sewing

  • Virginia. Is this place for Real?

    ByHeather Bailey

    It's great to be back home, but a bit of my heart and a large portion of my imagination
    are lingering behind in Virginia. For the middle-part of our big summer
    vacation, we drove south from D.C. to Colonial Williamsburg, with a stop
    at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello on the way.

    GovernorsMansionT

    If I could live my dream life, I would garden and keep animals on a
    lush green farm at the edge of a big city. I would spin yarn and churn
    butter, cultivate the perfect cabbage, and make cheese. However, I would
    also wear glamorous dresses to the theater, learn portraiture at an art
    atelier in the city, take the light rail to business meetings, and type
    away on my top-of-the-line computer. All with my kids in tow.

    WilliamsburgGarden

    My life isn't too far off of this dream in spirit. I grow fruit trees
    and make art. And my kids are here with me. But the lush trees and
    rolling hills are missing.

    This is where Virginia comes in. My. Freakin'. Word. Pardon the language. Virginia is gorgeous.
    I almost had to close my eyes on the way to Monticello in order to
    survive the view: white fences, electric green grass, trees as big as
    buildings.

    Williamsburg

    Perhaps Providence will plop the perfect excuse in my lap to move somewhere lush and lovely and near a fun city. How about a Kickstarter
    campaign to build a blogger's getaway paradise with fully-teched-out
    guest cabins. Or a reality tv show about trying to make such a
    disjointed reality work. Have it all. Be it all.

    WilliamsburgGarden2

    But I need a town to pin this fantasy to. What are the best little
    beautiful places to raise children, with great schools, strong, moral
    families and exciting things an arm's length away. And don't forget the
    large plots of land, big trees and cute houses. Give my dream new
    breath.

    If you relate, then you'd love Colonial Williamsburg.
    They run the town like it never left the 1700s, wigmakers, shoemakers,
    blacksmiths, cabinet-makers and all. I can't say enough about the place.
    There's' nothing like it out west, that's for sure.

    Grid_Williamsburg470

    The gardens are immaculate and the buildings are charming—and I'm all
    about the workshops. I don't blog about them much, but I have a
    spinning wheel and a jeweler's bench of my own. I've built shoes,
    churned butter, made yogurt, turned pottery, made lampwork glass beads,
    and worked on a horse ranch. My inner pilgrim.

    MossCovered

    I feel so disloyal to Arizona right now. Sorry, Arizona. I still love
    you—and your sun-bleached cow skulls and scorpions—but where are your
    towering trees and brick buildings? Where are your moss-covered walls
    and magnolias? Tell me it was a hallucination. Virginia is not real.

    Virginia is not real…

    Virginia is not real…

  • |

    “Car. Beep-Beep.”

    ByHeather Bailey

    OldDeliveryTruck2_Hellomynameisheather
    It's
    Quilt Market season at the studio. We're in a bi-annual bustle to prep
    for the show. Today, I met with another local stitcher who will be
    helping out with samples. I'm skirting around that misleading 'sewer'
    word. I think we just need to come up with a new spelling. Same word,
    new spelling: sewwer, sewur, sew-er, sew-erer, sewurr, seweur
    (french-ish)…

    What a fun afternoon. Fun I have no business having. Fun I have no business without.

    I was up with the baby till 4am last night, nursing him through a
    105º fever. I finally climbed into the tub and poured water over his
    back while he slept against my shoulder. It was so sweet. But, man am I
    tired!

    It's 7pm now on Friday night and it feels like my day is just getting
    going. I don't think date night is gonna happen unless Isaac wants to
    help refine pattern covers, book flights, schedule meetings, or sew.

    ** I let the baby pick a photo and title this post for me. **

  • Watch Me on PBS

    ByHeather Bailey

    I am guest-hosting an episode of Sew It All on PBS
    this spring. Every PBS affiliate has a different schedule, so I can't
    give you an exact date. BUT, the episode should be airing very, very
    soon. So, visit PBS.org to
    check the schedule in your local area. Sew It All slated this as
    Episode 4, but from what I hear, the episodes can be shuffled around by
    the PBS program directors. And different areas will carry different
    shows. Very interesting stuff.

    SewItAll_HeatherBaileyBW_BabyBib

    Anyhow, we're making baby bibs. Here are Sew It All host, Ellen March,
    and I holding up a baby bib together—it must have been very
    heavy—weighted down with cuteness. I'll post about the free pattern next
    week, along with a little monster you can applique on the bibs—or on a
    kid's tee shirt or bag, etc.

    The fabrics shown above are laminates from my Nicey Jane collection—I LOVE them. They are so fun to work with!

    Chances are, you'll see the episode before I do. Stop back by and let
    me know if you have any questions afterward. We filmed the show in one
    take. One, long 30-minute take. Can you believe it? No pressure, right?

