Highlighter Rocks with Sunflowers & Lemons

Happy Friday!

This week really flew by...Quilt Con is just around the corner and I am just about ready to go. A few more bundles to fold this weekend. Today I wanted to share with you my Highlighter Rocks with Sunflowers & Lemons Quilt.

Highlighter is Kona Cottons Color of the Year!

I found photographs a huge inspiration for my Highlighter quilt since the color was so hard for me to grasp. It makes me pucker and smile at the same time. By looking for photographs that used that color it started me thinking about palettes to play with. I came across an abstract painting with yellows and grays, drawings of lemons, sunflowers and yellow doors.

These photos inspired the palette and then I began playing with ideas for design. I carry an embroidered pouch with me full of colorful rocks and it got me started on the “rock” idea for the quilt. Rocks of course, because they are gray and that was a part of the palette. Inspiration can come from so many different things and when all those little bits come together a quilt design emerges. Next came pulling together the gray rocks and the yellow stripped background to give the quilt subtle lines and movement - similar to the color essence in the abstract paintings. The goal was to balance out the intensity of Highlighter but still make it the dominate color of the quilt. The top is just part of the quilt, quilting can stand out or blend in depending on your motif and color of thread. I wanted a little of both because I just had to quilt sunflowers and lemons.

This is a free pattern at Robert Kaufman...soon! Like in the next week they will have it up to download.

Thanks so much for all your wonderful comments about Mystic and all the blogs that I did this last month about Morocco. I loved getting to share all of it with you.

Have a great weekend!!

XOXO

Valori

PS The 3 bundle winners have been emailed.....

The Souks of Marrakesh...

The Souks....

A combination the entire Mystic collection and Kona Cottons.....

The Souks is the open air marketplace in the medina (center)  of Marrakesh.... it is a maze of tiny stalls and vendors with every possible product you could need....I barely touched the surface of the Souks and was a little confused as to where I was but after a couple of visits I was able to find my way around. It is one of the most interesting aspects to the city...people watching...smells.... colors.... textures.... sounds...it hits every sense and then some. The souks may seem confusing but they are very well organized by product.... dyers area, food, leather, etc. The strips in the design of the quilt connect to each other in some places but not quite in others creating a maze sort of feel but yet it is very organized it felt like the Souks.

My quilting is a maze of quilting to showcase the Souks....

Here are a few of my favorite images from the Souks....

This would be one of my favorites!!!

I hope you enjoyed seeing a bit of my trip to Morocco....the trip changed my life and I am so very grateful!!! 

Last weeks bundle winner.... Jenny (you have been emailed)!

Ok - I have three fat 1/4 bundles of the entire collection of Mystic.... leave a comment and next week I will announce the winners!!!

Have a great week!!

XOXO

Valori

Gypsum

Happy Friday!!!

I wanted to share with you my Gypsum Quilt made out of the black and white palette of Mystic, for Robert Kaufman.

Gypsum was inspired by the Berber Rugs in Morocco and the gep carvings throughout the architecture in Marrakesh. Geps are the carved plasterwork used for upper wall, ceilings, tops of pillars, arches, or peaks... they can be ribbons framing windows and doors. I first saw geps in the Riad Idra in Marrakesh.

I love the Berber rugs... and what is surprising to me is how few photos I have of them. They are very simple and usually geometric, two color designs. The rug designs mixed with the stenciling at the Peacock Pavilions, I was bound to be inspired to do a black and white color way of Mystic and a quilt.

My room at Peacock Pavilions was even neutral....

Once this quilt was done I decided to quilt the Hand of Fatima mixed with designs reminiscent of the geps.

Mayram has an amazing collection of Hands of Fatima at Peacock Pavilions.

I love how the quilting turned out....

So does Ollie....

I have to share a few more images from Morocco that inspired the black and white palette in Mystic.

I hope you enjoyed the inspirational journey of Gypsum. The pattern for Gypsum will be available through The Stitchin' Post this month. I will keep you updated.

The winner from the Kantha Stitching blog post is... Solange (you have been emailed).

As with each quilt and project I share of Mystic there will be a bundle of fabric to win. Leave a comment to be entered... I will announce winner on Tuesday.

Hope you have an Awesome weekend....

