Design

  • Lulu’s New Digs

    ByHeather Bailey

    Charroomsm2
    I’m
    back.  I know I never mentioned that I was leaving, but you figured
    that out, right?  I spent a week in Houston at Quilt Market with my
    sew-good friends.  Laura,
    Isaac’s sister, flew in to assist me and we had more fun than two
    people should on a business trip.  I met Laura 16 years ago, when I
    first met Isaac.  We’re two weeks apart in age and are good, good
    friends.  More on Laura later — or earlier.  She tends to pop into
    posts regularly around here.

    My new sewing patterns are now available wholesale to retailers.
    We’ve built some amazing new systems to support our wholesale program,
    including an online ordering system.  We were at Market to introduce
    that program and my sewing patterns to the sewing/quilting industry.  I
    can’t say what a thrill it is to have such robust systems in place.
    Now I can really go to town on design, while Tara and Rachel keep
    order-delivery running smoothly.

    I came home to the Halloween rush and a week of Fall activities.  We
    barely fit pumpkin-carving in for all of the parties and events going
    on.  However, carving your pumpkins on Halloween day does mean they’re
    fresh and spritely for trick-or-treating — especially when the
    weather’s been in the mid-90s all week.  My jack-o-lantern has
    eyelashes and cheeks and Elijah gave his a friendly uni-brow.

    I’m excited to be back.  I’ve got my kids under my wing, my home
    mostly back together and a mind full of projects to get started on.

    Who is Lulu?

  • Emergency Velvet

    ByHeather Bailey

    Promopear

    So, it was late.  Too late for shopping.  Too late for humans to be
    awake, really.  And though I have a broad assortment of felts, I just
    couldn’t find ones that worked well as stems on my latest pincushions.
    So look what I discovered in my bleary-eyed desperation — 1.5" wide
    velvet ribbon works too. 

    I’ve been hoarding this emerald green piece for a few years now.  I had meant to use it in my hair for a Scarlet O’Hara moment,
    but I don’t have the wardrobe for that kind of sass.  It also reminds
    me of the hat Rhett bought for her — the one she puts on upside-down.
    Anyhow.

    Promopears

    Prepping for Market
    again.  We’re just about ready to launch our wholesale program.  Should
    be this week.  This means you’ll soon be able to find my patterns and
    other upcoming whatnots at your local stores – yay!  We’ll be at the
    Westminster/Free Spirit booth throughout Market, so tell your local
    store-owners to come find us there and we’ll get them all set up.  If
    you’re a retailer who has emailed us about pattern-purchasing, expect
    an email within the week with details on how to place an order.  We’ve
    had to construct policies, protocols and a website, set up emails, get
    all of the appropriate record-keeping systems in place, etc, etc.
    We’re just about there.  If you have any questions about wholesale,
    email info@HeatherBaileyWholesale.com. 

    Scissors_2Okay, so while we were in Cottonwood,
    I picked up a new pair of scissors.  They’re Hon brand and they’re
    pretty great.  Even the very tippy-tip of the scissors cuts well.
    They’re not as pretty as Ginghers, but I’m thinkin I like them too.  Anyone familiar with this brand? 

  • | |

    Widdle Wubby Flowder Paddern

    ByHeather Bailey

    Ttbanner

    Hey all, there’s a Trash Ties giveaway going on at Sweet Life in the
    Valley    .  And April’s listed out a few ways you can increase your odds
    while you’re at it : )

    I’m working on the cover story for the holiday
    issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine.  All of my photo mojo is going
    into that right now.  I’ll see if I can slip a sneak peek into an
    upcoming post.      Who knew you could make Christmas out of such
    Spring-i-ness    ?  I offered my doubts, but Creating Keepsakes urged me
    on.  I’m glad they did.  I’ve got some kick-A Christmas projects here
    now. 

    Mp001fd2_2
    And I haven’t forgotten about the giveaway for the La
    Fleur Debris brooches.  I read through the first 300 or so entries on
    my birthday, but haven’t had time to pour over the rest just yet.  I
    truly must read and consider them all.  I promise to get that bit of
    fun resolved in the next few days. 

    The La Fleur Debris pattern is now available though.  It’s so cute and little — like dvd-size.  I want to coo at it.

