textiles

Perhaps it’s because I’ve been doing so much sewing at home in recent weeks (and therefore spending lots of time shopping for fabrics), but I’ve been feeling awfully textile-centric as of late. Or perhaps it’s because I’ve been I’ve been spending time getting to know a textile industry periodical called American Fabrics at the Library.

American Fabrics (and its successor, American Fabrics and Fashions), together cover decades and decades of the twentieth century. This magazine was “dedicated to the belief that Fashion begins with the Fabric…that the American textile industry casts a major influence on the economic and social aspects of the world in which we live…that American textiledom has attained the world’s pinnacle from which it can never be dislodged.”

While I’m uncertain about such heady braggadocio, I am sure about the wealth of design and pattern inspiration to be found within the Library’s back issues. American Fabrics holds fabric swatches, tipped-in brochures and promotional flyers for fabric companies, and informative articles about the industry. And perhaps unsurprisingly, the full color ads offer amazing and vivid details on period aesthetics. Taken together, they open a unique window into fashion, taste, and fabric in post World War II America.

A kimono from 1910. (Image from NYPL Digital Gallery)

A few months ago I spent some holiday time among the rows of lovely and unusual fabrics at H. Kimura, an unassuming little fabric shop with an overwhelming selection in Kealakekua, Hawaii (my thanks to my sister for taking me there!). This shop was well stocked with Japanese cotton prints like the chrysanthemum cotton print in the detail below, which I made into a Walkaway Dress (Butterick 6015).

I've been fond of Japanese patterns for many years, and I am grateful that there are sources closer to home than H. Kimura where I can easily get at them. One shop in New York is City Quilter, and a spot online with plenty of irresistible Japanese offerings is Reprodepot.

But if you want to read up on the art and the history of Japanese fabrics and textile design, I'd recommend turning to the Library. NYPL's Humanities & Social Sciences Research Library has dozens of illustrated books and exhibition catalogs to browse through. And don't forget about the Digital Gallery, with its many samples of Japanese textiles digitized and ready for browsing online.

Just one of dozens of inspiring textile designs available for browsing on NYPL Digital Gallery. Search for textile design to see more!

In last week's Handmade Then and Now* class, I met some very creative people and we exchanged plenty of good ideas for learning, obtaining materials, and finding new creative outlets. Here are three sites we discussed in class, for those who wish to follow up:

Spoonflower
While still in beta (which means, among other things, that you have to put yourself on a waiting list to have a chance to use it), this service is worth watching and waiting for. It allows you to design your own fabric—Spoonflower then prints as much of it as you want and sends it to you!

Materials for the Arts
Run by NYC’s Department of Cultural Affairs, this organization supports active re-use of objects with arts and crafts potential. They collect and then distribute arts supplies of all kinds to community projects, schools, and arts programs.

Material Connexion Library
This library, maintained by Material Connexion, provides access to innovative materials of all kinds. Their resources can help designers to select innovative, sustainable, or cradle-to-cradle materials that work best with their creations.

My thanks, once again, for the great conversation, suggestions, and questions. It's always such a treat to connect with enthusiastic handmakers.

*Taught at NYPL, this class provides ideas for the craft-curious on how the Library can inform and inspire one's handmade creations. If you’d like to attend a future Handmade Then and Now class, just keep an eye on the calendar. I’ll teach it again this fall!