And I’m so pleased with the finished product.  I’m talking about my newest fabric line….Piccadilly. This quilt is made from the collection and I’ll have it available soon as a kit. Keep checking on the Shopping Around page of my website or email me to save you one….just in case.

As you probably know,  I love big bold prints that are stylized rather than primarily realistic. That’s the kind of look I focus on when I’m designing fabric….which I really love to do. I do the preliminary artwork myself…….right her in my home studio. The it’s sent off to Clothworks, the fabric company that I work with. It takes  up to a year from the time I do the artwork until it’s actually on the shelves of your favorite quilt shop.

Here’s a little closer look. I particularly love the combination of the funky green and brown. You can see all the collection in the fabric section of my website.  The fabric business…like many others……is changing or has changed in many cases. In case you haven’t noticed, fabric just isn’t around as long as it used to be. In other words, reordering that gorgeous print you love is often not an option for shops. Many fabric companies aren’t reprinting…even when it’s very popular. They’re moving on to the next new collection that’s coming along. So….the lesson here is that if you love it, you’d better buy it today because when it’s sold out at that shop, you’ll have to hunt around to find it still on the shelf at another shop.

I guess it’s all about adapting to the changes, in fabric like in everything else. Yikes….there I go getting philosophical about fabric. When I start doing that, I know it’s time to sign off for the night. It’s usually late at night before I manage to squeeze in blogging, which means I’m usually tired….and tend toward the philosophical. Even about fabric!!

Signing off for tonight. Check out Piccadilly at your favorite shop. It’s even better in real life!!

And I don’t mean the Wall Street market……although that’s vitally important, I’m talking about the REAL market for this time of year…..International Quilt Market in Houston. Well, I guess that’s only true if you’re involved in the world of quilting and textiles….but for those of us who are, it’s an important time of year.

First of all,  I have to admit I got to market without my camera so you’ll have to put up with words only. Sorry about that…..I always much prefer photos, but……I’ll try to chat a little about it without the visuals this time.

For those of you who might not be familiar (probably lots of you) quilt market is the twice-a-year show where designers and other wholesale vendors go to show their wares to shop owners….and hope to sell to them, of course. What the shop owners order there will eventually show up on the shelves of  their quilt shops but sometimes that takes a while. In the case of fabric, it can be another four months or longer …..but it is coming and it will be new!!

I design fabric for Clothworks Textiles…..and they were showing my new line which will be in the shops in February……Poppies…and, I have to tell you….I LOVE IT!  I’ll get some photos on my blog and website soon…but you can see the whole line on their website at www.clothworkstextiles.com. Now, I want to make this perfectly clear…..I don’t ALWAYS love my fabric collections when they get to this stage, but this one is fabulous. Actually, my fabric for Clothworks is always really great….it feels soft and elegant and their artists do a wonderful job of converting my artwork to fabric. That means a lot to me……if my name is going on the side of it, I want it looking and feeling good. Period. Clothworks never disappoints me with this. Soo….if you love bold and dramatic, check it out on their site.

I also have a new book coming out this month…..Blended Borders which made a grand appearance at market as well. I did a book signing at several booths…..and there were actually folks waiting in line. Of course….there’s something about the lure of a FREE book….but I prefer to think it’s all about the book and not the free part! Truly, I’m very proud of this book too. More to come on that as well.

As far as my overall analysis of it all……I’ve decided that really anything goes….as long as it’s done well. In fabric you can see everything from lovely vintage to hot and retro…and all seems to be popular. Maybe the days of strong trends are gone…..just like in fashion, there seems to be a trend toward variety and I think that’s a good thing. Always fun to see all the goodies, though.

I always enjoy seeing friends from around the country that I don’t get to see any other time. Kind of an old-home-week with lots of work involved! It’s not easy making all that stuff look beautiful. Especially when it’s been shipped from all over the country and smooshed up in boxes and crates.