    It was a blast.

  • |

    Monster Bash

    ByHeather Bailey

    MonsterBibApplique_HeatherBailey

    I'm heading to Denver tomorrow to tape an episode of Sew It All for PBS. We're making baby bibs. I don't know when the episode airs, but I'll keep you posted. Should be fun!

    If the fates allow, there will be time left to bake cookies with my
    kiddos tonight before I go. And time for sleep—that's always nice. I'm
    terrible at sleeping before a trip. Even a quick little one-day
    appearance.

  • Little Bits Giveaway

    ByHeather Bailey

    LittleBitsQuiltingBeeKathreen from Whip Up has a new book out. Little Bits Quilting Bee is all about using small bits of fabric, such as charm squares, jelly rolls, layer cakes and fat quarters to create a bunch of fun, modern quilts, from wall hangings to bed quilts. (Quilters have great terms for identifying every kind of fabric scrap.)

    All sorts of aesthetics are represented in Kathreen's designs. Some quilts are sewn from solid fabrics only. Another features reproduction prints from the 1930s. There are japanese novelty prints, woodsy prints, modern florals and geometrics (my alley). My favorites of Kathreen's designs involve circles. She has a play quilt that looks like a scrappy, colorful sun and another that reminds me of the Spirograph I received for my 6th birthday, with interlacing swooshes and circles. The photography is fresh and clean– and there's a pattern pack included! That's the best.

    In celebration of Kathreen's fabulous new quilting book, Chronicle Books is providing me with a copy to give away. Send Kathreen your well wishes in the comments below and I'll employ the RNG to help me pick a winner.

    Follow the Little Bits Quilting Bee blog tour over at Chronicle's lovely blog.

  • |

    Signature Styles

    ByHeather Bailey


    I have a bit of catch up to do.  More than a bit.

    I made a list of all the blog posts I would have done if I hadn’t lost my Wonder Woman headband last month. (Or is it a tiara?)  It’s quite a list and I’m just not prepared to skip past “Go” and move on with things without spinning out a few re-caps.  There are too many cool things I have missed sharing.

    I’ll start with Signature Styles.  That’s me on the cover of a new book.  Newsworthy, right?   I think so.  In Jenny Doh’s latest title for Lark Crafts, she features 20 creative women and discusses each gal’s personal style as it relates to her work, her wardrobe and more.  Each “stitcher” has designed a project for the book as well.  For example, Megan Hunt includes instructions for an awesome little ruffled flower bracelet and Amy Tangerine shares techniques for “Crafty” tee shirt applique.  It’s a jam-packed read, with lots of eye candy. 

    For my part, I designed this quick and kicky wristlet purse.  It’s the ultimate easy-assemble purse pattern for customizing your wardrobe.  With a design so simple to sew, why not prep the perfect purse for every outfit?

    Wristlet Purse

    I’m really impressed with this book. I’m only about halfway through reading each of the features, but once I’ve devoured it entirely, I’m certain to keep it within easy reach for a quick visual escape.  It was a pleasure to work with Jenny and of course, an honor to be included.

    Signature Styles hit bookstores just this last month. If you’re interested in a signed copy, we are stocking a few at our online shop — for a limited time.

    Heather Bailey Purse

    Other women featured in this new book include: Serena Thompson, Meg McElwee, Elsie Flannigan, Rashida Coleman-Hale, Kathy Cano-Murillo (who I just had dinner with last week), Betz White, Meg Allan Cole, Bari J. Ackerman, Erika & Monika Simmons, Kayte Terry, Megan Hunt, Sonya Nimri, Megan Nicolay, Ruth Singer, Sandy Stone, Bonzie & Ger, Teva Durham, and Amy Tangerine.

    Feeling oddly curious about the history and significance of Wonder Woman’s headband?  Click here. It’s amazing what you can learn on the internet.


  • |

    A Fetching Pail

    ByHeather Bailey

    LunchBagPattern1

    With Charlotte in Kindergarten this year, and half of my own week days spent at our new business location, my family's need for a fantastic lunch bag pattern has increased in urgency.  So I have hunkered right down and put together a new mini pattern — meeting my need, and hopefully yours as well.

    LunchBagPatternCover Introducing Jack & Jill, a fresh take on the classic lunch bag.  I've got the girls covered, and the boys too.  I worked the design into my mini pattern format to keep the price low, jamming some serious value into one little package.  Whether you have one lunch bag to supply or several, Jack & Jill bags go together quickly, so you're in good shape.

    This is also my first pattern highlighting my yummy Nicey Jane laminated cottons.  The laminates are light and supple and easy to work with.  For specifics on the care and make-up of these fabrics, click here;  I understand the laminate is about as food-safe JackandJillLunchBag as plastic can be.  Of course, you can make lunch bags from non-laminated cottons as well, or decorator fabric, light corduroy, denim, and so forth, like the green floral bag shown at right.

