You may have heard, but my new fabric is out!…and in stores, and ready to be sewn!
The collection is called DAY TRIP.

It’s full of cacti, rain drops, bluebonnets, goats, and tacos. For days.
There are 16 quilting cottons, 3 knits, and 1 rayon (yessssss).
—See all the swatches and tons o’ project photos here and in the LOOK BOOK—-

I love seeing what you’re already making in the #daytripfabrics tag.
It just makes me smile.
And then I want to eat tacos.
In fact, every week I want to eat tacos. And I want to be outside.

And here in the big state of Texas there are plenty of outdoor adventures and Day Trips to make.  That’s what this collection is about—the Day Trip adventures we take as a family, and the things we see (and eat) along the way.
I did a little interview with Art Gallery Fabrics to share the collection with you all. So jump in the car and let’s take a trip together….
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AGF: Hey Dana! We’re so excited about your new collection Day Trip!
Can you tell us all about it?
Day Trip was inspired by the many trips our family likes to make–whether here in Texas or driving around the country. The designs capture what we see out the window, the food we like to eat, the animals we spy along the way. We love living in Texas and I hope this fabric makes you want to come visit!

(Range Backpack Pattern, sewn by Kristy of Rock Baby Scissors)

AGF: What are some things about Texas that made you fall in love with the state and convinced you to make it your home?
Oh there is so much to love about Texas—the kind people, the warm weather, the endless swimming holes and rivers, the live music, the tacos and food trucks. It’s all here. We live in Austin which is a nice central hub to visit the many cities and towns scattered throughout the state. Just pack up the car with snacks and a swimsuit, and see where the road takes you.
(Beeswax snackbags by Sarai Schuk)

AGF: Day Trip is filled with fun prints for everyone! From little cars, to tacos and cute florals, what kind of road trip did you envision as you made the collection?
This collection is definitely inspired by Austin, Texas and the surrounding hill country. Austin landscape is full of cacti and the famous Texas bluebonnet which blooms every April for a few weeks. It’s officially the state flower and a real sight to see! But Austin, the city, also has a cool urban vibe with tons of food trucks, cool shops, and a vintage-modern-farmhouse-boho-traveling vibe. Is that a term?

AGF: With every collection that is created, designers always learn a new technique or something new about themselves. Did you learn anything new during the design process of Day Trip?
Yes! I learned that I love small-scale prints too. I’ve always been drawn to large-scale shapes (in a wallpaper-like scale) and you get a lot of that in the Blush collection. But with Day Trip I wanted to see if I could do a small “ditzy floral” and it worked! The FIELD print which comes in Summer, Winter, and Autumn colors is one of my favorites. When you look at it from a distance it almost feels abstract and I love that.

AGF: This is a hard one… What are your top three favorite prints and what do you plan on making with them?
That is hard. But I can definitely say:
Cactus Bloom – I want to make everything in this print.
Picnic Plaid – I’m making a dress for ME!
Taco Love – Now I can eat my tacos and wear them too! I’m so happy this print comes in quilting cotton AND in knit. I’ll be making leggings, dresses, and a shirt for me. Oh, and maybe a necktie for my husband? Can you wear tacos to church? Pretty sure that’s a yes.

AGF: Speaking of things to make, can you tell us about the FREE Road Map quilt pattern that can be downloaded in this lookbook?
This is a really fun quilt pattern because it looks different from different angles. From one angle I see lines and rectangles, connecting like a road map. And from another angle I see zigzag lines. And if you sew the “white” part of the quilt with a dark print, you’ll see entirely different shapes. I guess the quilt is like a road trip…..you never know the adventure that awaits. And if you’ve never quilted before this is a great quilt to get you started.

(FREE Road Map Quilt by Dana Willard, sewn by Christie of Lemon Squeezy Home)

AGF: Now, back to Texas! For those makers who aren’t from Texas, can you share with us some fun places you love to visit in the big state?
Austin, TX! Come here first–and make a few stops at Torchy’s Tacos. I’m sure I’m biased but you could spend weeks in Austin exploring the outdoors and the city. From Austin you can drive an hour north to Waco and visit the famous Magnolia Market from Fixer Upper. Or head two hours south to San Antonio and visit the Riverwalk and the Alamo. And if you pass a Buc-ee’s gas station along the way, definitely make a stop. It’s a world in itself. Of course wherever you go, you’ll find amazing BBQ and pop-up food stops.

(FREE Don Taquito Pouch pattern HERE).

AGF: As an avid traveller and road trip connoisseur, what are some of your tips to having a fun trip with kids (especially when it involves a long drive)?
Make regular stops, every few hours. Sometimes it’s a quick 10-minute stop and we all do lunges together, walking to the bathroom–gets the blood moving and it’s a good way to break up the long drives. And we always stop at the random stuff! We were in Arkansas last year and made a point to stop in Alma AR, which claims to be the spinach capital of the world. We saw the Popeye statue in town and laughed about the funny little stop–cause it’s the things you see along the way that make the adventure.
(Julianna Dress Pattern sewn by Alexis of My Sweet Sunshine)

AGF: It’s always fun to see makers think outside the box when it comes to different collections. What do you challenge makers to create with Day Trip?
I would love to see cool home decor stuff with this collection. Along with all the amazing quilts I’m sure you guys will make…I’d love some loud curtains in the Cactus Bloom print, and a chair covered in Prickly pear or Bluebonnets. Of course bags and apparel are always exciting and right up my alley.

AGF: Last but not least, three words to describe the collection?
Bright.
Happy.
Now.

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Annnnd now I want to sew these things all over again. Hopefully you do too!
You can find a list of shops that carry my fabrics in the “my fabrics“menu at the top of the site.  Click HERE for Day Trip. And check out the Look Book for tons of other links and inspiration, created by Art Gallery Fabrics and other makers.

Tag your photos online with #daytripfabrics
Happy Sewing!