Fabric Swatches!

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

My fabric swatches came!  We have been working with Benartex Fabrics to design this wonderful line and up ’til now, it’s been on paper.  This week, the girls and I got to see the prints on fabric for the first time!

We squealed, we oohed and we ahhed.  There were fabrics everywhere!  It just looks so beautiful!  It has been such a pleasure working with Benartex on this project!  I just  could not be any happier with the colors, the detail and how quickly this has all happened.               

We each have our favorites already!  Look at all the choices!  This purple and green argyle fabric is darling.  I can’t wait to get yardage of thes fabrics and start sewing models for Spring Quilt Market!

I am working on a free downloadble quilt pattern to use with the new line.  Seeing the fabrics all together like this makes the combination of colors/prints  for the design easier.  This alphabet fabric comes in two color ways, one more suited for boys, the other for girls.  It also has numbers and punctuation symbols!  I can’t wait to personalize a quilt with a name.

I had the opportunity last weekend to join my friend, Lisa of Picket Fence Quilts (here in Wichita) at her annual quilt retreat.  I got the fabric swatch samples earlier in the week, so I took them with me and had a chance to make a couple of small projects.

The pattern I used was Little Scraps from This & That.  It was agonizing trying to sort through my odd shapped swatches and then CHOSE the combination to use.  I wanted to use them all!  The project was fun and I added some lavender inside to make the notebook holder freshen my purse.  I made one for Steph and Bev.

Faux Crochet Granny Square fabric!  I have displayed this baby afghan Tamara Gonzales, my sister made and carried it to market after market – finally it made it’s way into my fabric line.  Tamara really did a wonderful job on the stitches and her work really looks lovely in cotton cloth.  Check out Tamara’s blog with Leisure Arts, Tamara’s Take  for all kinds of crochet ideas.

All I can say is that I am so excited, so grateful, so pleased!

A little more NYC

Monday, December 7th, 2009

Emilee sent me some of the photos she took with her camera while I was in NYC designing fabric.  I love this huge button and needle.  We were right in the heart of the garment district, people were scooting by with garments hung on the huge metal racks!

This was taken inside Benartex Fabrics.  Look at it all stacked up!

This is a view that a Kansas girl doesn’t see everyday.  I had the hardest time getting a sense of direction in the city.  A view like this helps you know where you are!

This is the beautiful church that I mentioned in a previous post.  I  just loved that you could walk in off the street.

Fabric design news!

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

I have been waiting for what seems like forever to announce some very exciting news.  I am preparing to travel to New York this week to begin designing my next line of fabrics with Benartex.  Until the contract was signed and the travel date set, I have kept this information to myself.. But now that I know it is actually coming to pass, I feel like I can share my news!

I have had the pleasure of visiting via phone and email with Mr. Lochner, the President of Benartex Fabrics and finally got the chance at Fall Market to quickly meet in person.  I am looking forward to meeting the staff and team I will be working with next week.  I am impressed with the products they offer for quilters and hope I can add to the variety of fabrics.

I have been designing this line in my head for the longest time and have so many ideas, my head is spinning.  My staff and I have been working to fine tune our wish list and I just hope I don’t scare the graphic artists at Benartex with the presentation!  I hope to share more about the design process in future posts.

Thank you to everyone who has given their support and to Mr. Lochner at Benartex for this exciting opportunity!

Between traveling and designing, I have had little time for sewing.  I did get the chance to make my sweet Ava a soft, fabric book for her birthday.  Her first birthday was on Halloween, it’s hard to believe a year has gone by already!

Angie made darling costumes for Ava and herself (baby witch & mommie witch) and decorated her house for the celebration.  It was such a nice party,  Angie worked very hard!  I love Ava’s hat Angie sewed onto a black headband.  She’s just worn out after all the fun and trick-or-treating!