Summer Sewing with Nicey Jane

Heather Bailey's latest collection 'Nicey Jane' is HOT in our store! May I just say that this new full collection is bursting at the seams with inspiration!!

Dresses & skirts for women and children, bags, quilts... the sky is the limit with this gorgeous collection in fresh summery colourways that have become a signature for Heather Bailey.

See below for more inspirational images from Heather Bailey..

We also have her latest adorable 'Henrietta' turtle sewing pattern..

Enough inspiration... Leave a comment on your top 3 picks from this full collection of 40 and we will randomly select one winner to receive a half metre of your favourite three. Winner posted here in a weeks time. In the meantime Happy Christmas Sewing!

NEW Japanese Fabric Imports - Nina's Sewing Factory & Nani IRO 2009

A HUGE long weekend and 15 large boxes later I have finally stocked our shelves with Japanese Goodness!! Here are some of the gorgeous double gauze and linen cotton blends which I hope you enjoy as much as I have been! I would love to find out your favourites in this bunch.

I just love this unique design 'Girly & Bitter' by japanese textile designer Asuka as part of the Nina's Sewing Factory collection. An amazing watercolour design running along one selvedge with a bird on chain design running upwards on a lovely soft double gauze. This would be perfect for unique fashion pieces such as dresses, skirts and blouses for both children and adults.

Here is not a particularly good shot, but a shot none-the-less of Girly & Bitter from selvedge to selvedge.

I can't tell you how excited I was to receive the NEW Nani IRO 2009 fabrics... it was like Xmas opening these boxes! Fuccra Rakuen (above) is a gorgeous design on a linen / cotton blend perfect for home decorating items such as cushions, bags, and would even make a stunning skirt.

My absolute favourite is the same design but in a beautiful aqua. My plans for this beauty is to run the full width of this one down the centre of a king size doona cover with either white, latte or lemon on either side... mmm decisions?? Fuccra Rakeun is also available in white. Love it, Love it, Love it!

Another of my favourites is Fuukei in a colourway I like to call 'earth' for obvious reasons. Another great all-rounder but particularly well suited to homewares. Here is a shot from the Nani IRO website as a tablecloth providing a great shot of the overall design... very nice!

Below is Fuwari, which having little girls I think would be amazing made up into little quite simple style dresses.


Fuwari, Pocho, Muji and a couple of the colourways in Fuukei are a beautiful 100% cotton double gauze which is incredibly soft to the touch. For those not familiar, double gauze is simply two layers of gauze joined together providing a fabric that is not too sheer. Its open weave properties make it lovely and light to wear with the bonus ability to breathe.

Many designers I think are heading in the direction of double gauze fabric due to its versatility for clothing as well as some light homewares such as linen, cushions etc. Designers such as Etsuko Furuya and Heather Ross whose NEW fabric collections are also a double gauze are considered along with Nani IRO to be a work of art on fabric and I believe will also be popular as wall art either behind a frame or over a canvas. I cannot wait to receive the Echino and Far, Far Away double gauze collections in store soon!

Rounding up, if you are feeling inspired by the fabrics above why not pop over here for some fabulous free online patterns - only drawback is they are in Japanese but can be worked out if you are a master at following drawings! I hear there is also a fantastic pattern by Liesel that appears in the current issue of Sew Hip proving that gorgeous fabrics like Nani IRO and amazing patterns like Oliver + S = Stunning Result!