Our newest distributor: Fabricate!

I am thrilled to announce that our newest pattern distributor is Fabricate! Located in the beautiful Rocky Mountain city of Boulder, Colorado, co-owners Linda and Corey have assembled a truly chic, contemporary collection of designer fabrics, patterns and notions for sewing and quilting.  Don't you just love Linda's version of the Modern Robe?  She made it up in pretty florals from Art Gallery Fabrics.

For those who have never been to Boulder, Colorado, this photo* may just convince you to visit...

The center of downtown Boulder is the tree-lined Pearl Street pedestrian mall...

You will find Fabricate just off the mall on 17th street (for details and map location click here).  Just look for their distinctive blue sign and welcoming red brick archway...

Last but not least, here are Linda and Corey, the creative minds (and hands) behind Fabricate!

p.s. Fabricate offers an amazing variety of sewing and quilting classes.  Check out the whole list at the Fabricate website !

*Image credits:  The photo of Boulder in the summer by Ann Duncan is from the City of Boulder website.  The photo of flowers at the Pearl Street Mall is from the Downtown Boulder website. Photos of the Modern Robe, Fabricate storefront, and Linda & Corey are by Fabricate. 

African-Inspired Modern Recycled Robe

This modern robe, made from recycled clothing, was inspired by a good friend who went on an African safari.  She had the time of her life, and brought back some amazing photos of herds of zebra.  I went looking for vintage clothing with African prints, and I stumbled upon a black-and-white cotton skirt with a geometric design reminiscent of kuba cloth; this served as the focus fabric for the robe. Altogether, four different items of gently used clothing were cut up and pieced together: the black-and-white skirt, a black floral print skirt, a white lace sun dress, and a red-and-white dress with heart motifs.

 A strip of pleated white cotton from the sun dress was used as an insert across the bodice.  For the collar, I fussy-cut a line of hearts.  One of the heart motifs was used to decorate the inside neckline, and can be seen peeking out from behind the hanging loop in the photo below.

All of the fabrics were high-quality cotton voiles. One of the fun challenges was to cut up the clothing items in such a way as to center the large-scale design,  shown on the back of the robe, below. 

The sash was pieced together from different parts of the red-and-white dress.  The red heart motifs were placed at the ends of the sash.

I must say that this is one of my favorite recycled robes so far. It is as light as a feather, thanks to the tissue-weight vintage cottons.

Art Deco: Robe from reclaimed clothing

I have started making robes from vintage clothing.  I have titled this one "Art Deco" because of the fabulous art deco fabric, which I found at a thrift store.  This robe was created by deconstructing two vintage 100% cotton skirts: a turquoise Indian cotton skirt with gold trim, and the art deco print in blue and green.  Although it was a stretch to create a robe from only two items of clothing, I love the way it turned out.

Every inch of the reclaimed clothing was used; the sash was constructed with strips of the art deco print, along with the white cotton lining.  The gold trim, which was taken from the hem of the turquoise skirt, was used to decorate the sleeves.

The back of the robe might be my favorite part.  The stylized, art deco print resembles peacock feathers. I fell in love with the aqua blue and aqua green colors and design.

As you can see, I pieced the skirt fabric in the back to create one long panel.  This project was challenging and fun.  I'm now making another robe from recycled clothing in a totally different style... stay tuned for more photos from the studio !

p.s.  By request, we've added a tab at the top of the page which shows where to find our patterns.  For questions, email Marina at modernrobe@gmail.com

Pacific Northwest Style

I once lived in Seattle and learned a lot about Pacific Northwest style.  An influence of Japanese design can be seen in the often minimalist architecture, interiors, and clothing.  The art and design community in Seattle reflects the cloudy skies, and lush forests and rugged coastline.  The town of Mukilteo, Washington, is one of the towns that lines the Puget Sound. Our friend Lynda makes her home here, and her choice of Modern Robe fabrics reflects her Northwest lifestyle.

Lynda chose the long version of the Modern Robe, a good choice for cool and misty mornings.  This elegant salt-and-pepper print, in 100% cotton, has been described as "abundant white circles, as drawn on a chalkboard". The graphic print shows beautifully in this robe.  The surprising but delightful combination of the sash, in "Rhode Island Red", adds a dash of energy that we love.

The "Third In Line" design is by one of our favorite fabric designers: Marcia Derse.  The fabric combination worked out beautifully... and Lynda tells us that she loves her robe.

Above, Left: Circle swirls, Potpourri Collection,  Q1402-26062-991 at South Seas Imports.  Right: Rhode Island Red Basket Weave, TRO-1204/3, Third in Line by Marcia Derse for Troy Corporation

Lotta Jansdotter

Lotta Jansdotter’s fabrics are things of beauty, consisting of simple but modern designs with an air of sophistication. Her aesthetic is deeply rooted in the Scandinavian landscape. She was born 1971 on Åland, a small group of islands in the archipelago between Sweden and Finland.  Her look is sleek and urban and her products are created for a busy city life. Here is our Modern Robe in a bubbly stripe from Lotta Jansdotter's premier collection.  Wouldn't it be fun to throw on this robe in the morning ?

