"Pretty Little" Books Giveaway!

Amanda Carestio from Lark Crafts contacted us about these cute little books -- and a possible giveaway. 'Giveaway?' Our ears perked up at that lovely word. Pretty Little Mini Quilts and Pretty Little Pillows give you an array of hip, modern mini quilts and pillows re-imagined into fun and experimental home dec projects. Amanda (whose projects you will also find in these gems!) gives us a little peek inside, and one of each of these books is up for grabs -- leave a comment with which book you'd like to win, and we will select two random winners next Friday! Thanks to Amanda and the Lark folks for the generous giveaways!

Greetings from sunny Asheville, North Carolina! The kind folks at the Jolly Jabber invited me to share some info about two recent books: Pretty Little Mini Quilts and Pretty Little Pillows. I am so proud to have worked on these books (Lark is my day job!) and to have a handful of designs in them.

Chances are your spring sewing to-do list is a mile long already (I know mine is!), but you’re going to want to add a few more projects to that list after thumbing through these collections.

I personally wish my home was more pillow friendly; most everything cushion-like ends up encrusted in dog slobber. But that doesn’t mean I love them any less. They’re such a wonderful canvas for us busy crafters: small, quick to make, and both useful and pretty. Plus, they’re the perfect way to bring your favorite fabrics into other rooms of the house: love that!

However, if I had to pick a poison, it would most definitely mini quilts. Oh, lovely quick things that don’t require commitment! Actually, since making the projects for this book, my obsession has only grown, along with my affinity for fusible web (good stuff!).

Both books take their greatest strength from the quality of designers represented. You’ll probably recognize some of your blog and Flickr faves, and maybe you’ll discover a few new favorites. Of course, I have a few favorites of my own. It was so hard to choose, but today I find myself really drawn to Candace Todd’s "Drop Everything" mini quilt (shown here). It’s just a simple mini—balanced and quiet—and I love the combination of linen and fabric bits.

My other current fave is Malka Dubrawsky’s "Spot On" pillow (okay, I admit it: I adore everything she makes!). Her fabrics are, of course, awesome, and the pairing of grid lines and curvy appliqué shapes is really inspiring. I love the simplicity of both projects, the focus on the stitch lines, and the use of low volume fabrics (to borrow Malka’s terminology). (See more of Candace at candacetodd.blogspot.com; find Malka at stitchindye.blogspot.com) You can see more of my creations—and photos of my rapscallion dogs—at digsandbean.blogspot.com.

Amanda Carestio
Digs and Bean blog

Fat Quarter Shop's "Your Favorite Schnibbles" Contest

Yeahhh! We are excited (times two!) that Carrie Nelson's book, Schnibbles Times Two is finally out! (I'm sure the Year of Schnibbles paraders are rejoicing too!)

There has been so much buzz about this quilt book, especially since That Patchwork Place & Moda Fabrics are sponsoring a contest for this book. (If you would like information on that contest, please go to Carrie's blog and click on "Contest Rules" on the top left.) This is NOT that contest! We are running a separate giveaway!

"Your Favorite Schnibbles" Giveaway!

We love all of Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. patterns. Especially her little Schnibbles (she's blogged before on how she started Schnibbl-ing!) Now, thanks to Moda's Layer Cakes, Carrie gives us larger versions of her charm pack wonders, so you can make your favorite Schnibbles even bigger! So, what we want to know is -- what's your favorite Schnibbles pattern in Schnibbles Times Two?

Here's how to enter:

 1. Purchase the Schnibbles Times Two book from us and comment on this post by Wednesday, June 2, 2010, with which Schnibbles you like the best and why -- good for 1 entry.

 2. Make the "Schnibbles Times Two" quilt version (the larger version) using Moda Layer Cakes and fabric. Post your photo somewhere online (look for ideas on where to post it below) and include a link to your photo in a second comment on this post. This must be done by Wednesday, July 7, 2010. (We will not accept photos by e-mail to be fair!) You may submit more than one quilt, and each quilt is good for 3 extra entries.

