Monthly Archives: October 2014

Pink psychadelic flowers silk goergette SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS SOLD – MANY THANKS

Oh how I love this gorgeous piece of silk!  The pattern and colours are just captivating.

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(Image credit Sunday Times magazine)

This silk georgette is a stunning quality, fine and light and airy, but not too transparent.  (more…)


The making of Chanel’s couture tweeds…


M@rc Jacobs exotic birds silk crepe de chine SOLD

ALL GONE, MANY THANKS

Here is a beauty, straight from a M@rc Jacobs resort collection from just a couple of years ago.  This is such a colourful and happy print and the fabric quality is fabulous.

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Cynthia Steff blues ikat crinkle silk SOLD

SOLD – MANY THANKS

I’ve called this an ikat print because I thought it had some of the ikat features, but maybe it is actually more like a tie-dye effect?  Either way, it is a contemporary fabric from the New York design studio of Cynthia Steffe, who made the most adorable dresses in this fabric.

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Fuchsia, mushroom and teal art nouveau silk SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

Sigh.  I’m letting go of a very favourite.

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This is a much loved fabric that I bought in NYC a few years ago from one of my favourite shops on West 35th Street…way up high.  The best shops in the garment district are not on street level, just remember that if you ever intend to visit.

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Budgerigar silk/cotton voile SOLD

GONE, THANK YOU

This fabric absolutely captivates me… it is charm and whimsy personified.

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And I’m not giving it all up…just one piece. (more…)


Chrysanthemum border panel digital silk SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

I wonder if this print was inspired by the frieze on architectural masterpiece?  It just seems to have that sort of composition….

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The chrysanthemums have a lot of movement and the digital rendition makes them especially imposing.  Then the Mums are anchored with this monotone border, bringing a real balance to the print.  I think the border flowers might be dogwood? (more…)


Bright blooms cotton GONE

NOW GONE, THANK YOU

This fabric has to be described as a happy and joyous one.

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The pattern is infused with a rainbow of colours…Kelly green, aqua, tangerine, egg yolk yellow, sienna, pale pink, all offset on a black background. (more…)


Thakoon to come…

Sneak peak at a 4ply silk crepe Thakoon runway fabric coming up.  Stumbled on the image of Daria Werbowy from W Magazine and I just had to put it together with this silk.

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(Still have to measure and properly photograph this fabric…not too far away)


Sewing large print fabrics? Why Marni’s Consuelo is so clever…

I’m a huge Marni fan.  It wasn’t always that way though.  Before we were able to see the close-up photos, I liked Marni’s clothes from a distance but failed to fully appreciate her cutting genius.  Now that I’m able to enlarge screens and peer at the detail, her cutting is a revelation, and she’s had a huge influence on how I think about projects and my own approach to cutting.

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What is her approach?  (more…)


Kilim-like patterned linen/cotton GONE

GONE NOW THANKS

In fact, the patterning strikes me as a mix of many influences, from kilim to other tribal, all assembled in a very modern mix, but my knowledge of patterns is not extensive enough to pinpoint all the influences.

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In Isabel Marant’s hands this fabric would surely become the base for an embellished ‘trophy’ jacket.  But it is a versatile piece for any other jacket, dress, skirt…

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Dotti cotton – fresh! SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS GONE, THANKS

This fab cotton is from the studio of my favourite local designers.

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I look at this fabric and just think fresh!  The fabric feeling is fresh and light and breezy I think.  But I especially love that it is quite a sophisticated and unusual colour palette…nice citrus and blues, but the buff and brown temper the sweetness.

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Laurel Canyon cotton SOLD

GONE, THANK YOU

Well, this is a perfect warm weather print, with lovely sea blues washing against whites, deep blues and reds in a perfect tie-dye sort of mash up.

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Stunning Osc@r de la Rent@ silk twill SOLD

GONE NOW THANK YOU

Next up, a superb silk twill from the late great designer Osc@r de la Rent@.

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Brown/pink venetian graphics silk GONE

GONE NOW, THANK YOU

I really hope this silk appeals to someone as much as I have loved this.  For a start, it is one of my favourite colour combinations, brown and pink.  Second, I just adore the graphics and the large scale of the print pattern.

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I have declared my devotion to the designer Marni elsewhere in these pages.  Consuleo Castiglioni is the best in the business for cutting large scale patterns without looking like Marimekko wall art and volume without looking like the proverbial tent.

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Enchanted florist viscose SOLD

ALL GONE, THANKS

If ever it was the year of the gorgeous dress, especially in a floral, it is this one.  Well may Meryl Streep say, “…florals, for spring…ground-breaking”.  But there is a very good reason floral prints are reprised time and time again…including in Vogue editorials.

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Red blue flower graphics double silk georgette SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

This piece is a little beauty.  It is not all that often that you see the silk double georgettes around, and with such a gorgeous print design too.

