Cora Mustard

Cora Mustard belongs to Songbird, the collection Tone Finnanger designed after a trip to Venice, with a light nod to Art Nouveau: pink peonies, curving foliage and a little bird perched among the stems, all on a warm mustard ground. It is a large-scale print that looks its best when left whole – the centre blocks of a quilt, a cushion back, a tote bag or a skirt.

The mustard background warms the whole piece and sits happily next to the dusty pastels of the other fabrics in the collection, which work well in smaller pieces so the peonies stand out. Pre-wash the fabric before cutting, so the slight shrinkage happens before you sew; for long strips or borders, choose one of the larger cuts.