Ok…I think I hear that my granddaughter has arrived, so I’ll sign off for now. More to come soon. Stay tuned.

OK….I know I’ve been a very bad blogger. Or rather, a very absent blogger. My apologies…..it’s just that I seem to have periods of time now and then when I just can’t get blogging into my schedule. I apologize…….it’s been a busy couple of months. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!!

Let’s see what’s been happening……a great summer. Not enough time to enjoy the weather and the grandchildren, but I don’t think I’ll every have ENOUGH time!! One big news…..next month is the release of my latest book…..Blended Borders. The photo above is the cover quilt….how about that for dramatic, huh. I love it. It’s definitely on my short list of favorite pieced quilts I’ve every made. Of course, it’s all about finding the fabulous fabric like this one. For details on how to create a Blended Borders quilt, check out the book when it hits the quilt shops about the middle of October. I’ll have it on my website as well and I’ll be happy to sign if you like.

Also….quilt market is coming up next week so I’ve been busy getting ready for that. It’s a busy time for those of us who work in the business of quilting, but always a great experience. It’s exciting to see what’s coming up in the next year….and I always enjoy seeing the friends I’ve made over the years whom I rarely get to see except at market. I promise to fill you in on any trends I spot or great products when I return.

And…I recently finished up work on a new book coming out next summer. Remember my Bali trip? My friend Susan Nelsen, who was also on the trip, and I are coauthoring a book that combines a fun technique we call Superstrata with the beauty of Bali which was our inspiration for the look of the quilts. Not only did we have a great time on the trip….but working on the book was fun too. Really. I’ve coauthored several books, and have always had a good experience sharing the role of author. Of course, I’ve coauthored with some of my favorite friends so that makes it a pleasure.

Teaching is always part of my routine, and I just got back from a week on the road. I was the featured quilt artist at a great show in Walla Walla, Washington…..and I went from there to a teaching gig in Coupeville, WA. Also a great group….the challenge for me going to that part of the country is dealing with the ferries. For those of you who don’t know the area (probably most of you) Coupeville is on Whidbey Island of the coast of Washington. Very charming…..

And, as always this time of year, we spend lots of time at soccer and fall baseball games watching our grandchildren. All are involved in sports and it’s absolutely one of my very favorite things in the world to do to watch them. A little stressful at times……our grandson is a pitcher (no pressure there for parents and grandparents) but still a joy. All the granddaughters are great soccer players….do I sound like a proud grama? I am.

SOOOO… that kind of wraps up my news….It’s amazing how fast fall arrived, isn’t it. I love the autumn season…but I’m sad that another summer has ended. It’s such a distinct marking of time going by. Ok….I’d better say good night. I’m starting to get philosophical so I know it’s time to call it a night.

I’ll be back soon. Promise.

 

 

HOT OFF THE PRESS!!!!  I’m very excited to announce the release of  the new book I coauthored with my friend Sharyn Craig……Challenge Quilts. It should be arriving at your favorite quilt shop any time now…or, you can order it from my website.

The book is all about breaking out of your  creativity comfort zone and taking a challenge to create your own unique quilt. There are no precise recipes….just great ideas for getting started on making an original quilt.  The idea all began when  I was visiting Sharyn in San Diego and  took her a set of blocks to see what she could come up with. I call her “The Queen of Sets” because there’s nothing she likes better than starting with the blocks and creating a setting to bring them to life.

To make a long story short…. we had such a good time creating a quilt together with the blocks, we decided we HAD to make it a book. We’d toyed around with coauthoring a book before this, but decided we just didn’t have time, didn’t want the commitment etc. etc. etc. Well, that all went out the window when we got exicted about the challenge idea.

Basically,  in the book we’ve given you a specific block and a color scheme or  color idea for the block for eight different challenges….the rest is up to you! it’s your chance to “think out of the box” …..with a little help getting those creative juices flowing. We both felt it was a good jump start to our own creativity so we’re hoping you agree. I’m sure you will! We also invited other quilters to take the challenge…..and there are lots of their quilt photos as well. I think there are 55 quilt photos in the book ……plenty of inspiration.

