Dear Reproduction Fabrics Friends,

We’re excited to share that we’re at the Maine Quilt Show this weekend! If you’re in the area, stop by and say hello—we’d love to see you in person and show you some of the treasures we’ve brought along.

Show Hours

Exhibits & Merchants Mall are open:

• Opening Preview Night: Wednesday, July 23, 2025 – 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
• Thursday and Friday, July 24-25, 2025, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Saturday July 26, 2025, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

This week’s highlights: ombré fabrics—old and new!

Originally invented in the late 18th century at the Austrian wallpaper firm Zuber, the gradual blending of one color to another was accomplished by dripping colors from parallel troughs onto a length of wall paper. The colors were then merged across the width of the paper with a brush. Usually monochromatic, it could also be a polychrome…rainbow print. The fabric people in Alsace copied the idea. It was labor intensive and costly to produce at that time.

In the 1830s, a new mechanical printing technique revolutionized fabric design. It allowed dyers to create shaded backgrounds that shifted from light to dark, often with smooth gradation or soft ripples. These were known as “ombre”(from the French word for shaded) or “fondu” (melted/dissolved). When multiple colors were blended in a single piece, they were called rainbow prints.

Blue Ombre from Margo's Laines 1849 Line.

A new printing technique, steam style, was introduced in the 1830s for wool and wool blend (Laines) fabrics. This allowed plain ombre to be printed more efficiently, dropping the price. They were frequently overprinted with wooden blocks or rollers….plaids, florals and geometrics. Very fashionable as dressgoods from the 1840s until about 1855. There was a revival in the 1880s.

19th-century ombrés were often overprinted with florals, plaids, or geometric motifs to add complexity and depth. Today, ombré fabrics are still prized for their movement and visual interest—perfect for borders, backgrounds, and dramatic piecing.

Empress c. 1870 by Nancy Gere for Windham Fabrics

This week, we’ve added a beautiful selection of ombrés to our shop:

By-the-yard ombrés in period-correct styles

New curated ombré FQ bundles

Rare, out-of-print ombrés from our private stash

Whether you’re sewing from afar or visiting us in Maine, we hope you’ll be inspired by these historic and eye-catching fabrics.

Warmly,
The Team at ReproductionFabrics.com