XOXO

Valori

OH... One more really important thing. My good friend Amy has her newest Blossom Magazine Live... If you want to be inspired...find some love....some meaning... go check it out. Our trip to Morocco is in there and the exciting announcement that there is a new Morocco Artist Retreat in November 2016... and I am going to be teaching with Amy.....

Kantha Stitching

Today is one of those winter days I am not  fond of... it's cold, raining and the roads are icy. A good day to be in the studio.

A good day to sit by the fire with a nice cup of tea and do some Kantha Stitching. I have also heard this stitching called, Big Stitch or Running Stitch.... My friend from South Africa taught me...

All you need is two pieces of fabric - fat 1/4's are a great way to start and then you can turn it into a cute pillow. Embroidery thread or pearl cotton for stitching, and a needle. (I personally need a needle threader sometimes) and some scissors. Thread and needle for a quick basting.

This is one of my in progress pieces... I am going to turn this into a pillow once the stitching is all done. One of the great things about this technique you can put it down and pick it up months later without worrying about a pattern...(my current problem with knitting projects)

If you are working on something bigger than a cocktail napkin you are going to want to baste the two layers together. You can use a few safety pins or needle and thread. Using a needle and thread stitch the two layers together with large stitches, you don't need a ton of basting just to keep the two layers from slipping while you get the first few rows of Kantha stitching done.

Cut a 12" ish length of thread. Knot the end and either nest it between the two layers or through both layers so the knot is on the back. Your first row you will want to be straight. I fold my piece and finger press a line to follow when I am stitching. Very scientific!

It is this simple....

Now for all the fun things I am making or have made....

I think this will be a table runner when its all stitched...

Little cocktail napkins!! These remind me of Morocco and the cool napkins they have at Peacock Pavilions.

Pillows...Out of Mystic canvas and Mystic cotton.

Hope this finds its way into your tool box of techniques that you use when you create.

XOXO

Valori

The winner of the Mystic bundle is..... Barb in MI (you have been e-mailed)

AND because I really love giving things I am going to do another give away from this blog post....

Just leave a comment and I will announce the winner on Fridays blog....

Flying Carpet

Happy Saturday....

This is Flying Carpet, one of the four quilts made out of Mystic Fabric, for Robert Kaufman.

Flying Carpet was inspired by the rugs and carpets in Morocco.

The variety of styles and colors were amazing....each style representing a tribe or area in Morocco.

No rug was exactly the same because they were usually made by one woman - their skills passed down from generation to generation and no pattern is used just their knowledge. I loved that you could see two rugs from the same village with similar patterns still be very different.

I had to include this cute little guy. Kitties are well revered in Morocco... they take care of the rodents since most of the markets and homes are open air. You will find them everywhere.... I was in heaven.

In honor of Flying Carpet I am giving away a fat 1/4 bundle of the "extract" palette....just leave a comment below and the winner will be chosen on Monday. My manor of choosing winners is not scientific, I collect the number of comments (say 35) and write them on little pieces of paper and let one of the kids draw. So it really is quite random. Don't worry this isn't your only chance to win....I will be giving away a bundle of fabric with each quilt.

Hope you have a great weekend!

xoxo

Valori

The flying carpet pattern will be available mid January from The Stitchin' Post.

Interrupting the silence...

I am interrupting the recent silence on my blog (haha) to talk about a friend of mine’s new book. I am very lucky to be friends with some amazing people in our industry and Sarah Filke is one of them. Sarah is a resident of Australia. She came and taught at Quilter’s Affair last summer and was given rave reviews from her students.

I am excited to share with you her new book… Old Quilts, New Life

 

In this book Sarah selected 9 quilts from the American Folk Art Museum in New York and used them as the inspiration for her 18 quilts. She asked me if I had a favorite antique quilt that I would like to share…. Why yes I do!

I love this quilt! The contrasting fabric used in the chevrons intrigued me. I loved the varying widths of the rows and how the fabrics were all over the place but the way they are arranged made the quilt work. (I was privileged to see it in person at the Houston International Quilt Show in the Kaffe Fassett showcase.) I was so inspired by this quilt and my recent collection of fabric Mystic, inspired by Morocco, that I had to make something.

My something is this….

The Souks

The souks are the market place in the center of Marrakesh that I enjoyed winding through, finding treasures and seeing the craftsmen at work. The colors are vivid and the smell at times intense but so full of life I found myself sucked into a magical place.

The antique chevron quilt was a maze of color but yet felt organized…. That is the Souks!

