Life of a Quiltgirl: October Showgirl Era Palette
October Fabric Palette: Showgirl drama
Glitz and glamour. Let the new quilt era begin.
I got an incredibly fun request for a custom quilt inspired by T. Swift’s newest album and era: Life of a Showgirl. I couldn’t resist sharing the fun with everyone by creating a Quilt of a Showgirl fabric bundle, and an entire playlist of quilt mock-ups to help inspire some dazzling quilty showmanship and creativity.
Lucky for us, the cover of this new album has a very versatile color palette so that whatever you create won’t feel overtly Swiftie-themed (unless you really want it to).
behind the curtain: fabrics that fit the bill
The album cover, and the concept, is all shimmer, spotlight, and spectacle. My October color palette takes its cue from the Life of a Showgirl cover photo that feels Old Hollywood or Vegas glitter.
I’ve pulled together a set of fabrics that move from dark teal through soft aqua, deep cayenne, bright orange, and a suite of peachy prints that glow like footlights. The colors are taken from the cover, but the range of values and shades is what gives it that sparkle and dimension.
We’ve got plenty of Starry from Ruby Star Society, as well as a couple of their metallic flecked Speckled blenders. Those woodblock-style eyes in teal are from Art Gallery Fabrics Luna & Laurel collection and I love that they look like heavily lined eyes, or maybe the ever-vigilant gaze of the paparazzi. The Ooos print in teal from the To and Fro collection by Rashida Coleman-Hale is my go-to mirror ball print.
This palette will set us up for some Taylor-style heart on sleeve storytelling in our quilts. It has the depth of a smoky backstage teal, the fire of sequined orange, and the warmth of peach chiffon under the spotlight.
the opalite quilt
“You had to make your own sunshine but now the sky is opalite”
The Half-Light Pattern from Taralee Quiltery and Ponderosa Creative gives us the resilience and brilliance of this song that conjures up dawn after darkness and the glitter of a man-made gemstone.
ruin the friendship quilt
“It was not convenient, would’ve made the best mistake. should’ve kissed you anyway”
The Confetti Hearts quilt pattern from Modernly Morgan captures the romantic and nostalgic vibes of this wistful, heartbreaker tale.
the wi$h li$t quilt
“You got me dreaming about a driveway with a basketball hoop”
The Cozy Cabin quilt pattern from Modernly Morgan. Because some of us have cozy, domestic dreams, and I hope they all come true.
the wood quilt
“It’s you and me, forever dancing in the dark”
Disco Stars Quilt Pattern by Modernly Morgan. For the double entendre-iest of double entendre filled songs, with a fun disco beat, we have got this absolute party of a quilt that I, for one, never get tired of making.
the CANCELLED! quilt
“It’s a good thing I like my friends cancelled.
I salute you if you’re much too much to handle.”
Scrappy Trip Around the World Quilt, in a giant offset X layout. My favorite traditional technique for a maximalist look; it’s just much too much to handle. While there are seemingly infinite layout possibilities for Scrappy Trip quilts, this giant X is a stylish way to show who your true friends are (hint: they’re the ones with matching scars).
the life of a showgirl quilt
“Sequins are forever”
The Brightly quilt pattern from Cluck Cluck Sew has those bright blinding stars like flashbulbs, and the updated Card Trick-style blocks that give an extra sequin-y sparkle of movement in this quilt, making it perfect for the titular track of the album, Life of a Showgirl.
liner notes
This October, let’s sew like the spotlight’s on us, with bold color, rich emotion, and our WHOLE creative soul. Life of a Showgirl reminds us that every story is part performance and part truth. This palette celebrates both sides of showmanship and both sides of quilting: the shimmer and the HARD WORK!
I can’t wait to see what you create.
