Today I’m happy to highlight a new stockist of Arroyo fabric, Gather Here in Cambridge, MA. I connected with shop owner Virginia B. Johnson to talk about her vision for Gather Here, and to hear more about her lovely store. Beyond just fabric and notions, Gather Here hosts creative workshops, and has a unique, community feel. This shop is really something special, and if you live in the Boston area, I hope you’ll stop by and see Arroyo fabrics in person.
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It’s so exciting to see your Arroyo sewing projects start to appear on social media — thank you so much for sharing your projects with the #ArroyoFabric hashtag. I wanted to share some of my recent favorite projects that have been shared to the feed! If you’re sewing anything with Arroyo, I hope you’ll tag me in the photo on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
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I’m so happy to share another fun collaboration that’s debuting this summer: a thread collection created in collaboration with Aurifil! This box of 12 large spools of 100% cotton thread is perfect for anyone who loves to sew. Aurifil’s 50wt thread is great for hand sewing or machine sewing, and you can use it for all sorts of projects, including quilts, bags, and clothing.
I chose colors that compliment my new fabric collection, Arroyo, but many of these colors will look familiar from their use in the classic Cotton & Flax products. The thread collection will be available in stores in June/July, so ask your local fabric store if they’ll be carrying it in their shop!
One of the most exciting things about debuting Arroyo, my first fabric collection with Robert Kaufman, is seeing the finished projects roll in as designers and sewers get their hands on the fabric. These beautiful bags were created by Anna Graham of Noodlehead, using her Explorer Tote pattern. I’m completely obsessed, and while I’ve skipped adding bags to the Cotton & Flax product line until now, these bags have me daydreaming…
Seeing other’s creativity shine as they adapt my fabrics in new ways is so exciting — it’s such a pleasure to see artists like Anna integrate my patterns into her designs.
I love all the lovely details in these bags! The gorgeous leather straps, that shiny little clasp… even the contrasting liner fabric is a charming accent. Anna’s tote bag pattern walks you through all the steps of creating this bag, and she’ll guide you in selecting materials that will age beautifully.
Arroyo fabric will be debuting in fabric and sewing stores this summer! Ask your favorite shop if they’ll be carrying it. As more projects start rolling in, I’ll be sharing them here on the blog, as well as on Instagram under #ArroyoFabric. I can’t wait to see what you’ll create with this fabric!
I’ve talked about my commitment to running a environmentally-friendly studio in the past, and I’ve continued to look for ways to improve my no-waste approach to production for Cotton & Flax. I’ve been lucky to find some amazing partners in that effort, including my newest collaborator: Caitlin Topham from Salty Oat!
Caitlin has been creating beautiful wall quilts from Cotton & Flax scraps, and I absolutely love the results. She does a great job of finding the perfect project for even the smallest scraps that I send her.
I love seeing a new piece of art come to life using fabric that would have otherwise been wasted, and her beautiful approach to modern quilting has led to some gorgeous pieces that I’d be proud to display in my home.
Check out the available quilts from our collaboration, and visit the Salty Oat shop to learn more about Caitlin’s work.
Arroyo Fabrics by Erin Dollar, available online from Fabric Bubb
One of the most common questions I get on social media and via email is about where to source beautiful fabrics like the ones I use for Cotton & Flax. I’ve been lucky to live in cities that had vibrant craft and sewing communities, and so I’ve been able to visit lots of great fabric shops. Today I’m going to give you the scoop on my favorites, including a list of my all-time favorite fabric stores.
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