1. by bike  2. bike it 3. pool ride all from birch fabrics - commute by jay-cyn

i love fabrics.  i can never have enough fabric.  i don't get to indulge very often in fabric so when fabrics do come my way i get very, very, very excited.  so when cynthia of birch fabrics and online/brick & mortar fabric shop - fabricworm contacted me a while a go to do a fabric review of one of her new lines "commute" i was over the MOON!  heck yes!  come home to momma!
i loved the prints she sent me so much i have already ordered more (top pic). the best part about birch fabrics is that they are 100% organic!  LOVE.  affordable, stylish, modern with a hit of retro and whimsy, fabrics that are the perfect environmentally friendly cotton alternative for quilting and crafting.  how could you go wrong?  they are made with low impact dyes, and are GOTS certified (global organic textile standard) too!  makes me & my kidlets smile.

the commuter cowl pattern

i've used organic fabrics before and let me tell you, birch fabrics are so soft.  i think they are softer than even some of the normal quilting cotton i have used and the drape....ohhhhh, the drape is fabulous!  seriously.  just awesome for an organic.  they have a wealth of fun prints, wash amazing and are a dream to work with.



i found them to be so inspiring that they helped push me to create my first sewing pattern - the commuter cowl.  the print shown below was the inspiration sounding board.  the lines, the movement and the feeling it represents reminded me so much of this stylish woman riding her bike to work, sunshine out, a breeze blowing through the air, wearing this awesome cowl made with birch fabrics.  she would look so carefree and stylish that if i saw her i would have to ask her where the heck she got it from.  something fresh and new.  just like the birch fabrics fabric line.


i think i would honestly have a hard time just ordering one print of any of cynthia's lines.  i love them all.  i'm already getting my order ready for a bunch more of this commute line as well as some others to make some more cowls that i will be selling this summer at a craft fair and you never know...they may pop up in my new etsy shop before then too :) 


don't you think the commute line would be fab for a boy or a girl, man or a woman, from clothes, accessories  & quilts to home decor? those bikes just get me every time.  love em'!  i keep coming up with more and more projects to make with them..lol.  i think i'm commute happy...lol.  good thing i'm going out of town with the some friends this weekend so i can sport one of my commuters in action..lol.


i also have a new tutorial in the works for you all using one of the commute prints that i haven't sewn with yet...i cannot wait to show you all!  it's super cute!  i'm hoping to have that out in the next week or 2 so stay tuned!  do you want to know more about birch fabrics and the amazing woman - cynthia mann, behind the fabric line and fabric shops?   click here to read our "moms in the mommyhood" feature interview with  her.  you can also find all things birch fabrics and fabricworm here:





today is the last day to vote for lil'ol me for the circle of moms top 25 creative mom blogs!  thanks for all your votes so far, i know this has felt like a long process of voting so thank you for all your support so far.  i promise today is the last day and you won't hear about me asking for votes again..lol. you can vote for me here.