I Love Batiks!

Stonemountian & Daughter has some exciting batiks! These rayon gorgeous batiks below are hand-dyed in Bali. These fashion pieces would make a fantastic head turning summer dress! And rayon is such a great fabric - so light, airy, and cool and so friendly to sew.              Make a bag in a matching or contrasting Batik... and you are ready to rule the evening!                      Wouldn't this a batik pattern be nice in this easy New Look pattern? There is even a sleeveless option for the ultimate quick sew! Both dress and bag pattern are included - you are all set.     New Look 6022 - Misses' Dress & Bag This pattern is simple and elegant and will show off the unique patterns of a rayon batik fabric. Less can be more with a batik - many batik designs can really shine, shimmer and show off when made up from a simple pattern!         Stonemountain & Daughter's rayon batiks TIP: With a simple pattern, you  win in two ways - you can sew up something quick and simple AND have an  eye-catching dress! What a good strategy for us with little sewing time. And  why not make up a few extras as gifts or for fun variety? Remember, the  first time you sew a pattern is the most time consuming - get the most from your time investment - your second dress will take at least half the  time!

Our Batik Butik rayons are hand-dyed in Bali and are very versatile. This cardigan is made up in a really cute fabric of theirs that we carry called Lagoon Ginkgo. This cardigan was made up in a Kwik sew pattern designed for knits and it works well! Kwik Sew Cardigan 3916 The top is made up in a batik fabric called "Lagoon Effect" The Kwik Sew Top #3584 can be made up as either a blouse or a jacket depending on fabric choice.

Stonemountain & Daughter has a huge collection of cotton batiks in every color of the rainbow!   Batik is a traditional method of dying cloth. Wax is applied to fabric and the wax resists the dye thereby creating a pattern. Indonesia, India, and Nigeria are especially known for their traditional batiks.  Historically, batik has been used for ceremony and uses storytelling, mythology, and religious imagery in its design.

What about creating a batik quilt? You can get very creative with all of the patterns and color choices of batik. This wall panel was made by one of our customers and shows how you can meld all different types of fabrics for a very beautiful effect.               Customer Sewing Gallery         This wall hanging is mostly from our Asian Fabric Collection              - but you can see how this idea applies to batik as well. Do you have something you would like to share? Email us pics of your projects (under one megabyte please) and we love to include them on our website, Facebook, and newsletters!              We have many fun quilting classes this summer.  Jump on in a class and join us! In June we are offering Angie Woolman's Binding Your Quilt.           In July we are offering Ann Tarabini's Quiting Basics Series:                     Rotary Cutting Rectangles                     Rotary Cutting Strips to Make a 9 Patch Block                     Templates           Rotary Cutting Half Square Triangles                     Take one or take them all!

Nancy Mirman's patterns are a natural for batik fabrics. Here are a few of her bag patterns to pair with a cute batik dress!       Nancy Mirman - Baggitt         Nancy Mirman's Baggitt bag is great for batiks. You can use multiple fabrics in one piece. Here are a few other Nancy Mirman bag patterns to check out that would be great with mix and match cotton batik. Nancy Mirman - Skrappysak Nancy Mirman says, "Skrappysak is a large and roomy shoulder bag which is comfortable to wear and easy to make. The pattern features two sizes, three styles, outside pockets for keys and glasses and inside pocket(s) for wallet and lipstick" Can't you see this bag in a mixture of these cotton batiks? Or for a roomier bag - try the Totesalot! Nancy Mirman - Totesalot Nancy Mirman says of this bag: "Make it sophisticated or make it scrappy! Carry your laptop computer, or your quilting supplies, or your baby paraphernalia." A few more batiks to mix and match!

Traditional batik is a type of resist dying. Wax is applied to cloth in patterns or designs and the dye is prevented from reaching the cloth by wax. It is called resist dying because the wax "resists" the dye.                   Other methods of resist dying use stencils, pastes, or modern chemical dyes. Tie dying is an example of "mechanical" resist dying. Japanese Shibori (the original tie dye) uses knots, wrapping, stitching, wooden pegs or blocks to shield areas of the fabric in order to create elaborate patterns.

Our new class brochure is up online and in the store! We have many wonderful new classes; such as Designer Details, where you learn to make your own bias tapes, piping, covered buttons and ruffles. And speaking of ruffles; we have Ruffles, Ruffles, Ruffles, a whole class devoted to ruffles! We have two weekend Sewing Retreats - Sewing Fantasy with Sandra Betzina and Jean Cacicedo's Felted Wool Jacket. Ann Tarabini is teaching a wonderful new quilting series  - a few of which are : Rotary Cutting Rectangles - to learn all about the most common shape in quilts, and Templates - learn to make pattern / templates for any block you would like to piece. Join us! Please come the store to pick your own copy, or review classes on our website. As we have added so many new classes, we no longer send out the brochure in the mail, but if you need us to mail you a copy: email us! I am wishing each of you a beautiful summer filled with family, good health and creativity.  Blessings! ~ Suzan Steinberg