Author Archives: maria

Party in patchwork style this festive season!

We’ve adored Carly B from the first time we landed on her Instagram, and to our delight she has made her signature patchwork dress entirely of Digital Fabrics Designer prints! With party season fast approaching, creating a staple summer piece has been on Carly’s mind, and she’s created this stunning pastel dress, perfect for twirling in. As if we could love her anymore, for bonus points, she took the leftover fabric scraps and made a pair of shorts too! Truly a kindred spirit of the DF way. Come along and sew your party dress with Carly, here is her amazing DIY dress tutorial!

With party season fast approaching, creating a staple summer piece has been on my mind! To my delight, Digital Fabrics reached out to help make my dream dress a reality & let me reassure you, the process from start to finish was simply divine. 

I started with the most difficult task. Choosing my fabrics! I decided to browse through the unique range of Australian designer/artist designed prints, looking for five (or so) prints that would tell a summer story (Click Fabric Shop, Designer Fabrics for this storefront). I immediately fell in love with a print by Sue Michael called ‘The Shack’. My family have visited a rundown, wholesome beach shack on the Gold Coast for most of my childhood, and this heartwarming art reminded me of my childhood filled with sandy days, pink zinc on my nose & sweet summer days spent in the ocean. Basing my design around this print, I then selected 4 other prints that felt complimentary and ordered! 

I got 5m of Cotton Poplin in total, which was 1m of each print to make my patchwork style dress. Please know that you have the option of ordering samples of fabrics to see what the fabric is like before you place your order, if that’s something you like! You can also get your own designs printed on their fabric (in a huge variety of fabric kinds too), so if you’re artistically inclined & want to order your very own fabric – you can! 

As everything is printed in Sydney, Australia they arrived at my doorstep in Brisbane/Meanjin quickly. The quality of the fabric was delightful to see (the Cotton Poplin is reminds me of the cleanest, crunchiest hotel sheets) and it was so cool to see all 5 of my designs printed on one single 5m length of fabric. Love seeing that low waste production! I hand washed each print separately, letting them dry on the line & giving them a good press. 

What I used 

– 5m of cotton poplin from Digital Fabrics 

1M JOAN MEADOW ( designer MADELINE HAWKIN) 

1M DILLY DAISY 

1M BEACH SHACK GREEN FIELDS ( designer SUE MICHAEL) 

1M MRAMOR ICE 

1M MY HEARTS GARDEN ( designer SUSANNA APRIL) 

– matching thread 

– elastic for arms 

– self drafted pattern ( you can find similar patterns on Etsy 1. 2. 3. ) 

Make time: 5 hours (ish) 

Level: Beginner 

Let’s make it! 

To begin I played with fabric placement until I was happy & then cut out a front and back bodice piece as well as front and back facings. At patchwork seams I overlocked them together & then sewed a straight stitch beside it to secure. (If you don’t have an overlocker you can use a zig zag stitch to finish edges, no problems.) You could topstitch this seam down too if you’re feeling fancy! 

I then cut out two straps, testing them on myself to see what length they needed to be. You could definitely do bow straps if you’re wanting a sleeveless dress. 

To attach the straps, I sandwiched them between the facing & bodice pieces. This part is a little tricky as you need to sandwich the straps at the front and back of the bodice – it will create a burrito like shape. Then I sewed all along the top of the bodice, securing everything. Turn right side out & give it a good press. Optional topstitch along the neckline if desired. 

Next, I added puff sleeves! I made each sleeve different, with one sleeve featuring two different fabrics spliced together for that patchwork effect. 

I cut two sleeves and sewed the side seam with fabric right sides together. 

After pressing that seam, I turned up the bottom edge 1.5cm and sewed, and then turned it up again but this time leaving space for elastic to go through. (Leave a gap for that elastic to be threaded through as well! We’ll close it up later.) 

I then sewed two parallel lines in my longest stitch along the top of the sleeve & gathered it so it fit perfectly in my garment. I pinned the sleeve right sides together and stitched between the two stitches but this time in my regular stitch length. I overlocked this edge, removed my basting (or gathering) stitches and voila! 

This is when I like to add the elastic which I just using a safety pin & threading it through. After the little opening is closed up the sleeve is DONE! YIPEE!! Revel in your sweet puff sleeves friend! 

