Quilt Market – The Giveaway (Part 5)

I started to compile a detailed list of what I ordered.  Then I got bored.   So instead let’s just do these giveaways.  You’ll want to win them ALL!  They are so great.

1. Craft Apple Patterns: (estimated retail value $36)

I really enjoy spending time with Linda  - but more importanly – I love her patterns.  They are so well written.  Every detail is covered.  You don’t have to guess or wonder what you’re supposed to do next.

 

2. Sidewinder and other goodies from Quilt Market: (estimated retail value $30) 

The bobbin winder is super handy – I’m told.  It doesn’t work with Viking bobbins tho.      Also included are a Moda quilt puzzle, a ModKid tape measure, free pattern and picture brochure from Amy Butler, notepad and more pretty things from Anna Maria Horner, Jenean Morrison’s postcards with her California Dreamin’ designs, and a cute little token from Sweetwater.

 

3. Pink Fig Patterns: (estimated retail value $72.50) 

5 patterns from Pink Fig (including her new Nie Nie skirt) and her embelishment book!  Super fun patterns for little girls.  I use them often!

 

And the GRAND FINALE!  

These aren’t even available in the store yet! But you can get a fat quarter set of Sandi Henderson‘s newest collection right now!  Right here! 

4. Fat Quarter set of Meadowsweet – Peach Colorway (estimated retail value $42.50)

  The peach colorway has 17 prints.  Henna Garden appears again in new colors.  Other prints include Vintage Paisley, Poppy Parade, Chain Flower and more.  Here are a couple more pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Fat Quarter set of Meadowsweet – Pear Colorway (estimated retail value $32.50)

The Pear colorway has 13 prints.  Peony Plaid, Splashy Rose, Daisy Path, Paper Snowflake and more.  Yummy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SO HOW DO YOU WIN?

Leave a comment.  Easy peasy.
There will be 3 winners from my blog.

AND I will choose 2 lucky winners from my Facebook Fan Page.
So become a Fan and have another couple chances to win.

 

The first name I pick with get to choose which gift they want, and so on and so forth. I’m making a lot of work for myself. The entries will close on FRIDAY OCTOBER 23rd and announced shortly after that!  Okay!  I’ve closed the comments – Will draw the winners soon!

 

 

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Quilt Market – Michael Miller (Part 1)

I don’t know how I should organize the posts.  So it might be mishmash craziness that will span over a couple days.

Here we go!

First – the Michael Miller booths!

Camp Michael Miller pretty much sets the tone.  The prints I love are fun and playful, just like their booth.

The Michael Miller girls – Patty Young, Sandi Henderson, Paula Prass and Pillow & Maxfield.  It’s hard for me to point out every little detail.  These women have made sure every little detail is perfect.  It is amazing!  Hopefully you’ll be able to see a little bit of that in the pictures. (Check out my quilt market flickr album to see even more pictures!)  

In addition to new fabric lines, they all have new patterns too!  I have Patty’s newest patterns in the store now.  Sandi is expecting hers to be ready in November and Paula says around the new year. Also Valerie Pillow and Anne Maxfield said their website, blog and such should be up before too long!

I have some goodies for you guys… you’ll definately want to check back. But right now I am falling alseep on my computer desk – so it’s time for me to get some much needed sleep!

See you again soon with more quilt market fun!

Haley wanted to wear pants

This is something you should probably mark on your calendars.  

Haley
- my daughter -
the dress wearing queen 
wanted to wear pants.

 

I have wanted to make her these cute pants for a while now.
I was afraid my efforts would sit in the drawer.
Untouched.
Unloved.
Unworn.
( I’ll make up words as I see fit)
My husband said, “Just make her some.  She’ll wear them.”

 

He was right.  
She loved them!
She wanted to wear them!

 

Pattern: Sophie by ModKid 
View C with View A Pockets
Fabric: Carnival Bloom Corduroy

The pattern was easy and fun to make.  I LOVE the detail of the twin needle on the pockets and leg slits.  I’ll have to get a close-up picture of that.  The only change I am thinking about for next time is adding a light weight interfacing on the front waist band.  She won’t wear jeans just yet – so I’m going to make another pair  but this time in lightweight cotton.  I have to say though, that the corduroy fabric (by Michael Miller) is da bomb diggity.

