<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" ><channel><title>whip up &#187; Sewing+Fabric</title> <atom:link href="http://whipup.net/category/sewing-quilting-patchwork-fabric/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /><link>http://whipup.net</link> <description>handcraft in a hectic world</description> <lastBuildDate>Sat, 26 May 2012 03:07:30 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en</language> <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency> <generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2</generator> <item><title>Guest blog &#124; Introducing Thread Bias</title><link>http://whipup.net/2012/04/28/guest-blog-introducing-thread-bias/</link> <comments>http://whipup.net/2012/04/28/guest-blog-introducing-thread-bias/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Sat, 28 Apr 2012 11:04:29 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>contributor</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Community + Creativity]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sewing+Fabric]]></category> <category><![CDATA[sewing community]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://whipup.net/?p=23217</guid> <description><![CDATA[I&#8217;m very excited to be a guest here at Whip Up and have the opportunity to introduce a new online sewing and quilting community &#8211; Threadbias.com. We recently launched and are inviting everyone to come join in. Before I jump into what Threadbias is all about, I&#8217;d like to introduce us &#8212; the Founders of [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p>I&#8217;m very excited to be a guest here at Whip Up and have the opportunity to introduce a new online sewing and quilting community &#8211; <a href="http://Threadbias.com">Threadbias.com</a>. We recently launched and are inviting everyone to come join in.</p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/04/threadbias.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-23218" title="threadbias" src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/04/threadbias.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="540" /></a></p><p>Before I jump into what Threadbias is all about, I&#8217;d like to introduce us &#8212; the Founders of Threadbias. There are three of us: Alex, Rebecca, and me, Amanda. Alex and Rebecca are married, and Alex is my older brother. We all have a background that&#8217;s pretty full of sewing and craftiness.</p><p>Alex and I grew up together, of course, and our mom was always sewing, especially when we were younger. She made everything from clothes to Cabbage Patch Dolls. As we got older she started quilting, and she became really involved in the local quilting community. She taught me how to sew clothing, make quilts, and do handwork like embroidery and cross stitch. I still remember doing samplers and hand-piecing my first doll quilt (which I still have, but never finished). I always tended toward the DIY side, even when it wasn&#8217;t &#8220;cool&#8221;. I remember wearing a terrible sweatshirt around age 12 that I had stitched a collection of pewter buttons to, as well as some colorfully embroidered jeans all through high school.</p><p>Rebecca also grew up with a mom who sewed, and got her start with cross-stitch. She still remembers going to pick out those little cross-stitch kits that came with everything you needed &#8211; aida cloth, floss, needle and plastic frame to make gifts for family and friends. Rebecca&#8217;s mom also made her clothes when she was young, and taught her crochet and other hand work. In Junior High Rebecca took a sewing and stitchery class that broadened her interests in sewing and she began to make little patchwork ornaments and try her hand at clothing construction. Being a teenager however, whenever there was a difficult step &#8212; zippers, buttonholes, etc, the project would get shoved to the side and she&#8217;d be off searching for a new pattern and fabric for her next project.</p><p>Alex didn&#8217;t get into sewing like I did, though he did make a football shaped pillow in middle school that is still around today. However, sewing and fabric (or waiting in the parking lot of the fabric store for our mom to come out) were always a part of his life. When he and Rebecca got married, she continued her sewing and also learned to quilt from my mother. They now have a 3 year old son and lots of nieces and nephews. Rebecca loves making handmade gifts, especially for the little ones. She also makes really beautiful quilts and enjoys sewing clothes for her son. One of her favorite things is handwork and for her sister&#8217;s wedding last year hand-embroidered an amazing sash and matching shoes (inspired by Aimee Ray&#8217;s designs in Doodle Stitching).</p><p>I am also married (my husband, Jeremy, is a photographer) and have three little girls &#8212; ages 6, 5, and 3. I love sewing for them, of course. I&#8217;m in the process of making a quilt for each of their beds, and they often get mama-made dresses and skirts and nightgowns. Before we had our girls, I had stopped sewing for several years &#8212; I think I made a curtain now and then, but no big projects. Once I became a stay-at-home mom I began to realize how much I could make myself, and how much more fun and special that could be.</p><p><strong>Although we live far apart</strong>, Rebecca and I spent a lot of time talking, sharing our projects, and sending each other pictures. We had both started to read a lot of sewing blogs and were always passing ideas and tutorials back and forth. Alex, who is a web developer, was around for all of this and it sparked an idea for him. His original idea, in late 2010, was to create a web-based design tool for quilters &#8212; a program anyone could access online and use to create quilts and blocks and determine measurements and fabric requirements. He quickly realized that an online community was both complementary to his idea and needed &#8212; he looked around and couldn&#8217;t find anything like it &#8212; no central place for sewists and quilters to gather and share ideas. He proposed his idea to Rebecca and I and we loved it. We knew that we would want to hang out at a place like that, and we figured others would too. Threadbias was founded in January 2011 and Alex developed the website over the course of that year, working with Rebecca and I to determine what would be needed and wanted in an online sewing community. He&#8217;s now back at work on his original vision of the quilt and pattern design tool, and expects to release a beta version on Threadbias within a couple of months.