The Fabric of My Life

I spent the other evening going through drawers of fabric samples. Now, don't you feel sorry for me that I wasn't whooping it up out on the town. I actually enjoy looking through memo samples, so it's a nice way for me to spend an evening. A sickness, I'm sure.



It was funny to see some of the samples that I had picked up over the years. Why did I select Scalamandre's Calabassas County? Actually, it's a great print, but I can't figure out where I thought I would use it. Frogs don't really work in my home.




I know that this is going to come as a big shock to you- I have a lot of Chinoiserie fabric samples. That Summer Hill Shangrila-Chinois Lacquer above? It kills me with its 1920s feel. Hmmm, it just might work in my dining room...




...Then again, Old World Weavers Pecheur Chinois is awfully tempting as well especially in that teal colorway. Decisions, decisions.




And stars, one of my favorite motifs? I have some of those as well. That's everybody's favorite Trixie by Albert Hadley for Hinson on the left, and Bassett Mc Nab's Rittenhouse (in glazed cotton, no less) on the right.




I'm thinking that in a previous life, I either hunted big game... Tashkent Tiger, Blues on White, by Hinson.




...or upland bird. Who knew that I had a thing for the sporting life? Sologne by Pierre Frey.




And speaking of big game, I have lots and lots of animal prints in my drawers. I've winnowed it down to a few for the photo. Grey Watkins' Trident Stripe in the background, and Rose Cumming's Tanzania and Sabu in the foreground.




Floral prints make an appearance in the sample drawers which is interesting because I don't use them often, if at all. But, give me this Jim Thompson Night Jasmine linen, and I will absolutely reconsider.



And finally, do you think that I like blue? Out of all of the colors in my fabric drawers, blue wins hands down. I wonder what that says about me? Wait, don't answer that.


I believe that most of the prints featured here are still available, although a few could be discontinued. Almost all of these fabrics came from the following showrooms: Ainsworth-Noah, Travis & Company, Jerry Pair, Grizzel and Mann, Scalamandre, Schumacher, and Ernest Gaspard.