Fabric angstball
Posted: Tue May 14, 2019 1:20 pmOkay, now I really just want to curl up and cry. I had this whole thing typed up once, only for a browser glitch to eat it.
So, for about four years now I've had an account on Spoonflower for 1:6 fabrics that hasn't really gone anywhere. Partly because I didn't have much up besides some teeny plaids and houndstooth (and a whole lot of miniature bandannas) due to tight finding for swatches, partly because their site previews have problems showing tiny prints as anything other than an unrecognizable blur (tho they recently improved that a smidge). Anyhow, this year I settled in to try to improve it, expanding scales and adding camos and florals. I actually gotten to where I make about a third of the cost of a swatchbook each month (and am trying to buy one each month, so still not breaking even). I planned to spend part of this year sewing up my large collection of swatches into a few doll clothes items so I could take pictures and upload them to better show off the prints.
Now Spoonflower's fabrics do run a bit pricey, and there are limits as to what I can get swatches on if I want to get them at their cheapest. My preferred choice was always their Basic Cotton Ultra. It's nonstretch (but most of the Chellywood.com patterns I've been eyeballing don't depend on stretch), but at 3.2 oz per yard it's pretty decent for making some 1:6 clothes. I was looking forward to seeing what I could make of my admittedly small swatches.
Then Spoonflower introduces their new Petal Signature Cotton. I was one of the people asked to preview a free swatch, and despite the concerns I voiced during that they are going to replace both the Kona Cotton Ultra and the Basic Cotton Ultra with it. It would sell at the Basic Cotton Ultra's price. My problem with this, is that it has the Kona Cotton Ultra's 4.5 oz per yard weight, and feels even stiffer than the Kona did. If they were just replacing the Kona, I would be fine with that. For quilting it's an improvement. But those of us who sew for small things know that thicker isn't always better. The Basic Cotton Ultra being discontinued has thrown a wrench into my plans that is really wrecking my mood. (And tomorrow's my birthday too! I wish they done this next month, if they felt they had to.) The new Petal Cotton isn't good for 1:6 clothes unless maybe buisness suits or a straight skirt. And it holds a crease really easily. I bent one of the test minidannas with my fingers and still can't get the wrinkle out. No gathers with this like I could have done with Basic Cotton. And now I don't even feel like I can use my swatches to make clothes to show off my prints. Won't people think they could get the same results? And now they can't because I'll be working with a discontinued fabric - which puts me hundreds of dollars and four years in the hole, which is something I can't afford. All the other fabrics that are thin enough for 1:6 doll clothes are more expensive, and the cheapest way to get swatches (as a 'fill a yard' cheater quilt) aren't available on them anyway. So now all my new swatches will be 6-inch squares of this new annoyingly thick fabric.
So, sorry for the frustrated rant, thanks for reading, and does anyone have some kind of happy story to cheer me up so this doesn leave a ball of annoyance all over my birthday tomorrow? Or any tips or ideas for doll clothes that can still be made with a fabric that is just a bit too stiff/thick? Because I'm going to be stuck with it from now on.
So, for about four years now I've had an account on Spoonflower for 1:6 fabrics that hasn't really gone anywhere. Partly because I didn't have much up besides some teeny plaids and houndstooth (and a whole lot of miniature bandannas) due to tight finding for swatches, partly because their site previews have problems showing tiny prints as anything other than an unrecognizable blur (tho they recently improved that a smidge). Anyhow, this year I settled in to try to improve it, expanding scales and adding camos and florals. I actually gotten to where I make about a third of the cost of a swatchbook each month (and am trying to buy one each month, so still not breaking even). I planned to spend part of this year sewing up my large collection of swatches into a few doll clothes items so I could take pictures and upload them to better show off the prints.
Now Spoonflower's fabrics do run a bit pricey, and there are limits as to what I can get swatches on if I want to get them at their cheapest. My preferred choice was always their Basic Cotton Ultra. It's nonstretch (but most of the Chellywood.com patterns I've been eyeballing don't depend on stretch), but at 3.2 oz per yard it's pretty decent for making some 1:6 clothes. I was looking forward to seeing what I could make of my admittedly small swatches.
Then Spoonflower introduces their new Petal Signature Cotton. I was one of the people asked to preview a free swatch, and despite the concerns I voiced during that they are going to replace both the Kona Cotton Ultra and the Basic Cotton Ultra with it. It would sell at the Basic Cotton Ultra's price. My problem with this, is that it has the Kona Cotton Ultra's 4.5 oz per yard weight, and feels even stiffer than the Kona did. If they were just replacing the Kona, I would be fine with that. For quilting it's an improvement. But those of us who sew for small things know that thicker isn't always better. The Basic Cotton Ultra being discontinued has thrown a wrench into my plans that is really wrecking my mood. (And tomorrow's my birthday too! I wish they done this next month, if they felt they had to.) The new Petal Cotton isn't good for 1:6 clothes unless maybe buisness suits or a straight skirt. And it holds a crease really easily. I bent one of the test minidannas with my fingers and still can't get the wrinkle out. No gathers with this like I could have done with Basic Cotton. And now I don't even feel like I can use my swatches to make clothes to show off my prints. Won't people think they could get the same results? And now they can't because I'll be working with a discontinued fabric - which puts me hundreds of dollars and four years in the hole, which is something I can't afford. All the other fabrics that are thin enough for 1:6 doll clothes are more expensive, and the cheapest way to get swatches (as a 'fill a yard' cheater quilt) aren't available on them anyway. So now all my new swatches will be 6-inch squares of this new annoyingly thick fabric.
So, sorry for the frustrated rant, thanks for reading, and does anyone have some kind of happy story to cheer me up so this doesn leave a ball of annoyance all over my birthday tomorrow? Or any tips or ideas for doll clothes that can still be made with a fabric that is just a bit too stiff/thick? Because I'm going to be stuck with it from now on.