Here’s a look at two of my quilts and two of Sharyn’s. We started with the same block and used a combination of hand-dyed or batik fabric with vintage-looking fabric in this challenge.. Now that might sound like an odd combination…..but we loved working with it. I discovered a whole new world of vintage looking fabrics out there that I had basically been ignoring for years!  Like I said, the challenge idea really got us thinking differently.

Here’s my quilt Raspberry Salsa….. probably on my own personal list of favorite quilts I’ve pieced over the years.

This is my other quilt for this challenge……Cinnamon Spice. I’m pretty crazy about this one too!

This one, Tequilla Sunrise, is Sharyn’s….all  four of them from the same basic block and designated fabric selections. Quite a difference, huh. That’s the fun of the challenge!

When Sharyn  finished this quilt for the same challenge….I totally fell in love with it. I loved the blended, same-tone look of it…which as you know…..is my favorite look. Sharyn, being the good friend that she is, named it for me  …This One’s for Pam….AND she gave it to me. It has a proud place in my living room and looks fabulous. I think of her each time I walk by it. What a nice bonus.

Isn’t it amazing how some of our quilts look very contemporary and the others have a very vintage look. It all depended on whether the batiks and hand-dyes or the vintage looking fabrics dominated. The possibilities are endless.

That was just a little taste to entice you…..believe me, there are many more great quilts in the book and I’ll show you more in posts to come. Right now….I’d better get on to the next task on my list. Don’t forget now….check out Challenge Quilts….”what if” ideas for color and design   by Sharyn Craig and Pamela Mostek.

And I absolutely love it!!!  I’m so excited to tell you about my new fabric line, Piccadilly. Here you’re seeing the brown colorway of the main floral print. Floral print, you might ask? Well, of course. You know how I love big, bold, beautiful floral prints that are stylized to make them something unique…..and that’s what you’ll be getting with this fabric collection.  Those gorgeous flowers you’re seeing are big and bold enough, even for me!

It’s my artwork….. but the fabric line is manufactured by Clothworks Textiles, and I couldn’t be more happy with the results. I have always been so pleased with the the artful way they convert my designs into fabric. The art is true to my original design (or even better!) and the hand (or feel….if you’re not familiar with fabric jargon) of the fabric is lovely. Soft and drapey…….not like some of the other fabric manufacturers out there.  If you haven’t noticed……next time you’re in your favorite quilt shop,  just spend a few moments checking out the feel of a few of the top fabric companies. Clothworks is always among the finest. …..and believe me, that’s important to me. I love doing fabric, but if it doesn’t look and feel good……it’s not fun anymore!!

Here are a few more examples from the collection. It will be up on my website soon, but until then, you can see it all on the Clothworks site at

 http://www.clothworkstextiles.com/collection.asp?ID=162

In case you’re wondering just how to get your hands on this great new collection, it should be showing up at your favorite quilt shop in late summer or early fall. Just to make sure, check with the shopowner to see if it’s on the way. Shopowners really do like hearing what people are interested in…….the best way to make sure it will be there is to ask!!

You know, it’s always exciting to see the whole fabric thing progress. It starts as an idea here in my studio, then becomes artwork…..then moves on to Clothworks where my artwork is forwarded on to the factories in Japan or Korea. Next we see it all together and looking good on paper which is how shopowners usually view it when they order it. Then comes the waiting game…….after it’s sold for a few months, it’s ordered and then…..like magic (well, not quite, but it seems that way!) it arrives at the quilt shop! 

Even in this fast, electronic age, it’s not a speedy process. It usually takes six months to a year…..and then you hope it looks as great as you envision it!  Trust me…….with this one, it definitely does!

