Are you a print or a solid?
You know those ice-breaker question games that people do at parties? I’ve just thought of one for sewists.
“If you were a fabric, would you be a print or a solid?”
sldkjf
Image from Fabric.com
OR
lskdjf
image from Fabric.com
I know, without one millisecond of hesitation, that I am, for sure, without a doubt, most definitely, a P.R.I.N.T. with all caps. Underscored. In BOLD.
When I shop for fabrics, I am dazzled by prints. Solids leave me cold. It has to be a pretty high quality solid fabric to entice me to buy it. But show me a print and I will have already paid for it by the time you have unfurled the bolt. Really. I just can’t control myself. I know I should love solids, but it’s kind of like loving kale or cabbage, you know you should, but really, who loves kale? Who?
There’s a yin/yang relationship with solids and prints, don’t you think? Solids allow you to have more prints in your life because solids expand your wardrobe so much. So, in theory, I should love solids because of that. However, my little crow brain is just enamored of shiny things like prints. I can’t turn my head away from them. I feel their siren pull whenever I see them.
So tell me. Which are you? A solid or print? And why?
P.S. Can’t wait to see everyone tomorrow at the NY Shopping Day I am hosting with Robin. Please join us — there’s always room for more!
Ooh, I think I’m probably a solid. Maybe a textured solid. In really luscious wool or silk. And in some tone of gray or brown. So boring, no? My fabric stash is full of pieces like that and I am always thinking I should buy more prints.
That said, my favorite pieces I’ve sewn have been a combination of print and solid. Like a solid jacket with a print lining, or a print dress with solid trim. Love love love the combination.
I am with you on the prints. I have a load of prints, I don’t know what I’ll ever do with! I keep trying to tell myself that I must save my love of prints for quilting.
Er, can I say I am a print, but I always buy solids? I think it is the contrast of the clothing and me (if you are concerned I am normal, I have hazel eyes and brown hair, not paisley). I guess inside me must be patterned. Does that make sense?
Solid. I love the classic look of a solid wool or cotton.
I’m a print who wishes she were a solid.
Ninety percent solid these days.
Im with you. Im a print. I just can’t help myself. I want to be a nice sensible classic solid. But prints live for the moment, they are fun!
I’m a print I think, but something more subtle, like a little polkadot. Certainly not a plaid, I’m not up to matching all those lines.
I do like kale chips. And Portuguese green soup, that has kale in it.
I’m a solid, no shadow of a doubt. But that means we’re the perfect shopping companions!
I’m a print but have to watch size carefully so that I don’t end up looking like a couch cover. My best ‘prints’ are actually tartan plaids, though.
Prints. Definitely. Can’t stay away from them! I love to look at them, I love to wear them. But it’s so hard to mix and match them! Yet every time I say “no more buying print fabrics, solids only” guess what happens…..it’s all about the print!
I am attracted to prints more than solids, but I like wearing solids more than prints.
I buy lots of both, just to be safe.
Have fun shopping!! I wish I could be there.
Who loves Kale? Me! Its my absolute favorite vegetable and I cook it pretty much weekly. So it should come as no surprise that I’m a solid. A solid solid. And I love my solids in classic, high quality fibers – wool, silk, linen, denim. I have to study prints for a long time before I can convince myself to buy them.
If I were in NY, I’d come shopping with you. Alas, I hope you all have a blast!
my wardrobe is ALL SOLIDS. I have grounded myself from buying any more solids, in fabric or ready to wear. I have to force myself to not play it safe, not be all matchy matchy. I envy you print ladies.
P-R-I-N-T – I only play a solid in my day job!
Solid !!!!!!!!!!! Prints need to be overwhelming for me to like them.
Solid!!!! I love the classic crisp look of solids.
I LOVE KALE! Just look at the deep green and purple, with curly edges and gracefully leaning leaves! It photographs wonderfully and is great in arrangements! What? Soups? Yeah I do it too sometimes…
Oh yeah, and I would definitely be a print! I guess that’s why I buy so many solids…
That’s a really great question, so fun to read everybody’s thoughts on this! Thanks!
