Do I really need to say it? The Kaffe Fassett Shot Cottons produced by his manufacturing company Rowan are some of my favorite fabrics to work with, and certainly my favorite "solids".
What makes shot cottons so rich (besides the unique colors within Kaffe's own palette) is the combination of different colors used for the warp and weft threads in the woven fabrics. Meaning that when the cloth is woven the threads going vertically are dyed a different color than the threads going horizontally.
close-up of Rowan Shot Cotton - Blueberry
Plus they have a beautiful hand. Because of the looser weave and not going through a screen-printing process they have a softness and flow to them that most quilter's cottons do not (though the industry is changing!).
When Cherie and I were first discussing the launch of The Creative Bungalow (even before it had a name) and deciding between potential fabric lines with which to plan projects there was a suggestion of finding something to do with shot cottons. It stayed on the back burner while we went ahead with our plans for the Art Gallery fabric combination we are so excited about, but after a visit to E.E. Schenck, a local quilting and sewing wholesale warehouse, we came across some inspiration.
As with so many other things that were put on hold this past month while I was tending the injured pup any pursuance of this project halted temporarily. But then I was able to step into my favorite fabric store again after being away for nearly a full month (this also being my job) with the exceptional selection of shot cottons that Marie carries at Cool Cottons on SE Hawthorne! My inspiration soared and I couldn't wait to put together a stunning array of colors to test with a very cool Carolyn Friedlander pattern we found, Sessoms.
Now, I am still very much in the testing stage for this project, but so far we are thinking it has some serious potential! here are a few test blocks I did earlier this week:
We'll likely be trying out another background color to compare the two, but for now this is what is going forward. Isn't that lovely?? I can't wait to see how more of the blocks turn out!