We are very lucky to have Cheryl Kuczek, the mind and hands behind Paradiso Designs, right in our backyard! She has a beautiful line of bag patterns, apparel and teaches classes around the region and beyond. She is a pretty busy gal traveling to trade shows and presenting workshops for Paradiso Designs, but she was able to squeeze some sewing time in for us using our beautiful Laurel Burch Basics that just came out with Fabulous Felines. She also used our recently released Laurel Burch Signature thread set from Aurifil. She picked up on the gold flecks and used some really beautiful pleather to complement the colors. I just love what she did here. If you’d like to see this pattern, head out and pick up a copy of the Winter 2012 Quick Stuff to Sew magazine (made by the folks who do Threads magazine) And, for lots of great tutorials, head on over to Cheryl’s blog. It’s amazing how many patterns and goodies designers give away for FREE on their websites. Cheryl is truly a teacher, you can tell by how many posts show techniques and tips that she knows her stuff and wants to share what she has learned. Thanks Cheryl for sharing this with us and we look forward to more great ideas and patterns from Paradiso Designs. Her patterns are available wholesale or retail from her website.
Fabrics featured: Laurel Burch Basics Hearts
First–Thanks to Scott Hansen over at Blue Nickel Studios for coming up with this idea and putting together a crackerjack list of blogger sewers!! Scott is one of the rare quilters who works in EVERY genre. He just seems to have the eye and a deep love of quilting that translates into an appreciation for all styles. He also happens to be one of the founders of Generation Q magazine. For this Quiltalong, Scott got a kitty of European Taupe 8 by Kinkame (due out in stores soon) and he divvied it up amongst 12 bloggers who will be making blocks using three ET8 fabrics AND they have to incorporate a bar shape (a rectangle) somewhere in the block. For the next few weeks we’ll be seeing fresh bar blocks pop up all over the blogosphere. I’ll be posting links here as new blocks come up and I can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with. What a treat. So, if you love ET8 (like me!) this is just the thing for you. And, if you feel like joining in, head to Scott’s blog post and get his link to upload your own photos! Hooray for a quiltalong–I’m ready to be inspired! For the full story, you’ll have to go to Blue Nickel Studios where Scott has got everything and everyone all linked up to make it easy for us to stay informed!
I love the name of this collection. I’m a little biased. My name is Susie, afterall, and Suzette sounds like some darling French term of endearment rolling off the tongue of a grandmother calling to her grandbaby. These photos capture the feeling I get when I look at this collection so perfectly–I hear Suzette being called and see that sweet little girl smiling. This came to me via Facebook (thanks Sue!) and the photographer is Susan Gary. After a little clicking around, I figured out that the dress can be purchased on Etsy in a store called LittleRascals3. If you want to see more about this collection, Blooms ‘n’ Bugs posted a very sweet, free dress pattern and tutorial a while back on The Works. And, the full collection by Sue Zipkin can be seen by clicking here.
This little darling using City Streets is coming out with plenty of notice for back to school sewing! Check out the latest edition of Easy Quilts by Fons + Porter to get a free pattern for this quilt. The applique pattern would also make really darling pillow shams. Nice work, Jamie!
We’d thought we’d get it done before Facebook forces us! Check out our new look on Facebook and like us so you can get daily posts with new fabrics, ideas and share your own thoughts and projects. Click here. Can you guess all the fabrics you see in the banner?
Generation Q is expanding their digital presence and creating a 96-page, full-color quarterly. Hot diggity dog! We’re excited over her at Clothworks and will keep you posted on the progress. Here is some more information about the launch and check out the online mag. It is full of great project ideas, patterns and thoughtful discussions.
From the horse’s mouth:
“The time is now! We’re furiously working on the first print issue of Generation Q, which will be available in June 2012. GenQ will print quarterly, offering up 96 pages of features, news, ideas, and advertising geared to whet the stitchy appetites of modern and contemporary sewists.”
They are funding their launch with Kickstarter and there are still some swank rewards for pledgers, so check that out, too.
It’s Brandi here signing off and introducing you all to our brand new Marketing/Social Media Coordinator, Susie Philipsen! Thank you SO MUCH to all of you wonderful quilters, sewing enthusiasts and otherwise talented folks who applied for our open position. Everyone on the Clothworks team is super excited to be welcoming Susie to the team and know you will all enjoy seeing her out here on the blog, on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and beyond. Thanks again…take it away Susie!
Hello All! I feel so grateful and excited to take over where Brandi left off. She has built a wonderful, generous and talented online community of sewers and creatives. I’ll be continuing to post projects, tutorials and most of all, ideas and cool things that you all make and send. So please, track me down and flood my inbox with pictures of yourselves working on Clothworks projects, finished and partially finished projects, ideas for blog posts, patterns, thoughts and the like. I want to get to know you and highlight your gifts! And, feel free to email and/or comment here with questions about our lines, quilting, sewing and where to find us. And, join us on Facebook, too for more
I’ll make it easy: blog@clothworks.com
