The Early Birds Have Arrived!

 WHOOOOPEEEE! It finally came! Can you tell that I was pretty excited when my box of new FreeSpirit designs arrived on Thursday? It is called Early Birds. Some collections just feel good from the start and this is one of those. So let's open this treasure box and see what's inside.

It usually takes a while to get reacquainted with your designs because it has been months since the artwork went off to the factory. But this time they felt like old friends. Look at those COLORS!

Of course, a mother has to love her children, so I'm biased. This is one of the designs that will also be done in oilcloth (laminated fabric). I see some fabulous tablecloths in the future!

Naturally, you have to stroke and caress each one as it comes out of the box... and then do it all over again as you sort them into their proper stacks. The beautiful hand of FreeSpirit fabrics makes it a tactile feast as well as a visual one. Then you have to unfold them and fondle them some more. Heavenly!

If you would like to see the whole line, visit my website. It is still under renovation, but the fabrics are all posted for your inspection. If you like what you see, pass the word to your favorite fabric store. The fabric will be available in November and they can see it in person at Houston Market, with their Westminster representative or on the FreeSpirit website.

The other nice thing that happened this week was that the October/ November issue of Quilter's Newsletter arrived with my article about designing fabric!  And if you go to the Quilter's Newsletter website there is another fun article by my good buddy, Nancy Arseneault. We are both Day of the Dead devotees and there you can see and read about her wonderful new Beauty Parlor de los Muertos Quilt.

So after such a quiet summer the autumn is starting with some nice energy. Let's sew!

Preserving the Green

As I still wait for the arrival of my new fabric, I have taken time to record some of the shapes and colors around me. The autumn transition has set in and all the colors are beginning to change. The soybeans and corn are turning yellow and the mums are beginning to bloom.

It is ironic that my designing time is in winter when all the inspiration is covered in snow. So these photos are my memory for the designing days ahead. As you can see,  green still rules in the garden.

On the quilting scene, I have finally taken the time to prepare some fabric for a portable project. I hate to sit idle and am always happier when I have some hand work. So I spent a day cutting 5" hexagons from freezer paper and fusing them to the backs of the Exotic colorway of the Iris and Bleeding Heart fabric from the Garden Divas collection.

Then I treated the seam allowances with Mary Ellen's Best Press starch alternative and ironed them to the back. In the following evenings, I basted the seams in place and then began to whipstitch them together.

Here are some of the kaleidoscopic results.

Pretty exciting and a bit addictive. The color contrast and the variety of scale make some interesting effects. The next step is deciding how to put them into a composition.

Cross your fingers for new fabric this week.

Sublime Summer

Ahhhhh... it has been perfect summer weather and there is anticipation in the atmosphere. I am awaiting delivery of my new line of FreeSpirit fabrics which will kick off a new burst of activities in preparation for Houston Market. It is the quiet before the storm. A bit like sitting on an egg!

Meanwhile, as I cleaned up the studio getting ready for this new phase, I got a wonderful email from Jean-Sophie Wood. She had her two salvaged wing-chairs reupholstered in the Sweet Potato Vine and Rose Hips fabric from the Prairie Gothic line.

Don't they look striking? If you visit her blog, Sophie Junction, she will tell you all about them. I love their symmetry, especially the arms which are perfectly matched with the leaves and rose hips landing in the same place on both chairs.

This just tickles me! Needless to say, I am delighted to see my designs put to such perfect use. And I am honored to contribute a little color and style to someones life. They also seem appropriate sitting among these gems from the garden.

The garden produce is ripening and the fresh vegetables are a sublime treat. This is the first watermelon that Greg has grown. It is always amazing to watch melons and gourds grow. I love the shape of the leaf on this plant.

Look at the breathtaking network of stems and vines on this zucchini! 

The peppers are very HOT and happy this year.

This is our second season to grow okra. It looks so lovely that we hate to pick it, but found that the pods dry beautifully for autumn floral arrangements.

And finally the tomatoes are coming online. What a treat it is to eat these days! This is the inspiration that carries me through the winter.

Communication Breakdown

I feel like I have just returned from the Twilight Zone. After the big power outage we have been hit with storm after storm. I love storms, but it seems that it can't just "rain" anymore. Lightning hit our Internet tower and we were without a connection for over two weeks... not amusing when you are getting ready for a teaching trip. I really felt disconnected and discombobulated. Boo hoo! This is my apology for being absence for so long. The Internet was down again yesterday, too! So I rushed to get this posted today before something else happens.

