laminated fabrics

Update: I’ve just been alerted to some terrific laminates at Superbuzzy as well, in case you needed a little more inspiration…

I’m so excited about this post. I know many of you have been eagerly awaiting the release of the new fall patterns, and you’ve been wondering about your options for making a raincoat from laminated fabrics. I’m here to offer a little help with your shopping and planning. I’ll start with teasers about some laminated fabrics that will be coming out this season, and then I’ll move on to things that are available right now. Ready?

A number of the major quilting fabric manufacturers are about to release new laminated cottons. There are some exciting things coming out in the next several months that I’m pleased to be able to preview for you. Here are some details that the manufacturers have supplied to me.

Free Spirit has been doing some lovely qualities lately, and this is going to continue this fall. I really like the finish on their laminates because it is soft, pliable, and easy to work with. You’ve already seen our two versions of the raincoat made from Anna Maria Horner‘s previous designs produced as laminates. But get ready, because two new Anna Maria designs will be released soon, and they’re really beautiful. Here’s a preview.

Westminster, the parent company of Free Spirit, will also be releasing new laminates by Kaffe Fassett. Here are previews of three of the prints from that collection (the image quality isn’t great, but you’ll get the idea).

Westminster will also be releasing a few prints from Amy Butler’s new Love collection as laminates. I don’t have details yet, but be on the lookout for these as they’re sure to be good.

Moving on to what’s available on the market now, Michael Miller has been producing laminates for quite a while now. Our original raincoat sample is the Dumb Dot pattern in the “Chocolate” colorway (a brown field with mint-colored dots). That print is also available with pink dots (called “Cocoa”) as well.

This turquoise field with red dots is a newer Michael Miller laminate that will be available soon.

The coating on the Michael Miller fabrics is a bit heavier than some of the others I’m highlighting in this post, so it might be a little trickier to sew. But those dots may just be worth a little extra work, no?

Japanese fabric manufacturer Kokka has a number of laminate designs by Etsuko Furuya, as well. You can find these at Purlsoho.com.

I also have a few additional treats for you that I’ve found while shopping here in New York. Ready? Give your wallet to someone you can trust before you continue reading.

These are my current favorites. The hand on these coated linens is very light, and the texture of the linen shows through the coating beautifully. B&J; Fabrics, $32.95/yard, 58″ wide, color/order number: Clay/V3368, French Rose/V3391, Green Apple/V3370, Periwinkle/V3372.

And here’s where the pushing and shoving starts. Settle down, everyone! Custom laminated Liberty of London lawn. (Yes, it’s true!): B&J; Fabrics, $42.95/yard, 54″ wide, V3368.

One last word about laminates: most manufacturers recommend that you don’t wash these fabrics. Instead, use a damp sponge to clean them. Check with the manufacturer or the retailer for exact care instructions.