Kept By Carolyn Friedlander Has Arrived!

The serenely beautiful collection Kept by Carolyn Friedlander for Robert Kaufman Fabrics has arrived at long last. Keep reading for tips how to use it as well as combine it with other fabrics!

The Kept Fat Quarter Bundle

The small Kept collection consists of 12 prints in earth and water colours, and all are included in the bundle. There are three main patterns featured although one comes in two variations, with or without grid on top.

You can find detailed information in one place on the collection page on the Kaufman website.

For inspiration on how Carolyn Friedlander uses her own fabrics, there’s a lookbook and video available. She combines Kept with her older Collection CF as well as Kona Cotton solids splendidly. Be sure not to miss some beautiful projects in the video such as a quilted coat and a hat. Pattern tips are included. Super stylish!

Our Inventory

Due to delivery challenges in relation to the pandemic, only fat quarter bundles were ordered of Kept. It launched in spring, but for an unknown reason we got our order only this last week of August.

These precuts have already been discontinued and it’s impossible to order more stock from the manufacturer. First come first served applies in other words, so don’t wait too long if you know you definitely have use for a bundle.

Fortunately we can offer Collection CF basics and Kona Cotton solids (webshop) by the metre to expand your alternatives. Maybe you want to consider Essex Yarn Dyeds, too (webshop)? And how about a 108″ wide-back fabric in medium blue from Widescreen or a range of charm-square precuts of Collection CF (webshop)? Please change website language in the navigation bar, if it’s the wrong one for you when clicking the links.

All fabrics mentioned are pictured below in the photos. Hopefully you like them as much as I do!

Inspiration For You

Here’s a bit of visual inspiration how you could put Kept together with other fabrics in our webshop.

Widescreen is the blue fabric in front below. The five prints in the back row to the left are Collection CF, and the three to the right are Essex Yarn Dyeds by Kaufman. Finally, three different charm-square bundles of Collection CF are keeping Kept company:

This is a beautiful example of how a designer can work with sustainable development in mind: timeless designs that go seamlessly together across collections, and harmonious colours and patterns to suit tastes for years to come.

For added interest as well as a negative-space effect, consider Kona Cottons, the solids collection of single-coloured fabrics by Robert Kaufman Fabrics:

These have been selected for softness, alternative light brightness, as well as to communicate a different message from Carolyn’s own Collection CF basics, which are stronger in colour. They are from left to right: Sage, Kumquat, Iron and Water.

Free Patterns By Carolyn Friedlander

A Quilt

Carolyn has a simple yet stunning free quilt pattern called Ray, which she has made quite a few variations of to date. Three are featured in the lookbook mentioned above and others you can view on her blog or Instagram profile. This is one of her less organised ones, as she calls the design choice not obviously featuring a log-cabin inspired arrangement:

Coasters

If you find the idea of 5″ charm squares appealing yet don’t quite know what to make with them, have a look at how Carolyn makes coasters. Her Big Stitch Coasters tutorial is from 2014 (time flies!) yet as current as ever. Here’s a photo by her with Essex Yarn Dyed Homespun in Delft in the background:

If you’ve wanted to try big-stitch quilting on a small project, this could be it. Coasters are small but feisty in how they bring visual happiness and help save table surfaces from scratches or liquid stains. And quilting big stitches is on-trend as well as impressive from a design point of view.

What thread should you use for hand quilting with big stitches? Try our black and white 12wt Aurifil threads! They run smoothly through many fabric layers, much better than perle/pearl cotton in my opinion, and an added bonus is that the spools are suitable for use on sewing machines as well.

Even More Inspiration

If you’re all in with the Carolyn Friedlander aesthetic yet unsure what to make next, head over to our previous blog posts featuring some of her lovely paid patterns:

• Materials For Hearts Pattern By Carolyn Friedlander
• Materials For Spools Pattern By Carolyn Friedlander
• Materials For Clay Pattern By Carolyn Friedlander

So what’s next for you? Share your thoughts in the comments!