</p><p><strong>While developing Threadbias</strong>, the three of us brainstormed all the features we thought would be fun. We knew a Studio space would be good; a place where you could organize your projects and keep track of fabrics and patterns. We also wanted a lot of fabrics to &#8220;stash&#8221; and currently have over 40,000 in our database, and are working with manufacturers to add more. I use mine not only to keep track of fabrics I have, but fabrics I want to have as well. It’s sort of a wish list for me and helps me remember when I’m shopping online or even at a local shop.</p><p><strong>To help build the community</strong>, we knew we needed forums and groups for people to gather and talk. It’s been amazing to see conversations happening, and to watch new groups form. What we want more than anything is for people to feel like they can come to Threadbias and have their own space, have it really be their place. I like to imagine the community growing – but at the same time, everyone being able to find their own little corner. The Internet is huge – endless, really, and it can sometimes feel like you’re writing to no one, or sharing with so many that it’s hard to find people to truly connect with. Our hope is that anyone who joins Threadbias feels like they have a group to share with and people to connect with.</p><p>Thank you so much, Kathreen, for hosting us here today. We appreciate the opportunity to get the word out and share our site with your readers! I hope that everyone has fun exploring!<strong>Similar Posts:</strong><ul class="similar-posts"><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/02/18/guest-blog-series-refashion-a-sweater/" rel="bookmark" title="February 18, 2011">Guest blog series: refashion a sweater</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2012/03/26/guest-blog-book-art-lab-for-kids/" rel="bookmark" title="March 26, 2012">Guest blog | Book: Art Lab for Kids</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2010/04/03/mini-quilt-month-day-3-introducing-the-contributors/" rel="bookmark" title="April 3, 2010">Mini Quilt Month: Day 3: introducing the contributors</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2012/03/19/guest-blog-book-sewn-toy-tales/" rel="bookmark" title="March 19, 2012">Guest blog | Book: Sewn toy tales</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/03/06/guest-blog-series-love-in-stereo/" rel="bookmark" title="March 6, 2011">Guest blog series: Love in stereo</a> |</li></ul><p></p>Share and Enjoy:<a rel="nofollow"  href="mailto:?subject=Guest%20blog%20%7C%20Introducing%20Thread%20Bias&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F04%2F28%2Fguest-blog-introducing-thread-bias%2F" title="email"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/email_link.png" title="email" alt="email" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F04%2F28%2Fguest-blog-introducing-thread-bias%2F&amp;partner=sociable" title="Print"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/printfriendly.png" title="Print" alt="Print" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F04%2F28%2Fguest-blog-introducing-thread-bias%2F&amp;title=Guest%20blog%20%7C%20Introducing%20Thread%20Bias" title="StumbleUpon"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/stumbleupon.png" title="StumbleUpon" alt="StumbleUpon" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F04%2F28%2Fguest-blog-introducing-thread-bias%2F&amp;title=Guest%20blog%20%7C%20Introducing%20Thread%20Bias&amp;bodytext=I%27m%20very%20excited%20to%20be%20a%20guest%20here%20at%20Whip%20Up%20and%20have%20the%20opportunity%20to%20introduce%20a%20new%20online%20sewing%20and%20quilting%20community%20-%20Threadbias.com.%20We%20recently%20launched%20and%20are%20inviting%20everyone%20to%20come%20join%20in.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0ABefore%20I%20jump%20into%20what%20Threadbia" title="Digg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/digg.png" title="Digg" alt="Digg" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F04%2F28%2Fguest-blog-introducing-thread-bias%2F" title="Technorati"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/technorati.png" title="Technorati" alt="Technorati" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Guest%20blog%20%7C%20Introducing%20Thread%20Bias%20-%20http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F04%2F28%2Fguest-blog-introducing-thread-bias%2F" title="Twitter"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/twitter.png" title="Twitter" alt="Twitter" class="sociable-hovers" /></a><br/><br/>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://whipup.net/2012/04/28/guest-blog-introducing-thread-bias/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>2</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Guest post &#124; David Butler on Parson Gray</title><link>http://whipup.net/2012/04/02/guest-post-david-butler-discusses-parson-gray/</link> <comments>http://whipup.net/2012/04/02/guest-post-david-butler-discusses-parson-gray/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:28:11 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>contributor</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Guest Blogger]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sewing+Fabric]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fabric design]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Parson Gray]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://whipup.net/?p=22966</guid> <description><![CDATA[Parson Gray is the brand of David Butler &#8211; artist and lead singer of the band Black Owls. With a decidedly &#8220;folk