Side note: I later decided I wanted little ties threaded through the elastic channel of each sleeve. I cut thin strips of scrap fabric, folded in edges & then folded in half (like bias tape) and sewed them closed. I snipped tiny openings on the right side of the sleeve & threaded them through. There’s probably a better way to do this but that’s just how I did it. 

Skirt time!! I am a sucker for a very gathered skirt, so I went a little overboard with the gathers in this one. I wanted a two-tier skirt with pockets and lots of volume, and boy is that what I got. 

Basically, the process for the first tier and second tier were exactly the same, except the first tier has pockets, & the second tier has a hem & needs more fabric than the first. 

For the first tier I cut strips of fabric from all of the different prints out to create two 170cm long panels that were 26cm wide. I also cut out 4 pockets. 

I sewed and overlocked all of the patchwork pieces together so I had these 

long strips. Then, I attached my pocket pieces (with edges overlocked) right sides together on my panels about 1.5 inches down. I overlocked the pockets on and pressed the seams towards the pockets and also did a lovely little topstitch to keep that looking flush and tidy. Then I attached the two skirt pieces together with right sides facing to make one big loops with pockets. 

Woohoo! 

To gather the skirt I sewed two parallel lines in the longest stitch length (sound familiar? hehe!) along the top edge of the skirt & pulled those stitches very gently until the skirt became the length of the bodice. I then pinned the skirt to the bodice, sewed it on, overlocked and removed the visible basting stitch. 

The 2nd tier is almost an identical process except it just requires a lot more fabric. I proceeded to cut out many more strips of fabric (this time at a longer width of about 32cm) and attach them all together to make a long strip. I didn’t measure this tier but it should be the top tier length x 1.5 at the very least. I estimate mine was about double the length. I sewed the gathering stitches again, gathered it up with upmost patience, pinned it to the 1st tier and sewed it on! I had to do the pinning a few times to ensure the pattern placement was as ideal as possible, as sometimes the fabrics would all end up matching & I really wanted there to be a difference between each section of the dress. 

After a little playing I finally got the right balance however. The final step them was hemming it which I wizzed through & gave it a good press for a sweet crisp edge. And then she was done in all of her twirly, full skirt glory!! 

From an array of divine fabrics to a sweet patchwork summertime party dress. 

All in all, I adored bringing this piece to life. It was so inspiring to work with prints designed by such excellent artists & it felt like an honour to piece them together. The quality of the fabric and printing kept astounding me & I know I will be treasuring this piece for summers to come. From the swirls of the ocean, to the happy flowers that remind me of the sun & pink zinc & of course the centre piece of the dress which was The Shack print, I truly feel transported back to my favourite holiday destination – the beach. 

Bonus Scrap Busting Shorts! 

At the end of this project, I was blessed with a small treasure trove of delightful scraps & I knew I had to push myself to make them into something! I had to, not only because I love working with scraps, but because Digital Fabrics are no wastage and employ sustainable production methods themselves! Had to match that energy. 

Digital Fabrics are print-to-order which means that every fabric that they print is used. They print ethically using non-toxic water-based inks & they boast of efficiency, quality & consistency with their product – which I have seen with my own eyes! 

So, feeling inspired, I had to get to work on reducing my fabric waste with a scrappy pair of high waisted play shorts! 

A great point of inspiration and reference for these shorts can be found at HalfSoyBean’s youtube channel! which I will link below! 

I was able to make enough patchwork fabric from my Digital Fabrics scraps & was able to reduce my own fabric waste to a small pile of white selvage & some very small pieces. A huge success! 

Thank you so much to Digital Fabrics for supplying this gorgeous, Australian designed & printed fabric. If you sewed along, please feel free to tag us @digitfalfabrics & @fromcarlyb & share your creations with us! 

 

Say “NO” to Black Friday

Whilst most of the fashion and retail sectors around the world are frantically getting ready for Black Friday, we are going about our business as usual. You see, here at Digital Fabrics we are reminded daily of the resources that go into textile and garment production and sadly a lot of it goes to waste not long after it has been purchased. 