Stay tuned for more about the Souks of Marrakesh and the new Mystic fabric!

XO

Valori

Inspired by... Paths of Peacock Pavilions

Happy Friday!

Today is my first post of Inspired by....

I had the honor of staying at the Peacock Pavilions in Marrakesh, Morocco. This place is MAGIC... While staying there you travel from house to house and tent to tent through the olive groves over paths. These are unique paths, each step is either too close or too far apart so that you are conscious of every step you take. You are present! My biggest goal and desire while I was in Morocco was to be present, soak in every moment. From my room in the morning I walked through these olive trees to the main house for breakfast. Starting my day being present in the moment.... this has stayed with me and I am so grateful for Maryam and Chris for creating such a unique and magical place.

My Path through the olive grove.

The Path to the artist tent.

The Path to our house.

I knew I would make a quilt at some point based on my love of these paths and the colors of Peacock Pavilions.....

At the beginning of the year Robert Kaufman asked if I would design a quilt out of their Essex Linen to show at market. Of course I said yes.... I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE working with Essex Linen! As I looked through the colors I realized that this was the quilt that I would make to honor those paths!

Some of the beautiful colors from Peacock Pavilions...

Dinner in a traditional Arabian Tent.... This was our first night there and was the most fun experience... the floors are covered in soft Moroccan rugs you sit on firm embroidered pillows... with soft lighting and bougainvillea hanging from the lights. The tent is covered in traditional Moroccan stencil designs. Seriously how could you not start off your experience with this and not be in LOVE with Peacock Pavilions!!

The Main house...

From the rooftop of our house looking towards the main house over the olive grove.

I loved the nights at Peacock, the pool would darken as the sun went down, the lights would start to glow in the seating area and everything would slowly turn into an Indigo night... so beautiful.

So.... drum roll...... the quilt....

Paths of Peacock Pavilions (photographed on the canyon at our house)

I quilted Olive leaves and Olives all over the paths. I am truly in love with this quilt... the memories of such a special place that helped my path to changing the need to always think about what is next or what I have to do or, or, or to being present and in the moment. Enjoying my children and my husband in the moment! It brings tears to my eyes because I am so full filled by this by the love I receive and give by being in the moment.

I hope you have a magical day!!!

XO

Val

Here is a great description of Peacock Pavilions   from their web site. They are amazing people!

"Peacock Pavilions is a handmade, artisanal boutique hotel in an olive grove on the outskirts of Marrakesh.  Part of the M.Montague offerings,  Peacock Pavilions  was designed and built by American blogger and designer, Maryam Montague, and her American husband, Chris Redecke.  

The hotel, like the rest of M.Montague brand,  supports Project Soar, a non-profit organization established the couple to uplift underprivileged communities, especially its girls and women, through art, and fitness. 10 % of profits from Peacock Pavilions go to sourcing Project Soar.

Maryam, her husband, and two children continue to live at Peacock Pavilions where they share their own slice of a Marrakesh oasis with resident peacocks Maurice, Persephone and Gigi, five cats, one mischievous yellow lab, and any guests lucky enough to be stopping through."

Learn more about MMontague products and experiences at www.mmontague.com

Colored Happy....

I am very excited to introduce you to Colored Happy... My quilt for the Kona 30th Anniversay.

I absolutely LOVE this quilt. Several years ago I found this magazine clipping of pillows that I thought would make a great quilt. The images has been tacked to my inspiration board ever since.

With all the 303 Kona Colors this was th perfect design to play with color. I fell in love with the new Kona solids and used them as my starting off point. The block itself is very easy to construct. It was a matter of playing with color. I choose 8 different color stories for the 25 blocks. This meant one of the color stories would have 3 blocks. I felt like this would set the balance of color just perfectly. (and I have a thing for odd numbers)

My biggest challenge Colored Happy was the quilting.....it is one of my favorite parts of the quilting process. There are times I run into a wall on what designs to quilt. I wanted to have the quilting add to the color and design of the quilt but not take over. With the variety of colors in the quilt how could I just pick one color to quilt with....I couldn't, so there are lots of colors in the quilting. The quilting designs are a mixture of "pebbles", curved organic shapes, and funky flowers.

The Kona 30th Anniversary Look Book....

 

Check out all of the beautiful quilts made by fabulous designers for the Kona 30th Anniversary Celebration.

