THE LAST WORD
Whether you're a hopeless romantic or a Valentine's Scrooge, Kate Basti has found the perfect balance of lust-worthy fabrics to warm your heart
Whether you’re a hopeless romantic or a Valentine’s Scrooge, Kate Basti has found the perfect balance of lust-worthy fabrics to bring hearts to your eyes
I’ll admit, I’ve never been a fan of Valentine’s Day. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not an unromantic Scrooge. I’ve just never cared for a holiday that only a percentage of the population can actually enjoy. Single? Divorced? Attached but unhappy about it? Well, this holiday likely isn’t your cup of tea.
Personally, I prefer to focus on the aspects of the 14th February that I can get behind. Chocolates? Never met one I didn’t like. Flowers? Always a good idea. All things pink and red? Just happens to be one of my fave colour combinations ever. Yes, please!
So this month, I’m curating a bundle based on the traditional Valentine’s Day colour palette – a mix of bold reds and bright pinks. To get started, I choose one of my current fabric crushes. Daisies in Pink by Melody Miller for Cotton+Steel is just about as perfect a print as they come. With its mix of orangereds and soft pinks, I’ll be using this print as my hero fabric, and coordinating the rest of my bundle with it.
Next, I begin pulling reds. I’m looking for a variety of hues and, of course, any prints that lend themselves to my Valentine’s theme. First up, an obvious choice, Hearts in Crimson by Dear Stella. I also pull XOXO in Clementine by Cotton+Steel, as this orange-red basic is a great match for my hero print. I also decide on Essex Yarn Dyed Metallic in Ruby by Robert Kaufman, because I love to add a bit of texture to my bundles, and a little bit of metallic sparkle never hurt anybody. While I’m at it, I include Essex Yarn Dyed Metallic in Burgundy by Robert Kaufman as well.
Moving on to the pinks, I immediately think of Libs Elliott’s fantastic, flirty print Lick It Up in Valentine for Andover Fabrics. I also choose Flowerbed in Valentine by Karen Lewis for Robert Kaufman, Wink in Pink by Birch Fabrics, Crisscross in Pink by Ann Kelle for Robert Kaufman and Mountains in Mist Pink by Annie Brady for Moda. I then decide on another favourite print, Cards in Pink Metallic by Melissa Mortenson for Riley Blake Designs, with its “Queen of Hearts” vibe as well as Bias Candy Stripe in Pink Red by Bonnie and Camille for Moda for its sweet stripes.
Finally, I decide to add two low-volume prints to my bundle, both of which lend a more romantic note to the collection. Dream in Pink by Alexia Abegg for Cotton+Steel features block-printed flowers, butterflies and hands holding hearts, while Delicate Veil by Maureen Cracknell for Art Gallery Fabrics reminds me of paper lace valentines from years long passed.
And there you have it! A Valentine’s-themed bundle with just the right amount of sweetness and a hint of flirtiness that even the most unromantic Scrooge can appreciate.