Four winners will be chosen at random for great prizes!

Ideas on where to post your photos:

• If you have a blog - post your photos there and comment here with a link to that entry.
• If you use Twitter - there are many services you can use to post pictures through Twitter. Try Twitpic, Tweetphoto, Yfrog, or Twitgoo if you do not have a service you use already. Once you have tweeted the picture, please add that link to a comment in this post so we can count all of your entries!
• If you use Facebook - go to our Facebook page and upload the photo to our wall. (You must "Like" us to do this). To do this, click the Photo icon next to "Attach", then "Upload a Photo" and select the photo you want to use. Make sure it says "Everyone" next to "Share", then hit "Share". Again, please add that link to a comment in this post so we can count all of your entries!
• If you have a Flickr account - you may either upload your photo to your own account if it is public, or you may add it to our Customer Quilt Gallery pool and comment here with the link.

The "Your Favorite Schnibbles" Giveaway starts....NOW!! Good luck!!

Lauren + Jessi Update & Sneak Peek

We asked Lauren and Jessi Jung for an update on what they have been doing since their first line, Botany for Moda, was released this month. Can I just say -- I got tired just reading all of the stuff they're doing. Weddings... a new job... patterns... scrapbook paper... And on top of that, they are showing the most enticing little bits of their next line for Moda! Read for details! In the meantime, I'm gonna go take a nap ;) And, I'm stowing away that fabric photo-booth idea for the future! Thanks, Lauren!

I'm so excited to see Botany showing up in stores. It's been exactly a year since we submitted our designs to Moda (read their last post for the whole funny story), and it's wonderful being able to see what has come out of all the hard work!

In the months following Market, things have gotten CRAZY for the both of us. First, we had to tie up loose ends with Botany...I was in charge of finishing up our website and blog, while my mom has been busy with patterns and trunk shows...She actually just participated in one this past Saturday at one of her favorite quilt shops - Inman Quilt Cottage in South Carolina. They displayed our collection of items sewn using Botany. The shop had free patterns, fat-quarter giveaways, and quilt kit drawings all featuring Botany! All in all, it was a HUGE success, and there were many happy winners. (Pssst, the photo on the left is a free pattern on the L+J website!)

In addition to all of the fabric stuff, I recently got a new job in New Jersey at a software component company where I'm in charge of redesigning the company logo, their product branding, and the website...a responsibility that I'm finding to be a LOT of fun! I generally design in a rather girly style, so working for a software company has definitely required me to stretch myself artistically!

But back to fabric...both my mom and I have been stunned by all of the awesome and creative projects (using Botany), that we've seen popping up on blogs...quilts, table runners, clothes, and purses...we've both been very impressed. One of the most unique ideas actually came from a friend of mine, Megan Kibby. She's a wedding photographer in Atlanta, GA, who used three banners of Botany as a backdrop to a photobooth that she set up for a recent wedding.

The guests had a great time with this, as you can see...which really added to that "photo booth effect". These photos then went into a hand bound album that everyone signed. (On a sidenote: I've been in the process of redesigning her photography website, and it will be launching this Friday!) In exchange for my website help, she's been busy taking all of the photographs for our patterns that will be coming out with our next line...a win/win for both of us!)

And while we're on the subject of weddings, my mom has been super busy planning my younger sister, Carrie's wedding. They are working with a garden theme, which sounds simple, right? But my mom is finding out that a natural setting doesn't just "happen". It has to be planned down to the letter! My contribution in this enormous family activity has been the invitations and the bachelorette party. The invitations took a long time to design and produce. Actually, after I finished the designs, I made about two invitations before I got sick of them and passed them off to my sister...the bride. Many paper cuts later, she finished and sent them out.

Immediately following Market we began working on our next line, Hideaway. We wanted to change courses a bit from our last line. So rather than illustrating in the same, loose/organic style that we used in Botany, we took a more structured decorative/festive approach.

