Yes, it’s true: I love border prints! They do the heavy lifting to make a simple pattern look unique, and that’s pretty much my entire wardrobe goal.
Here are some of my border print makes over the years:
This is the project that got me thinking about my love for border prints: an ombre leopard Ebony made in 45 minutes this summer! This is actually a panel print, so the ombre repeats every metre along the yardage. I don’t like panel prints quite as much as real border prints, because you have to think hard about how the pattern pieces will fit into the repeat!
This border print was a 90cm remnant… so I had to get creative piecing a back yoke from other fabric! I love the crazy colours, but I wish it was on a black background so that it matched better with shoes and leggings! I actually didn’t wear this once last winter, and that makes me sad.
Now for two garments that do get worn ALL THE TIME: Santa Fe tanks in ITY jersey! I think border prints work best with a straight hem, and I like how the angled side seams give this a longer-at-the-side effect.
Same pattern, slightly longer! This was another narrow remnant, luckily with a border along each side. I left the black selvedge unhemmed for extra length!
And now a little walk down memory lane… This pic is from Me-Made May in 2013, and I remember that I was having a bad day, though I don’t remember why! This is a Tiramisu, which was my absolute ride-or-die pattern for a good few years. I’m pretty sure my sister still wears this, and thanks to the magic of ITY, it still looks good!
Even further back, here’s a dress from 2012, just a year into my dressmaking obsession! I think this was at the beginning of my style transition from sewing fit-n-flare quilting cotton dresses to looking for a more comfortable, modern style. I made this floral Cambie dress out of a border-print bed sheet, then never wore it because it just felt too twee. Proof that we all go through style transitions, and that it takes time to develop personal style!
Now I feel like I’ve found “my style”, and it involves buying almost-garish over-the-top prints like this one! I ran the border print vertically up the centre front, and horizontally across the back. I love this dress!
And of course, more recently and along the same lines, there is my Oonabaloona maxi! There is a seam hidden in those orange stripes where I pieces the fabric to make the border print front and centre. I have worn this dress to work, on errands and when i want to dress up – it’s a winner!
I wish good border prints were easier to find – do you have any suggestions for where to buy them? It probably goes without saying, but I’m looking for knits! I’ve seen some fun bold ones at Michael Levine, but never quite found the one worth dropping $$ on shipping and conversion rates! Any suggestions?
Crafting A Rainbow 
OMG Gillian, Distinctive Sewing Supplies in Oakville Ontario is my very favourite on-line fabric supplier! Check out this awesome border print, it’s the next one on my list. http://www.distinctivesewing.com/ity-knit-jersey-0-97-metre-panel-red-poppies-leopard/
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Thank you for the reminder about them! I need to have a good dig through their website. (“Need” is the right word for that, isn’t it? 😉
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yes Gillian, go there soon, there are some awesome border prints, and the quality is the BEST!
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I don’t know if they have border prints Gillian but this has become my latest obsession – watertowertextiles.ca – YES Canadian 🙂 reasonable prices and an amazing selection of knits – they’re specialty is athletic knits but they have loads of options to choose from – I have my first order on the way so we’ll see how they’re quality has yet to be confirmed. I’ve only read good things about them 🙂
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I”m in their FB group! I’ve heard nothing but good thing. Let me know how your order turns out!!!
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I’m remembering the time you and I used Sharpies to create a colored floral border on a b+w print dress! xx
On Mon, Oct 2, 2017 at 7:02 AM Crafting A Rainbow wrote:
> gilliancrafts posted: “Yes, it’s true: I love border prints! They do the > heavy lifting to make a simple pattern look unique, and that’s pretty much > my entire wardrobe goal. Here are some of my border print makes over the > years: This is the project that got me thinking about” >
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Colouring that dress was so fun at the start and so boring by the end! 😉
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Dunno about postage to yon foreign parts, but here’s where I get mine https://www.thetextilecentre.co.uk/collections/panel-prints
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Oooh, I’ll go have a look. THanks!
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Gawsh, they’re as rare as hen’s teeth – I agree! Tessuti had some nice ones online and I do recall some on The Fabric Store website – though postage might be an issue. I have a stunning wool/silk border print on my table at the moment – it’s so tasty I can’t bear to mess it up, there’s just so little of it too. Just love that Onnaballoona creation on you Gillian x
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I love border prints too. I’m loving all the suggestions here!
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Good suggestion of where to find them!! I find them hard to search for on websites because they don’t always have “border print” or “panel” in the description…it’s almost like you need to find them by accident!! Love all your makes.
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I never know what to do with border prints…you’ve given me lots of inspiration to give the a go though! That last striped dress is to die for!!!
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I love a nice border print and have quite a few stuck in my stash. It is what to do with the pattern placement though. There are too many options. I do love all your great garments, especially that Tiramisu dress. I still have bits of one cut out for me since not long after the pattern came out. Oh dear. Going to second the Textile Centre. I have had some lovely knits from them. Xx
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I found this border print offered by an Etsy seller. I have not yet perused the other pages carefully. This site seems offer some gems along with the ordinary. I do like this one for you. Not my colors. https://www.etsy.com/listing/270541526/vintage-1980s-silky-polyester-border?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=border%20print%20fabric&ref=sr_gallery_40
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Here is another that I found. I’ve been looking at this print for some time, but can’t see this color story on me. https://www.etsy.com/listing/482649527/amelia-caruso-effervescence-in-primary?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=border%20print%20fabric&ref=sr_gallery_31
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Here is the main listing for all border prints on Etsy. I’ve officially gone nuts. Have at it!!! https://www.etsy.com/search?explicit=1&q=border+print+fabric&page=1
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https://www.spoonflower.com/tags/border%20print Spoonflower custom printed fabrics are a wonderful source.
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