Spoonflower Design Swap with Delia!

Last year Stacey invited some blogging friends to challenge themselves to design fabric for a swap partner and then sew with the Spoonflower fabric the partner had designed for them. Delia and I were paired up, and whaaaat a challenge it turned out to be. I had a baby, we both moved and the timeline streeeetched out. We’re finally sharing today!

Delia designed this modern triangle print with a salmon-y red palette – here in her Spoonflower shop. I wanted to sew a knit/woven combination because without at least a little stretch K won’t wear it, and wanted Delia’s design to shine. I chose the recently released Figgy’s Stellar Tunic to make this happen. Here’s it’s sewn up in size 8/9 for my growing-out-of-all-size-7-things 7yo.

I spent a healthy chunk of last fall working with Shelly of Figgy’s to digitize and launch the new patterns, but this was the first chance I’ve had to sew one. I didn’t hesitate to jump in– her instructions are so clear and I love love love her style. This pattern features pieced sleeves that I combined into whole sleeves (Shelly’s idea originally) for Delia’s print to take center stage.

The super stretchy jersey knit came from one of the NY garment district trips. I can see it on the table in one of the photos from that post, at Paron Fabrics. (Hey, I have photographic memory!)

Delia’s triangle print is on Spoonflower’s poplin- nice and crisp and smooth. Spoonflower prints are typically bright and lovely when they’re hot off the press. Over time, washing results vary- depending on the type of fabric, the type of print, type of detergent, water temperature and — crazily enough — the pH of the wash water. Talk about variability!

Despite the washability challenges, I still can’t noooot use Spoonflower. (I can’t not. Really. It sounds ridiculous, but it’s true.) It’s so satisfying to see a design turn into fabric. So I wash digitally printed fabrics solo, in cold water, with phosphate-free detergent (like All Free and Clear) and hope for the best. The slightly vintage look that slowly evolves is okay with me.

I left the bottom edge of the jersey knit unfinished.  I used a triple stretch stitch on the neck binding and I’m a little conflicted over it. I love that it’s nearly impossible to fail to catch the edges, but it’s more visible than I’d like.

It took six months of settling in our new place and a big studio clean-up for this design challenge project to finally come together. It’s been long enough since the last round of bribe-kid-to-cooperate-for-photos that it didn’t take much convincing this time. In part because she saw the tunic in progress and knew I was sewing it for her, which she gets excited about. And I want that to last foreeeeeever. I’m just going to pretend that I don’t know the reality of growing up and that lifelong uninterrupted mom appreciation is possible. And that bribery will always be as simple as offering a peppermint patty.

Want to see what I designed with Delia’s boys in mind? Hop on over! 

Want to see other Spoonflower Design Swap posts? Find ’em here: Stacey, Sabra, Alida, Amanda