We've both been fascinated by Cuckoo clocks for as long as I can remember, so that was our jumping off point. The line has, of course, evolved since then, but it definitely gives off the vibe of the Swiss Alps and their intricate folk-inspired style of painting. Hideaway will debut in July, 2010, and in an effort to really push the line, my mom has been cranking out patterns that will complement our fabric. We've also designed these neat business cards using Hideaway patterns in the bird-shaped di-cut.

Another big endeavor is our new scrapbooking gig! Timecraft, a paper company in the UK, has recently reached out to us about creating some paper lines for them! We were able to use some of our previous prints, but a lot of additions needed to be made. I've been busy adding to this original set of patterns, since scrapbooking lines consist of a whopping set of 24 patterns (as opposed to the 8-10 patterns you will find in your average fabric line).

And...that about wraps up our last few months. Like I said...it's been CRAZY!

Lauren Jung
L + J website
L + J blog

Debbie's Recipe Box: Sauteed Kale

This is a throwback to Kate Spain's post about kale and Verna. :) Hey, stop groaning over there, this recipe for Sauteed Kale is actually quite good! A quick, easy and healthful side dish. Click on the image for a printable PDF!

Watch on Monday for a new contest!!

Bird Talk by Ellen Crimi-Trent for Clothworks Fabrics

Bird Talk by Ellen Crimi-Trent is here! One of Spring's most iconic animals dots this fabric with a rainbow of cuteness! Talk about bright and happy -- this line pops with greens, blues, yellow and pinks on white. Little birdies mingle in the focus prints, supported by clean stripes and flower medallion prints. Have fun with Bird Talk, and show us what you make! Ellen Crimi-Trent is here today to share her sentiments on her newest line. Also, start anticipating her next line out in August, Woodland Friends II!

I am an illustrator who licenses my work on products, and I also do product development. I work with over 30 manufacturers on all kinds of products such as giftware, party goods, fabric, tabletop, flags, kitchen products, and more. I have been licensing my work for over 12 years now and still find every day an adventure. I grew up in a small town in Massachusetts, and when I went to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, I stayed in Brooklyn for another 8 years until my husband and I decided to move back to Massachusetts to start a family in 1997.

These days, life is busy with two young boys, and work life is going 360 degrees all day long, but when it's not busy, I get a little stir crazy. I have recently re-discovered my love of exercise, and when I am not working out you may find me gardening, hanging out with friends and always looking to do something creative.

I went to Pratt to become a fashion designer but soon realized I was better suited to illustrate instead of sewing and draping. Upon graduating, I worked in the children's-wear industry designing clothes until I decided to break free and freelance print studio work. It was in the print studio where I designed many prints that other manufacturers bought for their fabric lines, and it wasn't until I decided to start licensing, that I had my own lines of fabric.

Bird Talk was created partly from my first collection, Woodland Friends. The original Woodland Friends collection had an all-over bird pattern that went with it, but we felt that we would keep it small and use it in the next collection. However, when I began showing Clothworks some of my new work, they liked the birds I had and thought we could really tell a story with just the birds themselves; thus began the creation of Bird Talk.

My inspiration for doing birds is the fact that this past year, I have had such a fascination with birds, and I just can't stop. I loved playing around with their shapes and patterns and how they interact with each other. I have come to really love birds even in my own surroundings. I go crazy when I see an Oriole bird fly by with its bright orange and black colors. We have had several robins build nests on these dwarf spruces on our deck, and it's always exciting to see the babies. So I have no idea when I will stop creating fun birds; maybe never, but for now I am enjoying it.

My vision for Bird Talk is a couple of things. Since it has such a light colorway, I really see it for nurseries, but I also envisioned it to be used for pajamas, fun stuffed toys, and lots of beautiful quilts. I think it's a very versatile design that can be used for boys or girls simply by using the colored stripes and patterns that are either blue or pink in the collection. The fabric would make great baby blankets, bumpers, curtains, pillows, you name it, for a little boy or girl's room. Who just doesn't love cute birds??

