Liberty of London Swatch Portraits

In our teeny-tiny fabric shop, Purl Patchwork, it is a challenge to find fresh ideas to display our favorite products in customer-friendly ways.  We were really scratching our heads when a bunch of new Tana Lawn prints from Liberty of London arrived last week on unruly five-foot-tall bolts!   Our solution:  we filled a handful of simple wooden embroidery hoops with swatches of fabric and displayed them all on the wall like a family portrait gallery. 

If you're interested in making a similar display of your own Liberty of London collection, visit our Swatch Portraits Project Journal.

Comments

[jess]

What a nice idea! Instead of hanging fabrics on a line or tacking them up I think I will try this. I quite enjoy visiting this site. Thank you for the inspiration!

[julie]

stunning! What a beautiful display. I've got several of those liberty prints on my wishlist. :)

[clarice]

I sooo adore Liberty of London fabric. What a brilliant idea of how to display it !! Clarice

[km]

This is the cutest idea ever. I posted a link to your site on mine so others can see it too.

[juju]

Very clever stuff girls.

[caroline]

what a brilliant idea - and what a gorgeous display of wonderful fabric. I've recently made a blouse from the fabric in the very bottom lefthand corner.

[Maritza]

What a fantastic idea! It looks fabulous.

[kate]

GREAT idea! Something to try in my sewing room! I love it!

[hillary]

brilliant! I love it!!

[nancy]

i keep coming back to the computer to look at this. i am in love with this idea. thanks

[June]

This is a super idea! It looks fantastic and serves as a wonderful display to showcase the fabrics.

[Cassi]

I love this idea!! I see embroidery hoops all the time when I'm thrifting, now I have a reason to buy some!

[Mary-Heather]

This is so pretty - simple and adorable! Thanks!

[Karen]

Inspired!

[Corvus]

That is such a fantastic idea! Could I perhaps use one of your pictures to profile said idea in my own blog? I won't have the funds to try it myself for a while, and I'd like to include it in a post I'm writing up of crafters/artisans/ideas I admire.

[MissLaurence]

What a great idea! It makes a change from the photo frame displays- in fact it has given me a great idea to actually use the hoops as photo frames - Can't wait to try it now!

[cheryl]

lovely!

[purl bee]

Wow, thank you all for your wonderful comments. We've had such a positive response to this idea, we've gone ahead and made a flickr group for swatch portraits. If you decide to make one, or two, (or 10!) please share your photos here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/364879@N22/

thanks! --purlbee

[cristina]

i really really love this idea. another thing you could do is paint the hoops different coordinating colors. also - could you use double-sided tape instead of glue incase you wanted to swap out the fabric for different seasons or looks?

[Jennie]

Love the embroidery hoop idea, I know what I'm going to do with my favourite fabrics.

[cindy k]

i love the idea, too!

[Redwork in Germany]

Brilliant idea and wounderful fabric!

[The Steph]

What a stunning image! You do great things with fabric, ladies!

I do a similar display with my knitted swatches using small 5x5 shadow box frames. Might as well use them rather than just have them lying around!

[sheree]

What a wonderful display of fabrics! I have some that I will share in your new group!!!

love your blog--keep up the great work!

Sheree

[Michelle]

I love the bird and cherry blossom fabrics...such a sweet, simple idea that looks gorgeous. Well done Purl!

[mel]

I saw this linked over at Decor8 and love it--it's perfect for those of us *compelled* to buy pretty fabrics but not enough projects to use them up! Thanks for the idea!

[Jennifer]

I discovered your blog on the Adorn blog site when they posted a link to this.

What a lovely idea!

[bribri]

What a lovely idea....so cut !!!

[joy]

this is AMAZING! gorgeous!

[punky]

i love this idea...i want to use it in my bedroom.

[Christi]

I may very well be the last person on the planet to blog about your framed fabrics idea, but here it is: http://smalltownfun.squarespace.com/journal/2007/3/25/easter-craft-ideas.html

As usual, you set the bar! Thanks a ton!

[Josie Soho]

Wow what a great idea! I saw this featured on Alicia Paulson's blog, Posie Gets Cozy.

I have some remnants and beginnings of quilted fabric that belonged to my mom who is now deceased. Till now I haven't known what to do with them . Thanks so much. Plan to look for hoops after work today. I have a Flickr account so if I may, I'll post to your group when they're done. Thanks again, Josie

[Mona]

I was inspired by your brilliant idea so I put up a few in my kitchen. Thanks for sharing!

[Sofia]

You're a genious! Fabulous idea!

[Melissa]

I am *way* behind the times here! I am dying for that bird print (brown birds..blue flowers) but I couldn't find it on your fabric list......

[purl bee]

Melissa,
Unfortunately, that fabric was a seasonal print by Liberty and is now completely gone... We loved it too!

[style saves the world]

How cool!! Great idea!

[thelongthread]

This photo inspired me to make some frames with embroidered linen. See photos here:
http://thelongthread.com/2008/01/11/embroidery-hoop-frames/

[america]

Wow, I am in love with this idea, finally a way to enjoy the fabric just for the fabric you know.

[Meaghan]

I've been wanting to do this for a while but haven't found a good stash of reasonably priced embroidery hoops yet. Then to decide what fabrics to put in them!

[Jamrah Crafty Creations]

Just love this idea and love your blog. I get so much inspiration by visiting. Keep up the good work!!

[Jackie]

This wall is gorgeous. I'm going to do a small wall with embroidery hoops going up my stairs. Thanks!!