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Lady Virginia Vintage Fabrics

Gracious living that's light on the earth

You are here: Home / 31 Days Project / Gardens Build Community

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Gardens Build Community

Gardens Build Community

Gardens Build Community by Lindsay Curren. Photo: Lindsay Curren.

It’s been a while since I added a piece to this website as I work my way through all 31 pieces in this show. But as I began to work on a couple of recent pieces on urban farms proper, container gardening, and rooftop farms, I discovered that I hadn’t yet posted my latest piece on community gardens.

Having run a community garden myself for four years, I know first hand the value of utilizing precious and often rare urban green space to build food gardens that community members can join in to grow food. I, myself, have profoundly enjoyed producing a good 1/4 to a 1/3 of my produce year-round (or preserving it for year-round use) and I only want to amp up that production more.

Gifts and challenges

In the best circumstances, community gardens do both things in their name — they provide a place for gardening, but they also build community. In this case, much depends on how much the land is valued, and how much its members value contributing to not only their own food production, but the surrounding garden as well.

In some communities, this is such an important counterpoint to to the complexities of urban life that it can palpably be felt as an oasis in a desert, or a shelter in a storm. And the food produced can quite literally be the difference between going hungry and being fed. Gardens can also form a hub around which skills are built and shared, jobs bloom, nutrition improves, and a relationship with nature nourishes the soul.

In other communities, urban community gardens may be seen as a luxury, where producing one’s own food and committing to larger participation is a big hurdle in the face of cheaply available food (even if they prefer locally grown). Privilege causes a different evaluation of priorities, and community gardens might struggle to get the support they need, even if not all potential participants are privileged.

Community gardens can even face local opposition, such as when they’re seen as an impediment to commercial growth when an otherwise empty lot is taken up with food and flowers as opposed to the ongoing revenue of a viable business. This can lead to zoning restrictions and other hurdles for organizers that can discourage projects.

At the same time, anecdotally and in some limited research there are claims that community gardens actually improve nearby property values, lower crime rates, and increase neighborhood connections for a feeling of safety, security, and belonging.

Let it bloom

I don’t know what are the most tangible statistics could support the most glowing claims of the community garden movement. Frankly, I kinda don’t care.

As an artist and a writer, as a gardener myself, I refuse to give over the whole of life to the unfeeling power of capital and its irrationally rational demands.

Instead I’ll rest easy in the empirical evidence of smiling at a bay of sunflowers against a busy street. I’ll luxuriate in a soup I made having all ingredients but one produced in my own little plot. I’ll feel gratitude when participants, volunteers, and advisors offer time and counsel to help improve the community space. I’ll feel pride when someone asks if they can use the garden for an event. And I’ll feel joy when we can share the food and the smiles and some time together in a little green space with any member of — or visitor to — our garden community.

Cause that’s what it’s all about.

Purchase the print in my Etsy Shop Lady Virginia Vintage.

— Lindsay Curren, 31 Days of Urban Agriculture

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About Lindsay Curren

A Christian, mama, and writer, Lindsay Curren (aka Lady Virginia) is also a passionate lifelong collector of vintage fabrics. "There's something inexplicable about the pull textiles have on me. I simply can't resist sourcing them, using them, and now selling them. Other fabric addicts will understand!"

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more about lady virginia

A Christian, mama, and writer, Lindsay Curren (aka Lady Virginia) is also a passionate lifelong collector of vintage fabrics. "There's something inexplicable about the pull textiles have on me. I simply can't resist sourcing them, using them, and now selling them. Other fabric addicts will understand!"

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Valentine's Day is on its way. Get 15-30% off thro Valentine's Day is on its way. Get 15-30% off through February 4th on red, pink, and some floral fabrics. Free shipping in the US over $35. Vintage fabrics are always 100% sustainable.

All our packaging inside and out is sustainable: clean and re-used. All sale merchandise is final sale.

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I had a stool at my home reupholstered in this Jof I had a stool at my home reupholstered in this Jofa fabric last year. There’s one scrap left in the shop for your project. Could fit a small stool or use it for #slowsewing #appliqué #quilting and more. Find it in the Vintage Fabric Scraps section of our #etsy shop Lady Virginia Vintage Fabrics (link in bio). 

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A host of fun #vintagefabrics head to California t A host of fun #vintagefabrics head to California today for someone’s new year projects. We’ve got a small amount of yardage of most of these fabrics still in the shop. Gorgeous brown tropical #barkcloth, sumptuous chartreuse and #indigo linen, blingy rose cotton (lovely gold accents that are hard to see in the pics) that’s perfect for #valentinesday, deep indigo floral from Ireland and a #vintagefabricsample that’s sold out but we have many more rare ones in the shop. Find them and 100s more pieces in our #etsyshop Lady Virginia Vintage Fabrics (link in bio). 