Black Friday, a once purely American notion for post-Thanksgiving sales has now become an international sensation with shoppers going mad for savings of up to 75%. Last year, Australians spent $8 billion snapping up bargains and 2022 is shaping up to be even bigger. Where for many families participation in sales is a necessity, most of the Black Friday buyers buy out of frenzy and without knowledge of the environmental harm it causes. 

Now, we know what you may think. With cost-of-living rising across the board, what’s the harm in saving some of your hard-earned dollars on a new wardrobe or some Christmas shopping? The eco-damage caused by Black Friday is growing year-on-year, but there is also a growing number of people who are working to put a stop to this.  

The Slow Fashion Movement 

We believe in the Slow Fashion Movement – an international community challenging apparel companies to do better when it comes to their production and marketing of their products. 

Put simply, ‘fast-fashion’ is the use of unsustainable practices when it comes to apparel production. We’ve all snapped up a cheap pair of jeans, a sundress or pair of sheets. The reality is – we are unintentionally contributing to the destruction of the planet and the exploitation of vulnerable women and children in third-world countries. 

Fast-fashion is actively contributing to climate change, the wastage of water and the pollution of rivers and oceans. And that’s before the clothes have even left the factory for distribution. 

The Slow Fashion Movement estimates that only 10% of clothes are recycled. That means only one-tenth of every piece of apparel bought in markets like Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada or Europe is either handed-down or sold in second hand stores. Leaving 90% of clothing being thrown out, contributing to carbon emissions and landfills all over the world.  

Then there’s the human side of the issue. The World Bank Group has estimated the $3.5 trillion fast-fashion industry employs over 60 million workers internationally. Whilst over 97% of fashion and retail brands have codes of conduct and corporate social responsibility policies, the reality is they often don’t prevent forced labor or horrendous working conditions. 

  

The good news is, together we can change things and make a difference. We love sharing our passion for Slow Fashion, so here are some small actions you, your friends and family can take instead of shopping online this Black Friday. 

  

‘Thanks, It’s Vintage’  
With vintage and thrifting always in fashion, our city and suburban second-hand shops are jam packed full of amazing, affordable apparel just ready to be snapped up. This ensures perfectly good items have a second or a third life. 

  

Design your own fabrics! 
An amazing way to express yourself both creatively and sustainably. At Digital Fabrics we can bring your vision to life using water-based inks which are more environmentally friendly than oil-based or solvent-based alternatives. 

  

Needle and thread.  
Consider yourself a beginner sewer? Don’t be afraid to try making your own clothes! No sewing experience? Read our blog post with our best projects for sewing beginners!  

  

No-Buy Friday.  
You can make a difference this Black Friday by making a conscious decision to ditch the shopping spree.  

 

Do it for the ‘Gram.  
Share the love and your creativity on social media via the #slowfashion tag which has over 14.5 million posts. Created something with us? You can show off your new Digital Fabrics creation via our handle @digitalfabrics 

 

Fashion is all about expressing yourself and your values. Together, we can challenge the status-quo and wear our clothes with pride, knowing we are making a difference. 

We’ve Partnered with The Finders Keepers!

We’ve Partnered with The Finders Keepers !

‘Mindfully Made, Thoughtfully Bought’

The Finders Keepers Markets are where communities come together to shop, explore and discover the very best from designers, makers and entrepreneurs in our country, both online or in person at the markets.

The Finders Keepers was founded in the summer of 2008 in Sydney, by young designers and friends, Brooke Johnston and Sarah Thornton. They both now live and work in the beautiful Northern Rivers of NSW.

The aim for Brooke and Sarah was simple: to create a marketplace that was a supportive environment for like-minded, independent designers to sell their work. Brooke and Sarah bucked the markets trend with a vision of an event that didn’t exist at the time; somewhere they wanted to shop, which also happened to combine everything they loved under one roof.

We are so proud to announce that Digital Fabrics are partnering with The Finders Keepers for their Sydney (Eora) Market.

We loved connecting with The Finders Keepers markets on our shared sustainability values and love for supporting small businesses to build their dreams. Not only that, but our Director, Maria was once a stallholder at The Finders Keepers (in 2010!) before realising the dream of Digital Fabrics! We spoke to the Finders Keepers team more about the Digital Fabrics journey on their blog, which you can read here.