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Digital flowers Italian cotton piqué SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS NOW GONE – MANY THANKS

Ooh, ooh, ooh…

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I couldn’t resist this stunner when it came along. (more…)


Crimson stars viscose/lycra stretch SOLD

GONE NOW, THANKS

A lovely knit beauty this one, with a blizzard of deep red, snow and grey flowers storming the black surface of another wonderful quality viscose/lyric fabric.

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Edelweiss on red viscose/lycra stretch SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

Delicate white flowers adorn this red knit in a perfect little print.

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Tropical reef viscose/lycra stretch fabric SOLD

GONE NOW

Continuing the destash of my stretch fabrics with this lovely abstract pattern in a rainbow of colours that makes me think of the underwater scenes in a tropical reef.

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Silk/lycra charmeuse monotone paisley print SOLD

SOLD NOW THANKS

A classic paisley pattern made modern by the scale-up of the design and offered on a silk/lycra charmeuse.

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There is a lovely amount of stretch in this particular silk, about 10%, and with perfect recovery.

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Sandy silk wave stripes GONE

SOLD NOW THANKS

This fabric came from one of my favourite fabric stores in the NYC garment district.  It was a small bolt propped up against a far wall and my eye was drawn to it time and again as I was walking around what was an entire second floor of a building in the district packed with fabrics.

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Aside from the pattern and colours being so…hypnotic…the silk quality itself is really just lovely. (more…)


Green batik flowers cotton voile SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

I previously listed the blue/white colourway of this lovely cotton voile.  It was very popular and I’m sorry I had only one piece of fabric to offer.  I had kept the green version back, but I’m not going to be getting to any sewing soon so I decided to put this one up too.

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Milly madras plaid catwalk silk SOLD

SOLD NOW, THANKS

Here’s another eye-catching Milly fabric and another plaid.  Both the original dresses made by Milly and the remaindered fabric were both very popular.

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The plaid is nick-named a madras plaid for good reason with the orange spicing up the oatmeal, navy khaki green. (more…)


M!lly link print fine silk twill SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

M!lly developed a series of link print fabric from small to large scale and based a whole range around them.  This silk comes from that range.

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Pool reflected dappled ikat linen SOLD

SOLD NOW THANKS

This is a cool blue light to medium weight linen with a pattern that reminds me of the reflections on the surface of a pool with the sun shining down on it.

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This is perfect colour and fabric for the Australian summer. (more…)


It’s Milly Feathersssssss…. SOLD

SORRY – IT’S GONE

Alrighty, this is possibly one of the most popular of all the Milly fabrics, with simply unbelievable jewel colours in a stunning digital feathers design.

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This is a silk charmeuse, and it’s a dress length, and I suspect trigger fingers will be needed.

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Blue batik flowers cotton voile SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

Here’s a charming cotton voile in a perfect blue…

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…not periwinkle blue, not delft blue.  Does anyone know which blue this is?

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Anne K1ein tropical jungle silk/lycra SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS GONE NOW, THANKS

You know some fabrics come along and you just want to pet them all the time?  This wonderful Anne K1ein silk is one of them.

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Whether it’s the lustrous surface, the slightest suggestion of crinkle texture or the spring of a bit of lycra, this silk demands to be stroked. (more…)


Tropical boho french cotton voile SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS SOLD NOW – MANY THANKS

I’m not sure I should go on about what sort of ideas I have in mind with a fabric because I’m sure there are a 100 better thoughts out there, but I’ll do it anyway with this piece!

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Blue blooms stretch cotton remnant SOLD

THSI FABRIC IS NOW SOLD – MANY THANKS

Stunning colours, great fabric, but just a small piece.

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Bright mediterranean medallions viscose/lycra SOLD

NOW GONE, THANKS

Another bright fabric, quite irresistible if you have a love of colour, especially reds.

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This print makes me think of geraniums and other bright flowers on a white balcony in summer.

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Delicate flowers dusky purples silk charmeuse SOLD

GONE NOW – THANK YOU

So whimsical this design; charming detail, intricate bouquets, but beautifully subtle.

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Cream & black dot & stripe silk SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS GONE NOW, THANKS

This is a lovely, classic silk with just a bit of difference in the pattern and the silk quality…a lovely crinkle silk that gives the fabric that little bit of wearing ease.

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This silk is opaque and has a lovely weight and drape and feel. (more…)


Dark denim and ecru stamp pattern cotton SOLD

GONE NOW – MANY THANKS

This a fabulous dress length of fabric with an urban sort of look to it with the stamped design in dark denim.

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Caribbean beaches cotton voile SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

Here’s a top-length piece of cotton voile from the racks of my favourite fabric shop in NYC.  Everything that ends up in the shelves of this store comes from the studios and workrooms of designers, most of them NY based.

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With the bright, sunny, summery thing going on with this fabric, it seems perfectly suited to summer on the beach or by the pool in Australia…or the Caribbean…

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Stunning nippon inspired silk crepe SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS GONE NOW – MANY THANKS

Ok, this is one of my most favourite and guarded silks and I have been carefully hoarding it for ages.  But now, its time has come.

