mardi 20 avril 2010

Vintage Fabric Love

Reading the blog of other people who sew, I have to admit that I feel really out of it when they talk about their favorite fabric designers, as most of these talented people are unknown to me.

As most of you already know, my favorite places to shop for fabric are vintage fairs and thrift stores. I look for color, for texture, but most of all for that certain something that is very hard to explain to non-lovers of the secondhand. It is not a designer's style that speaks to me, but a certain feeling, a tug at my creative heartstrings, that tells me that a piece of fabric has a story to tell. A story that I will never know but will have a wonderful time imagining in my work room as I cut up the skirt or jacket or even pillowcase I had found and make of it something else.

This afternoon, I took the lining of an old velvet jacket


and made of it a forbidden fruit.


A few days ago, I cut up a very old, very delicate, and very beautiful embroidered silk panel that I had been saving forever


and made apples and pears.



These will soon be available at the shop.

******

En lisant des blogs d'autres personnes qui couds, je me sens souvent déconnectée quand ils parlent de leurs designers de tissu préférés, comme la plupart de ces gens talentueux me sont inconnues.

Mes endroits préférés pour acheter des tissus sont des brocantes et des friperies.
Je cherche la couleur, la texture, mais surtout ce petit quelque chose qui est très difficile d'expliquer aux gens qui ne sont pas fans de vieilleries. Ce n'est pas le style d'un créateur qui me parle, mais un certain sentiment, quelque chose qui me dit qu'un morceau de tissu a une histoire à me raconter. Une histoire que je vais me régaler d'imaginer dans mon atelier pendant que je coupe la jupe ou la veste ou même le taie d'oreiller que j'avais trouvé et en faire autre chose.

Cet après-midi, j'ai pris la doublure d'une vieille veste de velours et en a fait un fruit défendu.

Il y a quelques jours, j'ai enfin sorti un très vieux, très délicat, et très beau panneau de soie que j'ai gardé dans mon placard pendant très longtemps, pour en faire des pommes et des poires.

Ceux-ci seront bientôt disponibles à la boutique.

7 commentaires:

limonada a dit…

I understand you completely!
And look what amazing pieces those antique fabric have become! ready to be filled with another amazing story :)

Kreativlink a dit…

Now wouldn't it be cool to really "hear" the stories that are hidden in these things? Maybe if you touch them at the right time, in the right mood, when the planets are lined up ... *imagine spooky background sound now* ...

LeelaBijou a dit…

Oh, they are amazing!

Anonyme a dit…

I feel exactly the same. Because sewing is still quite new to me I put it down to inexperience at first, but the more I sew the more I feel drawn towards vintage/second hand fabrics. I still use new ones but I care very little for the name of the designer.
I too love the idea of a fabric having a story, and by re-using it, a new journey ahead.
(plus there's a little design snobbery in me which can't stand seeing the same fabric everywhere ;)

Babongo Handmade a dit…

Hey Apol, funnily enough I have only just 'discovered' your blog. I so love what you write about thrifted fabrics as I know exactly how you feel. The little jump of your heart when you see that very exciting fabric that you know will make a gorgeous.... whatever. Yay!
These are gorgeous fruits!

Laura a dit…

ooh, love the pears!
Laura in Ludwigsburg

Apryl a dit…

love the forbidden black apple, it looks deliciously wicked! sorry couldn't resist... :)