Finding a yard of Tula Pink Tabby Road fabric feels like hitting the jackpot if you're a fan of bright, quirky designs. It's one of those collections that sticks with you long after the bolts have left the shelves. If you've been in the quilting world for a minute, you know that Tula Pink doesn't really do "subtle." Her work is all about maximalism, hidden details, and colors that practically glow. Tabby Road is perhaps the perfect example of that signature style, blending a love for felines with a trippy, 70s-inspired aesthetic that manages to be both nostalgic and totally fresh.
Whether you're hoarding a few fat quarters from the original release or you've managed to snag some of the newer Deja Vu prints, there's something special about working with this specific line. It's not just "cat fabric." It's a whole mood.
Why We Are Still Obsessed with Tabby Road
Let's be honest, cat-themed fabric can sometimes lean a little too far into "grandma's craft room" territory. There's nothing wrong with that, but Tula Pink took the concept and turned it on its head. When she first dropped the Tula Pink Tabby Road fabric collection, it was a breath of fresh air. It gave us psychedelic cats, geometric "furballs," and optical illusions that make you look twice.
The standout feature has always been the "Disco Kitty" print. You've got these majestic, stylized cat faces surrounded by stars and lightning bolts. It's bold, it's loud, and it demands to be the center of attention. This isn't the kind of fabric you use for a background filler; this is the fabric you build an entire quilt around.
The color palette is another reason it's stayed so popular. Tula has this knack for picking colors that shouldn't work together but somehow look incredible. We're talking about hot pinks, lime greens, deep teals, and sunny yellows. It's high-contrast sewing at its best. Even if you aren't a "cat person," the energy of the prints is hard to resist.
The Hunt for the Original vs. Deja Vu
If you start searching for Tula Pink Tabby Road fabric today, you're going to notice two things. First, the original 2017 prints are incredibly hard to find and usually come with a "collector's item" price tag. Second, there's a newer version out there called Tabby Road Deja Vu.
Tula started the Deja Vu series specifically to give people a second chance at her most iconic, out-of-print collections. She doesn't just re-print the old stuff, though. She usually tweaks the scale or updates the color story. For Tabby Road, the Deja Vu release brought back those beloved disco cats in a slightly different light.
For a lot of us, the Deja Vu release was a lifesaver. It meant we could finally cut into our "precious" scraps of the original because we knew we could get more of the new version to coordinate. If you're a purist, you might still be hunting for the 2017 "Ears Up" print in its original glory, but for most projects, the new stuff blends in beautifully.
Tips for Fussy Cutting These Prints
One of the best ways to use your Tula Pink Tabby Road fabric is through fussy cutting. If you aren't familiar with the term, it basically just means cutting a specific part of the design to highlight it in your quilt block.
Those cat faces are practically begging to be centered in a hexagon or a square-in-a-square block. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you're going down that road:
- Watch your yardage: Fussy cutting is notorious for wasting fabric. If you want to center five different cat faces, you're going to end up with a lot of "Swiss cheese" fabric leftovers. Make sure you have enough to finish the rest of your blocks.
- Use clear templates: Since these prints are so busy, using a clear acrylic template helps you see exactly where the cat's ears or whiskers are landing before you commit to the cut.
- Don't forget the "secondary" prints: While everyone goes for the cats, the geometric prints like "Cat's Eye" or "Furball" are fantastic for borders or English Paper Piecing (EPP). They create some really cool kaleidoscopic effects when you cut them strategically.
What to Make with Your Stash
So, you've got the fabric sitting on your shelf. It's beautiful, it's vibrant, and it's a little intimidating. What do you actually do with it?
The Statement Quilt
Because the prints are so large-scale, they work wonders in simple, big-block quilts. You don't want to chop these designs into tiny one-inch squares; you'll lose the magic. Look for patterns that allow for 6-inch or 10-inch finished blocks. A simple "Economy Block" or a "Large Star" pattern is perfect for showcasing the Disco Kitty print.
High-End Accessories
If you only have a small amount of Tula Pink Tabby Road fabric, bags are the way to go. A quilted tote bag or a zippered pouch featuring a cat face on the front is a total showstopper. Plus, since you use smaller amounts, you can justify the cost if you had to pay a premium for a rare print.
Home Decor Accents
I've seen some incredible throw pillows made from this line. It's an easy way to add a pop of color to a neutral room. If you're feeling extra brave, a Tabby Road fussy-cut centerpiece for a table runner is a great conversation starter during a dinner party.
Mixing Tabby Road with Other Collections
Tula Pink is the queen of coordination. One of the reasons people keep coming back to her work is that her new lines almost always play well with her old ones. If you're looking to stretch your Tabby Road stash, you don't have to use only Tabby Road.
Her True Colors line is designed for exactly this reason. You can find solids, dots, and stripes that match the pinks and teals in the cat prints perfectly. I also think Tabby Road looks great when mixed with some of her more recent floral lines, like Moon Garden or Untamed. The contrast between the sharp, geometric lines of the cats and the flowing organic shapes of the flowers creates a really dynamic look.
Don't be afraid to mix in some basic solids, either. Sometimes, a "busy" fabric needs a little bit of negative space to really breathe. A crisp white or a deep navy background can make those neon cats pop right off the quilt.
Caring for Your Finished Projects
When you've spent a lot of time (and probably a decent amount of money) on Tula Pink Tabby Road fabric, you want to make sure it lasts. Most of these are high-quality quilting cottons, which are pretty durable, but the colors are so saturated that you'll want to take a few precautions.
I always recommend using a "color catcher" sheet the first time you wash a quilt made with Tula fabrics. Those deep magentas and teals can sometimes bleed if they aren't handled carefully. Washing in cold water and drying on a lower heat setting will also help keep those "disco" colors from fading over time.
Final Thoughts on This Iconic Line
It's rare for a fabric collection to stay relevant for years, but Tabby Road has definitely earned its spot in the quilting hall of fame. It represents a specific kind of creative freedom—the idea that you can take something as simple as a house cat and turn it into a psychedelic masterpiece.
If you're lucky enough to have some of this fabric in your sewing room, don't let it just sit there and look pretty. It was meant to be cut, sewn, and loved. Whether you're making a full-sized quilt or just a small accessory, the vibrant energy of those prints is bound to make the process a lot more fun. Happy sewing!