Digital Fabrics will be at the Sydney/Eora Market from 9-11 December and we are so excited to meet so many talented vendors and visitors. Simply follow the flowers on the floor to find us!

We are also giving away $1000 to spend with Digital Fabrics! Yes, we are giving one lucky Finders Keepers fan the chance to WIN $1000 credit to create and print their dream fabrics! Totes? Tablecloths? Aprons? Signature yardage? Cushions? Stall backdrop? The dream list is endless! Hurry! Ends November 17th.

We can’t wait to see you at the Sydney/Eora market! Buy your tickets here.

A Merry Sustainable Christmas

On of our passion here at Digital Fabrics is sustainability and making it accessible in the fabrics industry. And it’s Christmas, so in the spirit of giving we love to share some clever ways to spread sustainability in a festive way.  

Christmas Wrapping with Fabric (Furoshiki)

furoshiki wrap ideas christmas presents wraped in fabric

Image via Pintrest

In Australia alone we use more than 150,000km of wrapping paper over Christmas. That’s enough paper to wrap the planet nearly four times, which is far too much only to be discarded immediately after opening gifts! We’ve been adoring the art of Furoshiki that has been practiced in Japan for 1200 years with its distinctive style of fabric-wrapping. Furoshiki is a beautiful way to display thoughtfulness, as well as being eco-friendly. Here’s a great guide on Furoshiki wrapping. Or you might like to follow our DIY Beeswax Wrap tutorial, which is perfect for wrapping smaller presents. The terrific part about this is that the wrap can then be used to cover leftover food after Christmas lunch!

Homemade bon-bons

diy christmas bon bon idea

Image Jasmine Dowling for Etsy 2017

We love this stellar example of getting creative in a sustainable way. Christmas bon-bons are a staple at every festive lunch or dinner table. Often inside store-bought bon-bons are useless plastic toys that serve no real purpose further than a quick laugh and just create more waste each year. Jasmine Dowling crafted these adorable bon bon’s on her blog, which would work perfectly using our tea towels, doubling as a Christmas gift for everyone at the table! Alternatively, ordering 1-2m of your favourite festive fabric (hooray for small order quantities!) and carefully cut and hem to fit. Inside the paper roll you could include some essential oil rollers, home-made mini cookies or handwritten jokes to keep up with tradition. Much more thoughtful and memorable than mini dice or a nail file from typical bon-bons.

 

Festive Placemats with Digital Fabrics tea towels

Really elevate your Christmas table aesthetic by using our designer fabric tea towels as placemats, full of Christmas spirit and more ethical than your typical rubber placemats only to be brought out once per year. We love imagining how a classic Aussie coastal inspired Christmas table would come together with Cass Deller’s Summer Christmas fabric, paired with pretty pastel table decorations.  You can find more Christmas fabric designs from Australian designers that suits your taste in our online Fabric Shop!

Or you can always go one better, ordering approximately 2.5 metres of fabric (for the average 6 seater dining table) and you’ve got a stunning tablecloth that will last for years to come. We recommend Cotton Linen fabric for the perfect billowy-ness, beautiful colour reproduction and is easy enough care.

It’s easy to feel the festive spirit this time of year and want to give extra for those you cherish. But we prompt you to consider how to translate giving ‘more’ into more thoughtfulness; for our environment, for our impact and creating lasting memories with loved ones.

Please share with us your Christmas creations on Instagram by tagging @digitalfabrics, we’d love to see them!

Production Cut-off dates 2022

Time is quickly rolling towards the end of 2022 and our annual break. Digital Fabrics will be closing on Tuesday 20th December 2022 and opening up again Monday 16th January 2023. Please take note of the following order cut-off dates to ensure you don’t miss out on any orders you want to squeeze into the year.

Please note that “Print & Make” orders refer to custom products which require digital printing and then our custom making and finishing services, such as tea towels, cushion covers and scarves. We are almost booked out for our “Print & Make” orders for 2022 so please get in touch with us sooner rather than later if you are needing products by Christmas!

