With our focus on kids and birthdays this week, I found myself dwelling on fabric designed for children. Kids have an amazing, and often vivid memory for details of clothing, bedding, curtains, books and wallpaper. Ever try to skip a page when reading a book to a child? I can still visualize the circus wallpaper in my room that my mother tells me was gone by the time I was three. The light aqua background and colorful tents and animals left its mark, and I'm still partial to the mix of pale aqua with brights. It makes me realize that choosing fabrics your child likes may create a life-long happy memory.

Caramel Town

Shown: first column

I love the cheery colors in this circus-inspired fabric fresh from Lecien, a Japanese corporation. Caramel Town prints are baby sized and would be adorable in an infant's or toddler's room. Crib bumpers in Dots, with a dust ruffle in Alphabet and a simply quilted blanket in Playland – sweet! In addition to the Red Dots shown, Dots is also available in chocolate and green and is a print suitable for many non-kid projects. It's so versatile, I'm going to stash a few yards.

View the full collection here.

Toybox II

Shown: second column

Toy Box II is by Sara Morgan for Blue Hill Fabrics. The cute little 1930's inspired prints include animals, kids playing and a lovely selection of florals. Check out this clever swatch image. Toy Box II is a follow-up to the popular and equally adorable Toy Box. It would make a magical patchwork quilt for a baby or young child's bed.

View the full collection here.

Toy Poodle

Shown: third column

This is a large collection, and we only show a couple of the prints; all in the pink colorway. Toy Poodle would work for either a boy or girl depending your color selection. And, yes, there are poodle prints – we just didn't show them here. I want the Feather and Fur Dots – love those kitty faces. All very charming for room décor and winsome apparel. Toy Poodle is by Kinkame for Clothworks Fabrics.

View the full collection here.

Wild Friends

Shown: last column

Wild Friends by Lesley Grainger for Robert Kaufman Fabrics is a fun and colorful mix of jungle animals. Kids love these animals and it's a great way to encourage familiarity with and understanding of these wonderful creatures who share the planet with us. Shown in the image above is the quilt panel – a fabulous one-yard buy. Simply quilt around the circles and bind with one of the adorable dot or stripe patterns to create an easy and engaging baby quilt.

View the full collection here.

Finding Fabric

If you see a particular fabric online that you like, you can check your favorite fabric source to find out if they have it in stock or can get it for you. You can also try Googling the fabric name along with the designer's name or the design house, for example: "Wild Friends"or "Robert Kaufman." Prints from older collections can sometimes be found on Etsy or eBay. If you love a fabric, get it while you can. Because like fashionable apparel, popular fabrics come and go; at some point even the most amazing fabrics are no longer in stores or online.

Comments (0)

Name

Comment

smaller | bigger

Add Comment Preview