modern&#8221; approach, David uses richly muted palettes and organic, geometric prints with hand-drawn sophistication anchored in modernist simplicity reminiscent of mid-century studio design. His brand offerings range from textiles, to fashion, home and [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><em><a href="http://www.parsongray.com">Parson Gray</a> is the brand of <strong>David Butler</strong> &#8211; artist and lead singer of the band <a href="http://www.blackowls.com">Black Owls</a>. With a decidedly &#8220;folk modern&#8221; approach, David uses richly muted palettes and organic, geometric prints with hand-drawn sophistication anchored in modernist simplicity reminiscent of mid-century studio design. His brand offerings range from textiles, to fashion, home and personal accessories. </em></p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/04/IMG_1889.jpeg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22972" title="IMG_1889" src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/04/IMG_1889.jpeg" alt="" width="600" height="810" /></a></p><p>Thanks for swinging by Whipup and letting me indulge for a bit. I&#8217;m going to ramble about my design inspiration and process for just a little while, and if you get bored, well, that&#8217;s my fault. Some of you may know me as the husband of the awesome designer <a href="http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/main.php?fl=0">Amy Butler</a>, and some of you (fewer of you) might know that I also have a band called <a href="http://www.blackowls.com">Black Owls</a>. I lead a very full and very kinetic &amp; crazy life, just the way I like it! I&#8217;m glad you&#8217;re here.</p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/04/ParsonGray4.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22973" title="ParsonGray4" src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/04/ParsonGray4.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="294" /></a></p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/04/ParsonGray5.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22974" title="ParsonGray5" src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/04/ParsonGray5.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="293" /></a></p><p>Start by saying that I always have ideas and inspiration pinned up on my boards. I know pretty much what the collection of prints is going to be when designing fabric. My inspiration boards contain strange elements and shapes in nature, rock music, folk art, mid-century design, motion, fashion, all things that I find exciting and soothing at the same time. I use these inspirations more for tone and story rather than real reference for the art. It never really seems to work that way. I like to have an over-abundance of reference, and drawings/paintings, and edit down from where I started. There are many parallels to creating music. I like to write a large volume of songs and then pare down to get to an album. The difference is with rock music, I co-create with my partner Ed who writes the music. We have sketches, we finalize them (demos), then we turn them into final art (masters). It just takes a heck of a lot longer to do the music than it does to do the fabrics!</p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/03/ParsonGray2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22968" title="ParsonGray2" src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/03/ParsonGray2.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="348" /></a></p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/03/PG.COLORS.jpeg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22970" title="PG.COLORS" src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/03/PG.COLORS.jpeg" alt="" width="480" height="600" /></a></p><p>For <a href="http://www.parsongray.com/the-wares/textiles/">Curious Nature</a> there were a few prints that went all the way through coloring and then bit the dust after I put together the entire collection. (Just like our new album) They seemed a perfect fit when I started, but didn&#8217;t flow well with everything else once it all came together as a color story. I pull together my drawings and prints in black and white and scan them in. Then I make my repeats and clean up the art as I need to. I intentionally keep the hand-drawn character, flaws and all, because it is inherent to the character of the art. I then make my step and repeats on the computer and build my color palette. Then it&#8217;s all just experimentation. Dropping in colors, printing them out, laying them on the floor and editing. Like I said, not everything makes the cut. The whole process for me takes a little less than a week to complete.</p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/03/PARSONLINE.jpeg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22969" title="PARSONLINE" src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/03/PARSONLINE.jpeg" alt="" width="600" height="603" /></a></p><p>My next range is already designed and in production. It&#8217;s called Seven Wonders. 24 prints that will work alongside Curious Nature. I wanted to expand upon the palette that I&#8217;ve built with the first line, and create a world of prints and colors that go together – So folks can refresh their investment in Curious Nature with an addendum set of colors and prints. I love the idea of expanding upon something already built. I&#8217;m currently working on a series of other products and ideas (while helping Amy with her business and photography, website, etc..). A Black Owls double album comes out soon too. I need a nap.