The folks at Robert Kaufman are generously giving away Kona Charm pack with each blog posting over the 30 days. I picked the packet of new colors to give away to some lucky reader. Just leave a comment and you will go into a drawing to win this beauty....A great start to making Colored Happy. Colored Happy is a free pattern that can be downloaded from Robert Kaufman. (the give away is open for 24 hours starting at 10 a.m. pacific time Wednesday, November 19, 2014)

Have a great day!!!

XO

Valori

Color of the Week... Turkish Sea

Turkish Sea

This blue has a slight green tint too it when you look next to a true blue. I love that feel. It is refreshing and calming...

At market this week... lots of fun and inspiration to be shared after the trip. Have a great day!!

XO

Valori

Ashton Road Candy Picnic...

Ashton Road was released the end of July....for my collections to release complete I like to do a "look book" for the salesmen and women to show to shop owners when they show the fabric for the first time. The look book is full of inspirational photographs and projects. Some of the projects are free pattern downloads and others are recreated Sewing Cards. I try to come up with a theme for the photo-shoot that reflects what the fabric means to me. To get the look book to Robert Kaufman in time I receive sample yardage about 4 to 6 weeks before my deadline. That being said I try to be really prepared for the projects that need to be made and the photo-shoot. I received Ashton Road in the beginning of June. In the images below you will see all the work that goes into getting ready for a release. I have some of the most wonderful staff at the Stitchin' Post and friends that help me with all the sewing and pattern writing as well as the photo-shoots. I could not do it without them!

For Ashton Road the photos-hoot had to be with the kids....it had to be outside on a summer day. The colors in the fabric remind me of candy so we created a "candy picnic" for the kiddos. Two of my good friends helped me with the shoot. We each had cameras - perfect for three kids! It was the best day and one of the funnest photo-shoots I have ever done. The images are priceless and really express the happiness and love that created Ashton Road.

The Round-table...

My Tent...

Playtime Treehouse Quilt (free download).... made out of the flannel.

Vivi loves her Cruzin' Everyday Skirt....(new sewing card)

The Everyday Skirt pattern will be released at Fall Quilt Market.

Playtime Bikes.... out of the cotton sheeting. (free pattern download)

Urban Baby Quilt... (free pattern download) Flannel...

Three Times Around... (free pattern download) Cotton Sheeting...

This quilt is adapted from one of my patterns - The Zoey Throw.

That was our day.... lots of laughing... lots of sugar and LOTS of great photos!!!

This is my other new pattern coming out at Quilt Market, Diamond Lane.

I am doing the final touches for Quilt Market next weekend....My booth will be featuring Ashton Road... Photos to come....

Hope you have a great day!!!

Enjoy those little things in your life.... like laughing kids with lolipops!!!

XOXO

Valori

PS We are working on getting all of the Ashton Road free patterns up for download by the end of Ocotber.

Valori Wells + Robert Kaufman = LOVE!

So so so excited to announce that I am a designer for Robert Kaufman Company. My debut collections... yep 2 of them... were released today.

I thought I would give a little teaser of the collections and if you want or I should say need more check out Robert Kaufmans web site....I will also be posting lots of fun projects out of the collections on this blog.

The first collection is Quill...

This is the Journey Quilt made out of Quill and my other new collection Blueprint Basics. The dress is the Sondy dress.... out of Quill knit! Journey will be a free pattern this spring!

This quilt is Plume... it features Generous...my main design in the Quill Collection. The yummy pillows are out of the Quill Linen....essex linen! So wonderful to work with!

And now for the beginning of my basics collection.... Blueprint Basics....they will be released in four seasons...

This is Spring!

There will be more to come.... but alas I am waiting in the airport getting ready to fly to San Diego for the TNNA show - it is a yarn market. Should be fun to get out of town for a few days.... after all of this hard work and anticipation of the release of Quill and Blueprint.....

Have a great weekend!

XO

Valori

Wish Patterns...

Happy Saturday....

We have a huge lacrosse tournament in town this weekend and my oldest has two games today. It is amazing to me that she is 7 and we are already this busy with sports....can't imagine what is going to happen when all three are in sports. Before I head out I thought I would share some Wish projects...

When I have  new collection of fabric released I always make patterns - sewing cards or clothing - to give you ideas on ways to use the fabric. One of the most important things is that what I create can also be translated into other fabrics.... making the pattern useful for shops and customers alike for a longer period of time than just the life of the fabric. It is sad that a fabrics lifespan on average is 6 to 9 months. There are times that if it is really popular it will last a year.

