As seamstresses, upholsterers, designers, craftsmen and artisans, our approach to fabric seems to take on a whole new meaning. For us it’s not enough to see how a fabric looks on a piece of furniture or how it hangs on a mannequin, we need to know how it feels. We want to touch it, rub it, caress it, play with it, feel it against our skin, see how it lays, how it drapes, and most of all, how it behaves when we sew it.
Out of the hundreds of different natural and synthetic textiles that are manufactured each year, there are one or two that catch our attention each and every time. For me it’s always been linen. There is something about the texture and naturalness of the fiber that has always appealed to me. I love the way it brings out the cut of a garment, how it dresses up an ensemble, harmonizes with our bodies, presses, and marries so effortlessly with silk, poly and cotton. And while I could do without the ease in which holds a wrinkle at times, if you asked me what was my favorite fabric, the answer would still be the same.
As curiosity would have it with us creative folks, we thought it would be fun to pose the same question of favorite fabrics to our crafty J&O Fabric Stores Face book fans and see if artsy minds thought alike. After a slew of responses, this is what we found.
J&O Top 10 Favorite Fabrics to Work With
1. ” Wool because it’s so forgiving and sculptural–preferably the good stuff, alpaca, mohair….Harris or Donegal tweed is good too. ” – Wendy Kaufman
2. ” I love batiks – they’re so beautiful and I appreciate the work that went into making them.” – Betty Cooke
3. ” I love novelty prints. So much fun! ” – Tess Smith
4. ” Stretch knits, they don’t ravel and they always hang right. And swim suit fabric feels like a dream when made into tops.” –Sheila Schaefer
5. ” I love to work with fabrics that are for young children. It just makes me feel happier to work with prints that have things like goofy fish.” – Karen Long Hanson
6. ” Texture…I love linens especially. So pure……and it always behaves after a good ironing!” – Marti Secondine
7. ” Minky! It is so soft and velvety. ” – Patti Londa Greene
8. “Fleece- so soft, colorful and very forgiving!” –Lori Aldrich Miller
9. ” Cotton is the most useful, as items can be re-cut and reused time and time again. Some of the fabrics in my creations are on their 4th and 5th re-incarnation.”- Claire Kendall-Price
10. ” I LOVE LOVE LOVE flannel. its sooooooo soft. I put flannel on the back of most my quilts. LOVE FLANNEL! ” – Shannon Ellenburg Young
What’s your favorite fabric & why?
