You probably know that my “thing,” for the last year or so, has been to create custom color schemes in polymer clay to coordinate with existing designer fabrics. But long before I started matching fabric, I was devising my own color schemes. I still use both types of color families in my current polymer clay work, but I have two separate places to sell them. When it comes to making things like bags, aprons and scarves, I tend to stick with the designer fabrics and their corresponding clay colors, and put them in my etsy shop.
My Polka Dot Cottage shop contains only items based on my own colors. I’d really like it to also have some bags, scarves & aprons in it, but I’ve had to reverse my way of thinking in order to accomplish that. Instead of mixing up clay colors to match the fabric, I’ve had to find existing fabric to match my own color schemes. On my trip to Lancaster County last month, I wandered into a quilt shop and found just what I needed.
I hadn’t brought any clay samples with me, but I still managed to pick out three fat quarter 8-packs that coordinate nicely with some of my colors. I mean, look at that one on the top! That’s Tweed. You’d think I’d made the button to match the fabric, and not the other way around, wouldn’t you? The bottom left photo shows raw canes from my Americana collection – I haven’t made any buttons from these canes yet. And the last photo involves buttons from my Country collection.
I know I usually tell you exactly what fabrics I’m using, but in this case, I’m not sure what many of them are. I guess that’s one advantage to buying your fabric online – you always know exactly what collection it came from. Pre-bundled fat quarters in a brick & mortar quilt shop could be anything.
Anyway, I have an idea for a new bag design, and I’m excited to try it with one of these color combinations. Probably Tweed. And being that I have felt the need to wear socks for the past two mornings (something that hasn’t occurred since, oh, April or May) it seems that cooler weather is on its way. I am thinking it’s time to whip up a few more patchwork scarves like last year. I think the Country colors would be perfect for that.
I just have to resist the temptation to keep anything I make for myself – I have a craft show coming in December, and a shop to fill up!
I can hardly believe that you did not make that first button to match the fabric;) You did a great job picking them out. I can not wait to see the bags.
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Thanks! I made a bag out of that first batch Friday night, and it was kind of a disaster. Learned some valuable lessons, though, and may be able to salvage it, if I spend some quality time with the seam ripper.
I’ll testify. I bought a watch made my Lisa two years ago that had that beads exactly matching the buttons in the top photo–she definitely had the buttons and beads before she found that fabric! But it is pretty amazing. If I saw that fabric in a shop, I’d probably buy it just to send Lisa a swatch.
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Well, if you ever do find some, I wouldn’t turn it down. I totally messed-up the bag I was trying to make out of it, and don’t know if I can salvage it. At least I have enough left to make a couple of patchwork scarves!
Same kinda thing happens to me all the time. I make polymer clay beads and pendants, and often I will go to the quilt shop and come home with fabric (usually batiks) that combines so well, it looks like i bought the fabric first and then color matched my clay blends!
I guess good color combinations are just universal and it shouldn’t surprise us to find that someone else thought of them as well!
How lucky can you get!!! The Tweed match is just perfect, nice going! Can’t wait to see the new bag.
BRILLIANT. I’m in total awe.
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wow. I can’t even believe you didn’t have the buttons with you when you bought that fabric – you are good!
Have you come up with a good design for a big roomy diaper bag yet? 🙂
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ummmmm, no. I think that may just be beyond the scope of my capabilities, unless you’d just like a big, glorified tote bag 😉
Good luck getting ready for your show. I have a few coming up too… I live in Lancaster County! =) We have some great fabric/quilt shops.
Ooh, you do? I’d have loved to spend more time really soaking up the scenery and the feel of the area. But I was there with my parents, my 2 boys, and my sister’s 2 boys, for just an overnight stay, and it was a complete whirlwind! Next time I think I need to go alone 😉
Mmmmm, I love your new color schemes, Lisa. Rich but definitely more fall-like muted beauty there.
I can so identify with your experience. When I come home from a bead show and dump my stash out, everything coordinates with each other and with the current projects in my studio. I think that our passion for a color scheme gets emblazoned in our psyche and like attracts like!
Actually, those are pretty old color schemes – at least three years for two of them, and longer for the other. But I do agree with you, that they are well-suited for this time of year, particularly the Tweed and the Country.
I think many people have their own personal color schemes. I know much of what I buy for myself is navy blue, dark brown, or yellowy-green. It was serendipitous at first, but now I do it on purpose – that way all of my clothes and accessories all match each other, LOL!
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