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I certainly have a penchant for the Japanese inspired fabrics. Once again, the Japanese textile imagery is the heart of the design, with the ever-popular Mums dominating.  (I have several incredible vintage kimonos.  The embroidery is unbelievable. I will take some photos and do a post soon).

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Marbled animal print montage silk/viscose SOLD

NOW GONE, THANKS

Do you ever wonder how designers come up with a certain print?  I do, this one more than many others.  It is a little bit of a crazy print when you dive in the detail…

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…this marbled montage of cheetah and leopard prints and dissected views of agate and andalusite all swirled around each other like coffee trails in cappuccino froth.  Who thinks of that sort of combination? (more…)


Glorious nippon peacocks silk charmeuse SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS NOW SOLD – MANY THANKS

Sticking with the Japanese theme for a moment, I got this simply divine silk charmeuse in Tokyo.  There were a few of us at the counter and this roll was passed around.  Pieces just from this few minutes went to Germany, the UK and back here to Australia.

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Blue flower garland on red viscose/lycra stretch SOLD

GONE NOW – MANY THANKS

I get the very most wear out of great stretch tops that I can dress up or down.  Hence I have bought a lot of viscose, rayon and cotton stretch fabric.  Far too much.

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Silver and pewter op-art silk shantung SOLD

SOLD NOW THANKS

Here is the first of a few more dressy fabrics I’ll be putting up.

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This is a really exquisite quality silk.  It is a sample piece from the studio of a designer. (more…)


Technicolour techno-print plaid montage silk crepe de chine SOLD

NOW SOLD, THANKS

It’s a colour riot and it totally works!

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This pattern alternates bands of smaller-scale plaid patterns in lime, chartreuse, chalk and accents of pink and burgundy (43cm repeat) with longer bold strokes of fuschia, periwinkle and oyster based plaids (48cm). (more…)


Delft blue & white tie-dye rayon/lycra stretch fabric SOLD

SOLD NOW THANKS

A classic colour combination with a tie-dye sort of effect adds up to a great look.

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This quality stretch fabric hails from Anthr0p0logie. (more…)


Italian crushed cotton lawn SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS NOW SOLD

This is a perfect fabric for an easy-going dress, skirt or top for summer.

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It is a lovely lightweight lawn from the Italian mills.  (more…)


Summer sunset striped silk SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS GONE NOW – MANY THANKS

I saw a photo in a magazine of the striped top worn by Giovanna Battaglia, included in the collage at the bottom of the page, and went in search of some striped silk so that I could produce a top like this.

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I thought it was one of the most stylish uses of stripes I’d seen in a long time…there was just something about it.  (more…)


Stunning Missoni wool SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

Yes, we are heading into our warm half of the year, but there may be some lovers of fine designer wools who keep an eye out for the next great piece of fabric, no matter what time of year.  And this stunning Missoni wool certainly qualifies as worthy no matter what the weather.

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Impressionist flowers viscose/lycra SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

Another gorgeous stretch fabric for tops, an easy summer maxi-dress or pull-on skirt.

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Lightweight silk/cotton with antique gold roses SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS NOW SOLD – MANY THANKS

I have held on to this piece for soooo long…I just love it so…but finally, I’m relinquishing it.

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This to me is a delicate and romantic and whimsical piece of fabric just calling out to be a lovely dress.  (more…)


Naeem Khan emerald greens silk/lycra charmeuse SOLD

SOLD – MANY THANKS

This silk went like wildfire and by the time my name in the queue was reached there was just a remnant left.

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But oh what a glorious remnant it is!

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Thunderstorm colours irregular plaid print viscose SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS GONE NOW THANKS

Plaid prints have been huge the last few years and show no signs of abating yet.

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Perhaps this can be considered a plaid with a twist, or a cross between a windowpane pattern and a plaid.  (more…)


Mums oriental blooms lightweight silk SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS NOW SOLD – MANY THANKS

The starting point for the graphics in this beautiful silk are Japanese kimono motifs, like the many Mums (chrysanthemums), though the references are not especially literal and the imagery is completely modern.

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This silk has a slightly crinkled surface effect which adds a subtle dimension to the fabric, and I have to say, the colours are simply delicious, very warm.  (more…)


Blues/white marbled surface effect viscose/lycra SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS NOW GONE – MANY THANKS

Superb quality viscose/lycra stretch, like liquid, with a stunning hand and drape.  From the French mills, bought in the NYC garment district.

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Dramatic designer silk-cotton black & white panel print SOLD

SOLD NOW, MANY THANKS

You won’t seen fabrics like this one come along all that often.  This is a sensational panel print from NY design C S+effe.

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The fabric face is a lustrous soft silk, almost like the feel of a duchess satin, and the reverse side is a cotton backing.  (more…)


Digital print viscose/lycra stretch remnant SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

It might be only a small piece but it packs a punch!

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