It was also 100 degrees and humid during the communication breakdown and we had to begin taking photographs for the new book (more on that later). At this point, I have at least 50 quilts made with my fabrics that need recording and more on their way. So we soldiered on and prepared the studio for a photo shoot.

Greg set up a clever rigging for the lights and I was his assistant. Technology has changed since our last big shoot, so it was a bit nerve racking, especially since I couldn't go on line to get any tips. All went well, however, and we have another batch to do this week. But the weather is cool and lovely, so the studio will be more comfortable and the routine is established.

Here is a stack of quilts awaiting their turn in the limelight. It has really been fun to dig through all these past projects and revisit some of my favorite fabric designs. The book will be a nice record of the past eleven years of designing for FreeSpirit.

I am also making some new pieces for this venture and this is the latest. I am a minimalist at heart, even though some of my quilts are over-the-top with pattern. I quite like the simplicity and starkness of this design. The quilting should be just as clean and clear as the top.

I appliqued the quarter circles to 12" whole blocks and attached then with topstitching. The Willow Wands fabric is from the current Garden Divas collection and the rest of the fabrics are from various previous lines. This is a good design for mixing and matching from your stash. In this case, I used blues, green and pinks for a comforting and cool feeling. It also has huge graphic impact but is easy to put together... perfect for a dorm or baby quilt.

Here are some pillow cases that would be welcome in the dorm room, too. School started here this week and there were scrubbed and bright little kids and their parents on almost every corner waiting for the school bus... such memories.

Next week I'll take you on a tour of the vegetable garden, beware of mosquitoes!

Back to Basics- Three Days Without POWER!

Oh my, what a week! I had big plans and lots to accomplish, too. So I set out early Monday morning to hit the gym and begin the week energized. A good girl! As soon as I drove off our road and onto the highway the storm began. It was wild! The wind and rain came straight and hard from the west. Leaves were flying through the air. The screaming weather warning came over the radio. But I couldn't turn around for home because the wind was blowing at my back... I would be driving right into the storm.

So I waited out the weather at the gym. Finally things tamed down enough to run a few errands. When I got to Starbucks it was packed. "What's up?" I asked. I was told that all these people were without power. Too bad, I thought, not knowing that our house was without electricity, too.

So for three days we lived like the pioneers. Greg was quite enjoying himself... hauling water and ice, clearing the fridge, collecting flashlights, lighting candles. I'm afraid I wasn't as enthusiastic... no computer, no sewing machine, not to mention the toilet situation. But I will admit it was nice to have a valid excuse to take a little technological break. But everything is up and running now, at least at our house and we're getting back to business. Thank you to all the crews who worked around the clock to make it "light" again!!

So, this blog is brought to you with a little help from my friends. Melissa Peda comes to the rescue again! Here is a pretty little pastel bag made from the Garden Diva fabrics. She has cut the fabric to exploit the symmetrical design. But it is the covered button and closure loop that add the pizazz. It is lined with the same pink fabric as the strap and middle band. Please visit her Etsy shop to see more delightful creations.

This is another of Melissa's recent Garden Diva projects. The kaleidoscope pillow is nicely trimmed with the refreshing green Willow Wand fabric. The simple checked baby quilt is so feminine. Notice the purple backing and the green dotted binding, both from the Sunshine and Shadow line. What a wonderful combination! Thanks, as always, Melissa for your energy and your style.

Hopefully, this week I can start again with that "to do" list!

July 4th Cloth Kaleidoscope Fireworks

We had our holiday bash on Saturday. The house was dressed for the occasion and Greg had the yard tidied and trim. The place was humming with conversation and pockets of activity. Our move to country was intended to be a refuge for ourselves and our friends and it certainly was the case this weekend with good friends, good food and good times.

So in honor of the 4th of July, I thought I would share some fireworks! But these explosions are fabric creations done in the computer by my quilting buddy, Susan Buckingham. She has a crazy wonderful
design program called Kaleidoscope Kreator. She took three fabrics from the Garden Diva's collection and fed them into the kaleidscope software. The results are stunning.

This is the Exotic colorway of the Iris and Bleeding Hearts fabric. It is very symmetrical so it is a perfect subject for slicing and repeating. Susan applied a ten wedge template and added the blue background to match the background of the fabric. I combined then into a single composition. Look what happened!!

Next she took the Spring Wreath fabric, also in the Exotic colorway, and did her magic. This time, instead of circles, she has kept them in a square format and used an eight wedge template.

