I am a lady of tradition if not consistency. So here it is folks, my bi-annual off to Quilt Market bag. Ta Da! Jaybird, a bloggy buddy, actually asked if I had made one yet in the last post. She remembered! I was overwhelmed with sentiment and gushy pride. You actually read this stuff? I thought blogs were just giant inter-webbed picture books! I now feel like I should pay more attention to what I write but that has the potential to lack spontaneity and therefore be less fun.

I usually make a bag from some super hip pattern from some some ultra cool designer but this year I had a hard time finding one with enough pockets so I made my own. I need lots of pockets, not to conceal weapons or anything just water and snacks which are prohibited on the market floor. I hear the punishment can be rather severe if you don’t have a man on the inside who owes you a favor. This bag is essentially a giant pocket, way to solve a problem right?  I broke 3 needles making it because I refused to get off my rear and get the heavy duty needle I needed to get through the seams (4 layers of batting and 4 layers of Decor Bond, oops, I like a stiff bag). Laziness can be so tragic and very often involves at least twice the amount of work.

I did get to do a little machine quilting on my own though. My general philosophy is to leave the heavy lifting to the pros but I do dabble from time to time.

SO it’s that time again. It seems like only yesterday…International Quilt Market is in a few weeks which means little hotel shampoos,  the rekindling of bi-annual friendships, tons of fabric envy and some petty theft in the form of mini soaps and plastic shower caps (I love those things). I have been sewing like crazy and I’m pretty excited about my quilt for the Moda booth. My quilter friend, Angela, is going to do some really amazing stuff with it. She’s a genius, an artist, a genius-artist. I am told there will be some artsy stuff going on in there. I let her do what ever she wants because she always comes up with something I never would have considered. I guess that’s why she is the quilter and I’m not.

The first quilt I make with a new line of fabric is always my favorite. The quilt becomes the physical memory of first working the collection. It’s like falling in love, everything seems crucial and dire. I remember every moment, every stitch. When my seams don’t line up it hurts my heart. It’s like getting to “know” the fabric, I discover new combinations that I didn’t see before. If the quilt would bring me flowers and change the oil in my car it would be like the best boyfriend ever. I mean, it does like to cuddle.

And just when you thought I was done… It seems I can’t stop coming up with new stuff. The 6th installment, that’s right 6th, of the Tula Pink saga is here, in sample form anyway. Hushabye should be shipping to stores anytime now so while you are rushing off to purchase that wonderland of critter joy let me introduce you to what’s driving down the barrel at an alarming pace. I call her Plume. I just received my sample swatches and thought I might commemorate the occasion before I start hacking it to pieces to make my quilt for market. I love this collection almost as much as I love myself. It’s bright and happy and fresh and organic, sort of like a hippy but cleaner. It’s possibly the best drawing I have ever done. To finally see it in living color fills me with such geeker joy that I am even willing to feed all of the stray cats that are milling around my yard. I know that means they will come back, it may cost me a fortune in kitty kibble but I just don’t care. Milk for everyone!

And please, how dang cute is that selvage? A little Fleur De Lis instead of the oh-so-boring standard dot? Will the cuteness ever end? I say no. Cuteness will endure for ever and ever. Amen.

This is the most tedious, mind numbing, eye burning part of designing fabric. It is also my favorite part. It keeps me in my studio and out of trouble for hours sometimes even days. I love to see people’s process so I hope I’m not geeking out too much by assuming that you might find this interesting. It’s also my clever-ish way of letting you know what’s coming before it actually arrives.

It always starts with a drawing.

Once the basic outline is down I add in the medium and highlights. Now it’s starting to move, I love that part.

Toss in some darks and throw in a pretty little patterned background and I almost have myself a print.

Aaah, little falling feathers. Now wasn’t that fun. If only I had Bob Ross’ skills I could make it “happy” and then I could have my own TV show!

There is always work to do. I hope y’all have noticed that I have been making an effort to keep up with my blog. I believe this makes three weeks in a row, a personal record for a self absorbed lazy bum like me, YAY!

So I would like to introduce you to the first sketch in my new line due out eons from now. Seriously, I think it’s something like three light years away. It’s always like this. It seems so far away from having fabric in my greedy little hands that I can barely stand it. Then it’s here, I have a couple of weeks to make some samples and boom! it’s all over and the next deadline approaches like it’s running from a three headed chicken. I wouldn’t trade it for anything but it still makes the day to day stuff a little hard to keep up with. Things like laundry just pale in comparison and I end up suck in a “where’s the beef” t-shirt and a pair of bermuda shorts. It could be worse.