    Fun-fun!  Great for holiday presents too — a nice bag for a nice girl or boy — filled with a naughty amount of candy.

    While you're at it, whip up a coordinating napkin or two to boot (tutorial).

  • Specters & Sparkles

    ByHeather Bailey

    My feet!  They are trotting along beneath me now, where they belong. 
    What a feat it has been to catch up on things after a couple of months
    of scattered-ant-hill syndrome.  I'm nearly there.  Just a few more
    photos for a book contribution, and one more design for my next fabric
    collection (of course, it's the most complicated of the prints and might
    take a week or two to finish).  Then it's back on schedule.  Glorious.

    MarloBloomBag_HeatherBailey_1
    Perhaps
    even ahead of schedule soon, as we now have an on-staff seamstress to
    help bring my designs to life, moving pattern-development and
    sample-making along.  I tell you what, it sure takes a mighty amount of
    focus to do some of my less-fun work (accounting, payroll, etc.) when
    there's a flurry of sewing going on in the other room.  But great!  I'll
    introduce you to Tamara in my next newsletter.  And Nica too, my new
    Studio Assistant.

    MarloBloomBag_HeatherBailey_2b

    So, isn't my new Marlo Bloom handbag adorable in Nicey Jane?  I feel sparkly
    when I'm toting a tangerine handbag around — even when wearing pjs to
    the grocery store, as I tested out last night.  I'm loving the vintage,
    khaki button on the flower too.  Nothing like a touch of ugly to pretty
    up a project. 

    The school year is hovering.  It floats over my
    shoulder, just beyond sight, and teases me, "Just a few weeks more and
    your little girl will be grown."  Now, of course, this isn't true.  But I
    am taunted nevertheless. 

    MarloBloomBag_HeatherBailey_4a I'm still deciding
    which school to send Charlotte to.  We're down to three choices — and there
    are just about three weeks to decide.  There's the school close to our
    home — the easy option.  The highly-recommended charter school — C is
    near the top on the waiting list.  And then a good, solid school in
    Elijah's same school district — great district, but that's about all I
    know on this one. 

    It's going to have to be a last-minute
    decision, as I still have my fingers crossed on the charter school. 
    Perhaps my school specter will go whisper a message to the
    school's administration, "Red rover, red rover, let Charlotte come
    over."

  • Elephantastico

    ByHeather Bailey
    Lolliphant470Sh Henrietta and I have a new friend at the studio. Meet Effie,
    keeper of pink pins and patron of happy thoughts. Doing tricks and back
    flips is Effie's younger brother, Ollie, the circus star.  

    Several religions
    claim that the world rests on the back of an elephant, standing on a
    tortoise. Though neither is ready to carry the weight of the world, Effie & Henrietta are happy to hold some pins for you. Kudos to them for knowing their limits.

    These sweet little elephants make fun baby toys too — great for girls and for boys. I dream of a turtle & elephant mobile.

    MP004-EO_EffieOllieElephantBlog

    Check out the perfect, sloping elephant bums and cute little tails.  Ah, elephants, my newest mini pattern, hot off the press.

    Through 1-31-10, receive 25% off mini patterns — details here.

  • Smatterday

    ByHeather Bailey

    NiceyJane

    I've
    had the best couple of days.  I got a ton done, which has made it more
    fun to have fun, if you know what I mean.  Of course, my list of to-dos
    is still longer than my leg, but such is life.

    SwirlW I purchased a little table at Goodwill
    two weeks ago, but forgot to go pick it up.  Today, I'm going to go see
    if it's still waiting for me — and if there's any other junk I must
    have on half-price day.  Perhaps I'll put on some make up & have my
    kids lose the pajamas.  Perhaps not.  I love you, Saturday.

    The blanket bling above is from Jamie of Sweet Baby Jamie.  To help me feather my booth at Quilt Market, Jamie made several Nicey Jane
    quilts from my sample yardage.  I'm amazed by her free-motion quilting
    skills.  I don't know how she does it so evenly, without getting stuck
    in a corner as she meanders.  Wow.

    ChurchFlowerCropT Jamie patiently kept these blankets under wraps till Nicey Jane's public debut last week. Now they are all available at her Etsy store. She has a design-your-own-Nicey-Jane-quilt listing too, and her pricing is a little ridiculous, if you ask me — ridiculously low. 

    Well,
    Happy Saturday.  Treat yourself to something fun — a new scarf, a
    candybar, a random, weird find from the thrift store, some time to
    read, a quilt from Jamie.  I might hunt down a new pair of flip-flops. 
    My last pair broke yesterday and I'm not willing to switch to winter
    shoes.

    Basket