Choosing Fabrics That Spark Joy ✂️🌈

At markets, people often ask me how I choose my fabrics and how I decide to coordinate them. Honestly, it’s simple — I choose prints I love. The prints I’m drawn to are colourful, bright, and happy. There’s already too much grey and beige around, and I want people to look at my creations and feel an instant lift in their mood. I want them to love what I’ve created just as much as I do when I’m picking out every tiny detail.

Because truly — the details are what make me tick.

If a print has warm, golden tones, you can bet I’ll pair it with beautiful gold hardware. If it leans cooler, silver accents make it pop. The combinations are endless, and that’s one of the things I adore most about creating. No two bags are ever the same. Even when I use the same print, the choices made along the way — the lining, the hardware, the shape, the stitching — all come together to shape that bag into its own unique piece.

I’m not a big box store producing 50,000 identical bags to ship across Australia. I’m one person, making one bag at a time — from cutting the fabric right through to the final topstitch. Every piece is touched by my hands, and every step is done with intention.
The other day, I was picking up some books at the library when a lady approached me. She told me my bright, colourful dress had made her day and that simply looking at it made everything feel brighter.

She made my day.

I walked out feeling a little more confident, smiling to myself. And it reminded me why I create the way I do. If one of my bags can spark a compliment like that — because it’s bright, bold, and joyful — then I’m one happy maker.

I’m also incredibly lucky to have access to such beautiful prints. Many of my fabrics come from small Australian businesses, just like mine. They offer a range of base materials that can be custom printed for Little Galah Creations, which means I can bring my ideas to life in exactly the way I imagine them. Supporting fellow small businesses is important to me — because if they’re anything like me, they probably do a little happy dance every time an order comes through.

When it comes to materials, I use a variety, but my main fabric type is synthetic leather. You might also know it as vinyl, faux leather, or vegan leather — essentially a non-animal material designed to mimic real leather. I love using it for most of my products because it’s durable, easy to care for, and wonderfully vibrant. It can be wiped clean with a damp cloth, repels a bit of water from the occasional splash or rain shower, and really makes prints shine.

My plain colours are the same material, just in solid shades. While there are endless colour options available, I tend to stick with neutrals that complement the prints. It keeps my combinations balanced and, if I’m honest, helps manage storage space too. With so many gorgeous printed options already on hand, I simply don’t have room for everything — and I definitely can’t sew fast enough to get through my current stash!

At the heart of it all, my creations are about joy — joyful prints, joyful details, and hopefully joyful moments for the people who carry them. And if one of my bags brightens your day even a little, then that’s the best feeling of all.

Kylie x