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Sunday
Nov082009

Designer Fabrics, get them while they're cheap, or just make your own

DateSunday, November 8, 2009 at 6:09PM

I love all the same fabrics that many "style" bloggers feature. I am always tempted to show pretty pictures and make us all feel humbly inadequate, but like I said in my first post, I would prefer to find a "nifty" or "thrifty" solution than blow sunshine up your butt. When I look at Apartment Therapy or Design Sponge, I suffer from decorexia; I feel like a chubby teenager looking at Elle magazine; I can't afford it and I will never have the time. 

So get your drool bib ready, here are some beautiful and intimidating fabrics that I love and just can't afford.

This Lena Corwin pillow has been on my inspiration board for about two years. I think the pattern is fantastic, and the pillow retails for $55. Notice the gorgeous couch upholstered in fabric from Hable Construction (next picture.)

Hable Construction sells its beautiful fabric for over $60 a yard. This is chair porn. I am having a chairgasm just looking at it.

Angela Adams also sells her fabric by the yard (industry only but I'm sure you could get your hands on it through an upholsterer or designer.) Dwell article here.

More jaw-dropping fabric from Hable Construction

I hope you recognize this iconic Marimekko fabric that is a surprisingly less-expensive-than-others at $42 a yard.

This Kivet Markiisi Canvas is on sale (b/Mw only) for $36 a yard at my favorite online fabric store; reprodepot.com

So when $60+ a yard fabric seems a little daunting, I thought the two designers featured below had some really beautiful designs at prices that were more palpable. When you go to their sites you can buy these hand screen printed fabrics for around $9-$14 but prices are a little deceiving because they are not denominated by the yard, but rather by the "fat quarter." What's important is that they are beautiful, easy for any schmoe to buy, and sold in price points that you can actually afford. I like to think their designs might be featured in Dwell someday but for right now, they are yours at an affordable price.

RainDrops and Foliage Combo $9 for a "Fat Quarter" by: swankyswell at Etsy

Doiliez - Robin's Egg $9 for a "Fat Quarter" by: swankyswell at Etsy

Gorgeous lampshade made with swankyswell fabric

Swankyswell has an awesome promotion; get a free tote when you spend $50 at their Etsy shop.
Helen Rawlinson Screen Printed Buttercup Yellow Fabric. $14 for a "fat quarter" at Etsy.

Helen Rawlinson Screen Printed Pebble, Fabric Pack in Coffee. $12.50 for a "fat quarter" at Etsy.

spoonflower

Another solution is to check out Spoonflower.com. At Spoonflower you can actually print your own fabric for less than you would pay for a designer fabric. I'm not going to sound like an infomercial, if you are not inclined to design anything don't but consider plopping one of your kid's prodigal drawings on a yard of upholstery weight fabric for $32 and you can make four 16" pillows for Grandma and Grandpa for Christmas. Some people are even doing something similar to Fiona's earlier project and printing their characters out on fabric and sewing them into dolls. The possibilities give me goose bumps, now I just need a few hours between work, blog and mediocre mothering to try it for myself!

If you want to try an even cheaper route, why not stamp your own fabric with fabric paint? Fiona turned me onto this fantastic blog called Geninne's Art Blog and here is a post where she explains how to make your own rubber stamps.

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AuthorStacey K | Comment1 Comment | |

Sponsored by Run Like a Girl Design

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Reader Comments (1)

Thank you for featuring my fabrics!!!! I'm honored to be included in this post... thanks again!

November 9, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterNIna Jizhar