Category: new fabric collection

My Life, new fabric collection, New ideas, New Pattern Sample, Quilt Retreats

Retreat means sew, sew, sew

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Last weekend I was once again fortunate to attend our annual reatreat at Rosemary’s Quilt Shop in Highland Illinois.

The first floor & basement are the quilt shop floors.  Rosemary lives on the second and third floors.  It’s a beautiful older home and the owner/occupant is a wonderful host!  On the days that she has retreats, she reatreats to the third floor leaving enough sleeping rooms for 6 quilters on the second floor.

For the past 8(?) years a group of us have met for a weekend each winter and sewed, sewed, sewed.  The basement is set up to sew and snack 24 hrs. a day if you want.  Within two blocks there are authentic Mexican, Italian and Chinese restaurants. No need to pack any food!  Of course there are lots of other restautants around town too as well as Walmart, Walgreens, etc.

Another great perk to sewing here is that Rosemary has everything you might need at any time, day or night; fabric of course, basting spray, batting, you get the picture!

This year I decided to take along a project that I started at our quilt designer retreat in November.

I made 7 of the blocks in Minnesota where I bought the book & kit. I pieced all day Thursday (un-pieced half the day on Friday) and finished the top Friday evening.

It’s “Peony Patch” from the book Summer Gatherings by Lisa Bongean & Carole Charles.  The finished size is 20″ x 24″.  It was designed with little leaves on every block, but after I got those appliqued on I didn’t like them!  It took me about 6 hours to remove them and re-sew the stem…  I love it now.  I’m trying to decide how to quilt it.  I’d like to give it to a professional, but it’s so small I’m embarrassed to send it out!

Next I made more of these; mini Dresden plates with my template.

I love using my Clover Mini Iron.

It gets super hot and presses the little petals very flat, plus it’s light-weight and doesn’t heat up the whole room while I’m pressing a million of these things.

Since these seams are pressed open, the mini iron tip can get right in there and press those flat too.

These are looking great with my Salt Air fabrics.

Love, love love them!

Can’t wait to show you how these are going together, but no photos ’til they’re done!

I’ve also got a new lap quilt just for little boys about finished…Nothing like a quilt retreat with all sewing, all the time to get my creative juices flowing!

Until next time,

Susan

new fabric collection

Another Moda lovin’ post…say hello to Cosmo Cricket’s Salt Air

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It doesn’t get much better than when the UPS truck drives up my driveway with a package wrapped in Moda/United Notions tape…

This post comes to you when my sewing room is in TOTAL disarray from my urge last week on the last nice day of the year that I decided to FINALLY repaint my fabric “cages.”  It worked out quite nicely because they’ve been drying the whole time I was on a quilt retreat with other quilt pattern designers.  But I digress…

Yes, I knew what was in the box, but it’s just not the same seeing the fabrics on Moda’s website as it is seeing them in person sitting on my counter!!!

Ooh, la, la!!!!!

I knew I’d like these fabrics, but since opening that box, I’ve decided on about a bagillion projects so far!  I also think I’ll need to add a couple of fabrics to make the collection “just right!”

Can’t wait to show you my newly painted fabric cages, but for now it’s off to bake my Thanksgiving Day goodies.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Until next time,

Susan

My Life, new fabric collection, New ideas, New Pattern Sample, New quilt pattern, Quick Little Projects

Another Pretty Package

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I finally have evidence of sewing life here!

Remember my excitement over receiving the beautiful new Amelia fabrics designed by Me & My Sister for Moda?

I have been sewing with them.  This is actually the third lap quilt that I’ve made with them, but since the other two are pattern “wanna-bes” (soon to be patterns, but not yet) I will show you this one.  It’s already a pattern, remember and it’s available at your local quilt shop or my website.

A(nother) Pretty Package #179

…and it’s not only already a pattern designed and released by me earlier this year, but it has been my best-selling pattern since I introduced it in Salt Lake city in May.

It’s one of my quilt-as-you-go lap quilts that are oh so easy, fast and fun to make.  I made this whole quilt yesterday including the cutting, sewing, applique and binding!!!  Remember my tutorial here?