I added the black background which looks like sashing on a quilt and really makes the colors dance.
I especially like the way the daffodils and daisies interact and change the texture from one frame to the next. So many possibilities!

It's hard to pick out a favorite block! The Zinnia fabric in the Peacock colorway was her next test. Also a symmetrical design, with a black background and lots of potential for play.

She really had fun with this one. She used an eight wedge template again and added color around the circular motifs. I put them into two groups so you could see all the variations.

Unbelievable! The graduated colors in the flower do some grand things. The whole group has such a fresh and lively energy. Now check out the turquoise collection, below.

My favorites are the ones that incorporate the stems and leaves because they create more variety and movement in the composition. Of course, the obvious application of these wonderful designs is for quilting. My brain is scheming and my fingers are itching to begin a new kaleidoscope project.Thank you, Susan, for your effort and inspiration. What a wonderful way to start the week!

Hot Summer Colors

Whew! A busy week here in the studio. There were lots of great rainy and gray days to take advantage of. But this weekend has been mostly sunny and Greg is out sprucing up the yard for the holiday celebrations. Every time I look outside there seems to be more flowers than before, like these mossroses, which are a yearly tradition.

My favorite hot color combination of red and yellow seemed to be the theme for the week. First, my wonderful helper, Susan, came over to dig through my major stash of vintage Sassaman fabrics because she had a project in mind.

A few days later she called to say she was coming over with a "very colorful surprise". Holy cow!!! This is a Vogue pattern by well known designer, Koos van der Akker. I first became aware of his wonderful couture clothing from the Dragon Threads book, Koos: Couture & Collage by Linda Teufel. He loves to mix fabric prints in unexpected combinations and his clothing designs are always opulent and exciting.

All of these fabrics are from Jane's Floral Fantasy, a line I did for FreeSpirit around 2004. You may have some of it in your stash, too. Susan has arranged them in a masterful
composition. I really like how the blue is carried throughout and adds a lively contrast to the red and gold. Notice, too, that the lily print is repeated for continuity.

This is a three piece ensemble... harem skirt, cowl blouse and cummerbund belt. The skirt is actually reversible and continues on up inside and given a little twist to create the full ballooned edge. Clever!

The blouse has a cool cowl neckline and gathered shoulders. It is lined with very sheer, almost see-through, fabric to help it hold it's shape.

The belt is really interesting, as it is made of strips of fabric sewn in diagonal rows and then into a tube. Then the tube is folded like a paper fan and stitched at both ends. I wish I'd thought of that!

But, oh, such a perfect outfit for a garden party. I can just imagine Doris Day wearing this with red hi-heels. Perhaps we should name our mannequin Doris, as she has the most fun in the studio.

It seems that red and yellow was the theme in Melissa Peda's San Diego studio this week, too.
Here is a fabulous baby blanket made with my current FreeSpirit line, Garden Divas. I appreciate that someone else shares my colorful infatuation! This checker board quilt of 6 inch squares is very basic quilt construction, but the results are extraordinary. The checks are made from the Daisy Check fabric and the Zinnia fabric, both from the Exotic colorway. I find the simple repeat very satisfying and love the electricity created by the blue border. And that little bit of red iris blends the body and border together beautifully. As always, Melissa, thanks for sharing your vision with us!! Lucky baby!

It is uncanny how often Melissa and I are on the same fabric tangent! This is one of my projects this week using some of the exact same Garden Diva fabrics. I have to admit to really liking the Zinnia fabric with the red background, even if I did design it. Sometimes a mother has favorites. So here it is in an ocean waves quilt.

I started with a 10"(finished) zinnia medallion and then made blocks with 10" half square triangles. The blocks are made using three fabrics... Willow Wands (pastel), Lively Silhouette (blush) and Picnic Checks from the Prairie Gothic line. They are arranged to create the illusion of transparency by alternating pink and red blocks. The border repeats the Zinnia fabric again. I think the overall look is kind of old fashioned farm house... comforting, fresh and summery.

The back, however, is another story. But it is still keeping with this weeks color theme. I always like to do interesting backs so I get two quilts in one. I try to coordinate colors and attitude. I just could not resist
this fabric combination. Again, it is from my stash of treasured fabrics and it turned into a lively piece. It reminds me of circus posters, summer days, pedal-pushers, red PF Fliers and bikes with handle fringe.
In fact, like the 4th of July! Have a great holiday!