  • |

    Post, I shall name you later. I’m taking myself out to a movie.

    ByHeather Bailey

    Redstrawberry2
    I have this funky 70s condiment-serving set that’s gold with green
    daisies on top.  It doesn’t show too well in the photo above, but I
    just love it.  Makes me giddy.  The lid has a spoon-notch that doubles
    as a handy scissors-holder — as I’ve opted to store thread and buttons
    inside instead of mustard or pickles.  Though I guess you could store your
    scissors in mustard.

    Basketwt
    And not that my blog needs any more photos of strawberries — or pincushions
    even for that matter — but strawberry pincushions are what I’ve been
    photographing today, so strawberries it is.  In truth, I’m entirely
    surprised how popular the strawberry pincushion kits have been over at
    the HB store.
    Definitely in the top 10.  In response to the excitement for
    ready-to-go strawberry supplies, we’ve added two new colors.  Now there
    are kits for velveteen strawberries in deep red, bright pink, and soft pink, and wool-blend strawberries in bright red (photographed above) — covering the full gamut.

    Strawberryjarw
    School kicked back in yesterday.  Elijah seems glad for the increase in
    activity.  Summer can get long.  I’ve heard it said that childhood is
    ‘long days, but short years.’  I understand that sentiment more and
    more.  Such short years. 

    I’m regularly asked how I fit it all in – design work, motherhood,
    church, friendships, family, fun.  I can’t say I do fit it all in.  But
    what I do successfully manage comes as a result of regularly
    re-assessing my priorities.  Not on a weekly basis, or even a daily
    basis, but every 20 minutes or so.  And often a peanut butter sandwich
    or the next chapter of Inkheart
    overrules pressing business matters for a time.  I’m in business to
    serve the needs of my family.  I’ve chosen to do what I love so I can
    be happy at work, and hopefully brighten the world in some small way
    while I go about my thing. 

    Time away from my children is a tangible thing I don’t take
    lightly.  To repair the balance at times — in the world at large, if
    not in my own home — I focus my business on projects that will help
    knit us to our children/families/friends through the work of our hands,
    and on materials that will inspire us to do so.  In my experience,
    those quiet times of creativity, with long stretches of time (or
    frequent spurts) spent thinking of and truly loving the ones we’re
    creating for, are full of sweetness and provide meaningful
    attachments.  In my life it’s true — even if the sentiment is not
    always returned — in sewing pajamas for the kids, in making a blanket
    for a friend, helping a neighbor move, or designing a wedding dress for
    a girl at church, I’ve loved these people through the process.  And the
    process of creating has opened my heart toward them.  The blankets,
    dolls and toys I’ve kept from my childhood are all items that one or
    both of my parents made for me.  I know they were thinking sweetly of
    me when they made them.  I love that.  Charlotte plays with my childhood doll bed every day.

    Richredwt
    When my workload weighs a little on the heavy side, I think of other
    moms out there who have found the time that day to go the extra mile,
    perhaps making a blanket for their son or teaching their daughter to
    make bread — or maybe just finding more patience, more snuggle time,
    more laughter.  The simple things that make life beautiful.  It’s true,
    they’re precious, short years.

    No, I don’t always fit it all in, but I certainly try to fit in the important stuff as much as possible. 

    Flourish500

    I’m clearly still feeling sappy.  Oh me.  To lighten things up, Here’s a list of fun tidbits I’ve been meaning to mention:

    • The talented Vivian Love did a three-part blog series on the quilting of
      my Pop Garden sample quilt.  It’s fascinating to see the techniques
      involved — and she did an immaculate job!!  (I’ll post photos
      soon). (Links to parts 1,2,3 are in Vivian’s sidebar under her photo)
    • My new scrapbook collection has made Creating Keepsakes‘ Latest & Greatest list.
    • And it’s been featured in this month’s Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion as well.
    • Trash Ties have been featured on Project Runway Australia – click here (about 8.5 minutes in).  Several long red Trash Ties in one hairstyle.  Avant garde!
    • There’s a Project Runway Australia!  How cool is that?  And you can watch it on YouTube.
    • Tara‘s getting married! (We could use your help — stay tuned.)
    • We’re having a new patio put in – it should be done before the weather gets nice (!!)
    • Bobbin refuses to budge when she’s on a leash.  Not for treats, not for
      water, not for a song & dance.  Any advice?  Pixel will, of course, do anything for a treat. 
    • The Pop Garden & Bijoux photo group on Flickr is all set up.  Take a peek.  And share your projects too — I love to see what you’re up to.
    • And join the new HB Paper Crafts group while you’re at it.  I’ll add Flickr badges to my sidebar as soon as possible — next week hopefully.
    • There’s also a great Paper Crafts inspiration page here.
    • Today’s 8-8-08.  That’s kinda fun.  (My son certainly thinks so.)
    • Tuesday’s my birthday.  I’ve got big plans : )
    • Lists are the best.  I feel so much more caught up now.

     

  • Square Deal

    ByHeather Bailey

    Some of you may remember this pattern from last summer.  I wrote up the directions for one of Better Homes & Gardens' magazines.  Well, today I have it all formatted for you as a free pattern download.  If you downloaded it from BHG's site before, please replace your copy with this new one as their pdf was sizing the pattern pieces all funky from what I heard. 

    Hb_squaredeal_cvr

    Come to think of it, I reformatted a couple of the other free patterns in my sidebar long about last January.  I don't believe I mentioned it back then.  Many of you already have the new versions, but if you downloaded the headband pattern or the Freshcut quilt pattern when they were first posted, you might want to download them again for a spruced up version.

    …just a fun lil' somefin'.

    Every sewer should have a cute pincushion — or several cute pincushions if you ask me.  Follow this link to download the Square Deal pincushion pattern, or click on the photo below.

    Hb_squaredealimage2_2

    Been having sweet times with the kids lately.  With summer break just about over here, Elijah & I are trying to wrap up Inkheart, which we've been reading off & on since summer began.  It's well-written & interesting, but slow-to-action.  True, that could be somewhat due to our intermittent reading schedule. We've also purchased The Deathly Hallows on cd.  Isaac's mid-way through loading the cds into iTunes, but we've caught up to him and are content with the immediacy of listening by cd for now. – – – Wow, that JK Rowling.  What can I say?   She really gets it, every nuance.  Friendship, temptation, imperfection, heroism, humor, struggle, tragedy, triumph, loyalty, love, purpose, and human nature.  She is truly inspired.

    On the book front, I also had the pleasure of meeting J.S. Lewis a couple of months back at a writer's conference I attended with my mother (my mom's a talented writer — I'll have to sneak one her poems or stories onto my blog sometime so you can see).  He is a quippy, sarcastic, funny guy (best presentation there).  Elijah whipped right through Revenge of the Shadow King and is hoping to get the other volumes soon.  J.S. sketched out a gargoyle for Elijah on the inside cover. Now how cool is that.

    Jslewiscollage

    Charlotte's still in princess mode and she has become a champion knot-tyer.  Every day she re-decorates the banisters with interlaced ribbon in preparation for The Royal Birthday Party.  I've lost track of just how old I am now that I've celebrated several birthdays a day for weeks.  Presents wrapped in fabric, party hats, cake (the ribbon loop is the candle we must blow out & each ring is a slice we must pretend to eat).  It's very involved. 

    We're having a good time.

    I always dread the start of the school year though, when our family schedule tightens up and our son is gone all day.  We love Elijah's school, but why can't the school day be 4 or 5 hours long, max? Someone should start a charter school with more sane hours, so kids can spend more time with their families during the week.  Has anyone heard of such a thing?  Home-schooling isn't the best match for Elijah.  He thrives on daily interaction with other kids (and teachers) and we haven't ended up with enough kids in our family to satisfy that social thing.  Where's the happy medium?   Volunteering at school has always helped.

    You know, that's it — I'm doing more of that this year.  Before Charlotte was born, I was helping at the school every week.  Elijah just loved it & I miss it.  So there we are.