What I have next up my sleeve is getting ready for a big trade show in Vegas in June, the Licensing Expo. I will have a booth set up and ready to meet new and existing clients, showcasing my new characters that I am branding. In fact, I am already talking to Clothworks about an animal fabric collection with some of them, so who knows! I am also thinking I would love to have a floral collection. I have designed so many of them, and I have a black and white collection, Midwinter Garden, but I really want to do a fun and bright floral collection, so maybe you will see that next. I am always working on something though, so you never really know what you might see next from me!

Ellen Crimi-Trent
Ellen's blog
Ellen's website
Ellen's Etsy store
Ellen's Twitter
Ellen's Facebook page

Jungle Baby by Kate Honarvar for Timeless Treasures Fabrics

This season is all about the wild. Not dangerous wild, but wildly cute. That definitely is the case with Kate Honarvar's new line for Timeless Treasures Fabrics, called Jungle Baby. Lions, tigers, elephants, giraffes, alligators...there are all sorts of wild jungle and safari animals to enjoy in this collection! We've got yardage and Fat Quarter Bundles in two colorways (Carribean and Safari) to suit your little one's decor. Check out the patchwork prints -- they are really great pieces to fussycut or to use as is for an I Spy quilt! Today, Kate Honarvar guest-posts for the first time on the Jolly Jabber. And here's a fun fact I learned: she and Moda designer Kate Spain are neighbors IRL (in real life)!


I grew up in Virginia…a beautiful place to grow up but not exactly the hub of fashion design! So when I decided I wanted to have a career in fashion I moved to New York and went to FIT. After graduation I worked for a slew of scary ladies (a la Devil Wears Prada…it’s all true!) for many years before making the decision to start my own business as an illustrator. Which meant I needed an office…which meant I needed more than a 400 square foot apartment that I shared with my little mice friends...(also, having a shower in your kitchen can be awkward!) So I landed north of Manhattan in a perfectly sweet little town right on the beach. My sunny 3rd floor nook of a studio is the perfect place for me to sit down and doodle all day, and if I’m lucky I can smell the salty ocean air when I crack open my window….*sigh*

My designs for Timeless Treasures are light and sweet and tend towards the younger crowd. I design the fabrics with quilts in mind but I’ve made fun banners and pillows for my daughter’s play room and even came across a photo on a blog of a cutie-pie toddler’s bathrobe using my fabrics. I started designing for Timeless Treasures in 2007. It was a learning process at first! The incredibly generous folks at Timeless Treasures recently sent me a bunch of quilts that their quilter, Heidi Pridemore, designed and created using my fabrics. I marvel at the intricacy, the tiny pieces all sewn together to make a cozy work of art. As an added bonus, my feisty tornado of a daughter just moved into a “big girl bed” and her reward was getting to pick out her own quilt. I just love that she can snuggle into bed at night with a lovely quilt that features my designs…makes me very happy.

Jungle Baby was such an enjoyable collection to work on! I had fun creating cute little lions, stripey elephants and colorful birds. I’m hoping it will inspire future adventurers…or at least a trip to the zoo this summer! The colors were a bit more on the bold side than I usually do so it was fun to experiment with my paints and come up with a vibrant jungly-palette.

I have a few new collections coming out any day now that I’m really excited about. Here’s a hint for one of them…"I’ve often seen a cat without a grin but a grin without a cat! It’s the most curious thing I’ve ever seen in my my life!"

I really hope that my designs are able to brighten someone’s day (big people and little people alike)! That’s what it’s all about. And I can’t WAIT to see what everyone creates…send photos!!

Kate Honarvar
Kate Honarvar Designs
Kate Honarvar's Blog

Giveaway!

Ryan Walsh over at I'm Just A Guy Who Quilts contacted us about his month of giveaways, and we're happy to be counted as the fourth and final giveaway to wrap up the series!

Go over to this blog entry for chances to win a $50 Gift Certificate to the Fat Quarter Shop! (Yeah, we love you too!) There are two up for grabs and five different ways to enter, so get to clicking :)

Good luck!