That’s right I just said bomb diggity.

And with that, I’ll say goodnight.

 

Andalucia

You read my blog.  I’m going to guess that the likelihood that you know of Patty Young is pretty high….but just incase…..

In relation to this business of mine, Patty is a fabric designer and pattern writer extraordinaire.  Michael Miller Fabrics prints her lovely designs.  And her company, ModKid, handles her patterns.    Her first line was Andalucia.  

This summer she released Mezzanine.

And now on her blog she has revealed her third collection.  Flora and Fauna.

So I need to make room for her newest collection….which means that ALL of Andalucia is now on sale.  (I  need to go get Haley something made with the Mod Bloom corduroy.  It’s too cute and perfect for fall.  Maybe I’ll do that tonight……)

In fact, the whole Sale Section has been updated.  What is left of Sandi Henderson‘s Ginger Blossom is also marked WAY WAY down.  And as a super extra added bonus – this week all the Sales items get bonus points!  More cash back for your future purchases!!!!  (Read up on the Reward Points here.)  Only 2 weeks until Quilt Market!!!!

Pittsburgh Quilt Market 2009

There will certainly be many blogs in the crafting community that will tell you all about this Spring’s Qulit Market.  It was wonderful!  I can’t get over how seriously nice everyone is in the industry.  (The industry is huge.  Really huge.  Like I had no comprehension of it before I went last year to Houston.  It still blows my mind when I stop to think about it.)   I could post for days – but instead I will make it short and sweet.

Friday night Moda/United Notions had 3 boats to take their clients up and down the rivers of Pittsburgh during a catered dinner.  It was so nice!  The company was great, the food was good and the views were wonderful.

I ordered a lot of fabric. I picked up a couple new companies too that I am anxious to share with you.  If I had to pick my favorite this market (which is a REALLY mean thing to do to a fabric lover) it would be Lantern Bloom.  Last fall in Houston I found out that Laura Gunn was working on a fabric line for Michael Miller. I have been anxious to see it since that day when her sister-in-law, Heather Bailey, introduced us. I was not disappointed. In fact, I was blown away! I am SO excited to get it in my hands!

I really could write so much more…so so much more. Maybe another day!

Market Bag

This weekend (I’m reclaiming my weekends by the way) I made several things!  Yay for sewing!  One project was a new bag for me to take to Market.  It is from a Melly & Me pattern, Meadow.

I used prints from Moda’s Wonderland and Michael Miller’s Andalucia – plus Amy Butler on the inside.

• Tweedle Dum (light floral)
• Pepper (Polka Dot)
• Kiwi Jester (Green Harlequin)
• Espresso Pod Ditz (Brown Floral)
• Grey Wallflower (inside of bag)

I like how it turned out.  And the whole time I was sewing it, I talked to myself in an Australian accent – so that was pretty fun.  (Melly & Me is an Australian company…in case you didn’t know.)  The instructions were well written and easy to follow.  (Just FYI, Australians sew in inches, so you don’t have to convert everything to centimeters!)

The only change I made was adding a zippered pocket to the inside.  I figured that a secured area in a bag this large is always a nice option.  Zippered pockets are easy to add.  I might get around to showing you how some day. 

On a related note, my husband has asked if he could be a guest blogger.  He would like to show you all the bags I have and take a vote on if I am out of control. 

Kitchen Towels

After making the kitchen set for the school auction, I thought to myself

“Wo – man, you need some new kitchen stuff too.”

And so I made myself some new kitchen towels!

Target supplied the organic kitchen towels, I just added the cute fabric along one side.

Super Fast!

Super Fun!

Super Fabulous!

The fabrics are (from front to back):

Aqua Playful Paisley from Farmer’s Market by Sandi Henderson
Navy Deco Rose from Daisy Chain by Amy Butler
Cookies and Cream by Timeless Treasures
Pink Medallion Bloom from Farmer’s Market by Sandi Henderson
Spring Pomegranate Seeds from Farmer’s Market by Sandi Henderson

One may say, if they were speculating such things, that I like Sandi Henderson’s fabric.

