We here at StitchPop for Kids OF COURSE have an absolute and undying love for beautiful fabric. These days, between local shops and online fabric sellers, there are so very, very many options, and it’s so very, very hard to choose which fabrics to actually buy. So, unless you are fortunate enough to have the money and space to buy ALL the fabrics, here are a few beautiful options we have our eye on that will be available during the summer of 2023.
Before we name our favorites, let’s talk a little bit about fabric collections and designers. In the vast world of fabric, there are multiple broad types, such as apparel fabric (which you would use for making clothing) home decor (which you would use for curtains and furniture) and then there’s the world of quilting cottons (which you could use for apparel or home decor, but is generally used for quilts and other fabric projects).
Within the world of quilting cotton, there are different levels of quality, but in general the fabrics are 100% cotton. The fabrics are either solid colors or prints. For each print fabric, there is a designer. At the big box fabric stores, you may never know the name of the individual designer, just the name of the company that produced the fabric. At local quilt shops and online quilt fabric sellers, you will discover the world of unique fabric designers, each with their own style. While each company producing high quality quilting cottons may have some “house” designers, for the most part, they work with individual designers or design teams to design fabric collections. Fabric collections are a set of coordinating prints designed to look good together when made into quilting projects. The fabric colors and patterns paint a coordinated picture, and are sometimes too beautiful to cut! Instagram is a great place to discover YOUR favorite fabric designers and collections.
So, without further ado (drumroll, please), here are a few of our favorite fabric collections for Summer 2023!
Reading Nook
Designed by Sarah Watts for Ruby Star Society
We’re always looking for fabric that is book related (might have something to do with being a former librarian!), and Reading Nook by Sarah Watts hits the spot. Of course there’s book related prints, but there’s also tea bags, and cute little squirrels, cats and mice! These fabrics would make such cute book covers, tablet covers, bookmarks, and other book-themed items and gifts.
Neon True Colors
Designed by Tula Pink for Free Spirit Fabrics
Tula Pink is a truly iconic fabric designer, and with her latest collection, she has outdone herself (in our truly humble opinion). The neon colors absolutely jump off the fabric, and we will DEFINITELY be adding these to our current stash of Tula Pink fabrics for a future English Paper Piecing project!
Rainbow Sherbet
Designed by Sariditty for Moda Fabrics
We love the scrumptious looking colors that look just right for scooping up on a hot summer day! These would be so cute for small square patchwork projects.
Floralicious
Designed by Lila Tueller for Riley Blake Designs
There are so many reasons why so many flowers are printed on fabric. The colors, the types, the sheer beauty of flowers make them hard to resist. The Floralicious collection by Lila Tueller is so pretty–small delicate flowers, tons of color, and coordinating small prints to let those flower shine, and could be made into pretty pillowcases and quilts. Look for it in July 2023!
Thicket & Bramble
Designed by Jill Labieniec for Figo Fabrics
We love the cute little animals and plants of Thicket & Bramble by Jill Labieniec for Figo Fabrics. The colors and unique and present some interesting combinations. The denser prints would be cute on a purse, and all of them together would make projects made with cute little patchwork squares.
Polar Attitude
Designed by Ann Lauer for Benartex Fabrics
Need to cool down your sewing room in the heat of summer? This super chill set of Polar Attitude fabrics from Ann Lauer for Benartex will hit the spot, between the adorable polar bears and penguins to the bubbly prints that remind us of bubbles trapped ice. This would make really cute pouches and pillows!
Wintertale
Designed by Katarina Roccella for Art Gallery Fabrics
Christmas fabric in July?!? Believe it or not, Christmas fabrics start hitting stores in May! Sewing holiday themed quilts and other projects takes time, so quilters need the fabrics months in advance. Wintertale is such a cute set of Christmas and holiday themed fabric–you could make a new tree skirt, stockings, and so much more.
