My Not-So-New Crush

Thanks to a good friend of mine, Dawn, I began 2011 with an introduction to the wonderful world of quilting - and more specifically, textiles.  Who knew there was a whole world out there of amazing people who devote their lives to designing fabrics which are meant to be cut up and sewn back together.

Back in April, the work of one textile designer/quilter extraordinaire caught my attention.  Her name is Tula Pink, and she is nothing short of genius.  Fun and funky, her textiles take traditional themes and turn them on their heads.  Her first collection I saw was called Prince Charming, and it was love at first sight.  Based around the image of a frog prince, the collection incorporates modern patterns with traditional fairy tale images that instantly bring a smile to my face.  The biggest problem I had with her collection was that it came in four different color combinations, called colorways, and I couldn't decide which one I wanted.  I've since ended up with all four!

Isn't he handsome?

"Turtle Bay".  Do you see the girls playing on their backs?

A sampling of the prints in the collection in the Coral colorway.

Since falling in love with Prince Charming (yes, I love how that sounds!), I have become an ardent follower of Tula Pink's blog, and I pour over her previous collections.  Her work is incredibly detail-oriented, always amazingly artistic, and simply wonderful.  You know the line on Seinfeld where George says he wants to swath himself in velvet?  Well, I want to swath myself in Tula Pink!  (Side note: there are hard-core Tula Pink fans who are getting themselves tattooed with images from her lines.  I may count myself one of them someday...)

I'm slowly procuring favorite fabrics from her previous collections.  Her new line is coming out this fall, and I am waiting with bated breath to see it.

From the "Nest" collection.

Butterflies!  From the "Hushabye" collection.

Ducks from the "Hushabye" collection.

Owl from the "Hushabye" collection.

I don't know if you can tell, but this is comprised completely of dots.  From "Parisville".

"Parisville" main print.  Look closely at the ladies' hair!

Again, from "Parisville". 

Frankly, many of my favorites seem like they should be hanging in a museum; a little something inside me dies when I make that first cut.  But cut I do, and I will share pictures of my Tula Pink creations just as soon as I have any.

Off I go to look at the real deal instead of just pictures online.  Ah, bliss...