The robe and sash fabrics are from Lotta's debut collection for Windham Fabrics, which premiered in November 2011. The 100% cotton fabric is silky smooth and beautiful for sewing.

For the sash, shown above, we used Echo Aneta in Ironwood, a rich grey with brown undertones and scattered white pollen, which is just one of many delights within the collection. Currently available at Lotta Jansdotter's website.

Above: For the robe we selected Echo Choma in Bermuda in beautiful brown-grey and teal by Lotta Jansdotter. Below: A Lotta Jansdotter fabric bundle spotted at Backstitch (UK)

And here is Lotta Jansdotter with her collection (photo by Jennifer Causey for Windham Fabrics):

Princess Mirah Batiks

Sheila is an interior designer with a keen sense of style and color. When browsing for fabrics for her Modern Robe, she was drawn to a luscious multicolor Princess Mirah Batik with a Berry Blue base.  The finished robe is both modern and elegant.

For the belt we picked out a graphic retro print in the Sherbet Pips line by Aneela Hoey for Moda Fabrics.  The grey-cherry print complemented the square design and the orange-red highlights in the batik.  We love the belt as much as the robe!

Princess Mirah introduced quilters in America to hand made Balinese batiks. It was her genius and style that brought a sense of vibrancy to the industry.  As you can see for yourself, the matchless blend of colors, the intricate and vivid sense of rhythm in her designs brings delight to quilters and to anyone in touch with her fabrics.  The crisp batiks are a delight to sew with.

L: Princess Mirah Batik #TF-1-770, Berry-Blue, at Bali Fabrics.  R:  Sherbet Pips #18506-22 by Aneela Hoey for Moda Fabrics.  As of this writing both fabrics are still in stock at many shops and online sources. 

Modern Robe in Valley of the Kings

We were asked to make a sample robe in this beautiful Robert Kaufman fabric.  Instead of cutting the collar from the same fabric, the customer wanted a contrasting collar along that would match the belt belt.  We think this turned out beautifully, and it gives the robe an entirely different look. The contrasting collar took an addition 1/2 yard of gold fabric; so, for the collar and belt, we used a total of one yard of gold fabric.  We've now added this as an option in the Modern Robe Pattern.

 

Both fabrics are a dream to sew with: heavy, luxurious cotton with a wonderful hand.

Fabrics:  Valley of the Kings Jewel by Robert Kaufman Fabrics ETJM-10933-201 and Timeless Treasures GM-c1334 Tan.

Modern Robe in Philip Jacobs and Kaffe Fassett Fabrics

It's no wonder that fabric designers such as Kaffe Fassett and Philip Jacobs have inspired sewers the world over.  Who could resist these lush florals and brilliant colors?  One shop in California selected Philip Jacobs' fall 2011 "Iris and Peony" design for their Modern Robe sample, along with a purple-and-red Kaffe Fassett "Spots" fabric for the sash.  We couldn't wait to share the shop sample with you! These gorgeous fabrics are certain to brighten up the winter days ahead.

Above, L-R:  Philip Jacobs Iris and Peony (PWPJ 043 Red), from the September 2011 collection for Westminster Fabrics.   Kaffe Fassett Spots (GP 70 Purple) for Westminster Fabrics.  As flower lovers, we've always admired peonies and iris. This combination is like a lush floral bouquet, rendered in fabric. The "Iris and Peony" design comes in four beautiful colorways, shown below:

To locate this fabric in your area, go to the Westminster Fabrics Store Locator. For a source of the Modern Robe pattern, email us at The Modern Robe Company.

Modern Robe as Modern Art

As a contemporary art collector, Karleen chose these black-and-white musical notes for her Modern Robe.  Her choice reflects her tastes in modern design.  We love the big yellow circles and graphic accents in the sash.

The robe fabric is Musical Notes from Timeless Treasures Fabrics (Pattern GM-C4930 White).  The sash was made with 1/2 yard of fabric from the Timeless Treasures Taxi Line (now out of print; contact us for a suggested source).  These high-quality, 100% cotton, quilting-weight fabrics are a perfect choice for the robe.  The sash was quilted with straight lines, using a high-sheen polyester quilting thread in the lemonade color, from the Nature's Colors collection by Hollis Chatelain for Superior Threads.

Modern Robe in modern textures: Marcia Derse Designs

Marcia Derse is one of the stars of modern fabric design. About her work, she says:  "Each piece of fabric is a new exploration of color, form, and texture. They are paintings in themselves and when I bring them together on a giant white wall in my studio space each piece becomes a landmark or road in the map of the idea I am translating."  We came across several of her painterly collections at a local quilt store, and we knew that her fabrics would be perfect for our Modern Robe.

