu000.livejournal.com]

Even a print would work if the colours were right, but plain is easier to find. And yes, having one fabric does tend to lead to buying more. Whenever I have a length of fabric, I nearly always wish I had just 20 cm more.

[alkari.livejournal.com]

Another interesting idea is to combine them as trims on a plain fabric - contrast collars, cuffs, front band or yoke, etc. If you were doing a skirt/p[ants and jacket in matching plain fabric, a contrast print can make a striking jacket lapel, and even the inside of turn-back sleeves. Roll them back to 3/4 length and show the contrast lining. And you might have enough for a matching bag!

[girlyswot.livejournal.com]

Yes, that could work too. Good idea.

[(Anonymous)]

And don't forget that odd scraps can make great applique designs to trim a plain T-shirt, especially if you are making a jacket.

[(Anonymous)]

And don't forget that scraps of these would make interesting applique trims on a plain T-shirt, especially if you use the fabric as jacket lapel/cuffs. (Because I need stuff for work, I tend to 'think' in matching outfits like this, LOL.)

[alkari.livejournal.com]

That was me, BTW - the stupid system froze and logged me out as I was trying to post! GRRRR>