  • Pop! Into Your Shop

    ByHeather Bailey

    Popgardenpeonies

    So, guys!  It sounds like Pop Garden & Bijoux are starting to
    hit stores.  Several shops have emailed me about how their phones are
    ringing off the hook with calls from you blog-readers — just pacing for these
    fabrics.  Nadine, from Material Girls Quilting in Utah, emailed me with
    news that many of my fabrics were delivered today and that before she even had
    them unpacked, one customer purchased 28 yards of Pop Garden
    alone. Nadine says she’s been receiving
    several calls a day in anticipation of my new collections.  I think I
    might just have to make my way up there & meet these girls
    sometime.  Sounds like there’s some wild-sewing taking place in South
    Jordan, Utah.

    HbpearpincushionwI
    can’t say how important it is to support your neighbor- hood fabric
    shops, like Nadine’s.  They are your best source for technical help,
    for fabric & supplies, and for the cheerleading we all need to get
    through our projects sometimes.  Fabric and quilt shops are a great hub
    for finding comradery with women who share the same interests as you,
    and can help provide the community that we, as women, thrive on.

    I’ve started a list of shops that will be carrying my new fabric collections.  Free
    Spirit doesn’t have an easy way to deliver store info until after orders
    have been shipped, so it will likely be another week or two before we
    receive the full list of stores.  If you have a local shop that’s expecting my
    fabrics, please drop us a note with their name, address, phone #, etc.,
    so we can add them to the list.  (The link is in my sidebar.)  Who
    knows, perhaps you’ll discover a new shop in your area. I just recently found a
    quilt shop near me that I had no idea was there.

    Let me know about your favorite online stores as well!  Have you
    seen the collections for pre-sale anywhere else?  With Freshcut, there
    were a number of online stores allowing pre-orders.

    Popgardenswatches_hb

    Pop Garden & Bijoux are currently Free Spirit’s best-selling
    collections — yes!  As such, these fabrics shouldn’t be too hard to
    track down here soon.  Not like Freshcut — which is growing more &
    more scarce now that it’s no longer in production.

    As soon as we’re able to photograph some fat-quarter packs and
    designer doses for the HB store, we’re going to move the individual
    fabric swatches of Pop Garden & Bijoux to a free-standing page for
    project-planning and whatnot.  Maybe I can get
    Jenny B to teach me how to code the page so you can move the swatches
    around — wouldn’t that be too cool?  At that point, we’ll only be
    selling Freshcut by the yard and select combinations of Pop Garden
    & Bijoux.  I expect we should have those fat-quarter stacks in place by the end of next week.

    Anyhow.  I’m hoping a comprehensive store list will help address
    those of you who have emailed about having a hard time finding what you
    need.  Please let us know who we’re missing.  Email storelist@heatherbailey.com.
    We can always wait for the info from Free Spirit, but would love to get
    the store list fleshed out sooner, if possible, so you’ll know which
    stores will have the collections here soon.

  • Chirp, Chirp

    ByHeather Bailey

    Thank you for all of your feedback on little bug-a-boos & whatnot.  For some reason, US First Class mail wasn’t showing up as an option yesterday, when it should have (on orders less than 13oz. in weight).  Only Priority Mail and FedEx options were showing up on those lighter-weight orders.

    We’ve got it all worked out now!  If you want to order only one or two sewing patterns and not a whole box of goodies just yet, then First Class Mail should now show up as an option.  This will work for a box or two of Trash Ties, or an order of scrapbook embellishments totalling less than 13 oz. in weight, etc.  Have a look.  I believe we’re all set now.  The option will only show up if your order meets the weight requirements (less than 13oz.)

    Now shipping can be something like $3.50 to $4 or so on those smaller packages instead of $7. If you’re ordering more items, then Priority mail is definitely the best bargain.  FedEx is available if you want your order to have a tracking #.  Just a little update. 

    Thanks!

  • Early Bird Launch!

    ByHeather Bailey

    Lovealways6_2

    We have been busy, busy behind the scenes.  Though we’ve set the date
    for the Grand Opening of our new online store for August 12th (my
    birthday), we’ve worked extra hard the last number of weeks to get everything in place for an
    Early Bird Launch.  Our goal was today — and well, here we are, it’s Monday and we did it — the store is up!  I wanted you guys to have the first look at our new shop before any press releases go out or whatnot.  And it’s your first chance to see my new scrapbook collection in its entirety.  It’s really pretty crazy how all of
    these projects are popping at once.