Looove prints!!!! Shiny and colorful. Flowers, art nouveau prints and circles in particular. But if a solid is shiny and bright, I’ll take that too!
Oooo. Fun question. I am a bit torn on this. On the one hand, in *real life* I am totally a solid. Everything I have made in a print just feels so crazy, like I am hiding behind the print and not wearing it. I feel overwhelmed. I can’t remember ever liking the way I looked in prints. I often like the way prints look on the bolt. And on other people on sewing blogs. I just don’t like the way they look on me. I prefer either fitted/tailored styles or drapey styles. I always feel like the print hides the design details and without fail I love the look of a solid much more. I tend to go for deep jewel tones (blue/green/purple especially), but I also like deep red and black. I also really look for interesting texture or something that has nice drape. I am trying to venture out to different colors and new textures, but somehow I always come away with blue/teal/green/purple? I don’t do white/pink/yellow well at all. I am usually drawn to prints in the store, but I cannot often imagine how to make them look good on me. I do like to use prints as coat linings though.
On the other hand, nearly all of my skating practice dresses are prints. Like, big/loud/crazy and often shiny/metallic/holographic prints. I mean, magpie doesn’t even begin to cover it. I think perhaps because the skating costume is so incredibly fitted I feel much more comfortable wearing a print because I feel like it doesn’t overwhelm me. On the other other hand, most of my competition dresses are solid colors, because it is much easier to create a design with sequins and rhinestones on a blank canvas. I do like to use lace though. Which is sort of like a print? But not really.
So, erm, I guess solid wins out. But I do use prints. They are just usually metallic lycra spandex.
I am exactly like you. I am irresistibly drawn to bright and dazzling prints but I do try hard to make sure that I buy some solid colour fabrics – otherwise I would just have a closet full of clothes that I couldn’t wear together. I also like actually sewing with prints better – they make nice eye candy and are interesting to look at during the process. However, I will say that if I do make something in a solid, once it is finished I usually like it a lot – when a flat piece of fabric becomes an actual garment, it becomes a lot more interesting to look at. This fall I intend to make a lot more solid colours.
Have a wonderful shopping day – I so wish that I could be there!!!
I love your description of what a solid does: “Solids allow you to have more prints in your life because solids expand your wardrobe so much.” It’s such a true statement.
I tend to skew towards being more of a print person in Summer and more of a solid person in the Winter. Funny how that works.
I forced myself to buy and sew two prints this summer. Yes, two. Definitely a solid. I hate to be noticed!
What a fun question! I’d love to say that I’m a fun bubbly print but no, that’s not me. Really I’m a classic neutral solid….. which is pretty good too because it’s stylish, chic and timeless. I’m always drawn to prints but my imagination really gets going with solids. I get a perfect picture of how a particular solid will work up into that pleated dress or that ruffley shirt but have no idea where to start with prints!
Who could resist being a PRINT with the beautiful one that you showed.
I love Liberty of London, but I would have trouble using that print, which is called “Mauverina.” It’s too big for me, at least for clothing.
Context is all.
Definitely a solid – probably black! I love to look at prints but unless the scale is gigantic (like your chrysthanthemum fabric) I never know what to do with them. Gigantic prints end up as maxidresses
I would surely be a solid. I like to accessorize (or not) according to mood, weather, the general condition of my very own universe… seems there’d be far more options being a solid. More like a blank slate (given the right color), upon which anything’s possible.
I like kale, its dark, slightly bitter edge is satisfying and saves sweet things from being cloying.
I am definitely a print, say, Liberty Mabelle in pink. But I would always pair it with a solid, probably black.
What if I say neither? I think I am more pattern! My favorite fabrics are woven; herringbone, houndstooth, plaid and boucle. Not necessarily solid or print.