For more than a century, Swiss fabric company Jakob Schlaepfer has been creating fabrics that defy the imagination. With exquisite embellishments, whimsical prints, hand crafted patterns, and eye-popping artistic flair, their fabrics are renowned as some of the most ground breaking textiles in the world.

From the Haute Couture collections of the biggest names in fashion - including Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Lacroix, Marc Jacobs and Prada to name just a few - through to decor collections that bring a world of fantasy to interior design, Jakob Schlaepfer fabrics are always opulent, and ever exquisite.

Consider this: fabrics made of metal that weigh only 5 grams per metre; a design with over a million sequins per square metre; or the overlapping, reversible paillette embroidery of the award winning Pollock collection, that can be turned by hand from one side to the other, from one colour combination to the next - bright to matt, from plain to printed, from shimmering to iridescent.

Each handcrafted design is more extraordinary than the next, and can be used in everything from wall coverings to drapery and upholstery!

> Find Jakob Schlaepfer decor fabrics from Lusso - an exclusive stockist in QLD.

> Check out their showroom at The Brickworks, Southport on the Gold Coast.

We’ve featured the beautiful range of hand printed, organic fabrics, tea towels and homewares from Brisbane bespoke studio Thea & Sami within the pages of Queensland Homes, so it was with great pleasure that we received word that they now have their very own showroom/studio.

The newly opened space welcomes anyone who is interested to see where they design and hand-print their limited edition ranges, and they also offer workshop space for those who want to create their own projects.

You can find the new Thea and Sami studio at Unit 1,6 Jones Road in Capalaba.

Phone Thea on +61 (0)411 270 263 for more info, or email her at thea@thea-sami.com.au.

www.thea-sami.com.au || BLOG: theaandsami.blogspot.com

Cloth Fabric is a small independent fabric company who make furnishing fabric the old fashioned way, screen printing by hand on a long table in a tin shed in the country. Cloth’s approach to manufacturing and materials is truly admirable, following the creed of working with low tech, old school processes so the fabrics develop a soul that can’t be created by fancy machines.

The staff at Cloth love working with natural fabrics, with their top three favourites being hemp, linen and organic cotton. I completely agree with Julie Paterson, the owner of Cloth, the sustainable nature of these fabrics certainly add to the timeless appeal and uniqueness of the end product. In addition to producing fabrics, the Cloth team make products from their fabrics in two ways, the ready made and off the shelf way and the bespoke or custom way. Check out their fabulous off the shelf lampshades and overcoat chairs!

If you want to a hold of any of Cloth’s fantastic creations, pop into Cairns Regional Gallery, Coolum Beach’s Watermelon Red, or Home Beautiful Fine Furniture in Rockhampton.

-Guest Blogger Michaela Tam

Funky Fabrix www.funkyfabrix.com.au boast Australia’s largest range of contemporary retro fabric, and they post to Australia and worldwide daily. Although I interpret “contemporary retro” as a complete oxymoron, after browsing Funky Fabrix vast collection of textile goodies it is quite clear that the products they offer are impressive because of their vintage aesthetic, but have been fabricated (pun intended) by creative ideas that are ahead of their time. I’m especially loving the divine French Provincial florals by Annette Tatum’s www.annettetatum.com “House Fall” range for Free Spirit Fabrics.

Funky Fabrix also have an envious range of patterns and books available online. The range starts at bag/tote patterns, clothing patterns, quilt patterns, home dec patterns, and the end isn’t anywhere in sight. The One Red Robin www.oneredrobin.com patterns are absolutely  charming, and will bring to life soft toys and dolls that any child will love to bits. Thank you Funky Fabrix, I can now add recovering my Singer sewing machine from the chaos in my mother’s basement to my never ending to do list.

Keep an eye out on the Funky Fabrix blog: www.funkyfabrixonline.blogspot.com, or follow them on Twitter: www.twitter.com/FunkyFabrix, as some excellent competitions might just pop up! Or if you live close by in the real world visit them at: Shop 5/40 Blackwood Street, Mitchelton QLD 4051.

- QH guest blogger Michaela Tam