    Doublebucklehb3
    Why "popping?" (I’ve used that term a lot this year.)  I was thinking
    about that last night as I lay in bed.  And I think my internal
    metaphor hearkens back to the electrical popcorn machine I had in
    college my freshman year.  I lived in the dorms, and the cafeteria
    closed well before I was ready to eat dinner.  So I ate a lot of
    late-night popcorn that year. 

    You know how it is, you wait & wait for that first kernel to
    pop, watching them swirl & swirl around.  It seems like it’s taking
    forever.  But, then.  Well, once it starts, there’s no stopping — it’s
    just pop, pop, pop… pop-pop-pop. 

    Buckledetail3a

    So, with no flouncy build-up (we’ve been too busy getting things ready for you), our Early Bird Launch is Today — with over 200
    different items for sale.  Yep, 200+.  I just did the count.  And, what
    I now realize is that half of the skus represent much of my design work
    over the last year.  And two of the main four categories are filled
    with designs I haven’t even revealed on my blog yet.

    In short, I’ve got a whole lot of revealing to do.  I hope you have
    nothing else going on today, as there are pages and pages of new HB
    designs:  gobs of Freshcut fabric (now no longer in production), paper, stickers, stamps, rub-ons, ribbons,
    etc.  And we have new Trash Ties colors, new Trash Ties prices(!),
    inspiration pages, coupons, discounts — oh my. 

    Popcornslayers

    One post certainly won’t cover my excitement for all of these bits
    and baubles.  I have lots of fun projects in the works.  Two new free
    patterns too (including these greeting cards — I’m excited to show you
    this new, tricky card closure I came up with.)

    And if all of this isn’t enough…

    Kernel
    Today marks the blog debut of my sewing patterns.  Four new sewing patterns to reveal — pop, pop, pop, pop!  We’ll have even more new patterns to release at Quilt Market in October, but you’ve already waited long enough for these ones.  I won’t say how long — and don’t look it up.  I get absolutely a ton of
    emails about sewing patterns (which I love — thank you so much).  My
    fingers are tightly-crossed that we’reKernel2 printing enough copies
    on this
    first print-run.  If you’ve been waiting & waiting on my fruit
    pincushions pattern or le sexy-hubba-hubba halter apron or must have either or both
    of my other new patterns (wait till you see these!) — well
    you know what they say about early birds.

    All four sewing patterns are stocked in the new store, so go reserve
    your copies today.  I’ll preview each of the patterns here soon.  I
    could have easily let this post become a small book, but I’ll resist.

    Lovealways2a

    I’m sure you’re anxious to go check out the store, the scrapbook collection & the patterns. Before you go, make sure to read over our current discounts and promotions
    so you don’t miss out on your chance at free Trash Ties and a special discount on your first order.  Cute coupons too — a cute store warrants cute
    coupons, don’t you think?

    Well then.  With no further ado…

    Heatherbaileystore

    Let us know if you run into any kinks.  There’s a customer service email over at the store (customerservice@heatherbaileystore.com).  Thanks so much.  Yay!!

    xo–Heather

    – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

    UPDATES:

    • INTL. FLAT RATE: Some international customers have requested Intl. Priority Flat Rate Envelopes as a shipping option.  We are happy to now offer this option, but please note that we cannot fit scrapbook paper and albums into these envelopes (the envelopes are only 9"x12").

    • All other issues that have been pointed out, such a mis-linked buttons and whatnot, have been fixed.
    (Thanks for emailing us your suggestions. We appreciate your feedback!)

  • Oh Yes, The Class…

    ByHeather Bailey

    Classkits_2

    Before things get even crazier around here, I must report that the pincushion class
    was fantastic fun.  Everyone received a bag full of goodies, including
    kits for a red strawberry & a velvety, pink one.  There were
    laminated recipe cards,
    strawberry-shaped needlebooks, and fruit pincushion patterns to boot.
    Two students even flew in from across the country to take my class.
    With less than a week’s notice, they were signed up and on their ways
    from Pittsburgh & Fort Worth!  Now that’s spontaneous — and
    entirely flattering.  Hi Katri & Ruth!

    To see more photos and read my post on the class, click here.