It’s come that time again to introduce our newest feature artist in The Designer Project and we are so excited to announce that the amazing Gouri Babshet as our designer for the month of December!
We are so lucky to have Gouri’s ‘Morning Melodies’ collection available in our Fabric Shop. ‘Morning Melodies’ is inspired by the nearby creeks and wetlands that are home to beautiful chirping birds, ducks, butterflies and the air filled with fresh fragrance of the lovely meadows. This collection is made up of hand drawn detailed delicate motifs with lots of texture and calming colours with a hint of feminine and vintage vibes that are perfect for apparels, home decor and various fabric products and accessories.
Keep reading to find out more about Gouri Babshets beautiful designs!
Chirping birds is a lovely print full of little birds and stunning florals! This design has a and fresh calming colour palette of blues and pinks against a white background.
Chirping Birds would be the perfect print for kids projects such as baby swaddles and blankets and kids clothing too!
Delightful Roses – Navy features a print full of detailed hand drawn roses and butterfly motifs. We love this combo of soft pinks and dark blues with that pop of light blue!
We would love to see Delightful Roses – Navy on some lovely makeup bags and fashion accessories such as scarves and scrunchies!
Delightful Roses – Olive features a print full of detailed hand drawn roses and butterfly motifs. The peachy tones paired with the olive background and pops of navy blue pair perfectly together!
Delightful Roses – Olive would be great for fashion accessories such as tote bags and beach bags!
Morning Blooms consists of a variety of native Australian florals in a divine peach and blue colour palette. The scattered flow of the floral motifs make it such a versatile print.
We think Morning Blooms is great for both fashion and home projects, think blankets and dresses!
Ducks is the Lake is a gorgeous print featuring the sweetest little family of ducks swimming in a calmLake. The duck motifs are so adorable and look perfect with the blue ‘lake’ background.
Ducks in the Lake would be perfect for homewares such as baby blankets and cushions!
Geometric butterflies is a blender pattern with butterfly motifs and tiny blooms arranged in geometric fashion. We are loving the peachy tones of this print!
We think Geometric Butterflies is the perfect design for accessories such as zipper pouches and makeup bags!
All of our project ideas above are suggestions only as the sky’s truly the limit with Gouri’s wonderful collection! Each of Gouri’s designs can be found in our Fabric Shop, so head on over to be inspired for your next DIY project!
Whether you have been making your own garments for years, or are just starting out, there is nothing better than sitting back and admiring your finished works. Our brains get a kick out of engaging our artistic side, and getting creative helps release those feel-good endorphins. But, with any work of art there is always the clean-up part which can be a bit of a drag. And, if you’re anything like us you are probably wondering what you can re-use as opposed to throwing your custom fabrics straight into the bin. As proud supporters of the slow-fashion movement, we are big fans of limiting our carbon footprint in any way possible and fabric wastage is no different.
So instead of putting those fabric scraps into the bin, here is how you can re-use your fabrics to not only make some funky new creations, but also do your part to help break the wastage cycle.
Mesh Beach Bag
Summer is here and that means plenty of beach days, and this creation from Sew Simple Home not only looks great but also keeps that pesky sand where it belongs. All you need is your spare fabrics, some matching thread and mesh fabric which you can buy online or at stores like Spotlight. The mesh allows you to store your items and simultaneously acts as a sift for any sand or dirt.
Scrap Busting Shorts
We hate to harp on but summer really is the DIY designer’s dream when it comes to quick and easy clothing and accessories. These shorts are a great project made by our friend & creator, Carly B using her leftover Digital Fabric Scraps (scroll to the bottom to read how)! and are perfect company with the mesh beach bag to go over any bikini bottom or one-piece.
HalfSoyBean has a terrific YouTube channel and with some matching thread you will be on your way to busting out some brand new, sustainably-made bottoms for those warmer months.
Scrap Key-Fobs
Keys – we all have them and we all easily lose them. How many minutes have you wasted trying to find the house keys, that letterbox key or your spare car key? Those days are long gone with Lo and Behold Stitchery’s scrap key-fob.
You can wave goodbye to tacky key rings or uninspiring lanyards and those smaller fabric scraps with some basic sewing supplies, clips and a basic key ring. Be careful though, you may start getting requests from loved ones for one of their own, or better yet, they make a perfect present for that special someone who needs their keys permanently hung around their necks.
The beauty of this project is they have multiple uses outside of keeping warm in the colder months – where it be for nursing injuries, treating blocked pores or those time-of-the-month cramps. All you need for this little gem is your spare fabrics, matching thread and some long-grain rice and in no time you will have a funky little gift idea for the upcoming festive season.