Please excuse the lack of beautiful photography.  I will have my photographer photograph it soon, but I couldn’t wait to show it to you today!

Besides the new package, and other new Amelia fabric quilts I’ve also made two new “In Season” quilts, one with a birthday theme and the second with a Halloween theme.  You’re just going to have to take my word for those two though, I’m not showing them just yet.

Now back to work for me!

Until next time,

Susan

My Life, new fabric collection, New ideas, New Pattern Sample

Look, I’m sewing!!

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Kids are back to school,

the sun is shining,

and I’m sewing!


Just a hint of the new project that I’m creating with the new Amelia fabric collection collected from the generous Moda fabric company, with additions from a couple of quilt shops during my travels these past couple of weeks.

My first, or rather second project, my first is complete with the exception of sewing 8 super cute buttons on some flower centers, is going to be another of my popular quilt-as-you-go lap quilts.  The first is also a quilt-as-you-go lap quilt.  What can I say, they’re my most popular patterns and I love making them myself.

They make great gifts, they’re do-able in a day, and I don’t have the stress of figuring out how to quilt them!

I can’t show you the finished projects until I have the patterns ready, but believe me they’re very cute.

For now, you’ll just have to take my word for it!

Until next time,

Susan

Family Time, new fabric collection, New ideas, restocking stash

More & More Amelia

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A box from Moda showed up the end of last week:

 I love these boxes that show up plastered with the Moda packing tape.

Even though I know exactly what’s inside because I ordered it, it’s just like Christmas morning each time!

It’s more Amelia!!!

Thanks Santa Moda, I can’t wait to get started sewing!!!

My sewing room will have to wait though, my #1 helper starts back to school the 16th and I’ve decided to postpone my sewing until then.  The time goes by all too quickly. My sewing machine will just have to wait.

I’ve got my designs pretty well decided (or so I think I do), so my cutting & sewing should go lickity split once I begin.

I hope you’re getting some time with your sewing machine & perhaps a school aged child or two or three too.

Gotta go, #1 helper just took a pan or sugar cookies out of the oven and I like ’em hot!

Until next time,

Susan

fabric shopping, new fabric collection, New ideas, New Pattern Sample, New quilt pattern, Quick Little Projects, Quilt Market

More Amelia

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These days my “work brain” is all about Houston’s Fall Market the end of October.  Deciding what to showcase at market is always a hard decision.  After the decision is made, things always seem to go a bit smoother.  

Fall market is the time of year that shops are purchasing the items that they will supply their shops with in the new year. These items are things to take your mind off of the cold, dreary, wintry days.  One of the things that can usually do this is sewing for spring.

Today, after our guild meeting, I was thinking more “Amelia”!

I know I already showed you a sneak peek of my newest creation last week that was also made with “Amelia”, but I decided that I wanted to make some of my “Charm Pack Garland” to hang in my booth too. 

It’s one of my “Tiny Treasures” patterns, a fast & fun pattern that makes a cute garland for a Christmas tree, but it also can be made to hang anywhere, anytime.

Last week I noticed Sweet Annie’s, a local shop, had their Amelia pre-cuts already. I decided I’d better get them while I still could.  Next month the yardage will be available. I hope to have my samples made by then!  This is going to be too cute…

Until next time,

Susan

My Life, new fabric collection, New ideas, New quilt pattern

Now this is what I’m talking about…

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Don’t you just love it when things work out as planned?  I’m working on a new quilt-as-you-go lap quilt design (remember my tutorial here?) for a new pattern and I have just two more strips to sew on and guess what?  I have just enough batting & backing to sew them onto!!!

Can’t ask for more than that, can I?

This is the new “Amelia” collection (plus a yellow dot that I just had to add) by Me & My Sister for Moda.  And no I don’t mean Susan Marth & her sister, Lori.  Although my sister was taught to sew by our mom too, she prefers to look at what I sew!  She is however, my accountant and biggest cheerleader. According to Moda’s website, Amelia should be at your local quilt shop next month. 

Measure, measure, measure.  Those are the three most important things to remember for my quilt-as-you-go technique!  If you haven’t already tried one, maybe it’s time?