Several years ago when I introduced my Wrenly collection I made a twin size quilt out of the voile called Betsy. It uses big pieces of fabrics that in turn make a quick quilt to piece. I thought it was a perfect "off to college quilt" and out of voile it is so soft and cuddly. I re-created Betsy out of Wish voile...

The original...

Wish version....

One of the other patterns that I recreated was the Lanie Dress....LOVE LOVE LOVE this dress. Originally I made it out of Novella rayon...which flows beautifuly.

For Wish I made it out of the Knit...talk about comfortable...

The knit is so amazing to work with I had to take the two Girlfriend patterns that I had done out of Karavan knit and make them out of Wish....

The Original Sondy...

The New Sondy...

The Original Isabelle....

The new Isabelle...

Since Wish is such a special collection to me and it connects me to my favorite people I had to make Wish Birds for my booth and for my friends....

I do love re-creating patterns but I also have lots of ideas for new patterns....

I did four new patterns for this season. First is the Jillie wrap skirt...

This skirt is so quick and easy to make and is very flattering. I LOVE maxi skirts and dresses so this skirt is long. I have made it out of knit, voile and rayon. They all have different qualities of drape and coziness.

The next is the Amelia Shawl...

This awesome shawl is a big rectangle that has buttons along both edges to create sleeves....I love to knit so I included a knit version in the pattern. When the Amelia Shawl is made out of the voile it is the perfect summer cover up.

Pockets of Wishes is a small wall hanging created with pockets for "wishes" or dreams, kids drawings, etc.

All of the pieces are top stitched onto a background rather than pieced.

The last pattern is my favorite by far....Trinity spent a lot if time in my head before I was able to create what I saw. I just love how the variety of creams and whites in the background create a great texture as well as the different substrates that I used; linen, cotton and embossed fabrics.

This card is not a beginner sewing card it is more of an intermediate technique card. I show you how to make the strips and cut them into triangles free form so your quit will be your own not exactly like mine.  I enjoyed it so much I am going to be doing more of these technique cards to go with the beginner cards.

I am being called to head to the lacrosse game.... Have a great day! More Wish projects and inspiration to come....

XO

Valori

Simply Made Summer....the end of July!

Good Morning.....we are getting ready to head out for a little family vacation but I had to share a fun pattern for the perfect picnic.

Skye....I made this quilt out of voile, cotton and then I made it into a picnic blanket.

I love it out of the voile...it is so soft yet cool.....perfect for a summer evening.

Here is the pattern for you to download and share.....

Download Skye_web

Hope you have a great weekend!!!!

We are hitting the road!

XO

Valori

Simply Made Summer.......

Happy June!!! It is a beautiful day here in Sisters, the sun is out it is going to be 80 today....can't wait to get into the garden.

This is the first day of Simply Made Summer a series of postings full of projects, recipes and ideas for a great summer!

My new skirt pattern Fina is a perfect summer skirt.....I made it out of the Cocoon Linen and I am in the process of making one out of the Cocoon Voile. I think it will be so soft and yummy as it gets into the heart of summer. For the Fina photo shoot I made skirts for all of the girls and we went out to the meadow. It was a cold spring day but they were awesome.

We had fun....

And the final cover photos is.....

Now once you have a beautiful skirt your going to need to reward yourself with something yummy.... how about some Sangria!!!!  Download SummerRedSangria

Enjoy!!!! Have a great Day!!!

XO

Valori

New sewing patterns.....

My sweet baby girl Vivi has been home sick for three days.....poor thing has a nasty cold. So, not much work for me this week. Luckily my husband is so awesome and helped me a lot. We have an great balance with work and family when someone is sick or gone. I never thought I would have such a wonderful family and life. Sounds strange to say that because I didn't ever think I should have a bad one just didn't know it could be like this. That I would be this happy. I am thankful!

Ok.....I am done being sappy. Photos of new patterns...YEAH!

This is one of the new Sewing Cards....$3.00 retail and you can make a skirt for anyone. If you can cut rectangles and sew them together you can make this skirt....So fun! My girls like Twirly skirts but me personally don't look that good in twirly skirts so I made one with less fabric but uses the same pattern. They were made in the Karavan Jersey Knit but I think corduroy, voile and cotton would make great skirts too.

