IC005 Percale Gingham 1/8″ White / Pink Softened - 100% Cotton Fabric - Light (3.6 oz/yd²) - 20.00 Yards, Width 59"

I used this cotton percale gingham as a contrast and bloomers for my a new granddaughter. It's size 6 mos so she'll need to grow into it yet. The main dress fabric is IC008 Joyful Teddies, a subtle pink cotton with a feel of gauze. The pattern is Holly Days by Ellie Inspired Patterns.

Beeswax Food Wraps. The idea occurred to me that these food wraps would be a very cute Valentine Gift with a little card and treat. I have heard so much about these food wraps as a more sustainable option than cling-wrap or plastic wrap for food storage. Typically, it seems like people use cotton more than linen for this project. Here are my thoughts on this: all the natural antibacterial, hypoallergenic and sustainable properties of linen make linen a great choice for me! I used Fabrics-store's Light Pink Softened, Sahara Rose SF and Barn Red 5.3oz as well as the Pink Cotton Gingham 3.6oz and can see that I might have preferred the 3.7 oz for the linens just for the thinner fabric but am still pleased with my project in both linen and cotton.

When I received the new cotton fabrics from fabric-store, I thought, what a pity that they were not yet available a year ago when I was pregnant, I could have sewn so many beautiful textiles for my nursery. Nevertheless, these fabrics are perfect to make clothing or bedding for children of any age, the cottons are incredibly soft and pleasant!

I was excited to try out the new line of percale cotton fabric from Fabrics-Store in both a soft shade of pink and a small pink and white gingham to create this special summer dress for my daughter. The fabric has a very tight weave and is a beautiful quality cotton. After washing and drying it softened but still retained a light, crisp feel. I was reminded of the special occasion Laura Ashley dresses from when I was young and knew my daughter would enjoy a dress like this to play in. I used the Poppy pattern from Fibremood magazine and we added some sweet patch pockets to the front. The fabric is very simple to sew and would make excellent curtains, sheets, or apparel for kids.

I chose two Percale prints for my projects – the Gingham and the Gentle Safari both in white/pink. The Gingham is a sweet 1/8″ check while the Gentle Safari features gorgeous watercolor-style painted pink elephants and flamingoes parading amongst bluish-grey monkeys, zebras, and giraffes. As these cottons are Percale, they have a subtle sheen on the face which lends both a luxurious look and a cool, soft hand-feel. I was also thrilled to learn that these fabrics are certified by Oeko-Tex and the Better Cotton Initiative. I've always been a sustainability-focused and eco-conscious maker with an affinity for natural fabrics, but especially now as a new mom, I try my best to clothe (and make clothes for) my baby in natural fabrics that I know are made with high production standards – meaning toxic chemicals aren't used and there's accountability in environmental footprint.