Back to School fabrics: nostalgic schoolroom prints perfect for late-summer sewing
August has a particular quality to it, doesn't it? The long days are still here, the garden is still buzzing, but there's a definite shift in the air — that first hint of September on the horizon. School shoes are being tried on, pencil cases are being restocked, and here at Homend Haberdashery in Ledbury, we've been quietly getting excited about a fabric collection that captures that whole back-to-school feeling in the most charming way imaginable.
The Back to School collection by Seek to Spring for Andover Fabrics has just arrived on our shelves, and we'll be honest — we've already been plotting projects. It's one of those ranges where every print makes you want to reach for your rotary cutter. Think No. 2 pencils, alphabet letters in cursive, apple motifs, notebook doodles — all the nostalgic schoolroom imagery you could hope for, rendered in that crisp, clean Andover style that quilters and patchworkers know so well. All four fabrics are 100% cotton, which means they're an absolute dream to work with: easy to press, they cut cleanly, and they play nicely with other quilting cottons you'll already have in your stash.
Let's take a proper look at what's in the collection.
Apples Sunshine — Andover Fabrics Back to School
There's something so cheerful about this one. Apples Sunshine brings a warm golden-yellow background to the collection — bright without being brash, and the kind of sunny print that lifts a whole quilt. The apple motif has a lovely vintage schoolroom feel, the sort of thing you'd find on a mid-century classroom poster, and it works beautifully as a feature fabric or as an accent alongside the other prints in the range. We think it would be gorgeous in a simple rail fence or nine-patch quilt for a child's bedroom, or even fussy-cut for appliqué details on a little tote bag.
Cursive Colors Cherry — Andover Fabrics Back to School
Alphabet prints are a perennial favourite for children's quilts and gifts, and Cursive Colors Cherry does them with real flair. The cherry-red colourway is rich and vibrant — one of those reds that reads as joyful rather than intense — and the flowing cursive lettering gives it a nostalgic, almost retro quality. It's an excellent blender print: detailed enough to be interesting, but regular enough that it sits happily next to busier designs. We'd pair this with the Apples Sunshine and a good crisp white quilting cotton for a classic, graphic finish. It would also make a wonderful backing fabric if you wanted something with a bit more personality than a plain.
No 2 Pencil Kelly — Andover Fabrics Back to School
The No 2 Pencil print in Kelly green is, we think, the real standout of the collection. Kelly green is such a satisfying colour — bold, confident, and endlessly versatile — and the pencil motif scattered across it has bags of personality. There's something delightfully specific about a fabric dedicated entirely to the humble pencil, and it would be absolutely perfect for a teacher gift. Imagine a zippy pouch, a pincushion, or a small project bag made up in this — something handmade and thoughtful for that September thank-you. It's also a brilliant tone in a scrappy quilt if you're building a collection of prints across the range.
Notebook Doodles Cherry — Andover Fabrics Back to School
And then there's Notebook Doodles Cherry, which might just be our personal favourite. It captures that very specific joy of a covered notebook margin — little sketches, stars, swirls, the kind of thing you doodled in the back of your exercise book when you really should have been paying attention. In cherry red, it feels energetic and fun, and it's the sort of print that makes you smile every time you look at it. For quilters, this is a wonderful low-volume option if your low-volume palette leans towards warm tones rather than neutrals. For sewers making children's clothes or accessories, it's brilliant — the scale of the print works well even in smaller pattern pieces.
What we're making this week
In the shop this week, we're planning a small sampler quilt using all four prints together. The idea is simple — a classic four-patch or pinwheel layout that lets each fabric shine without any one of them dominating. The Andover colour palette is so well co-ordinated across the range that you really can't go wrong mixing them, which is part of what makes collections like this such good value: you can buy a fat quarter of each and have an almost instant quilt kit without any of the usual agonising over whether things will work together. (They will. They really will.)
If you're thinking ahead to autumn school fairs, Christmas gifts, or just want to make something lovely for a child in your life, this collection is well worth a look. All four fabrics are priced at £7.75 per metre, which is excellent for Andover quality cotton.
Come and see us in Ledbury
You'll find Homend Haberdashery on the high street in Ledbury, Herefordshire — pop in for a browse and we'll happily cut you a length while we chat through your project ideas. We love nothing more than helping someone find exactly the right fabric for something they're making, whether it's a first quilt or a fiftieth. If you can't make it into the shop in person, you're always welcome to browse our full range online and we're here to answer any questions.