CUT OFF DATES FOR ORDERS REQUIRING DELIVERY BEFORE CHRISTMAS
– Friday 25th November – Cut-off date for ‘Print & Make orders + delivery’ (depending on quantity)
– Monday 2nd December – Cut-off date for ‘Printing only orders + delivery’

CUT OFF DATES FOR ORDERS BEING PICKED UP
– Friday 5th December – Cut-off date for ‘Print & Make orders pick-up’ (depending on quantity)
– Monday 12th December – Cut-off date for ‘Printing only orders pick-up’
– Tuesday 14th December – Cut-off date for ‘Express Printing only orders pick-up’

– Orders for delivery, submitted after 14th December are more likely to be printed and dispatched in the New Year unless it’s an express order
– Any sample pack orders submitted after 19th December will be dispatched in New Year after January the 16th
– From 7th of December all orders will be dispatched via Express Post

Christmas in the Hamptons by Lulu Pawlik

“Christmas at the Hamptons” design by Brianna Pawlik

 

Bespoke fabric printing for business & marketing

Unique branding has always been a cornerstone to success for any business, and in 2022 it is no different. A game once stacked in favour of the bigger businesses with the resources to employ oodles of marketing and production staff, the age of the internet and social media has allowed non-for-profits, government agencies and small business to enter the playing field with corporate merchandise. The internet has allowed custom design agencies such as Digital Fabrics to jump onto the scene providing businesses with the branding of their dreams. Then, there are the new marketing opportunities that now present themselves with just the click of a phone camera. As of 2019, nearly every single Australian adult between 18 and 49 owns a smartphone, and that rate is only projected to increase with an ageing population. That means every potential customer on your radar has the ability to take a quick snap and upload an image to Facebook or Instagram – and show your branding to the world.Think photos in front of banners at events, tote bags shopping at local markets – there are literally thousands of opportunities to get your brand out there for free. And in the age of climate change and environmental awareness, customers are taking more and more educated decisions when it comes to spending their dollars ethically and sustainably. That’s why we are proud to offer a range of environmentally-friendly textiles for commercial clients, to take advantage of the digital environment and take their branding to the next level. The possibilities in this space are endless. Here are just some of the products we have brought to life for our clients in a corporate or marketing setting:

Corporate event branding – these tote bags were a hit for the 2022 NSW Training Awards. Everyone loves goodies to take home from conferences and events, and by using a reusable product that is also sustainable, their longevity means they become someone’s new beach or shopping bag – and your branding remains front and centre. These totes were made by recycling old banners. Don’t they look amazing!

custom tote bags

In-store merchandising – these funky barrels are what pastel dreams are made of. We teamed up with the fantastic team over at Local Beverages to make these custom keg covers for one for an event. As you can see, the idea was to create giant versions of their delicious spiked iced tea drinks, they turned out so cute. These were printed on and made from our Eco Recycled Vesna Lycra so they stretched nicely over the kegs and had a snug fit, promoting their seltzers in a style that is unique to their business. The best of it all these covers can be washed and easily relocated to the next promotional event space. We love a creative way to promote new products without the need for basic blackboards or promotional posters.

fabric for marketing fabric for marketing

 

External Promotions – Whilst we’re often completing print orders in less than a week, sometimes we assist with projects that take a little longer to bring to life (but are worth the wait). A great example of this is the artistic collaboration between two Australian artists; Clayton Blake & Courtney McCue. Check out these portable tentacles that hit the Gold Coast as a part of the Sand Safari Artist’s Festival in Surfers Paradise. They certainly caught a few curious people and their iPhone’s attention!

 

Backdrop and Stall Merchandising – whilst innovation and ingenuity help keep business ahead of the game, you don’t always have to reinvent the wheel to get the most out of your marketing. Backdrops and banners have been the backbone of visual presentation for market stalls and small outlets for over a century.

Image courtesy of Finders Keepers Market

Image courtesy of Finders Keepers Market

 

It’s no secret we are passionate about supporting the dreams of small business and those with the entrepreneurial spirit, so we have jumped on board as a sponsor for the upcoming Finders Keepers event in Sydney on Friday 9 to Sunday 11 December 2022.

The Finders Keepers are the brainchild of two friends, Sarah Thornton and Brooke Johnston. Kicking off in 2008, they have grown from a humble side-hustle to become Australia’s leading design marketplace.

