I am finally unpacking fabric. Picking up each piece and putting it away certain aspects of an awakening. Each piece, be it humble or more exotic, seems so perfect. Dreams flow around me like whisps. Happiness envelops me.
I do believe I have the most beautiful fabric collection in the world. Of course this opinion is highly subjective. I am certain that ever collector feels their collection is the most beautiful, and rightly so.
These photos are not particularly representative, of colors yes, but of the entire collection not so much. Sublte gradations in color of flat weave basic fabrics don't photograph well, at least not in the still-darkish light of my studio with my photographic skills. But these are fabric pieces, the stuff of dreams.
In the past few months I have dreamt of my fabric. I have thought about how I would sort it and organize it and how it would look on the shelves. As I imagined my wall of fabric I quickly realized that in my dreams I saw the fabric sorted by color, and that in fact color is more a more important factor for me when I am looking for a fabric than fiber content, weave or weight. I did have my fabric sorted by type of fabric once, following some directive that this was the most efficient path. But any system is only as efficient as the people who use it. And I never look for a particular fabric by its weave or weight. Color always comes first in my mind. Even when I am imagining a dress, I am not imagining a wool crepe dress or a silk dress, although those features may be part of general plan, in that I may imagine a blue crepe dress or a pair of pants out of gray wool suiting. It is the color that comes first, not the fabric, with blue and gray being the critical points. I can adapt the execution of my vision to suit the requirements of fabric more easily than I can change my mind about color.
And so I am sorting by color as it is the color I remember when I am looking for a particular fabric. I have a pretty good memory for color and have, on more occasions than I can count, seen a fabric and known instantly that it was a perfect match for something I had waiting on the shelf at home. In fact my "memory-matching" ability is often more on-point than my ability to match something in the poor artificial lighting found in many fabric stores. Each shelf has its own unique range of shades but I am not sorting the fabric in any particular order on each shelf. There is not enough time in the heavens for me to fool with that. It is not like any one piece is going to be more than a few feet away from any other piece.
And of course this too is good. Because I have been known to say I want a green dress, and end up with a purple dress. These things happen whether I am shopping or sewing, and it is one of the happy little inconsistencies of life. I continue to believe that, had I not been looking for the green dress, I would not have noticed the purple one that finally caught my attention.
And now that you know that I almost always start with color, I'd love to know what prompts you to start your search for a new garment or a new sewing project. Do you imagine a silhouette? A weight or type of fabric such as silk or cotton? Or do you start off thinking about a color? If you start out thinking about one color, such as a blue dress or a red blazer, do you ever end up with something else entirely? Do share.
Comments
18 responses to “Unpacking The Colors of Dreams”
That’s a really good question. I don’t think I have one way of choosing. Sometimes I go with a palette (colour). Sometimes I need a certain type of garment. Sometimes I want to learn a new technique. Sometimes the fabric compels me. I don’t really end up with something entirely different than I’ve imagined because the process is pretty fluid from start to finish.
I definitely think by color first…just like you. And you do have a beautiful fabric collection, I know because I’ve been fabric shopping with you and drooled over some of your acquisitions. Glad that you are taking this time to reacquaint yourself with some old friends.
Wow, that’s like shopping in a well-curated fabric store where you love everything in the store!
My project selection process is all over the place. Sometimes, it’s due to the need to replace a worn-out item or something to match something else. Other times, it’s due to a request from my daughter for X color and Y style. Often, it’s due to a whim to try something new.
Well, Kristin, my process is pretty fluid too, and I’ve started projects for all the reasons you’ve mentioned, but even when I think I need a certain type of garment, I think about what color I need it to be.
Carolyn, I seem to recall drooling over a few of your pieces as well.
BMGM, Ah yes, those whims to try new things. I have those. And at this point I don’t have anyone putting requests for colors other than myself, which makes things somewhat easier. But when replacing a beloved piece that has worn out, color is always a part of it because it needs to fill the right hole in the wardrobe.
What a trove! You seem to be weighted toward pinks-to-burgundies or maybe its just what was currently set up for the photo. When I sewed, I’d fall in love with a fabric (the colour or the texture, or both) and usually see it as a skirt or shirt for my then-husband. (My skills did not extend to coats or anything but the easiest dresses.)
But also there is the question of wearability. I used to collect silk shirts but then I realized, hot in summer, cold in winter.
I have rack envy. Never had it before, never knew the condition existed, but now that I’ve seen your [fabric] rack, I have this condition, for sure!
Lovely. I organize my closet and drawers by color. When I’m looking for something that’s often my retrieval quality.
I love the range of textures you have.
Color for me, too. What a lovely collection, and how nice to have it all together!
So beautiful sound! Yes, most of the time we don’t dare to reveal the thoughts of our own-selves but we should try for it because who knows may be it’ll be great to see in the reflected version ;). Thanks for an inspiring presentation.
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Your shelving has given me an epiphany. Currently my fabric is in big plastic boxes, keeping it safe from critters, but also from me. So my current strategy for choosing what to sew is usually what’s easiest to get at.
Duchesse, I used to collect silk shirts and now have fewer for the same reasons, although I find charmeuse warm even in winter.
The burgundies into pinks are growing and obviously this is a color I love (I do) but am not wearing much of at the moment. I seem to wear it most when I sew more, perhaps easier to find fabric than finished garments. I am surprised by how dominate this color is in my fabric collection compared to how absent in my actual wardrobe. This is something I will have to correct. Luckily I have no trouble envisioning a wardrobe revolving around heavy use of burgundy.
Please tell me your stash is bigger than shown.!!!! Love the racks. My plan this winter is to change mine from type to color as well. I, too, organized by the standard rule and find it is not working. Never knew until you verbalized just why it did not work…we think in color! Brilliant!
Oh dear Mary, not rack envy! 🙂
Rose, my closet and drawers are organized by color too, although there is more structure than the fabric wall as I do divide by type of garment 🙂
Thank you Linda.
Tamara, I had all my fabric in boxes when I lived in NYS. I had a binder with swatches to help me find things, but it is not the same. I am very happy with my new fabric storage.
Oh Tina! Much bigger. I’ve only just begun….
I didn’t even know that fabric collections were a thing:).
Lisa, the world is so full of a number of things…. -:)