Hawthorne Threads Blog

Saying "I Do" to Gray

Inspiration boards courtesy of Snippet and Ink

I absolutely love that gray is the new black. It's versatility and appeal is largely attributed to the fact that gray compliments both warm and cool color palettes, adding depth and sophistication whilst maintaining an overall softness that black could not achieve. Nowhere do we see this trend more apparent than perhaps at weddings. Pink, aqua, and gray are softly romantic and this Wedding collection from Michael Miller Fabrics will no doubt be a hit with all the savy brides and decorators out there!

Springtime in January

I do love an Indian Summer, but I don't remember experiencing a January Spring! With the unseasonably balmy weather we're having in Upstate New York this weekend, my thoughts are skipping forward to springtime projects. Here's a happy palette in celebration of this warm weather! Collections featured are Flower Sugar, Folk Heart, Daisy Cottage, Alphabet Soup and Modern Whimsy.

Lecien's Flower Sugar Pops with Candy Colored Sweetness

We've just received our annual release of Flower Sugar from Lecien Fabrics of Japan. Just when the fabrics become scarce and immensely hard to come by, new designs arrive to join this ongoing collection of dashing roses and welcoming flowers in sugary sweet hues that pop. I love it more each time!

A Gift for the Guys - Ties!

Anyone still looking for gift ideas for the guys in your life, both big and small? How about some stylin' neckties for the guys this Christmas? Perhaps Mr.Ty Pennington was having a fun play on words with his name this past Quilt Market, for on prominent display in Ty's booth were, as you can see, ties! He whipped up a tie from each and every print in his new Impressions collection.

With its beautiful array of lush designs and distinctly organic, tribal feel, Ty has refined his woodcut printing technique and chosen a more daring color palette this time around. The line is great for any guy not afraid to add a little color to his wardrobe.

Having "winged it" with my son's necktie seen here, I'd certainly recommend following a tutorial (especially if, ahem, you're like me and pressed for time getting through your list of handmade gifts this year).

Images courtesy of The Purl Bee

I found a couple of great tutorials over at the Purl Bee - here's one for the little guys and the big guys in your life. The Impressions line is sophisticated yet brightly colored and would work well for stylish guys, both big and small. Happy Sewing!

Curtains On Parade

I had been on the lookout for the perfect pattern to use for curtains in our daughter Annie's new room. After having shared a room with her brother Aidan up until our recent move, our daughter Annie really wanted something girly. In fact, the very prospect of decorating sealed the deal and convinced her to step out on her own. We had asked the kids if they wanted to share a room again in our new house, or if they'd each like their very own. Aidan didn't give it a second thought but, as the younger sister, Annie wasn't entirely certain she wanted to be alone just yet. Then the dawn of an idea sprouted in her 4 year old mind, and a smile spread across her face as she asked me in a hopeful whisper, "mama, it can be pink?" Sold.

We decided on the spectacularly sweet Children at Play line from Sarah Jane that celebrates the romance and the simplicity of being a kid. That kind of nostalgic innocense is exactly the feeling I wanted for my little girls room. Annie on the other hand just loved that the parade had both pink and purple balloons.

For the main panel of the curtains, we selected a pink floral print from Riley Blake's Alphabet Soup Line. The main border fabric is of course On Parade, a double border design (meaning that it runs along both selveges). That proved really great as I lined the back of the curtains with the border as well to give them a nice polished look (or, if truth be told, because I knew my mom would be giving them a once over). Annie thought it needed something more, and so we added a little strip of this turquoise dot from the same line.

We've just gotten our hugely anticipated re-stock of this sweet On Parade design- grab some fast, before this parade of kidets heads out of town once again!