All About the Dreaming Fabric Collection
Dreaming Up the Dreaming Collection
Something old, something new, something magic: The Dreaming is a fabric collection that honors the intention we put into what we create, whether it’s for others or ourselves. There is a secret significance in each of these patterns; what first seems ordinary becomes alchemy.
Bringing the Dreaming collection to life was an experiment in changing my own perspective every step of the way. It’s taught me so much about my goals, values, and creative process.
It’s been over a year since The Dreaming collection was released, and it’s taken me this long to realize and be ready to share all the nooks and crannies of its creation.
This blog post is to share the inspiration behind the collection, and how it came to be.
Inspiration Behind the Dreaming Fabric Collection
Dreams: The Creative Process
I’ve designed a few fabric collections before this Dreaming collection, all of which were uploaded to Spoonflower, with not much else coming from them.
They were all pretty straightforward. I picked a subject, I played with different layouts and designs, and then I made them all look nice together. They were aesthetically pleasing on the surface level but didn’t achieve what I was hoping for.
For the Dreaming collection, I decided to really dive deep into the exploration and inspiration part of the creative process. I wanted there to be more substance to this collection and I needed to figure out how to bake that in.
I wanted the collection to be an extension of the Wax and Wane Studio brand and so I treated the project as if I were creating a brand from scratch. I made mood boards, created a mission statement, and defined guidelines and color palettes.
I was amazed at how much of a difference these exercises made. Once I had all my arbitrary rules set in place, the designs themselves came together so easily and were way more satisfying than anything from my previous textile design attempts.
Spells: Making Meaning and New Beginnings
My goals for the Dreaming fabric collection were to explore the Wax and Wane Studio brand and to give an extra level of meaning and intention to quilt making.
I like to think of a quilt as like a spell, and the materials of the quilt as like ingredients. If you want a spell for happiness create a quilt with jovial fabrics and a pleasant design. Every time you use the quilt, you’re bound to smile.
There’s power in the motions of sewing, quilting, and crafting; when we create with our full consciousness, the final product becomes a mark in time, a story to share, an incantation that makes our hopes, dreams, and wishes tangible.
With that idea in mind, I wanted to create fabrics that inspired new beginnings, energy clearing, spiritual development, and abundance. To do that, I chose flowers and symbols that represent those qualities to be the features of the designs. For example, saffron crocuses, which steal the show in the Dreamscape and Moonspell prints, represent moon magic, abundance, and love.
Aesthetics: Bringing Two Ideas Together
Beyond the actual subject matter, I had big dreams (see what I did there?) for the collection’s aesthetic. Specifically, an intersection of two unrelated, seemingly opposing aesthetics. Both of which have made huge impact on the quilter, designer, maker, and artist I am today.
The first is shirting materials from the 1800s. I worked in a fabric shop while I was in high school. My weekends were spent cutting, folding and organizing quilting cottons and I absolutely loved it. The Civil War era reproductions with dots, stripes, tiny flowers, and strange tessellations always caught my attention and quickly became my favorites. The starker and stranger the better.
The second aesthetic I gave a nod to was the goth/punk/alternative scene of the 1908s. Look up a photo of Siouxsie Sioux or Kate Bush, (or better yet, one of my favorite photoshoots of all time, The Cure dressed in prairie frocks) and you’ll get what I mean.
For this part I was pulling on the visuals and the music of this genre. Maybe it’s synesthesia, or maybe I’m just weird, but when I listen to music very distinct imagery comes to my mind and this particular type of music sounds just as I wanted my collection to look.
Melding these two very different aesthetics is exactly the kind of challenge I love. It kind of felt like a very fun way of combining two parts of me to make a whole.
Each Design Explained
Starry
The elements within us have come through supernovas to be part of who we are. With twinkling stars layered over triangles that connote the earthly ingredients that make life possible, Starry’s print signifies connection and permanence. Starry is available in four color options: Leaf, Dark Teal, Storm, and Geranium.
Moonflower Trellis
Flush with morning glories that call in new beginnings and fresh new energy, this print is a floral field that floats above ethereal shapes. It’s a fresh take on the traditional small floral print, celebrating the way we exist in the space between Earth and sky. Moonflower Trellis is available in four color options: Geranium, Storm, Leaf, and Dust.
Moongarden
A floral arrangement in the glint of a radiant night, Moon Garden is a combination of four flowers to signify clarity, love, feminine energy, and spiritual development: saffron crocus, honesty, moonwort, and morning glory. Moongarden is available in three color options: Lapis, Doe, and Dew.
Moonstones
These gems are named Moonstones because they evoke the soft glow of moonlight, held in your hand. This print repeats four tiny triangles to summon the four elements (air, earth, fire, and water) and illuminate the way we take inspiration from our environment, whether buried in the ground or high above. Moonstones is available in four color options: Shadow, Doe, Dust, and Rain.
Phoebe Dot
We go through days, seasons, and phases, and each one is significant in its own way. This print honors the clarity found with the passage of time, sprinkling shadow over moons as they wax and wane. Phoebe Dot is available in seven color options: Teal, Dew, Geranium, Night, Leaf, Doe, and Lapis.
Wax and Wane
Wax and Wane tells the story of life’s ebb and flow, and calls us to be ready to hear the call of creative inspiration whenever it strikes. This print tells the language of time—and reminds us to be confident as we enter new chapters. Wax and Wane is available is six color options: Fog, Leaf, Night, Lapis, Dust, and Doe.
Dreaming Collection Quilt Pattern
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To The Sky
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Dreaming Collection Quilt Pattern 〰️ To The Sky 〰️
Dreaming Collection Quilt Pattern
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To The Sky
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Dreaming Collection Quilt Pattern 〰️ To The Sky 〰️
Explore The Collection and Dream Up Your Own Projects
I hope you found this post interesting, and maybe even inspiring. Dreaming is a fabric collection that celebrates the intention we put into our creations. Each design has a secret significance to add extra meaning to quilt making.
If you’d like to explore more about this fabric collection you can check out the lookbook, and see all the beautiful projects my friends have made with it.
Dreaming is available at Hawthorne Supply Co.
in every substrate so you can make quilts,
garments, home decor, and more.
Thank you to Francesca Olsen of No Aesthetic Quilts for copywriting and content assistance.