Digital Fabrics are proud to sponsor such a wonderful initiative that shares our values of inspiring sustainable and conscious shopping whilst promoting the talent on our very own shores.

For stallholders looking to make the most out of their Sydney display or for your upcoming Christmas market stalls, now is the time to get your thinking caps on and order your brand new designs with Digital Fabrics in time for December. Think branded and bright backdrops, table cloths or get extra creative with one of our specialists, get in touch and we’ll be happy to discuss how we can help you and your brand.

We can’t wait to see what our creatively conscious community will dream up for their business and marketing needs.

 

Fabric Projects the Kids Will Love

The Australian spring hasn’t quite begun the way we are used to. The sunny beach trips have turned into rainy weather days at home, meaning it becomes all that more difficult to keep the kids entertained. With a gloomy couple of months ahead, we understand the need to reduce screen time and find some indoor activities to keep the young ones busy. So, get ready to swap their iPads for some creativity as we have put together a list of really easy and simple fabric craft projects for kids to keep those rainy-day blues away!

Reusable Sandwich Bags | by A Beautiful Mess

The average Australian household uses 170 zip-lock sandwich bags per year, so this project will not only bring a little flare to school lunches, but will also save you money and bring down your carbon footprint. These reusable lunch bags can be brought to life with some cotton fabric, some thread and velcro, making it an easy project to occupy an afternoon. With the money you will save from buying plastic zip-locks, you can further customise these bags with our designer fabric shop that will no doubt become a household hit. How about these cute fruity fabrics?

Reusable lunch bags. Image: A Beautiful Mess

No-Sew Capes | by Little Pink Monsters

Halloween is just around the corner so why not get ready for some trick-or-treating with this easy project that is totally needle free. All you need is 1.5 metres of fabric, 90cm of ribbon and a pair of scissors and you’re on your way to the unveiling of the next Superman or Wonder Woman. And, let’s be honest, Halloween is fun for adults too, so don’t be surprised if you need some longer fabric! Shop our Halloween inspired fabrics here.

DIY Little Red Riding Hood. Image: Little Pink Monsters

Trick or Treat Black - Kathrin Legg

Trick or Treat Black Halloween fabric – Kathrin Legg

Making Memories

With Christmas around the corner, we know you’re always looking for ways to create memorable gifts that friends and family will cherish. We may be biased here but our custom product printing service is ideal for this time of year! Give the kids some colouring pens and task them with drawing the whole family, even down to the houses they live in, or drawing them with their favourite things and pets. Scan them into your computer then jump onto Digital Fabrics and choose some fabulous homeware items or gifts to print these designs onto. It could be our cushions, tea towels (a favourite for gifting!) scarf, pillow case or tote bag. Or order our Creatives Starter Pack with a little bit of everything! Our team will gladly help bring these designs to life.

Now, if the kids are no modern-day Picasso, there’s another thoughtful option to create memorable gifts. You can send us an image of your favourite holiday moment, family or pet portrait and we’ll print them onto a product option of your choice! Leave it with us and we will turn these masterpieces into a special gift to be adored for years to come. We’re in for a rainy summer ahead, so keeping some of these ideas in your pocket to help the kids unleash their creativity will sure come in handy! We can’t wait to see what they’ll create!

 

Lilli of Frocks and Frou Frou – Make an Impressionist

For the launch of our new organic cotton fabric Poppy we asked Lilli of Frocks and Frou Frou to test it for us. Lilli is a creator and a maker and we were so excited to collaborate with her. We sent her the Hearts Garden design print by Susanna April on Poppy sateen fabric to create a dress that her readers would love, and to share with you also! As Lilli said: The Poppy is light enough to billow when it catches the wind, but with a weight of 140gsm, it’s perfect for use in items that need just a little structure! Interested to know more about Lilli’s creation? Keep reading Lilli’s blog post! 
green organic cotton designer fabric-1950’s party-dress

Dress pattern: Cashmerette Honeybourne, made from cotton sateen fabric Poppy printed by Digital Fabrics (print design by Susanna April)

I am not, let’s just say, an accomplished sewist. I can sew a straight(ish) seam, and I’ve more or less learned how to read the instructions of a sewing pattern. I know the difference between a French seam and a felled one. But apart from moving a hem up or down I don’t really know how to do alterations. About this time last year I bought myself a copy of Jenny Rushmore’s book Ahead of the Curve, thinking that it was probably time to teach myself how to do a full bust adjustment at the very least.

