In honor of the fascinating feature story in our just-released summer issue on the huge impact of the web on the contemporary sewing
world (Connected! Sewing in a Digital
World by Elaine Lipson, Stitch Summer 2011),
we are creating a series of blog posts in which Stitch editors and designers list their favorite websites for
sewing inspiration. This is installment #2!
This week we'll hear from Ayumi Takahashi. Ayumi is a frequent Stitch designer, and you'll probably recognize her projects from the covers of the Fall 2009 and Summer 2011 issues of Stitch. Ayumi's projects are modern and fun with a Japanese aesthetic (she's from Japan but now lives in California), and she has a fabulous knack for combining color, pattern, and texture when picking fabrics for a project. Ayumi also has a great blog called Pink Penguin!
So without further ado, here are Ayumi's favorite websites for sewing inspiration:
1) Flickr
This is a broad choice, but this is a website I visit at
least a few times a day because this is a place where lots of inspirational
things are posted constantly throughout the day. I love to check out some of
the active flickr pools that are related to sewing, quilting, vintage items,
zakka and/or art. This is also a great place to make online friends who share
the same interest too. I organize a few pools including Ringo Pie Patchwork Bee,
where I made lots of friends sharing the love for patchwork. It's very
inspirational to see what everyone is making in the bee.
2) Mod Cloth
This is another really inspirational place online. This shop
carries lots of things that are a mix of modern and vintage styles. Looking at
clothing, accessories, and others that are posted almost daily, I always feel
inspired to make something.
3) Charlotte's Fancy
It's almost 100% guaranteed that she has something that
I fall in love at first sight every time I visit her blog.
She introduces her great finds of art and craft related
items among others. I like how she picks up vintage and/or
northern European style inspired things. They are all so
inspirational. It makes me itch to start sewing!
4) True Up
This is the place I can find all about upcoming
fabrics and where to get them. For my projects, I love to use fabrics that I
really love, and this blog is like a short cut to find great fabrics.
What are your favorite websites for sewing inspiration? Tell us about them in the comments!
Happy sewing!