Here’s a chicken/egg question for you home sewers: Which do you decide on first when you’re thinking about your next project? The fabric or the design? As home sewers ourselves we find we split about 50/50 on this one. Sometimes a really great fabric will catch our eye (a daily occurrence when you work for Mood), and sometimes we’ll lead with a design or pattern. No matter what the starting point. dreaming up the next sewing project is always fun.
Right now we’re thinking about sewing for spring. So we asked our silk department here at Mood NYC to pick their five top silks of the moment, and then we paired them with suggested looks. Read on!
From left to right, we have everything from floaty silk chiffon to a more substantial textured metallic lame. Our inspiration comes from from the runway to retail to sewing patterns:
Swatch #1: Seashell pink and cool beige in coloring, our silk chiffon is just begging to be a flowing tunic or caftan, don’t you agree? This Giambattista Valli blouse has just the right lines for our look. Online, we have a lightweight double chiffon with a sandy, faux bois print. You could also turn up the volume with a bold ikat print, like this pomegranate-colored Oscar de la Renta organza.
Swatch #2: Dress it up or dress it down, this plum-colored silk is to die for. It could be anything from a work-ready blouse to a cocktail ensemble. The metallic stripes remind us of this orange dress hot off of Carolina Herrera’s Spring 2013 runway. If you prefer a bit more shimmer, we have this iridescent silk chiffon which goes from mulberry to gold. For something a bit more solid, try this gorgeous purple silk shantung.
Swatch #3: This lightweight, gunmetal silk gives the illusion of texture, but is really just printed. How cool is that? Blouses, dresses and scarves would all make this fabric shine, but we think that this Donna Karan open topper is just perfection. Our swatch has a bit more of a fluid, shawl-like drape. Want some shimmer and stretch? Try this lightweight metallic jersey. If a lightweight silk-blend is more your speed, we have a versatile woven that’s sure to please.
Swatch #4: The fourth swatch is a vibrant orange-and-brown organza that is so very beautiful. We’d make a look that will seamlessly transition from day to dinner with Salme Patterns Pleated Front Dress. Get a similar look with this Oscar de la Renta turquoise and rust organza from our online store. If you’d like to walk on the wild side, make a flowy blouse with this animal print silk chiffon.
Swatch #5: As soon as we saw this saw this lovely, pale pink silk organza we knew it was destined to be evening wear. Use it as overlay for a ball skirt or a full-length evening gown. We’re partial to Vogue 8729, which has both options. Online, we have this lightweight silk organza whose pink is just a touch more vibrant. If you’re looking for a bit of oomph, this Isabel Toledo silk organza has a pronounced texture that wows.
Questions about any of the fabrics swatches shown here? Shoot us an email at info2@moodfabrics.com.