Reader, the book sat on my shelf. Then it sat on my shelf a little more. And then the team at Digital Fabrics got in contact to see if I’d like to road-test their brand-new cotton sateen, and I thought ‘Ooooh, I’ll need to make something really special with that!” and decided maybe it was time to try my very first Cashmerette pattern.

Based in Sydney, Digital Fabrics is a digital textile print house that prides itself on its quality, quick turnaround, and ease of design services. All their inks are non-toxic and water based, and they have a huge range of fabrics on offer including cotton, rayon, linen, ponti, lycra, canvas and more. They also offer on-demand cut-and-make product services for people who might not sew, but would like to take advantage of the ability to print their own artwork onto cushions, teatowels, curtains, totebags, etc.

On the website they have straightforward tutorials on how to create your own seamless fabric repeats, and if you’re feeling Very Serious about this textile design thing, you can actually take a one-on-one online class that will guide you through the process. Or you can do what I did, and simply choose an existing print from Digital Fabrics’ gallery of artists.

The print that I chose leapt out to me from the screen with its gorgeous painterly hues of blues and greens and hints of pinks. It reminded me immediately of Claude Monet’s Water Lillies series. Perhaps aptly, it’s called My Heart’s Garden, and it’s by Brisbane based artist, Susanna April.

Digital Fabrics sent me My Hearts Garden printed on their beautiful new Poppy sateen, a 100% cotton fabric with a slight sheen, and a soft hand-feel. It’s light enough to billow when it catches the wind, but with a weight of 140gsm, it’s perfect for use in items that need just a little structure. Which is to say: it was perfect for Cashmerette’s Honeybourne.

The Honeybourne is available exclusively with Ahead of the Curve, and it’s a woven dress pattern with a darted front, sleeves, and a full skirt. It’s the pattern where Jenny teaches you a brand range of alteration techniques, including full and small bust adjustments, a narrow shoulder adjustment, a full bicep adjustment, a swayback adjustment, and broad back adjustment. It comes in sizes 12-32 and in three cup ranges: C/D, E/F, G/H. I made the 18 E/F, and full disclosure – for all my hyping myself up to learn how to do adjustments, it fit perfectly (as far as I can tell) straight out of the packet.

With the full gathered skirt, fitted bodice, and half-length sleeves, it’s got a real 1950’s party-dress vibe to it. There’s an enormous amount of yardage in that skirt – it’s actually six panelled, though the abstract print disguises that well – and it’s actually the perfect length for me to wear over my tulle skirt when I really want to fancy it up.

I love the pattern, and I LOVE the fabric; which at just $44 per metre (limited time only) is virtually the same price you’ll pay for fabric from one of the big European design houses. I’m keen to try my hand at designing my own print next time (or enlisting some three-year-old help!)

Have you felt inspired reading Lilli’s blog post? Are you ready to dive into your own creative project? If so, don’t forget to visit out fabric shop online to view an enviable range print-to-order designer prints!

Print on organic cotton. New Organic Cotton Fabric – Poppy!

Print on organic cotton. Organic cotton fabric Poppy

This year our focus is to test as many new fabrics as we can find and get to know fabric mills worldwide. Through our exploration, we came across our new fabric base which has won our hearts.

Say Hello to our latest addition to the fabric family, Poppy! This fabric has a soft handle, a lovely texture when washed (you probably won’t even want to iron it!), brilliant colour reproduction and most important of all, colour fastness.  We simply couldn’t resist introducing this glorious fabric to our range.

