Growing Beautiful by Crystal Manning...

Hello! I'm excited to share my latest fabrics with you. Growing Beautiful is a vibrant colored collection filled with painterly flowers complemented with lively abstract patterns. There are three versatile color ways in cotton for quilts, accessories and garments, and four rayon prints that I love using for garment-making.

The floral prints are always my favorites, they are Wildflowers, Peonies and Morning Glory.

The colors are teal, blue, pink and plum with accents of citrine and jade.

Of course there have to be a few accent prints - Checks, Stripes and Leaves.

I’m so excited to have soft, gorgeous rayons in this collection! The two prints are Peonies - one of my spring-time favorites - and a field of Wildflowers. The palette is bold and rich, and it is composed of reds, berries, eggplant, teals and chartreuse.

Isn't it lovely how different the fabrics look just by changing the colors?

I began sewing because I wanted to be able to make my own simple shift dresses. I got such a feeling of pride and achievement when I put on a garment that I had made. It always makes me smile and think - I made this!! I'm sure this is what other sewists experience, at least I hope they feel the same way.

Sewing your own clothes allows you to create a sense of style that is unique to you. The Shift Dress by Indygo Junction is a perfect example of an easy project that feels wonderful to wear. (No, that's not me in the picture.)

The wildflower print couldn’t be more adorable for little girls. The Rose Dress by Olive Ann is a great dress pattern for rayons.

Growing Beautiful also makes up into some lovely quilts. I have designed two to go along with the collection. Penny Lane is available in two sizes, 64” x 64” and 84” x 104”.  The design made me think of pennies and Abbey Road; a little tribute to The Beatles.

Strawberry Rhubarb is named after my favorite pie; I just love the sweet and tart flavor. I felt like it described this quilt well with the strawberry print and pops of chartreuse.  The finished size is 72” x 84”.

For those who also enjoy being creative in the kitchen; the Crossback Reversible Apron by Indygo Junction is a wonderful pattern that features two prints and is available in children’s sizes as well.

Growing Beautiful reflects me being a kid at heart and coming into my own creatively. A wildflower that grows freely without human intervention is the most beautiful to me. Let’s all live like one!

“You belong among the wildflowers.” – Tom Petty

Crystal