Cool Threads at $16.99

It's time for Drapery Row to say goodbye to some fan favorite designer fabrics. For a limited time, all of our Beacon Hill, Robert Allen, and Travers & Company brand Clearance Section fabrics are marked down to a discount store price point of $16.99 per yard.

Available are silks, French hand prints, crewel embroideries, and more.

On Second Thought: Octopada Imperial by Duralee

Okay. I was wrong.

You saw how well one of these things can do in predicting World Cup winners.

 In 2006, my Duralee sales rep made a trip to visit me and had a collection of mid-range acrylic outdoor prints. It was not uncommon for me to find outdoor fabrics cheaper from other sources, but continuity and fresh patterns had become an issue that summer. This was the first time we carried Flora Imperialis, a timeless Duralee print that originated as a cotton chintz many years ago and had since become, perhaps, their most compelling outdoor print. 

 Also in his bag were several colors of this large scale Octopus print, called Octopada (Duralee also calls it #20851). The problem with Octopada, I thought, was that the pattern was too big- and who would want giant octopus tentacles on their cushions? Four years later, I've come to admit that I was wrong.

 You see, I was thinking about Octopada the wrong way. I thought more of how the pattern would look rolled up on a rack of fabrics (the pattern is too big to know what's going on if it's rolled up) and not how great it would look on big cushions and outdoor furniture. Big, slightly askew patterns like Octopada look great when given the space to breathe on their own. Nowadays, I love the way big scale plays in brightly lit environments- such as patios and poolsides. I'd be scared to meet this tentacled creature in the deep blue sea- but I think he'd be pretty good company on a cushion under an umbrella in the sunshine.

Octopada Imperial by Duralee available @ Drapery Row

 

Introducing Laura & Kiran

I've been in the business for nearly ten years, and almost never miss Showtime in High Point, NC. One of the brands that I've always admired from afar is the all cotton line from Laura & Kiran. And while you may never have heard of Laura & Kiran, you no doubt, have seen their fabrics. Most of the major name brand fabric companies carry these high quality drapery and upholstery fabrics in their lines.

Their collection for Summer 2010 consists of a variety of trend forward, earthy colors, in an assortment of styles. In focus are a handful of cotton crewel embroideries, cotton sheer cutwork designs with classical motifs, luxurious organic handprints with Asian and classical European and Middle Eastern designs, the eponymous 4" Check, and timeless multi-colored stripes.

It's good to see an all natural fiber fabric line that is able to stay in the $30-$50 per yard price point. Better still when the designs are as elegant and sophisticated as those from Laura & Kiran.

Laura & Kiran 2010 @ Drapery Row

My favorite patterns: Plume by Thomas Paul

Plume Green by Thomas Paul printed exclusively by Duralee

$29.85 per yard

How Screen Prints are Made

I was looking for some information as to how Photoshop or Illustrator is used in the industry to design screen prints. I didn't find what I was looking for, but I did come across this very interesting video from India that shows how fabrics are printed by hand. Check out the long, long tables- the entire roll of fabric is laid flat and two printers swipe back and forth on a pattern board to print the color. You can imagine how intricate a 20 color hand print is by looking at the video.

Hand Printing in India (Youtube)