Now, back to work.  I need to sew the final two strips on, add the binding and stand back to view my latest creation.  That’s my favorite part!

Until next time,

Susan

 

new fabric collection, New ideas, Quilt Market

No rest for the weary

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It seems no sooner do I get home from one market and deadlines for the next market are waiting for me in my “in” box!  No kidding, I’ve already got my flight booked for Houston the end of October.  I’ve booked a hotel to share with pattern designer buddies and I’ve already received a shipment of love from Moda!

Meet Amelia:

Dots, bright pastels and just the right amount of black (my personal favorite) thrown in. I had ideas in my head on our flight home from Salt Lake City, so the first chance I got I went to their website to drool over fabric collections due out this fall for spring designs.  It’s a fast paced cycle getting current fabrics to make samples with so shops will hopefully have the fabrics in stock to sell with the patterns.  It’s fun to dream with new fabrics that the folks at Moda are generous enough to supply to pesky designers like myself! It’s a win win situation I guess.  I can’t tell you how many shop owners came to my booth and fell in love with the fabric collection many of my booth samples were made with, Sweetwater’s “Countdown to Christmas.”  Remember my post here? The pre-cuts were just arriving in shops the week of market I heard over and over that weekend, but no shops had the bolts of yardage yet. I’d bet if you tried your local shops that they are receiving them by now.

Now that I have a bit of dreaming time on my hands (before I need to get back to graduation party prep for this weekend) I’m drooling over these pretties! 

I know, you want to know when you’ll see the new stuff from this market, right?  Tomorrow!  I will start those tomorrow, I promise!

Until then I’m going to go back to drooling and dreaming over Amelia!

Until next time,

Susan

Hot Tips, new fabric collection, Quick Little Projects, Quilt Market

Hot Tip Tuesday #15, Civil War Block of the Week- quick little project

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At my guild meeting this morning a group of us were chatting about Barbara Brackman and how I’ve been following her Civil War Quilts blog this year.  This being the 150 anniversary of the start of the Civil War, Barbara has started a special blog to showcase an 8″ block each week.  The pattern is on the blog as well as links to some of its history. 

By clicking this photo you too can be drawn into her love of history,and FABRIC!  I own several of Barbara’s fabric collections and books. As a matter of fact I have a new quilt being quilted right now that will hang in my booth at Salt Lake City in May at Spring International Quilt Market made from one of her fabric collections!  Come to think of it, I have a second quilt in progress with another of her collections.

I’d be the first one to tell you I never did like history, but with the introduction of all of the lovely civil war era reproduction fabrics and all the quilting books being written I’m hooked!

No, I’ve not started the blocks. With all the sewing I’m doing to get ready for market I don’t feel I have the time, but I’ve sure been tempted many times. 

Perhaps it’s a quick little weekly project that you would be interested in?

Until next time,

Susan

 

new fabric collection, New ideas, New quilt pattern, restocking stash

Moda, another word for love!

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I’m not much of an on-line or over-the -phone shopper.  I like to go, see, feel and then make my decisions. So, hardly ever does the UPS guy show up with something for me.  No, it’s usually something from a hunting or fishing catalog that I retrieve when Brown shows up, but today the package looked like this:

That Moda tape was a dead giveaway that today the package was for me!  Not only that, it was going to be good!  Last week I requested not-yet-released Christmas fabrics for some new ideas that I’m working on for Spring Quilt Market in Salt Lake City, Utah. Moda and other fabric companies generously send us pattern designers fabric to make samples to show off their new collections.  This way, when shops are walking the show, they can see new ways to use the fabrics and hopefully buy more fabric and my patterns too.  Thanks Moda!!!

 Sweetwater had the perfect collection for a new quilt design that I dreamed up.

“Countdown to Christmas” is due out May, 2011. You can see the whole collection here.

It looks even better in person than it did on-line, and it feels great. That’s one of the reasons that I like to buy in person instead of on-line. I know, sometimes it can’t be helped, just sayin’…

Now I need to stop drooling and get back to what I was doing before I was interrupted by that knock on my door!  May will be here before I’m even ready.

I’ll keep you posted to this newest design as I get to working on it.

Until next time,

Susan