Debbie's Recipe Box: Blue Bonnet's Coconut Merigue Pie

How good does this sound - meringue. Plus coconut. This could be really bad in a good way. Click on the image for a printable PDF!

American Patchwork & Quilting 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge

Kim at Everything Etsy (of which we're now a proud sponsor) e-mailed me the other day, asking about our participation in American Patchwork & Quilting's 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge. I thought -- oh yes, we never really explained exactly what that is all about! (Click to see all of the 'featured fabrics' and kits to support the APQ 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge at Fat Quarter Shop!)

By now you have probably heard about APQ's 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge goal, to create and donate 1 million pillowcases to local charities, to provide some physical comfort and inspire hope. If you want to find out more specific details, like a list of suggested charities and how to report the number of pillowcases you've made, here is their FAQ page. We highly encourage you to participate! This effort is running through all of 2010.

Fat Quarter Shop is a participating quilt shop, and while we can't host physical events, we are offering all of the 'featured fabrics' that we can, designated by the sponsors of this program (such as Moda, Robert Kaufman, Clothworks, Red Rooster Fabrics, RJR Fabrics, and Timeless Treasures) and kits as well for the featured fabrics! These kits will come with the free downloadable pillowcase patterns offered by APQ and the fabrics to make one featured fabric pillowcase. Our goal in participating is to support the effort by making these easily available projects for you, so you can impact your local community by donating your pillowcases along with APQ!

It's a wonderful challenge you can do in little time -- let's keep the effort going throughout 2010, and hopefully it'll lead to even more good works for 2011! Keep watching, as we'll be adding more featured fabrics and kits as the year continues.

Are you involved? Comment and let us know!

Giveaway on Jaybird Quilts

Woohoo, free stuff!


Julie Herman, this really cute young lady who contributes wonderfully creative tutorials for Moda Bake Shop and owns, operates and blogs for Jaybird Quilts, is running a giveaway on her blog this week, sponsored by the Fat Quarter Shop.

If you haven't yet, you'd best get on over to her blog and see the many, many ways you can enter and win this cute little kit from Frolic! Good luck!

Sew Fun Patterns for Baby by Jen Lopez

Jennifer López (no, not THAT one -- I'm sure she's never heard that before) is our guest for today! Her SewFun patterns have caught our eye -- a variety of good and functional accessories for mommy and baby, with great diagrams and well designed, well-written instructions. I love the idea of creating something that will not only comfort, but also benefit a child's development. Jennifer's just gotten started, and there's no telling what great idea she'll bring us next!

So, tell us about yourself!

My name is Jennifer López and I am the Owner/Designer of SewFun.com. I specialize in designing sewing patterns for baby toys, quilts and accessories as well as fun and functional bags for moms. I got started in early 2009 when I was frustrated by my inability to find patterns for some baby gift items I was trying to make. Although there are plenty of patterns out there (especially these days with many “free” patterns on line), I was irritated by the poor quality, lack of attention to detail and lack of good illustrations (or any illustrations at all). I decided to solve all of these problems by making my own patterns. I have a Mechanical Engineering degree from M.I.T. so creating 2-D representations of 3-D objects comes naturally to me. The years I spent in my professional career creating detailed illustrations and writing design specifications was ample preparation for the technical aspects of pattern development. The patterns resulting from this initial effort turned out so nice that I thought, “I bet other people would like these as well!” I coupled my engineering background with my life-long passion for sewing and SewFun.com was born.

What’s the “vision” for SewFun?

My vision for SewFun is to create sewing patterns with clear, well-illustrated and easy-to-follow instructions that are beginner friendly, yet appealing to advanced sewing enthusiasts. SewFun patterns enable all level of sewists to create beautiful gifts for baby showers and cherished handmade keepsakes. I am often complimented on SewFun patterns for the excellent quality of the instructions and the fact that there are “so many pictures!”

Your website is really entertaining. The “Ask Sewfie” bit is great! The “Boyfriend Curse” post really made me laugh. Whose voice are you channeling in Sewfie?