 

This fabric is called Indigo Script and it is from the Stream Line collection for Troy Corporation (TRO-1157/1). Since we purchased this fabric we have learned about Marcia's love of typography, which may well have influenced this spontaneous-looking "script" design.

 
For the sash we chose Marcia Derse's Modern Texture in Slate (TRO-1210/11, below). We used the reverse (unprinted) side of the slate fabric as it was a good match for the lighter tones in Indigo Script.  We quilted the sash with five free-form wavy lines, in keeping with the Stream Line theme.  With the five quilted lines, this sash stands up well to washing and wearing while remaining supple enough to be tied in a knot, bow or loop.

Recently, Marcia's fifth collection for Troy has been released,  and you can preview it here.  If you are interested in her design process and inspiration, check out Marcia Derse's website and this 2-minute interview from Spring 2011:

Modern Robe in Kaffe Fassett for a Hawaii girl

Debra lives on the big island of Hawaii. Each morning she walks from her hale to an outdoor shower. She wanted a cool cotton robe that would reflect her tropical surroundings while providing privacy for her morning trek. She picked out a beautiful Kaffe Fassett print in purple and orange, along with an eye-catching floral print in orange and pink for the sash. Wow.

Left: Kaffe Fassett GP-71 (purple aboriginal dot). Right: GP-31(pink zinnias) for Westminster Fibers Inc.

This color combinations - of purple, orange and pink - give the fabric a real 1960's vibe (as do many of Kaffe Fassett's colorways !)  This fabric has an incredibly smooth "hand", and is a dream to sew with. You can also see a Modern Robe in batik, with a Kaffe Fassett sash, in our previous post.

Modern Robe in Winter Palace - part 2

Valerie wanted a long Modern Robe in flannel, and she selected this simple but elegant butterfly lace design.  The fabric is from the Winter Palace collection by Maywood Studio.  

MASF710-R (Left) and MASF8091-R (Right) by Maywood Studios

Valerie was debating about using a contrasting floral print for the sash, and she found a half-yard cut of a floral print by Philip Jacobs. Although the robe is flannel and the floral print is not, the reds match perfectly, and the cool blues and greens of the print provide an interesting contrast to the reds.  What do you think ? 

Left: MASF710-R, Winter Palace by Maywood Studio. 

Right: PJ 29, Floral Burst - Duck Egg, by Phillip Jacobs for Rowan.

Modern Robe in Winter Palace (flannel !)

How does the Modern Robe look in flannel?  We decided to check it out with this modern robe for Bea.  She chose the new Winter Palace collection by Maywood Studio. The big and bold winter roses are softened by the ice-creamy color and plush flannel fabric.  Since Bea is only 5'0" tall, we made her Modern Robe in the shorter version (we also shortened the sleeves by 2"). Her robe fits her perfectly, and the cozy flannel will keep her warm in the Wisconsin winters.  

 

MASF8091-R and -W, Winter Palace by Maywood Studio

The sash was quilted with three lines of stitching in a matching thread.  Due to the thickness of the flannel, this provides just the right amount of structure for the sash (see below).  We freehanded the wavy lines, using a walking foot and stitching one down the center and then placing the other lines to either side.  This easy sash can be stitched up quickly (unlike many other sashes, in our design there is no tube to turn inside out!)

When flannel is used, the collar facing can be eliminated. Therefore, this robe has only 7 pieces! ( For those who love pockets in their robes, optional side seam pockets are included in the pattern.)

Although flannel is quite thick, it worked out fine in the Modern Robe pattern.  However, we do recommend using a new #18 sewing machine needle.

Modern Robe in Princess Mirah batiks

My friend Gay, who is an artist and a quilter, picked out this beautiful forest teal batik from Princess Mirah Designs.  The tropical Bali hand-dyed batiks are perfect for the warm winters of the California desert!  The seafoam green sash provides a luscious contrast to the forest teal and charcoal hues of the robe.

About the fabric:  Founding Bali Fabrics in 1981, Princess Mirah introduced quilters in America to hand made Balinese batiks. Princess Mirah batiks are available from Bali Fabrics Inc.  For sources, see the list of retail stores.

Modern robe in hand-dyed batik with Kaffe Fassett sashing

This modern robe is a store sample, and we went looking for something truly eye-catching. These beautiful hand-dyed and printed batiks were perfect ! We fell in love with the red/orange/yellow smoky tones on the 100% cotton batiks from India. This Modern Robe reflects our goal, as stated in our byline: "Wrap yourself in the fabric you love*."

We looked at dozens of half-yard cuts of fabric for the contrasting sash, until we came across a Kaffe Fassett floral print in taupe.  The smoky yellows and oranges seemed to be a perfect match for the golden swirls in the batik. This striking robe is now proudly displayed on a mannequin in the fabric shop, so that customers can try it on for size.

Left: Fabric Freedom F9082-2, Indian Summer collection. Right: Kaffe Fassett Lake Blossoms GP 93, Taupe.


*Image credits:  "Wrap yourself in the fabric you love" is a trademark of The Modern Robe Company.