Hello again, Mary Ellen here.

If you have been a fabric fondler for a long time, particularly if you enjoy all types of fabric–not just quilters’ cottons–then I’m fairly certain you know of Liberty cottons. Make in the UK for several hundred years, they have a certain “look” about them, and a texture or “hand” which is well-remembered once you get a chance to experience it. Many a fabricaholic has brought home several meters of Liberty cotton as a souvenir of a trip to England–and then not wanted to cut into it. Liberty cotton is a cotton lawn, finer and softer than what we use in our quilts. Imagine the ethereal nightgowns of a Victorian novel, or the best of christening gowns in old money wealthy families. The quality, and so the price, is far superior to other cottons made for similar purposes.

Liberty is now going to be adding a line of cottons of a slightly different types aimed at quilters. Yippee! Here is an interesting post from a quilter who was lucky enough to be invited to visit Liberty studios and get a view of the design process there. We are accustomed to associating our favorite designers’ names with their fabrics. Perhaps you can picture a Jo Morton or Kim Diehl “type” of fabric. Or a Kaffe Fassett or an Amy Butler. They have retained the rights to their designs and can license them however they wish. We learn to associate their styles with their names. Liberty has been able to keep its signature look over the history of the company with a changing stable of artists/designers. No designer’s name is tied to their fabric-it is from the house of Liberty. Katy, the writer of the linked post, explains it well.

Although I love Liberty cottons, I don’t know if their “style” is mine when it comes to quilting. Might have to make an exception.

TTFN.