The Josie bag.....a small version of a messenger bag with a long strap to throw over your head while your riding your bike to work. I don't personally ride the 6 hilly miles to the Stitchin' Post but my friends who live in town or close to town do. This bag was made before I got the Karavan fabric, I silk screened the Elephant on some of my Jenaveve Linen and then embroidered the fabric. I just love it....this will be MY bag!!

I have been working with a friend Nick Coman - he is a clothing designer - on a collection of clothing patterns....we should have the first two patterns out by the end of the year. The Girlfriend Series...

This is an awesome skirt made with six panels.....for my personal use I made the skirt pattern longer to make out of this sweater knit fabric I have. I think it will be fun for winter.....

The Sondy is a very versatile top that can be made into a tunic, t-shirt or dress and the back is a cowl neck, so cute.

Well, those are the new patterns....I have some free quilt patterns but I have to finish photographing them and I will post....luckily I'm saved by the fact that the fabric isn't in shops yet. The Karavan Jersey Knit wont be available until the end of the year but the flannel and cotton should be coming soon!

Have a great day!!

XO

Valori

Karavan Photo Shot

We had a photo shot this morning with some of the "Girlfriend" series of patterns made out of Karavan jersey knit. It was Too fun to shot with my girlfriends!!! Sondy and Trea are sisters and great friends and I'm honored to call them my friends. They have all been so awesome helping me get ready for market.
Have a great evening!
XO
Valori

Oh La La!!! Knits....

A freshly washed pile of Karavan Jersey Knits!!! LA LA LA!!!! Just got my hands on the knits and I'm dying to make some yummy clothes! Since Quilt Market is two and a half weeks away I had to make a call into my girls for some help. Thursday night we are going to have wine and cheese and sewing, I love it!!

I'm off to plan what to make, get myself organized...
XO
Valori

PS I had to include a picture of Miss Liv on her Hello Kitty machine, sewing away!

Simply Made.....

Hello my friends.....it is the next instalment of Simply Made.

I love to make receiving blankets for babies out of flannel but in the summer you need something cooler. Cotton Voile...the perfect solution to a cozy and cool receiving blanket for the summer.

Summer Baby Blanket

Materials:

1 1/3 yard flannel

1 1/3 yard cotton voile

matching thread

* Wash fabrics in a mild detergent on cold, tumble dry low before sewing - I wash the flannel with the voile.

Cutting:

Fold the flannel from corner to corner to make a large triangle, cut off each edge to make a nice clean square.

Lay voile face up on a flat surface and tape edges.

Lay flannel square face down on voile and pin around edges.

Trim off excess voile.

Sewing:

Use a larger stitch on your machine, ie 3 or 3.5 rather than a 2.5. This will keep the two fabrics from pulling and puckering.

*I made a blanket with the voile on top and one with the flannel on top. Either way it is slippery so take your time and gently pull the fabrics from the back side of the machine as you are sewing.

Using a 1/2" seam allowance, stitch around entire blanket leaving an opening on one side that is 4" - 6" wide, for turning.

Clip corners and turn right side out, press.

Whip stitch the opening closed.

Top stitch around entire blanket at about 1/2" to 5/8" in from edge.

Wrap up and give to a new baby...

 

The cute elephant is Elsa one of my sewing cards...she is so easy to make and a great addition to the hand made gift for a baby.

Enjoy....

Valori

 
I hope to write again before Quilter's Affair and Quilt Show hit....next week. I want to share the amazing photos that I took while I was in L.A.

The new sewing patterns....

Hello my friends.....first and foremost THANK YOU to all of our service men and women! We are lucky to have you.....

Now, as the end of May arrives and the weather is only 62...I mean really, our spring has been SO cold and icky!! Good thing I have so much to do and I can't really be outside anyway.....

Taking a quick break from drawing to show you the new sewing cards....

This is Betsy...named after the old Cadillac in the photograph. We have this wonderful Wine Bar in Sisters (Cork Cellars - if you ever make it to town) and Betsy is the owners car...Carolyn and I were able to take it out and shot some photos with the ol' girl.....too fun! The quilt is made out of the Wrenly Cotton Voile but the simple design could be used for a variety of fabrics. It is a twin size...I thought it would be a fantastic dorm quilt, easy yet looks so cool!!

