Free Sneakers Applique Pattern

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010

The template for the Sneaker Applique is now available as a free pattern.  Click the image to download or visit the Free Patterns section of my website.  Two sizes are available on this pattern.  Have fun & happy sewing!

Fun with hightops!

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

I have had these shoes running around in my mind for the longest time!  Finally, Angie helped me make a darling pattern so I could applique them onto a quilt. 

Watch for a free download pattern on the website!  I love this argyle fabric on the shoes! 

I wish I could make a pair to wear!

Fabric arrives!

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

It’s here!  I am sew excited to have my hands on these fabrics.  Tons of ideas for projects to sew on my new machine!  It’s so nice to see it on a bolt after working with strike-offs, you just can’t wait to see what it’s going to look like and feel like at the final stages!

Look at all the pretty colors!  They are delicious!

We love these beautiful fabrics!  Thank you so much Benartex!

BERNINA JOY!

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

There are all kinds of joy in life, joy of motherhood, joy of first love, joy of friendship.  But there is another joy, Bernina Joy.

The wonderful delight of working on a machine that sews effortlessly!  I have been getting to know my new machine and have been testing it quite thoroughly.  I can’t say enough how much I love my new Aurora 440!

Dessert Club!

Monday, April 12th, 2010

How FUN!  Cottonwood Quilts of Hutchinson sent me this photo of the gals in the Desert Club that made Junk Bags as one of their patterns.  There are 24 ladies in the group.  Look at all the different colors, styles and design ideas they came up with off the pattern!

I love that this shop encourages sewing groups that build lasting friendships.  What a delight to see their  creations and to feel the excitement of being a part of that creativity!  I am sending new products and a gift to Cottonwood Quilts for keeping me posted and sending the photo of their sewing friends working on one of my patterns.

If you have a group that has used one of my patterns or fabrics, send me a photo and your story!  I would love to post it on my blog.  Send your information to: have2sew@sbcglobal.net

I want to encourage sewing groups to come to Wichita and see the Wichita Quilt Show :

Little Flower Pocket Top

Monday, April 12th, 2010

I am anxious for 2010 Spring Market, just around the corner.  This darling top with fun flower pocket is so quick and easy – it’s my newest pattern, sewn up in my newest line of fabrics from Benartex.  I can’t wait to show you more!

Pristine Junk

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Bev. would do almost anything I ask of her in her job at JCD (some restrictions apply).  But, she doesn’t really sew enough that she is set-up to test a pattern.  She had been waiting and collecting things for quite some time, though to make herself a Junk Bag once the edits were done and the pattern was finished.

 At some point, we decided  I should make it for her, so she brought me a wonderful stash of linens, hankies, & embroidered pieces to chose from.  It was hard to decide!  I kept asking myself – “what would Bev do?”.  She has a very unique gift of being able to “edit” and her discerning eye has saved me many times.  Only Bev. can be Bev. – too much pressure!

 She loves soft, romantic, clean, crisp, vintage-inspired pieces in the way that I do, so it was a joy to make her bag, even if it was hard to have her “eye”.    She loved it in the end.. I love the brooch an the silk flower on the vintage tag.

There were a few things in her fabric basket that I didn’t want to send back when I was finished.  But,as she said, “now you kow what I’ve got tucked away”.  She brings her Junk Bag to work each week, but what I can’t get over is how pristine and pretty her bag looks!  I think it’s another of her special super powers!

Sweet Quilting Retreat

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Last weekend at Picket Fence’s annual quilt retreat, I met wonderful, talented women.  This is Terri and her sister Marsha who was visiting from Missouri.  They both made Junk Bags, but with a crazy quilter spin to the pattern using wonderful, interesting embellishments.  I love seeing how they used their imaginations – crazy quilters find the most ingenious ways to use so many different elements in their quilts and projects.

Donna, Lisa’s daughter, who is in the education field, worked on finishing up the Mother’s Love quilt with the ruched borders.  Donna is also a knitter and crocheter and does wonderful work. 

Barbara, who I didn’t get a photo of, was working on two Cute as a Button Baby Jackets for gifts.   Baby girl  Lilly, has  a  L on the  pocket.  She fussy-cut the letter from my Sweetest Gifts fabric.  Both jackets are lined in cotton flannel.

Three glorious days in the quiet country sewing with friends and getting projects finished, what a wonderful treat!  Thank you Lisa for putting together a lovely experience!

PS: I promise I didn’t pay these gals to work on my patterns at this retreat, but what a wonderful  thing to get to see!  I learn so much watching others create and it helps me as a designer to see what the patterns and fabrics can become!

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!

Gifts that keep on giving..

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

For my birthday a few months ago, Bev. bought me the new Rachel Ashwell, Shabby Chic Interiors.  It is a beautiful book, inspirational rooms!  All of us at JCD are crazy about our books and magazines, Fortunately, while we have similar tastes and hobbies, we have different criteria for purchasing books and magazines.. so, we often will beg, borrow, share materials so that none of us ends up broke!  Not to mention that I have joined a book club (which I love) that can put a little ding in the cash flow.  I am calling it my continuing education – books are required.

Speaking of reading materials.. Steph’s birthday is this month, so Bev. and I  surprised her last week with lunch, brownies and gifts.  We usually pool our efforts and funds for gift giving.. Bev. made the beautiful “friendship” gift tag and I picked out these fabulous magazines and wrapped them with with some fabric I knew Steph would love, pinned the edges and topped it off with a fabric corsage pin (gifts within gifts!).

I bought Journaling, Where Women Create, Artful Blogging, and Stitch (open with awesome tank top), and had my hands full with at least another 5 or 6 that I had to walk away from!  I think she liked the gifts, we all had a hard time finishing our work and often had to flip through pages during “down” time.