FEBRUARY UDPATE: These were due in November, but then delayed. As of Feb. 5, it looks like they are finally in stores — my google search, “Jessica Jones time warp bark cloth” turned up several online retailers with yardage for sale. Looks like the pricing is about $17/yard.
Exciting news — come this November they’ll be a few more options of retro inspired barkcloth on the market. Designer Jessica Jones is releasing her ‘Time Warp’ collection –a selection of 4 different retro inspired patterns in eight color ways.
Pam and I instantly gravitated towards the ‘Sunburst’ and ‘Quadrant’ patterns because of their playful coloring and mod shapes. The fabrics — which are 54-55″ wide — will be available through Cloud9 Fabrics for $16.95 per yard.
Fabric designer Jessica Jones on her inspiration for the collection:
This collection for Cloud9 Fabrics is called “Time Warp” since the retro-style prints are inspired by mid-century modern design. I love poking around vintage shops and looking at furnishings from decades past. Sunburst is a take on a Nelson clock, but made into a floral pattern. Quadrant was influenced by brutalist brass wall sculptures.
The patterns are printed on bark cloth, a textile used in the 1940s-1960s. It’s exciting to bring back that interesting texture and make it new again. The prints are simple and pleasing, and although this collection has roots in the 20th century, it’s also contemporary enough to be popular today.
Mega thanks to reader Julie for this wonderful tip!
And remember: Pinch pleats on traverse rods, peeples, pinch pleats on traverse rods! You can do it!
Link love:
Neil says
While it’s true pinch pleated curtains can be pretty, and satisfyingly vintage, it isn’t at all necessary to be pinchin’ those pleats when using these great bark cloths. More modern or even some mid-cent-mod, and simple, styles of preparing curtains, inserting a stiffening buckram along the top for hanging on traverse rods, can be equally effective since the fabrics alone provide sufficient retro style-presence, so your eye doesn’t need to look for pleats to get the pleasure.
pam kueber says
Okay, but I am the world’s largest promoter of pinch pleat draperies on traverse rods — so beautiful, so practical to REALLY open and close daily, so authentically midcentury!
Joan says
Oooooo! Yea! Sunburst is Perfect for a vanity stool in my master bedroom and exactly what I was looking for to coordinate with a modern interpretation comforter purchased from Macy’s last year. I don’t care if it is upolstery rated since the stool gets used just once per day by me – it’s the perfect color punch I’ve been looking for!
This site is retro-crack!
Randerson says
Thanks for the link! – I can recall reading that post and the great 2009 article as well, and remember being glad to know that there were other outliers among the MCM crowd. Love the MCM look, but it’s more art almost than home-y, so what we did was furnish the LR and Dining areas in Scandinavian modern teak, while the den and MBR are done in the Colonial Revival-Early American look that so warms the cockles of my heart! Growing up in the North-East in the ’50s and early ’60s, this look prevailed in most middle-class neighborhoods, and it’s fun to sort of re-live that Golden time, in a way.
Randerson says
Not sure if this barkcloth is appropriate for upholstery, but I do know that my Mom had a sofa slip-covered in a barkcloth of some kind, circa 1961-ish, in an Early American (think Liberty bells, coffee grinders, and eagles) pattern. Haven’t seen this kind of barkcloth shown, but EA was huge, at least here in the NorthEast, are there any examples around anywhere of that style?
pam kueber says
see this story, tee hee: https://retrorenovation.com/2014/07/07/bicentennial-chic/
Carrie says
ooo-la-la. I am so getting one of the pink and grey patterns for my kitchen windows! Plenty of time to decide which pattern! Thanx for the heads up. (:
Karin Jeffrey says
Gosh, you certainly know how to make my day! I have been considering making some barkcloth pinch pleats and was collecting samples. All of them cost A LOT more than these beautiful fabrics.
Thank you!
Laurie Louise says
I was planning on doing our sofa in a solid coral, but now I am liking the Loop!
pam kueber says
Careful: PLease make sure these are specified for upholstery use first
Laurie Louise says
Of course. And in the meantime I can hope it’s suitable and as pretty in person (or swatch) as it is online. 🙂
Robin, NV says
Wow! This is perfect timing. I was just at the fabric store looking for material to make pinch pleats for my bedroom but couldn’t find anything I liked. Any one of these patterns and colorways would be perfect! I’ll definitely be ordering some.
pam kueber says
yay
Rebecca Prichard says
Is bark cloth the same as oil cloth?
pam kueber says
no. Barkcloth is slubby and thick-ish, suitable for draperies. Oil cloth is shiny and thinner, suitable for tablecloths.
Rebecca Prichard says
Thank you! I love these. Pillows, too, maybe?
pam kueber says
Yes – pillows great! Be sure to have them piped/welted!
Dawn says
Oh goodness I love Jessica Jones. So exciting to see some new patterns and colorways from her. I did my daughter Juniper’s crib skirt, changing pad cover, and edged the breathable bumper in her outside oslo fabric. Can’t wait for this.
You can catch a glimpse of it here.
http://digadig-home.blogspot.com/2012/11/making-room-for-one-more.html
I may just need to get some for my kitchen curtains after we redo our tile counters.
pam kueber says
Yes, these are very nice retro-modern patterns in pretty colorways!