Keep on reading to find out more about our brand-new natural fabric print base and get inspired for your next project!

holiday theme fabric

Fabric design: Sunday Drive to the Coast – Sue Michael

designer fabric Digital Fabrics

Printed Poppy fabric. You can print your own artwork online or select a unique design from Australian artists and designers in our Fabric Shop! 

checkered fabric

Fabric design: Checkered Lavender – Britney Munday

sunflowers fabric

Fabric design: Sunflower Fields – Andrea Maurer

Poppy is a luscious 100% Organic Cotton fabric woven in fine sateen weave with a slight sheen. It has beautiful colour reproduction when printed due to its bright white base and washes well keeping the print lovely and bright. Even though this fabric washes well, the pigment inks are one of the most fragile inks on the market and require special care. For the best results, we recommend washing the fabric gently by hand with cold water or a cold, gentle machine wash with phosphate free detergent.

unprinted Poppy fabric

Unprinted Poppy fabric

colour wash testing

Left side: colour chart before wash. Right side: colours and shrinkage after wash.

It’s a wonderfully versatile, easy to sew fabric with a maximum printable width of 145cm. It has a weight of 140 GSM making it a perfect lightweight print base for fashion garments and accessories such as skirts, dresses, pants, shirts, bandanas and hair scarves. It would also be suitable for some homewares such as table linen, pillowcases or even a sweet wedding banner!

textile design inspiration

Image source: Rachel Antonoff

textile design inspiration

Image source: Poppy and Honesty via Etsy

Sample swatches of Poppy are available through our Sample Pack Order Form in our ‘Natural Fabrics’, ‘For the Little Ones’ and ‘Super Pack’ sample packs on the website. Contact us to find out if this fabric is a suitable option for your next textile project!!

red poppy fabric

Fabric design: Sunset Poppy – Jenni Rogers

snake fabric

Fabrics design: Snakes in Leaves Peachy Pink – Dominique Collins

Poppy fabric printing base samples

Samples of Poppy fabric can be ordered online

How to print your own products

print your own products

We understand designers put their heart and soul into their work, which is why we want to ensure we bring your vision to life in the most professional and efficient way possible.

Whether you are requiring beach towels, cushion covers or promotional banners – some of the most common reasons for delays are due to simple things such as submitting the incorrect file format or poor image quality.

Our mission is to bring your creativity into reality in a matter of days, not months, so below is your one-stop guide to printing your own products with Digital Fabrics.

Pre-Submission

Before you hit “save” for the final time, here are some handy tips to ensure you don’t have to do any more work and or spend any additional money on changes.

  • Save your work in JPEG format. If you are using Adobe Illustrator- we recommend you “save as” a PDF first and then use Photoshop to save your file as a JPEG. This ensures you get the best possible image resolution. Whilst we can work with image resolution between 72dpi and 300dpi, we want to ensure you receive the best product possible so the higher the quality, the better.
  • White is not a printable colour. Any areas in the image that are white or transparent will be the colour of the fabric.
  • Black on your screen isn’t always black in print. If you are after a pure black colour ensure that all four CMYK options are set to 100%: C=100%, M=100%, Y=100%, K=100% in Adobe Illustrator and in Photoshop (Hex Code #000000, Decimal Code 0, 0, 0 ) when developing your artwork.
  • Use the same software for your designs to ensure colour consistency (even within the Adobe suite). If you are using Photoshop for one design, use the same program for any additional artwork.
  • Save your work in the same scale as you want it printed. If your finished product is 50x50cm, save your work as 50x50cm.
  • Double check your margins and gaps.  Add any allowances for cutting and making if needed, making sure you are providing your design with appropriate margins for cutting and sewing.

We love seeing the magic that our customers make with our product printing service. We see artists create beautiful custom printed scarves with their artwork, graphic designers releasing a product range for themselves or their clients, as well as corporate merchandise ideas. You can also create thoughtful gifts for your friends and family, capturing moments in time with children’s art printed onto tote bags, cushion covers and more.

Be inspired by some of our previous work

custom printed accessories

The Thoughtful Gift shop  released a range of ‘Inspirational Women of Australia’ merchandise featuring Aussie icons, ​​with profits going to Support the Girls, a charity that empowers and supports young women in Australia.

custom printed scarf

Sancha Prowse Art released a stunning ‘A rose is a rose’ custom printed scarf for her online store.

You can also get creative for your corporate or business merchandise needs, just like Moccona did through Mix Agency.

custom tote bag

Thoughtful gift ideas starring your children’s masterpieces that friends & family will love.

To start bringing your ideas to life, head to our Make Your Own Product page, or contact us!