I am glad you are enjoying Sewfie! “Ask Sewfie” is a column that I write for SewFun.com where advice for the sewing-addicted is dished out by a talking tomato pincushion. Readers can e-mail Sewfie a question and if she answers it in the column, they win a free SewFun pattern. I love the advice column format (I readily admit to reading “Dear Abby” every day) and I thought this would be a fun way to talk about my love of all things sewing-related. I spend a lot of time on the computer with measurements, calculations and what-not, so with Sewfie, I’m definitely channeling the creative right side of my brain… also the side that goes out and buys another half dozen Fat Quarters even though she doesn’t really need them but they are SO CUTE she just HAD to have them.

How does your pattern design process work, from idea to fabric to pattern?

The design process for me starts with the desire to create something beautiful and fun for myself or as a gift for someone I care about. Thinking of the pattern with the specific recipient in mind really helps me to make decisions about: is this fun, it is useful, how should it work, what should it look like, etc. I draw a lot of sketches first, then make quite a number of prototypes from my “ugly fabric” pile – you know that “what was I thinking when I bought THIS stuff?” stash. When I have something that is working, then I start on the technical details of designing the pattern pieces themselves on the computer, writing the instructions, computing fabric measurements, and of course, creating oh-so-many illustrations. Every pattern is then sent out to a team of independent testers who stitch it up in their own way. They ensure my instructions are accurate, easy to understand and also fun! I really enjoy this part of the process because I love to see other people’s interpretations of my designs: the fabrics they choose and the personality that each individual brings to their creations.

Are there certain fabrics or designers that inspire you?

I am hopelessly addicted to all fabrics so I find inspiration in just about very bolt I see. Right now, I am loving the Authentic line by Sweetwater, Whimsy by Fig Tree Quilts, and Patty Young’s Flora and Fauna. I can never get enough of anything to do with Alexander Henry (how cute is Willow Orchard?) and I am very excited to do something with Anna Maria Horner’s Little Folks voile collection.

In addition to fabrics, inspiration comes in many other forms: the inspiration for my new design “Baby S’mores Quilt and Plushie” actually came from one of those re-usable grocery store bags which had the word “S’more” on it. I had the bag in my kitchen, I saw the word and it suddenly popped into my head: “what if I made a sandwich out of a stack of different textures of fabrics…. like a S’more – some soft fabric, some silky fabric, some bumpy fabric…. “, the whole idea came to me in about 30 seconds. Refining the idea into a workable pattern took considerably longer.

What’s up next for SewFun?

Sewfie and I are very busy over at SewFun right now. We are preparing for Spring Quilt Market. I am furiously stitching up models for all of the SewFun patterns for a display in the United Notions/Moda Fabrics booth (they are one of our distributors). We are VERY excited about that event. Back on the design board, we have an adorable baby toy in the works which promises to be the ultimate baby shower gift. We are also working on a big roomy bag for all of Mom and Baby’s stuff. Finally, a summer-themed baby quilt and toy combo pattern is due to come out in the next few weeks. You can keep track of the latest SewFun goings-on at our website, www.sewfun.com, and all of the SewFun patterns are available right here at the Fat Quarter Shop!

Jennifer López
www.sewfun.com

On a Personal Note...

On a personal note, guess who's on the brink of three?

Yep, it's our favorite little redhead! The dress is by Blueberry Kids, won in a Twitter giveaway, so thanks to Vanessa for the beautiful dress! It will come in handy in our hot Texas summers! Hard to believe how big and TALL our little pumpkin is getting. Her party is tomorrow, and Mommy chose Kate Spain invitation cards.

She's obviously been watching a lot of football with Daddy...

Hook 'em!

TOUCHDOWN!!!

Oh, and the littlest ones? They were napping, but allowed us to get some snapshots in...

Little, amiable Peyton :)

And chunky monkey Will!

A side-by-side comparison LOL...Peyton's already scootin' around.

Couldn't resist posting this devious little grin :)

Have a wonderful weekend, all!