Bird's Eye View is a great quilt that utilizes a large print and solids. I used the Wren Gypsy fabric and picked solids to accent the colors in the fabric and used a white so that the background would flow. It looks complicated but the solids and background fabric are put together with a simple formula which takes away all the little piecing of the squares.

This quilt was very popular at market....I was plesently surprised.

Most of you have heard about my Little Wallet pattern....well, this is the big sister, Little Cell Phone Wallet.  The design is longer and has a pocket on the back with a snap to put your cell phone in. I also added the option of a strap...which is nice for when you just want to go out with a few things and not your whole purse.

AAHHHH, the sweet Wish Bird....she is a gem. Easy construction with a pocket on the top that you can place a wish. The bird is a great way to start embroidery and play with beads, these accent the bird and make her a one of a kind gift. A more adult stuffed animal for all of us who still love stuffies and want to having something special in our home.

Mina Bag....this is your new favorite bag! SO, easy to construct and the perfect size. I really played with sizing, just big enough for all your stuff but not so big you feel like you are packing a diaper bag. The handles are the perfect length to have the bag on your shoulder but still get your hand in to find you cell phone or keys. I made the one on the cover with home decorator fabric from Wrenly and the accent fabric is my cotton linen, Jenaveve.

There you go....the new sewing cards. I really feel strong about these patterns, they are great projects yet not overly priced....ranging from $4 - $6 retail, can't beat that.

I will show you the new clothing patterns in the works soon......

Have a great day...back to drawing.

XXOO

Valori

PS Wrenly should be up on our site for Pre-Sales soon! I will let you know....

Jenaveve photo shot day 1...

I'm sitting in Salt Lake City airport waiting to go home from market and I thought I would share our photo shot we did last week with Jenaveve. As you might remember I received the fabric on Monday.

The lovely, colorful box from Korea....it is so fun to open up the sample yardage boxes and see your hard work come to life in fabric.

Tuesday morning.....

Three Creeks lake the location for Jenaveve photo shot. It is so beautiful at the lake that day. Knowing that we only had a couple of days before the weather turned.....No one was at the lake and the water was perfectly still, clear, and cold.

Mom, Carolyn and I started scouting out the beach area for photo opportunities....

Mom decided since she had her camera that she would take "behind the scenes" photos....kinda fun, huh?

We laid out all 15 pieces of lovely cotton linen....oh so soft and yummy! I envisioned (with some help of Carolyn's brilliant mind) a clothes line of the fabric blowing in the wind.....now to find the trees to tie the rope onto.

It took some time to get all of the fabric on the rope....I didn't realize how heavy the fabric would be it really weighted down the line. But we did conquer it!

This was the final outcome...there were tons of photos taken but this is my favorite. As we were scouting out the area we noticed so many great possibilities for photos with the fabric.....the colors of the area were perfectly neutral. Does that make sense?

 

I love using my LenseBaby....it creates the soft affect on the edges. You can move and tilt the lense to pick your sweet spot. Too much fun!

The greens.....

Teal and grey.....

This print is the Tribal Floral...I just love it. I'm thinking that some pillows need to happen or maybe a chair...just have to find a chair to cover. Not like we have a lot of room for another chair....maybe something small. Anyway, I digress...

The reds......isn't it just perfect with the red of the stump?

There are a lot of rock "studies" going on up at the lake....I love taking photos of what others have left.

Around 2 p.m. we decided that to sew up as much of the projects on the list as we could knowing that Wednesday was going to be beautiful. Carolyn and I heading to my studio to make a skirt, quilt, bag and some pillows. Mom would come by later and pick up some of what we couldn't get done.....it was going to be fast and furious.

Carolyn and I had so much fun sewing and getting time to just be together. We hadn't spent time like this in ages....did I mention that we recently adopted two kittens and a puppy. Yep, chaos in the Kennedy house. But fun all the same....Carolyn had a heck of a time getting the skirt cut out with Lilly attacking the tissue.....

The final result for the postcard for Market ended like this.....

The back had swatches of all the designs and then we stapled a swatch of the fabric to the card. I thought that it would be good to have the fabric on the card. We are such a tactile group of people once you feel the fabric you will want it!

Tomorrow I will share the photos we shot with all of the projects...yep we even got them all done! Giving ourselves a big pat on the back......

Now I must catch a plane home. I can't wait to see the family!! YEAH!
XOXO

Valori