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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If you love a good fabric store, today I have a treat for you: a guide to my favorite fabric shops in LA!
After moving to Los Angeles in 2010, I spent a lot of time driving around the city, visiting all the fabric stores I could find. I was experimenting heavily with printing on locally sourced fabric, experiments that would eventually lead to founding Cotton & Flax. At the time, I was just beginning to get to know LA (let’s be honest, I’m still getting to know LA), and all the awesome creative resources it had to offer.
I take pride in the fact that I still source the majority of my materials for Cotton & Flax from local shops and fabric distributors. I’d love to share some of my favorite LA fabric stores, so that locals and visitors alike can enjoy these fantastic shops!
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