butterfly

  • Getting Going on Sewing

    ByHeather Bailey

    130911_LottieDaQuilt4hb

    It's a sewing week for me. For the last two years, I've spent most of
    my creative time at the drafting table and behind a computer, catching
    up on print and product design after having a baby. It's been great to
    get reacquainted with my sewing machine and start playing with these
    sunny new fabrics.

    130911_LottieDaQuilt1hb

    Angela Pingel of Cut to Pieces
    kindly offered to put together the quilt top for my upcoming free
    Lottie Da quilt pattern. She got right to it and had the top pieced in
    no time—which means the pattern will be ready soon—once the quilt is
    finished and photographed. Thank you, Angela!

    130911_LottieDaQuilt2hb

    With no corners to match up, the Lottie Da free quilt pattern is a
    perfect beginner quilt. I'll get into that more once the pattern is
    complete in the next couple of weeks.

    For now, enjoy this sneaky peek courtesy of Angela. And stop by Cut to
    Pieces for Angela's post and a bigger peek at the quilt top.

    130911_LottieDaQuilt3hb

    And don't forget to
    enter the Lottie Da giveaway that closes Sunday night at 11:59pm PST (9-15-13) for a fat quarter stack of the entire collection—over a $100
    value.

    If you missed our Heather Bailey Store newsletter earlier this week announcing the Lottie Da collection… Enter promo code LOTTIEDA917 for a FREE full-size sewing pattern
    with any purchase of $50 or more through 9/17/13 11:59pm PST. Add your
    selected items to your cart to meet the order minimum, then add your
    selected pattern, followed by the promo code at checkout.

    Happy Weekend!
    xo—Heather

  • Paper Moon

    ByHeather Bailey

    PaperOwls

    Check out these super-fun paper stitcheries from Belinda Moon of Australia. She
    starts with colorful craft papers and adds rows of free-form stitching
    which adds visual movement—and panache.

    I discovered Belinda's work in the HB Paper Crafts Flickr Group. I was
    thrilled to see such a perfect and adorable use for my scrapbook papers. They almost
    look like they are made out of fabric, don't they?

    PaperElephant2

    If you think these are fantastic,
    like I do, brighten Belinda's day with a kind comment here, or at her blog. She has an Etsy store too, with birds, fish, pirate ships, robots—all sorts of
    great graphic pieces to decorate with.

    Show Belinda some craft-love.

    PaperButterfly

    NOTE: Such great projects are being posted in the HB Flickr groups—wow, you guys!
    I'm going to make a renewed effort to spotlight some here and there.
    Thank you for posting your projects. I get to craft vicariously through
    you.

  • |

    In Limited Supply:
    album kits, fabric… patience

    ByHeather Bailey

    It is refreshing to be home again.  Not only to sleep in my own bed
    and hug on my little kids (of course), but now I can start scratchin'
    at those irresistibly- itchy projects I sketched up while I was away. 
    Here and there, at least.  First, I have some emails and interviews to
    complete, as well as some fabric strike-offs to sort through (yes,
    round one is in the house!).

    Flutterby4a600

    So, check out my Flutterby Flip-Book mini
    album.  I used an old-fashioned wooden clothespin for the butterfly
    body.  A variety of cardstock wings make up the album's many pages,
    with a sprinkling
    of flowers and miniature butterflies thrown in for good measure.  The
    perfect album for celebrating a special event, a summer-load of
    activities, a new baby, a birthday, quirky kid-drawings, etc.

    FLUTTERBYkit2

    This is the workshop I taught at Inspired in North Carolina this month — the stinkin' cutest-est album ever.  We kitted up
    some extra albums, with full-on illustrated instructions included, so
    you can make an album too if you like. (Or maybe set up your kids or
    grandkids with a kit — gotta keep those children engaged over the
    summer.  My two have been squabbling all day.)  So, if you're
    interested, hop on over to the HB store.  Limited supply!  When they're gone, they're gone. 

    FlutterbyInstr400

    Freshcut™ is in the same boat too.  Free Spirit's warehouse is plum out of my Freshcut collection now.  We received our last supply.  Though the demand for that collection never subsided, the supply certainly now has, so last call for Freshcut!  Heck, here's a discount while you're at it.  Use the code "AlmostGone" through June 1st for 10% off any fabrics from my Freshcut collection.  We'll all sigh as it trickles away.

    And this week is my blogiversary again — three years now.  I'll put together some sort of giveaway, so stay tuned for that. 

    I'm
    off to dig myself up an urgent dose of Tylenol.  My kids aren't used to
    being around each other all day.  It's adjustment time — for all of us.

  • Flit & Flutter

    ByHeather Bailey

    FlutterbyFlip-5a

    I'm bouncing all over the place this week.  By Tuesday night, I'll be in Concord, North Carolina again for Donna Downey's Inspired Artist event.  While there, I'll be teaching a mini-workshop on Thursday called The Flutterby Flip-Book for which my team has been kitting supplies all week.  Around the studio, stacks of Heather Bailey papers are shuffled together with some beautiful solids from Bazzill Basics.  And we're surrounded by bowls and tubs of colorful ribbons, flowers, clothespins, rhinestones, butterflies, and brads.  Bowls of candy. 

    FlutterbyFlip-10a

    Cutest paper project!  Can't wait to show you. (We'll post some extra kits to the Heather Bailey Store later this week.)  If you're in North Carolina, come see me.  Here's where you can sign up for the last couple of seats in the 1pm class.  The 12pm class is completely sold out.

    FlutterbyFlip-8w Let's see, there are some Trash Ties workshops
    late Thursday night as well (at Donna's irresistible urging).  We'll
    probably be somewhat loopy by 10pm, so I'm expecting more of a giggly,
    slumber-party-like setting than anything else.  Everyone in the class
    is getting two sets of Trash Ties and I'll be spending the hour
    teaching how-tos and demonstrating hairstyles. I hear there are a few
    more spaces available in the 9pm & 10pm classes.  If you're in NC,
    sign up!  I'd love to meet you.  Here's the workshop schedule
    where you can get your tickets.  Scroll down to the time-slot you're
    interested in (both are on 5/7), then click the blue & orange 'buy'
    button to read more about the class.

    FlutterbyFlip-6t

    On Wednesday, before the workshops, I'll be at the Free Spirit
    headquarters     in Charlotte, discussing fabric, hush puppies, high school (Jeff, the Sales Manager went to the same
    high school     as I – small world), whatever comes up.  It's mostly a
    social visit.  Always fun. 

    FlutterbyFlip-7 Friday, I'll fly back out west to attend a preview weekend for next summer's Creative Escape event.  I'll be crafting along with Heidi Swapp, Tim Holtz, Debby Shuh, and the other Creative Escape teachers
    while we preview our classes to each other and the entire volunteer
    staff.  There should be some fun dinners in there too, I think. 

    Come Saturday night, I expect to flop into bed like an eggy crepe.  

    Perhaps
    my kids will pour some syrup on top on Sunday morning — a smoochy
    reunion.  Isaac's always good at heading up some sort of kid-made
    breakfast-in-bed for Mother's Day as well.  I dream of fuzzy slippers and
    chocolate.

    FlutterbyFlip-9