Nani Iro has arrived!

Its happening again! Our sewing line up consists of the latest Nani Iro fabrics. Not only has Naomi Ito brought us a plethora of our favorite hand painted designs but this collection has such a range in fabric types. Offering high quality fabric in cotton sheeting, double gauze, canvas, and sateen! Think of all the magical things that can be made with such a variety! Many of these fabrics have silver copper and gold metallic tones...swoon... 

To celebrate the latest collection of Nani Iro a group of talented women have declared June Nani Iro month!  Check out all the amazing things that have been created by a number of bloggers, including Lizzy House! Thanks to Miss Matatabi for the inspiring idea!

 Don't worry we have half meter bundles too!

Check back in a few weeks to see the magic that Jaime and Amber have been crafting up with their Nani Iro bundles! 

Jaime's Geometric Leini Dress

If you're a blog reader, you know we recently started carrying Named patterns from Finland. These patterns are beautifully packaged and tend toward more fashion-forward designs. I was excited to try them out and choose to make up the simple dress, Leini.

Pattern: Leini Dress by Named Patterns
Fabric: 2 5/8 main fabric, Japanese cotton print & 1 yd white cotton/silk lining
Size Made: EUR 38, US 6
Alterations: None

The Leini dress features two bold pleats on the front and a fully lined bodice. The bottom is gathered with an elastic waist which makes it easy to finish. I've never done a fully lined top before and I did have to rip some arm holes before understanding the instructions. Once I figured it out, the top came together nicely. I love the way this finishes the top and the cotton/silk blend I used to line this makes it oh-so-soft on the inside.

The fabric I choose is a soft neutral geometric print. This Japanese fabric is a fine cotton sateen - it is extra soft and flowy. We have this print in three colors including a bolder navy and a bright chartreuse if you need more color to your summer wardrobe.

The fit of the dress is great. I did my size 6 with no alterations (knowing there is extra room in the hips because of the gathered waist) and it fits perfect. There is some extra room in the bust so if you have a fuller top, I think this would be a great and flattering pattern. The loose fit of the dress makes it extra comfortable to wear so I'm sure I'll get a lot of use out of this on hot summer days.

Japanese Selvedge Denim

Japanese Selvedge Denim

Denim plays a huge part in all of our wardrobes. We love seeing a wide range of it come through on bolts here at Fancy Tiger. The latest trend is Selvedge Denim. You may have heard the term Selvage denim or rather "Selvedge" denim before. The term comes from "self-edge" which reflects the edge of the denim and its clean finish. We currently have two beautiful bolts in stock! 

Naked and Famous selvedge jeans from Fancy Tiger Clothing
 showing off its coin pocket selvedge edge. 

The demand for production of denim in the mid to late 1900's forced mills to retire their looms and upgrade to more modern machinery for a faster more efficient production. The vintage looms have made a come back world wide with the production of Selvedge Denim. During the weaving process, the cross-thread is one continuous thread that goes back and forth, rather than using individual threads for each cross weave. This produces a clean edge that will not unravel and is used as the garments outside seam. 

Taking denim to a new level, Japan is the leader in selvedge denim production. Unlike modern looms, the vintage looms produce variations and many imperfections in the weave while making a more durable fabric. These characteristics are often what makes selvedge denim so desirable. Shuttle looms create a more narrow fabric and generally produce fabric that is only 32 inches wide. Quality denim is dyed using indigo loop dyeing machines, which are also rare. The deep blue color and the unique fade in the fabric over time, is due to the loop dyeing method. These characteristics are proof of its authenticity and gives you confidence in the quality of the product.

We have a few pattern recommendations for you and would love to see your finished projects! Please don't hesitate to share!

Jamie Jeans by Named

Simple Skinny Jeans by Sew Liberated

Our sister store, Fancy Tiger Clothing has provided a care guideline for your new denim! 

Japanese Fabric Overload!

You all know that we have a soft spot in our hearts here at Fancy Tiger Crafts for Japanese fabric. We have received so many amazing collections lately we couldn't help but share them with you! 

First up we have Muddy Works. This is a collection by husband and wife team Tomotake. These beautiful simple geometric designs are printed on double gauze, quilted double gauze, cotton-linen blend, and cotton sheeting. With such a range of textures and prints this collection is perfect for all your sewing needs! 

We couldn't resist the jungle-themed magic of the Fujiyoshi Brothers. This fabric is a heavy cotton oxford print. Their dynamic vivid eye for color produces stunning work. Tigers!

Studio Cooca  is a collection that are original drawings by people with disabilities that have been transformed into fabric! They are earning an artist commission through their imagination with this medium. We are very excited to support this project. 

Last but not least, Echino, oh boy! In true Echino style they have done it again with bright polychromatic animal themed prints and large scale repeats. Etsuko Furuya, the woman behind Echino, continues to steal our attention with every collection released. I mean can you ever have enough bright, fun, bold animal prints?! We think not! Also, Lemurs!

Stop by the store to see even more amazing Japanese fabrics and get started on your next project!