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Just in time for #valentinesdaysewing, this bright Just in time for #valentinesdaysewing, this bright and cheery flannel packs a 1960s era punch with its bold colors and multi-sized converging paisleys. Perfect for apparel projects like cozy pajamas or a fun oversized bag. Use it in home decor or upholstery to fashion a sheet or pillow cases, reupholster a side chair, and more. Great for crafts for Valentine's Day like stuffed flannel hearts with trim or a cute pair of boxers. 42.5" wide x 1 yard increments with up to 3 continuous yards available. $39/yard w/ free shipping in the US. Find it in our #etsy shop Lady Virginia Vintage Fabrics (link in bio). 

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Charming craft pieces just in time to make a Valen Charming craft pieces just in time to make a Valentine present for the lover of Victoriana and/or Edwardian styles. Rare. Features well-dressed men, women, and children out enjoying a park environment, having tea, strolling, playing with toy sailboats, walking dogs, and more. Features what appear to be a Pug dog and a Lhasa apso.

36” w X 20” h for $49 w/ free shipping in the USA. Find them (we have 6 pieces) in our #etsy shop Lady Virginia Vintage Fabrics (link in bio).

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Just listed: pretty vintage (and one 21st century) Just listed: pretty vintage (and one 21st century) fabric scraps for your smaller #slowsewing or #quilting projects. Perfect colors for #valentinesday gift making, projects, and crafts. Find them and 40 other #vintagefabricscraps (and 100s more larger pieces) in our #etsyshop Lady Virginia Vintage Fabrics (link in bio). 

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RARE! Extremely rare and likely part of Greeff Fa RARE!

Extremely rare and likely part of Greeff Fabrics' unique "The Federal Collection" of the 1960s. This piece, "National Emblem" was made by special arrangement with The Henry Ford Museum and is a Good Housekeeping seal fabric.

Perfect fabric for the history lover, patriot, Father's Day, or simply for decorating in Federal Style. 

SIZE: Each piece (two are available and they are currently connected so if you buy both they will come as a continuous piece of fabric) is 36" wide x 40.5" long. $159/ea w/ free shipping in the US. Find it in our #etsy shop Lady Virginia Vintage Fabrics. Link in bio. 

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"Pavilion" from Greeff's "The Greeff Collection" w "Pavilion" from Greeff's "The Greeff Collection" was likely made in partnership with Warner and Sons and printed in England. A stunning glazed chintz chinoiserie in exotic and timeless colors offers stunning statement-making opportunities for your project.

The large central chinoiserie motif features a man with a parasol at the top of a set of steps. He has reached a silk draped pavilion with a variety of hanging ladders astride richly expressive trees and foliage.

Plenty of fabric for an upcycled pillow collection for home use or sale, oversized bags, Roman shades, cover furniture, and more! Perfect fabric for Grandmillennial and traditional projects.

A highly polished 100% cotton chintz with a stiff hand and low drape. $129./yard w/ free shipping in the US. Find it in our #etdy shop Lady Virginia Vintage Fabrics (link in bio). 

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This 1996 Borderline Fabrics vertically striped an This 1996 Borderline Fabrics vertically striped and floral Indienne is titled "Coriander eau de nil." It's a stunning grandmillennial style piece blending gravitas with a relaxed glean. Made in Britain.

Perfect for 18th and 19th century reproduction decorator purposes, to emulate America's favorite historic house, or to create contemporary Southern traditional charm or a grandmillennial look. Gorgeous for small curtains, pillows, to cover a small chair or set of dining room seats, for oversized bags or totes (use interfacing for structure), etc.

Listing for one yard — as of the original listing there are up to 3 continuous yards. $119/ yard with free shipping in the US. Find it in our #etsyshop Lady Virginia Vintage Fabrics (link in bio). 

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Just listed: Crisp colors and firm fiber combine i Just listed: Crisp colors and firm fiber combine in a stunning late 19th century (1890s)/early 20th century (1900-1915) upholstery piece for your restoration or home décor project. Big beautiful florals are perfect for eclectic takes on Shabby Chic, Granny Chic, Coastal, and Grandmillennial styles today. Sourced in France.

Delicate, romantic sensibility to the flowers, like an old color postcard or Valentine. Asters, daisies, tulips, peonies, Foxglove and more...

FIBER: Expertly woven heavy weight canvas, firm hand, little to no drape. Excellent for pillows, a taut Roman shade, lamp shades, totes, wall hanging, a table runner, etc.

SIZE: 28" wide x 1 yard increments with up to 3 yards available. $139/yard w/ free shipping in the US. Find it in our #etsy shop Lady Virginia Vintage Fabrics (link in bio). 

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