And there you have it! Four quick and easy projects that utilise your spare fabrics, just in time for Christmas. Happy creating.
One of our wonderful Designer Project Designers, Sue Michael, had the amazing idea of putting together some Hankie designs as a fun DIY idea for our customers. She collaged a series of prints together where multiple squares would be prepared, with their seam allowances included, so that purchasers could have the designs printed onto a metre of some of our suitable stock fabrics (we recommend Cotton Poplin or Poppy) and be able to cut out, then sew, to make a set of home-made hankies!
This is such a fun and easy DIY project, making it perfect for even the most beginners at sewing! Sue has put together a blog post, talking about why she was inspired to create these hankie prints and what
hankies mean to her and her family. Keep reading to find out more.
‘Shell Trail Handkerchiefs’
‘Mammoth Skiing Handkerchiefs’
During my childhood, hankies were used in daily life in my home. A skinned knee could use a triangular hankie on the way home, faces were scrubbed with Mum’s saliva-moistened hankie when dirt on the cheeks was an unsightly problem, the children could be cooled with wet compresses at their necks and wrists, coins could be bundled into knotted hankies when on bicycle excursions, orange peel could be collected, and Mum had drops of perfume on hers that she kept, always at the ready, in her handbag. My first housekeeping skills were honed with a stack of hankies to iron each week…triangles or squares…it was my choice. There was sharing of hankies when tears fell, of course. Dad’s blowing of the nose sounded out like a foghorn during hay fever season. I can still remember its musical note.
‘Sue in her studio working on a hankie design’
A modest piece of cloth can be carried close to you and provide reminders of qualities such as back-up, usefulness, freedom, recovery and even healing. Images can be updated from traditional designs, less pretty and less in balance, perhaps, whilst concurrently directing curiosity, organising visual information, and promoting humanist qualities. My ancestors have left many treasures including a box that houses vintage hankies. Some are finely textured plaids, some have been hand-appliqued and embroidered. There is a bride’s silk hankie, hand-made and kept as a precious ‘gift handkerchief’. Many of these vintage hankies have very delicate edgings.
‘Vintage Hankies Box’‘Vintage Hankies’
Alongside the box of hankies, sits two vintage baskets of sewing notions, including old laces and trim borders. Not only could these present-day squares be cut from the large joined cloth lengths, they could have further embellishments at their edges, either with added trim, edging stitches, or applique.
A link to handkerchief edging hems from the Smocking Arts Guild of America on YouTube, shares techniques:
Most of the images for my handkerchief’s have been hand painted, collaged from paper, or printed with simple printmaking techniques without a press. I like to assert the ongoing art-making traditions that provide contrast to the perfect lines and smooth colour rendering of computer software’s image making. I also chooses a variety of themes and art methods, reflecting the diversity and choices within daily life. Whimsy and an urge to create new traditions are stylistic features.
‘Lace and Trimmings for Hankies’
‘Vintage Hankie’
With a hankie, I could rinse freshly picked plums at the backyard tap during my childhood. My Nana had placed an old hankie over the tap of her rainwater to collect the wrigglers. I attended children’s parties where precious, hand-made favours were wrapped in fresh hankies within new cups for each of the guests. This is much like the Japanese gift-wrapping tradition of furoshiki.
‘Lace and Trimmings collection basket’
Whatever the task of a hankie, it could be washed, ironed and stored for future use, in a universal cycle that has always been.
Check out our Fabric Shop now, to order some of Sue’s wonderful hankies!
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.
– 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!
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.
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.
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)
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
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!
We have absolutely loved sharing these divine floral designs by Queensland-based designer Nicole Spencer and hope you’ve loved her designs as much as we have! To coincide with Nicole’s “Take Delight” collection being made available to all of our customers through our Fabric Shop online, the artist herself has put together a guest blog which further explains her one of a kind approach to creating surface patterns and what inspires her work.
Keep reading to find out more about Nicole Spencer and her stunning designs!
Hello! I’m Nicole, the face behind Ebb & Flow Surface Design. I am a wife to one, mum to 5, painter to some and emerging as a surface designer to many. My family I and live in Bundaberg, QLD, a town not far from the beach, which is our happy place. I love to paint, enjoy a hot morning coffee, have the sand between my toes and just be with my family. Being a stay home mum to 5, I realised a few years ago I had no hobbies and needed to do something for myself. I quickly fell in love with watercolour painting, and over time it’s grown from doing painting commissions, to digital prints, and now to wanting to see my work on all sorts of surfaces and textiles.
