Amy Ellis' Modern Basics blog tour

Today we have a special guest in the house.  She is a mother of 4 (nope- not Kimberly this time), Blogger of Amy's Creative Side, Co-Captain of The Sewing Summit, and now Author. Amy Ellis is the name and her newly released book, Modern Basics, is today's game. Let's start it off with a little Q&A!

How did you get into quilting? Tell us a little about your background.

I've been sewing for 20+ years, which is hard to believe! I learned to sew garments as a girl. With my own kids, they grew out of clothes too fast, so it didn't make sense to sew for them. I needed to find a way to keep my sewing juices flowing, so I learned to quilt.

What inspired you to write a book? What inspired to write one on this topic specifically?

Going back to being a mom to 4, I was looking for simple and interesting patterns that could be finished easily in a week or two, instead of a month or year. I wasn't finding them, and started sketching my ideas, which eventually turned into a book proposal.

What is your new book about? What makes your book stand out compared to others on the topic?

Modern Basics is a pattern book, and then some. I sew at the kitchen table, and so I encourage those that don't have studio space, or any spare space in their homes to find room, and have tips for finding time too. Being a stay at home mom to 4, time is not in abundance, but quilting has become an outlet for my creativity and I am not planning to stop!


Thanks for visiting us today Amy! Now, what is a blog tour without a giveaway!?

If you comment on this post telling me your favorite line on our Coming Soon page you will have a chance to win an autographed copy of Modern Basics!

You have until Thursday, March 3rd @ midnight CST to comment. Good luck!

PS. Next stop on the blog tour is One Shabby Chick on March 1!

2011 Designer Mystery Block of the Month + Winner

In 2008 Kimberly created our very first Designer Mystery Block of the Month featuring Peace on Earth by 3 Sisters. In 2009 we featured 3 Sisters Glace collection and in 2010 Kate Spain’s 12 Days of Christmas collection. We still have a limited number of openings to the 2010 Designer Mystery BOM.

This year we decided to venture into a tranquil flower garden with Joanna from Fig Tree Quilts.  We are featuring her Strawberry Fields collection just in time for spring.  The flower garden has now come to a complete bloom and I am absolutely in love!

Beginning in June 2011, you will receive a different 12" flower block each month designed by your favorite designers including:

Acorn Quilt and Gift Company

Anka's Treasures

Bonnie & Camille

Bunny Hill Designs

G.E. Designs

Heartspun Quilts

Me & My Sister Designs

Miss Rosie's Quilt Company

Pieces from My Heart

Stitch Studios

The Pattern Basket

This & That

You can sign up now for the 2011 Designer Mystery Block of the Month! Each block will ship around the 10th of the month beginning June 2011 and ending May 2012.

Joanna from Fig Tree Quilts did an absolutely romantic job designing our finishing kit that finishes at 79" x 94".

We also have a tranquil slate grey backing set available.

Here are a few more sneaks of the finished quilt.

********

Ok, now it is time to announce the winner of the Boho Shoulder Bag Giveaway from last week's post.  I get to select, at random, FIVE lucky winners this time!

Rebecca
"I have the perfect Bliss fabric. Very cool pattern!!"

Jennifer Joshua
"Sunkissed may be. Love to win"

Shelley
"That's the perfect bag for taking to Quilt Show Markets!! Just think of all the goodies I could stuff in there LOL! I love the It's a Hoot Raspberry Trees twill fabric..it would be perfect in this bag!"

Deborah
"Sunkissed and Central Park are the fabrics I would choose..which ones would be the dilemma:) I need a big bag to take to quilt shows this spring!"

Gill
"Sherbert Pips! I'm waiting impatiently for the release of this fabric here in the UK!!"

Congratulations to all the winners! To claim your prize e-mail stephanie [at] fatquartershop [dot] com with your full shipping information. You have one week from today to do so.

Have a wonderful weekend and make sure to sign up for our 2011 Designer Mystery Block of the Month today!

Boho Shoulder Bag + Giveaway

Spring is coming (no, seriously… it is!) and what better way to celebrate than stitching up a nice BIG bag made from a bright, cheery print? Designer Jen Lopez from Sew Fun has created the perfect solution with the new Boho Shoulder Bag sewing pattern. This pattern is a reversible, sling style bag with bottom pleats to make it nice and roomy. It features lots of stylish top stitching, a toggle button closure and pockets inside & out.

The thing to love most about this pattern is it takes just one yard of two different fabrics (one each for inside and out – it’s reversible)… a perfect opportunity to justify all those “I’ll just buy ONE yard!” moments at Fat Quarter Shop.

The pattern calls for the outside fabric in home dec weight or similar fabric. We stitched up samples for Quilt Market in Moda’s twills and they were the perfect weight: not too heavy or thick, easy to sew and they had a very nice texture, kind of like a light denim. How about Moda’s It's a Hoot Twill in Fudge, Raspberry or Cherry?

If you are feeling more ambitious and you have the perfect quilting weight fabric, you can apply a light to medium weight interfacing to the exterior fabric like our friend Carrie did with this gorgeous Laura Gunn Dogwood Stripe in Olive from her Poppy line of designer fabrics. Looking for something really Spring-y? How about Tea Garden by Dena Design for Free Spirit Fabrics?

The Boho Shoulder Bag can be worn over the shoulder or across the body, messenger-bag style - perfect for keeping a busy mom’s hands free. Use it for baby’s things, yoga, market, books, knitting – just about anything!

Sew Fun is generously donating five of this new pattern to five of you lucky winners!  What can YOU do with your Boho Shoulder Bag?  Leave a comment on this post telling me what line of fabric you would make your bag out of for a chance to win.

Contest closes Wednesday, February 23rd @midnight CST.  Good luck!

Cluck. Cluck. Sew Pattern Winner!

On the last blog Allison Harris from Cluck. Cluck. Sew visited us presenting her 10 new patterns. Well now it's time for what you have all been waiting for... the announcement of who won their choice of 5 of her patters!

 The winner is... 

 Lexi 

"All Patched Up

Kaleidoscope

sugar Dish

Peppermint Twist

and Juice Boxes

I would use Bliss for All Patched Up."

Congrats!!  To claim your prize e-mail Stephanie [at] fatquatershop [dot] com with your full shipping information.  

After pretty much everyone else in the US has been experiencing blizzards all last week we finally got snow Friday morning in Austin, Texas! It was our first snowfall this winter. That being said, we were snowed in on Friday so we were unable to ship orders placed on Friday. We should be back to normal deliveries by Tuesday.