Japanese Fabrics – Echino by Etsuko Furuya

Echino is a line of fabrics designed by Etsuko Furuya 古家 悦子. Etsuko Furuya graduated from Department of Textile Design Textile Kyoto Art College. Her works include textiles, fashion and sundries. On her website you can see some of her works, including ceramics, bags and of course her fabric range. Echino fabrics are quite easily available from a number of online shops, so I’m sure many of you have seen her works before?

Her fabrics usually involve very intense colors, the most interesting pieces are made up of multiple layers of colors and lots of interesting details. Some of her other designs are less colorful, but the colors are usually very bright and intense. I so need to iron my fabrics before taking pictures 😛

The one I bought is from the Echino Fall 2011 collection, Wish border print. I love the details on the fabric and the color overlays.

On the other side of the border, there are no birds, just flowers and leaves, so it’s like getting a matching co-ordinated print. It took me a long time to pick this one out because there are so many other prints and color variations. There was also sample projects like bags and pouches, tempting me to buy the patterns.

I bought this pattern in the end because I always need a large bag, but I forgot to buy the matching polka dottted print for the handle and top of the bag after spending so much time deciding. Looks like I will have to scout around online.

Just a quick look at what the pattern is like. Hand-drawn diagrams!

Here are some of the other fabrics I like from the 2012 collection.

Great print on a bag for someone who rides a scooter! or just loves scooters 🙂

I love the color palette on this one. A little bit Marimekko with the bold and simple strokes. Big Berry.

Another of her popular border prints, her sense of color is just amazing. I would never have associated the colors together yet the combination works so well.

This range is more inline with the birds and flowers that we see so much of from various textile designers. But having the flowers appear as solid blocks of colors as opposed to the traditional design of having intricately drawn flowers. What do you think? I particularly like the black one, I love the colors especially the odd little mustard color berry and red raspberries? I would love to get this fabric for cushions or an upholstery project.

Her fabric line includes co-ordinates as well, either in solid colors using the same color palette as the rest of the designs, or in simple geometric shapes, but with an added bit of quirkiness in them. See the polka dots with the deer heads. Some of them are wearing glasses!

Hope you enjoyed today’s fabric post. Next week I will be featuring some cutesy prints of a very famous little cat. Guess who?