Here they are…… two of my three wonderful granddaughters wearing skirts that I made for them. I don’t have much time to do Grama sewing….so getting them done and seeing them on the girls is a treat for me. Besides, they love modeling for the camera, can’t you tell!

I used a darling pattern called “Sassy Skirts” by Susan Whitman of Chilrdren’s Corner. It’s a two-layer skirt cut on the bias and is very fun and flippy looking. Of course, all the great prints out there make it even more fun.

This is Josie, age almost eight, and she loves darker, more grown-up looking prints….but she has since she was two…so I think that’s just her own personal style. She and her grama usually share a lot of favorite looks.

And this is Brooklyn,  age six…..and a true fashionista already. She loves pink and inherently knows what’s hot and what’s not in the world of fashion. It’s amazing. She’s a girlie-girl and loves all the fashion details.

It’s such a treat for me to sew for them. I’m trying to make more time to do that because they’re growing up fast.  I also made the skirt for their cousin Lauren who lives in Wenatchee, WA. I’ll be sure and add her modeling photo, too, when she gets her skirt.

It’s great to be Grama. Absolutely my favorite hat to wear!!

Here they are…. a collection of delicious quilts home from the publisher! This varied assortment of quilts are from the upcoming book that I’m coauthoring with my friend, Sharyn Craig. The book is entitled “Challenge Quilts”…..and it will be hot off the press this summer.

I unpacked these two big boxes of quilts today….which had been “visiting” at the publisher, Martingale & Co., the past eight months where they had been photographed and on hand during the editing and book production process. It was a delight to see them again….and it brought back all the memories of creating them and conferring with Sharyn as the book idea….and the projects progressed.  We had a great time working together…..we’re a great team…..and we’re looking forward to seeing the book this summer. More to come on that….but a little clue, there are 57 quilts that were photographed for the book, and it’s total eye candy for those who love quilts.

The story of a book is a long one….it can take even two years from idea to actual book-on-the-shelf. There are a lot of variables…..but it’s not a speedy process. First comes the author’s idea and development of that idea. This undoubtedly involves having some of the quilts completed before submitting the  book proposal to a publisher.  There’s lots of other work besides the quilts that goes into that proposal……pages and pages of ideas and information to support the idea.

For me, that publisher has been Martingale & C0, or you might know it as That Patchwork Place, who have been totally supportive of me and my ideas. They’ve allowed me lots of creative input into the book designs….and I’m very grateful for their confidence in me and my ideas.

Anyway…back to the  book story. After the publisher receives it, they put it in the review process. This can take a short time or a long time……but very likely a few months. If you’re lucky….and they like the idea….. they say yes, contracts are signed and they’ll set a date that the manuscript and projects need to be turned in to them. Probably about half a year….maybe more or less, depending on their schedule. Hopefully you’re getting the picture here…..it all takes time.

Once it’s all done and turned in….I can breathe a big sigh of relief that it’s off my plate and onto theirs! Not that I won’t see it again……once it’s in the hands of the editor, questions and answers go back and forth between author and editor, and the author sees it a couple of times during the process…including once when it’s been “layed out” (translation, it kind of looks like a book!) That’s exciting….you can see that after all the thinking and work, it will actually BE a book!

This whole editorial process , the time that the publisher works on it, takes about a year…..in the case of Challenge Quilts,  Sharyn and I actually began work on the quilts over two years ago…..so by the time it’s released this summer, it will be about  two and a half  years in the process.  Wow……I hadn’t really thought about that until now as I’m writing about it!  It guess it has been a long time.

Even after authoring eight other books…..it’s still exciting thinking about a new one coming.  It takes a big chunk of an author’s life  to put it all together….kind of like a marker of time.  Hmmm…..I seem to be getting philosophical about a book release. It must be time for bed…..

THIS was my weekend project. It’s a pieced quilt using what I call SuperStrata cut on the diagonal and pieced into a simple design.  Not quilted yet….but you get the idea. For now I’m calling it Garden Tropics but that might change.  It doesn’t have that “just right” ring to it yet!

