christmas fabric

For all of you out there who are planning on getting started early this year on your Xmas projects, there a few new Christmas fabrics to be found by Volksfaden. Sweet snowflakes, funky holly twigs and delicate crystals can be found in the "novelty" category. I know it's early but the days are getting darker and if you are planning a more time consuming project like a table runner, quilt or an advent calendar, I guess there is no time like the present to get started!

colorful architecture

"Farbe ist Lebensfreude!" Bruno Taut
(This is not easy to translate but basically we can translate it as "color is the joy of living", granted it is a rough translation.)
Bruno Taut (1880-1938), a well-known German architect originally wanted to be a painter. His use of color in his architectural designs was for the time quite unique. He wanted to provide comfortable living for everyone in a colorful environment. When he first planned one of his hausing settlements in Berlin (Waldsiedlung Onkel Tom's Hütte) his ideas were met with violent opposition for several reasons, the flat roofs, the colors and the fact that he wanted to provide low income housing. He was able to overcome the problems and built the settlement during a time period from 1926-1930. When it was finished, it was commonly referred to as the "Papageiensiedlung"(Parrot Settlement) or the Farbentopf (Paint Pot) because of it's colors. Today you can still visit the settlement and because it is under the protection of the Historical Society it remains almost unchanged. I took a walk there this morning and these are some of pics I took.

sewing cafe in berlin

Linkle Stitch'n Bitch Cafe is a cafe with a few tables, a dozen chairs, ten sewing machines, the brainchild of Linda Eilers and located in Berlin Kreuzberg.
During Linkle business hours(Tues-Sun 13:00-22:00) you can just walk right in, sit right down and for 5€ an hour sew to your heart's content! If you get stuck, you can always to turn to someone there for help and when you are finished you can go home and your livingroom isn't in a state of creative chaos, unless of course you left it like that before you went to the sewing cafe. Ms. Eilers also offers sewing courses and workshops for novice and experienced sewing sisters.(I may myself am eyeing the course on creating your own patterns) So check it out and fix that broken zipper finally or make a bag to end all bags at Linkle!

colorful monday

I thought I would share a bit of color with you all today! The images from Mexico are courtesy of my stepdaughter, Jetta, who spent several weeks there this summer! I love the colors!Viva la Vida!!
The other images here are a few colorful things seen in Berlin shops. The enamel bowl and pitcher were seen at really cute shop in the Pappelallee, that has fun enamelwares and other nostalgic home accessories is called liv and the melamine plates were seen at kilda in the Hufelandstrasse.

Polka Dots

Polka Dots in four different colorways from Lecien's Flower Sugar collection are available now at volksfaden. This fabric is a home decor weight, heavier than your usual quilting fabric, great for bags and pilows!

Bewegungsreich, fitness studio

So this is a first for me to write about a fitness studio on this blog, but I believe in supporting women who have also started up their own businesses. After looking for years in Berlin for a movement alternative to dancing, I have really been lucky in finding Bewegungsreich! Bewegungsreich is run by two women, Nadine Kroedler and Claudia Neyer. They are both movement specialists and they really put an emphasis on training intelligently and healthily! They work with they clients closely and do a personal analysis with each client to find out what they need or should avoid.
I find myself sitting alot these days either in front of a computer screen or at a sewing machine and working out at their fitness studio is a welcome change. The studio itself is really nice and the atmosphere is lovely. This Sunday 23.09.2007 from 10 until 16:00 is open house, so if you should be in the neighborhood, I heartily recommend you stop by! All the best to Nadine and Claudia!

Thank you , Holly

I don't know how many of you are familiar with the design blog decor8 but if you aren't familiar with it then you really should check it out. It is a wonderful blog about design and a daily read for me. So you can imagine that I was tickled pink to see that Holly had done a lovely write up about volksfaden! Thank you so much, Holly!

jodi green

I recently read about Jodi Green on Whip Up. She is documenting her Master of Fine Arts thesis work on her blog. She prints fabric, makes her clothing out of the printed fabric and then wears each piece of clothing once before altering it again."The printmaking inks will not hold up to repeated washings, so the normal wear and tear that clothing endures will lead to the destruction of the printing at the same time that the printing is bringing about the destruction of the clothes.” A pretty amazing process. Checkout Ms. Green's blog if you would like to learn more about it.
Images: Two of Jodi Green's art dresses

Anita Roddick

Anita Roddick the founder of the Body Shop passed away on Monday, the 10th of September, 2007. I was truly saddened to hear this. Ms. Roddick was a social activist and a successful businesswoman who believed that business could be a force for positive change. That businesspeople should contribute to organizations that can make the world a better, safer and more civilised place. And she did contribute, millions into Amnesty International, Friends of the Earth, Shelter and Reprieve, just to name a few.
When I started thinking about opening an online shop, the first book on business I read was Anita Roddick's "Business as Unusual". I was inspired and I highly recommend this book to anyone who is thinking of going into business.
I think she was a wonderful woman in so many ways.

New Fabrics!

I just finished putting some new fabrics online at Volksfaden.
The Joel Dewbery fabrics have finally arrived! Some lovely sparrows, chestnuts, buttercups and bigger medallion prints. When I saw his birds months ago , I knew I had to have them at Volksfaden!
A few sweet prints from Eclectic by Prints'n Plaids for Moda are also available now in two colorways Raspberry and Gold. There is a bigger peony print, a medium size paisley and a small medallion print.
And last but not least, two really cute Japanese prints from Alexander Henry's Indochine collection, Yui Kokeshi Wasabi and Oasabi Red. The colors are vibrant and I love the designs. The Alexander Henry prints can be found in the Novelty category where in the future all of the smaller collections will be housed!

fabric stacks

Fabric Stacks are now available at Volksfaden.
Each fabric stack contains six pieces of fabric from one of our fabric collections. The pieces of fabric are 50cm x 55cm, I guess you could say the European Fat Quarter. So all in all with one of these fabric stacks you have 1 1/2 meters of fabric and six different prints. Ideal for patchwork projects like throw pillows, a tote bag or a set of placemats. Stop by and check'em out!

aren't they lovely?

Just wanted to share a few pics that a very talented lady sent me.(She would prefer to remain anonymous, so we shall refer to her as Mrs.R) Mrs. R bought this fabric at volksfaden a few weeks ago and whipped up this blouse and tunic basically overnight! She used "kaleidoscope orange" from Lecien's My Folklore for the blouse and for the tunic she used "poppies chocolate" and "plaid olive" from Moda's Summer in the City. Aren't they lovely! I was really impressed. If any of you have pictures you would like to share of things you have made using fabric from volksfaden, then please send them to me and I would love to post them! Thanks again Mrs. R for sending me these!

mod girls

jenniferpaganelli.typepad.com
"Mod Girls" is the name of the second collection of fabric that Jennifer Paganelli designed for Free Spirit. This collection is brigh,bold and funky with a vintage feel to it. I took a look at Jennifer's blog today and found this doll collage that she made. Just love it and all her other collages.( via jennifer paganelli) Here is also a little softie that I saw there from littlemysteries. Take a look at Jennifer's blog to see what people are doing with her great fabric. Here are also a couple of aprons I've made using her fabric. So checkout "mod girls" at volksfaden and let your creative juices flow.