I do.  It’s true.

You see the Cookies and Cream fabric?

It’s adorable, don’t you think?

Start thinking of projects to use this Cookies and Cream fabric

Don’t share your ideas quite yet…

Check back soon though for a sweet little contest!

Menu Planner Tutorial

Each Sunday afternoon the menu for the following week is decided.  I find that if I don’t do this, we end up eating very poorly.  If I have a plan, however, it’s easy for me to stick to it!  SO – I created a menu planning page.  I’d say it’s prettier than a yellow piece of notebook paper laying on the counter top!

Since our goal is to eat dinner together each night, that is the meal I focused on.  Breakfast and lunch are more casual (read less planned) so I decided I didn’t need to make a row for each of those meals – but I left a little space for each at the bottom of the page.  Then I thought ‘Why stop there?’  And I made a notebook of nothing but meal planning pages….because making notebooks is what I do these days 

I thought you might like to make yourself one too – and you’re in luck!  The page is available for download here (or by clicking on that cute little widget over on the side of my blog!)  You could just use the pdf but if you want to make a journal – here is how I did it.

Materials Needed:

• 1 sheet of 8.5 x 11 inch card stock
• fusible webbing (Heat-n-Bond LITE, stitchery witchery, etc.  Just make sure you can sew through it)
• fabric – sized at least 5.5 inches x 8.5 inches or you can use scraps to make a patchwork cover – and if you like the look with a spine you’ll need a strip of black fabric – about 1.5 inches x 8.5 inches
• Weekly Meal Plan pdf
• paper for inside of journal – I recommend using 24 or 28 pound copy paper

1. Cut a piece of 8.5×11 card stock in half.

2.  Attach fabric to card stock.  I used the same method as the CraftApple patchwork cards.  Be sure you use Heat-n-Bond LITE, stitchery witchery, or other sewing friendly fusible web (not heavy duty no sew) because you’ll need to be able to sew through it.  You could use one fabric or piece scraps of fabric together.  That would be so cute.  Stitch as desired.

3.  Using Heat-n-Bond (regular or lite), attach the second half of the card stock to the back of your first piece (sewn with fabric).  This will cover up the stitching.

4.  Print the weekly meal plan pdf many many times (really 20 or so…26 would give you a full year)  I recommend using 24 or 28 pound copy paper for this.  (The traditional 20lb copy paper is just too flimsy and you don’t want something as heavy as card stock.)

5.  Take to office supply/copy center.  At the copy center, they will cut your menu plan papers in half and bind the whole thing for you!  (I get mine done at Office Max.  Right now it only costs $2.99 – and they include a plastic cover if you want and a linen back cover.  I upgraded to a vinyl back for $1 more because I thought it would be better in the kitchen.)

Other ideas:
Sketch Book or Sticker Book for kids (pair with some stickers, markers, etc for a cute gift)
Journal or Recipe Keeper (I’ve already made several as gifts, for the preschool auction, etc. I like to print lines on these pages.)

PS.  The pictures above are really from the book I made for my daughter…but I forgot to take pictures while making my own meal planner…and the process was the same!

I’ve become obsessed with these little books. I can’t stop making them!  These are the few I’ve made just for our family – and I’ve already given several as gifts.    So much fun!!!

Cowboys, Paint Aprons and Free Shipping

The Tucson Rodeo is a big deal around here. Haley’s preschool even has a hoe down. The kids all sing and then we do some square dancing. Really quite fun and very cute. Haley borrowed a pair of boots and already had the perfect bandana shirt. Cute cute cute!

Today I made up these simple aprons for an auction at the preschool. They’ll go into a couple baskets with some art supplies. The new Michael Miller fabric is adorable! And guess what? For a limited time, I even have a code for free shipping in the US on orders over $25! Type SPRING in the discount coupon when you check out. (International buyers, use SPRING 2 to save $5 off your shipping costs too.) Visit my website to find the cute messy hands fabric and more!