You know how I love quilts of all kinds to have a blended, colorful look….and I think this one hits the mark on that.  I’m really pleased with it and love the green in the border fabric. The funkier the green the better as far as I’m concerned….and I love all greens!

There is a plan for  this quilt…..but the details are yet to come. I like having a little mystery going…..I will keep  you posted, but for now enjoy looking.  Here’s a detail of the piecing.

Here I am with the amazing new Bernina 830. Wow. What a sewing machine……the latest and greatest in a long line of fabulous  sewing machines by Bernina.

Maybe that’s not quite accurate. I think the 830 is really in a class of its own. Many of we Bernina fans have been waiting for a machine for years that gives us more space in the throat…you know, that area where you actually put your fabric when you’re sewing or quilting.  And it’s here!!!

The wait was definitely worth it. Not only is there more space, there’s everything else you can think of…..it’s super loaded with all those things sewers dream of…more speed, bigger bobbin, amazingly simple operating system even for a nontechie like me (that’s saying something!) and the list goes on and on.  One of my favorites….it’s REALLY an automatic threading system, not like earlier models that were really an automatic put-your-thread-through-the-needle system.  For more information on all the details, check out the website at

www.bernina8series.com

or www.berninausa.com     for all kinds of good reading

Unfortunately, it won’t vaccum my studio floor, but it does have an alarm clock on it! You know, just in case  you forget to go to bed while you’re sewing. Now you can just set the alarm to remind yourself!

And how was I able to wrap my arms around this dream machine? I just returned from Chicago from the annual  reunion of National Artisans for Bernina…..a group of designers, teachers, and others in the quilting and sewing world who are dedicated Bernina users.  This year’s get-together was dedicated to showing us all the unbelievable features of the 830…..plus lots of learning and sharing from each other as well as the Bernina people. And…as always….lots of laughs and good times. More photos of that to come…I promise!  Here’s a quick look…..national sewing teachers learning the ins and outs of the new machine.

I have another Bernina that I love, the 640 model, (that’s probably only significant info if you’re a Bernina fan) and I did not go off to Chicago thinking I would fall in love with the new machine. BUT, I have to tell you, I’ve been lusting after that machine ever since I returned.  It’s truly amazing….and that comes from someone who’s spend years and years behind a sewing machine.

I’m plotting just how and when to make it my own. I’ll keep you posted. Believe me, it will be a red letter day! After all……I deserve it, don’t you think!

 

Here she is….my second Paintbox bag….and she now belongs to Sandy from Lake Jackson, Texas.

Her new owner, Sandy, saw my original Paintbox bag on my blog a few weeks ago and emailed me to ask if she could purchase one. So….that officially made me in the Bag Business!!  I’ve decided each of them will have the name of a very stylish, artsy girlfriend…..Clarice being the first.

Here’s a closer look at some of her finer features….. same mixed fabrics, stitching and design elements as my wall pieces…but with a new twist.

It’s been great fun making the bags and adapting my Paintbox designs to this different format.Many of my friends have heard me dream about being a bag designer (I often say I’m just a frustrated wearable artist…..!) so dabbling in this has been very rewarding. I’m seriously thinking of putting my own, original bags on my website for sale…..but it will take me a little while to get a few made to offer. Unfortunately, my plate is always pretty full.

When January rolls around (very soon) I have a lot of work waiting for me….fabric, books, teching etc. but I’m going to try working it in.

I love handmade items and for years made most of my gifts……until my hobby of making stuff and quilts became my profession! Now I don’t have as much time to do it for the fun and satisfaction……and I do miss that. Maybe adding art bags to my bag of tricks will give me that same satisfaction.

One thing about this creative business…you never know just what will come around next. One thing usually leads to another, and you have to be thinking all the time about what opportunities are next…….

Enjoy your bag, Sandy….and thanks for being my very first bag cusomer!!