My next collection for Windham Fabrics, Villa Sol, is now shipping! This collection came about as I was preparing for a summer trip to Portugal last year, and it exudes sun-drenched, oceanside vibes. I came back with so much inspiration that I was prepared to do a follow-up collection, and maybe still will (though there will be two or three other collections in between).
The collection includes 20 prints featuring island villages, vining tomato plants in cans, olive oils and olives, lemons and lemonade, sardines and florals, as well as geometric tiles and stripes. The fabrics, as always, are organic cotton – both GOTS-certified and Oeko-tex. The overall feel of the collection is summery, vibrant and carefree. I was definitely channeling vacation!
I’ve been loving the tinned fish and sardine print trend that’s been building the past couple years, and while in Portugal we had the chance to see a lot of these – shops lined with colorful cans of fish and sardines, fishermen pulling in big catches, and families grilling fish on the sidewalks outside their homes. And then the cats, waiting for whatever scraps remained.
We also got to spend some time on the island of Terceira with a dear friend, and I loved peeking over the stone walls into gardens full of potatoes, onions and tomatos. And dahlias!
I think this collection will work well for summer-themed quilts, but also for fun summer clothes as well as kitchen and dining linens. And aprons!I want to make an apron with the tomato fabric and that pink tile. And I think the sardine print below would make a really cute summer skirt. I got word this morning that my sample fabric is on the way, so I’m looking forward to stitching one up!
Here are a few more inspiration photos from the Portugal trip to convey the mood!
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