I’m constantly inspired by the seasons we face, the beauty of the world around us, and I love how I can incorporate story telling into my designs. Ebb & Flow not only creates designs, but captures elements from the beautiful world we’re in, and uses those to bring encouragement through the ebbs and flows we face in life. It finds beauty in the seasons of growth and in the seasons of change, and always aims to create joy in the simple things.
My process usually involves a few different elements, mostly watercolour painting, sketching, scanning random objects from the yard… weeds weirdly have the prettiest shaped leaves and always looking amazing in designs! Let me walk you through a design I put together this summer. “Take Delight”, is a collection I created, inspired by the reminders I had to embrace the pauses in life, (even the unexpected ones), and to choose to take delight in the simple things in front of us.
I had inspiration from both flowers in the garden and a gorgeous basket of florals I received over Christmas. I just loved the colours in this bouquet, and was able to use this to create a colour palette for the collection.
Like I mentioned my designs can include lots of different elements. For my one design in this collection – “Sunny Days”, I was able to pick some flowers out of the garden, pull apart some petals and create my own flowers on paper to scan in for design. This is the fun part where I love to play around with shades and textures. Remember how I said I love to incorporate random things. The centre of some of my florals in this design, was actually created by using a photo of the fabric on my bed head.
Watercolour painting has become a real love of mine, and a big part of my process. These paintings are often inspired by things found outside. I love when my daughter walks home from school and finds random flowers and leaves for me on the way home, it always brings a smile to my face, and gets the creative mind ticking over. The wattle in the picture was actually one of her treasures she found for me.
I think designing for me is a process of joy, discovery and creating beauty. I love using what’s around me to create designs, and I hope you find the joy in them too.
If you want to collaborate with us on The Designer Project and become part of this creative club, please apply! Send us an email with your portfolio and why you would like to be part of this initiative, and we will be in touch!
It’s come that time again to introduce our newest featured artist of The Designer Project for the month of November! Introducing the lovely and amazing Nicole Spencer from Ebb & Flow Design.
Ebb & Flow creates designs that are full of florals and nature, with colour palettes drawn from the beautiful outdoors. Nicole loves to create designs that flow across the page and as you can see, she kinda has a thing for flowers!
Each of Nicole’s beautiful designs can be printed onto any of our fabrics. Keep reading to find out more about Nicole Spencer and her ‘Take Delight’ Collection!
Fresh Pickings is a combination of both paintings and elements of things picked from the garden. We love how it dances across the page and is a sweet reminder that seasons change and beautiful things await us. The blue tones of this design work so well with the floral motifs.
Fresh Pickings could work for a variety of fashion and home projects, perhaps some lovely pillowcases and napkins? Or maybe a new beach kaftan!
Sunny Days is full of wonderful summer florals, with a few hand painted elements. Inspired by summer days, fresh sunflower blooms, and the warm sunshine, it’s a fun print for the warmer days ahead.
We think Sunny Days would be such a fantastic print for homewares such as picnic rugs or tea towels, perhaps even some sweet, summer pants!
Hidden Beauty, a gorgeous print that features hand painted elements. With the florals peeking out from the foliage in this design, it reminds you not to miss the little moments of beauty hidden in the unexpected moments.
Hidden Beauty would be perfect for kids clothing such as dresses and pants or even a lovely matching pants and top for you!
Swept Away showcases soft pink leaves and petals, scattered across the design. Think the wind carrying all the freshly fallen leaves across the ground, reminding you that as one season ends, a new one begins.
Swept Away is such a versatile print! We think it would be amazing for homeware projects such as cushions, tea towels and throw blankets!
Sunshine Swirls, a sweet and simple print. It incorporates painted elements, scanned in florals as well as different textures. Full of warm, sunny colours to make you think of twirling around the yard, with a picked flower in hand.
We this Sunshine Swirls is such a wonderful design for fashion garments such as long flowing skirts and dresses.
Pick a Posy is a lovely design that incorporates small painted elements. It’s a sweet reminder of little posies, gathered rustically but little hands, small gestures of big love – joy in its simplest form.
Pick a Posy would be the perfect print for summer dresses for yourself and the kids, or even a sweet little baby swaddle!
All of our project ideas above are suggestions only as the sky’s truly the limit with Nicole’s sweet floral collection! Each of Nicole’s designs can be found in our Fabric Shop, so head on over to be inspired for your next DIY project!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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?
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 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!
‘Vintage Hankies’
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!
