Spring Swatches from Michael's Fabrics

Spring is finally here and I want to make some new pieces to coordinate with my spring clothes.  

Although I am traveling to Baltimore the first of June, I e-mailed Michael to send some swatches for me to evaluate, and order if they worked for me.   Over the past 3 years I've had to travel to Baltimore every 6 months or more often,  but swatches are great for shopping from home.  Swatches also give me a better idea of what he currently has so I can make good use of my limited time when I get there.  

Today I examined and photographed the swatches I received yesterday from Michael's Fabrics in Baltimore.   
   

Michael has so many rolls of so many fabrics that he couldn't possibly put all of them up on their web site.  So I just e-mail them, explaining what I'm looking for in terms of textures, stripes, solids, fabric content, weights, to include the types of garments I want to sew and a general idea of colors.  Then I let them pick through their inventory and swatch based on my specifications and garments I've identified I want to sew.  There is no charge for swatches and their fabrics are amazingly affordable given their origin and content.   The garments that the designers make from these fabrics cost hundreds and even thousands of dollars retail.   I am always blown away by what he sends me and what's in the store when I visit!    

So here's how it works - Michael swatches from his inventory based on my request and loads an envelope with nice size swatches like this.   Here's what I do with the swatches before I call him to get more information about fabric content, width, etc for the ones I'm considering before ordering.

I examine them in natural light, and see what coordinates with what.  Then I put them alongside or over my garments/ensembles to see what they work with.  Maybe I could use a pair of pants to go with the striped jackets...  As I'm doing that, I take photos so Michael and I can look at them together on Flickr and discuss.  While on the phone he tells me the fiber content, the manufacturer and width and answers questions.   We did that this afternoon and I added that specific information to the Flickr photo descriptions.  FYI,  photos of all the fabric swatches he sent me this time are in the Flickr set for Michael's Fabrics.   Enjoy and call him if something that tickles your fancy.   If not, he'll customize a set just for you.

Then comes the hard part - deciding which to buy!

Silk woven stripe with my linen and cotton garments

Neutrals and browns with swatches

 Disclosure:   I am not affiliated with,  nor am I compensated by Michael's Fabrics for writing about their swatches.  I'm just a very satisfied customer who enjoys the clothes I make from his fabrics.

Top and Dress from the new Simplify Your Life Pattern

Simplify Your Life is the latest pattern from Louise Cutting.  It includes two tops.   I made view A in this Hugo Boss cross dye shirting with a contrast facing.   Here the top is paired with dark brown My Swing Set pants in pant weight stretch rayon.   Considering the fit and shape of this top, I thought it would make a great dress. 

I had enough of this silk/lycra seersucker I bought from Michael's Fabrics in Baltimore that I had already used for this pair of Discover Something Novel pants and a Stars In Heaven tunic  to make a dress.   These 3 simple but elegant neutral pieces can be worn many ways.   I spoke to Michael last week about swatches.   He said he's got tons of new fabrics in and hasn't had time to put them on the website.   So call them directly if there's something you are looking for.    

Detail of fabrics and flap pockets

I added large pockets with flaps to give the dress a bit more personality.   Recent Diane Von Furstenberg dresses I've tried on at Neiman Marcus have this relaxed fit and I like dresses for the spring and summer.   I considered adding a casing with a drawstring but decided that it would not work with the pleat in the front.    I also auditioned some belts with it, but like it best unbelted.

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Stella top and eShrug coordinates

Last post I showed you the floral lace skirt using the Relax A Little pattern worn over a cotton knit dress with a textured knit cardigan.   Early this month I "auditioned" these fabrics to see what they coordinated with and what they wanted to be.   Here's the photo where you can see the green Peruvian connection dress that I planned to wear them with/over.   The photo below is the best representation of the colors, and you can see that the knit and lace also work with that mulberry plaid skirt in the Berry/Chocolate coordinate group.   Now I have three new pieces in the lace and the knit that coordinate with several garments I sewed earlier this fall/winter, and others I already owned.   They are light enough and layerable that I can wear them into spring.    In addition to the skirt, I intend to make a 3/4 length, long sleeve eShrug using the lace, and narrow hemming it the same as the skirt.    It will look wonderful over the green dress and even black dresses.

Stella top sans sleeves

The textured knit is very drapy and semi-sheer in places so I knew I wanted layering pieces.  It drapes but does not have recoverable stretch.  I got this from Fabric Mart a few years ago and don't remember the fiber content.   The crinkle/stretch lace is current Fabric Mart.     I enjoy the neckline of the Stella tops I've made but I didn't want sleeves.   If you omit the sleeves and simply serge and turn under the seam allowance you have a nice over the shoulder look - where a cap sleeve would end.  I used a lightweight knit stabilizing tape on the shoulders of both knit tops, and along the V before sewing the doubled cowl piece in.

Here it is layered over the green knit dress and it has a peplum look if belted.

Keeping it interesting, but simple considering the knit fabric, I cut out an a eShrug with the remainder.   I tapered the long sleeve eShrug pattern using the sleeve from one of my Babette SF jackets as a template.    The eShrug cardigan looks great over the sleeveless Stella top or just the dress.  

eShrug with long tapered sleeve

I lengthened this eShrug.  The front is straight (vs angled per the pattern) aligned with the selvedge to make use of that fringe.    I cut the sleeves on the crossgrain, placing the desired hemline for my sleeve length on the selvedge.  

I just serge finished the remaining raw edges with mixed thread colors to blend in with the knit.