</p><p>Thanks for checking in! &#8211; Dave<strong>Similar Posts:</strong><ul class="similar-posts"><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/08/11/guest-post-amy-butler/" rel="bookmark" title="August 11, 2011">Guest post | Amy Butler</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2012/03/05/guest-post-colour-book-transparency-quilts/" rel="bookmark" title="March 5, 2012">Guest post | Colour | Book: Transparency quilts</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/08/19/guest-post-conceptual-knitting/" rel="bookmark" title="August 19, 2011">Guest post | Conceptual Knitting</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2012/02/07/guest-post-baroque-punk-machine-embroidery/" rel="bookmark" title="February 7, 2012">Guest post | Baroque punk machine embroidery</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2012/03/27/guest-post-art-with-kids/" rel="bookmark" title="March 27, 2012">Guest post | Art with Kids</a> |</li></ul><p></p>Share and Enjoy:<a rel="nofollow"  href="mailto:?subject=Guest%20post%20%7C%20David%20Butler%20on%20Parson%20Gray&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F04%2F02%2Fguest-post-david-butler-discusses-parson-gray%2F" title="email"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/email_link.png" title="email" alt="email" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F04%2F02%2Fguest-post-david-butler-discusses-parson-gray%2F&amp;partner=sociable" title="Print"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/printfriendly.png" title="Print" alt="Print" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F04%2F02%2Fguest-post-david-butler-discusses-parson-gray%2F&amp;title=Guest%20post%20%7C%20David%20Butler%20on%20Parson%20Gray" title="StumbleUpon"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/stumbleupon.png" title="StumbleUpon" alt="StumbleUpon" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F04%2F02%2Fguest-post-david-butler-discusses-parson-gray%2F&amp;title=Guest%20post%20%7C%20David%20Butler%20on%20Parson%20Gray&amp;bodytext=Parson%20Gray%20is%20the%20brand%20of%20David%20Butler%20-%20artist%20and%20lead%20singer%20of%20the%20band%20Black%20Owls.%20With%20a%20decidedly%20%22folk%20modern%22%20approach%2C%20David%20uses%20richly%20muted%20palettes%20and%20organic%2C%20geometric%20prints%20with%20hand-drawn%20sophistication%20anchored%20in%20modernist%20sim" title="Digg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/digg.png" title="Digg" alt="Digg" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F04%2F02%2Fguest-post-david-butler-discusses-parson-gray%2F" title="Technorati"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/technorati.png" title="Technorati" alt="Technorati" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Guest%20post%20%7C%20David%20Butler%20on%20Parson%20Gray%20-%20http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F04%2F02%2Fguest-post-david-butler-discusses-parson-gray%2F" title="Twitter"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/twitter.png" title="Twitter" alt="Twitter" class="sociable-hovers" /></a><br/><br/>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://whipup.net/2012/04/02/guest-post-david-butler-discusses-parson-gray/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>2</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Guest post &#124; Sew together: Beyond the basics</title><link>http://whipup.net/2012/03/02/guest-post-sew-together-beyond-the-basics/</link> <comments>http://whipup.net/2012/03/02/guest-post-sew-together-beyond-the-basics/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 02 Mar 2012 10:46:33 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>contributor</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Guest Blogger]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sewing+Fabric]]></category> <category><![CDATA[sewing basics]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://whipup.net/?p=22812</guid> <description><![CDATA[Caroline and Maryanne are sisters who live in Sydney, Australia. They come from a long line of crafting women, who have all had the desire to create. They hope to continue this family tradition, spark this same passion in their children and share it with friends. They run a sewing school where Their main focus [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><em><strong>Caroline and Maryanne</strong> are sisters who live in Sydney, Australia. They come from a long line of crafting women, who have all had the desire to create. They hope to continue this family tradition, spark this same passion in their children and share it with friends. They run a sewing school where Their main focus is to help their students discover the joy of creating beautiful but simple things and the joy that comes from being part of a crafting community. They have a <a href="http://www.sewtogether.com.au/our-blog.html">blog</a> too!</em></p><h3>Beyond the Basics</h3><p>We come from a long line of crafty women. While sewing and craft have always been part of who we are, it was only when we had children that it became our passion.</p><p>Sewing for children has brought us endless pleasure. Their little bodies are soft and round &#8211; there is no need for darts or real shaping other than some simple gathering, an elastic waistband or a few sweet pintucks.</p><p>When we started sewing for our children the patterns we chose were super simple &#8211; a-line dresses, elastic waisted pants, peasant tops and hooded jackets made up our sewing repertoire. The more things we created, the more we wanted to make and it was through this that we made an exciting discovery. Basic patterns are infinitely flexible and are super easy to adjust, alter and combine. Make a few alterations to a bodice top and combine it with tweaked elastic waisted skirt and voila! You have created an gorgeous dress. If you cut a pair of elastic waisted pants short and add a cuff you make some seriously cute and easy bubble shorts.</p><p>There will always be a place for patterns created by expert draftspeople, when we come to a new skill, moving from faux flies to real zippered flies, faux plackets to real plackets, for example, commercial patterns are always our starting point. Through this we acquire a new skill. And after we&#8217;ve mastered it? Then the fun begins. We get to play with it!</p><p><strong>Some of the things we&#8217;ve discovered are:</strong></p><ul><li>Never use your most expensive or favourite fabric the first time you alter a pattern</li><li>Be confident with the basic pattern that is your staring point</li><li>Bias tape is your best friend. It means you don&#8217;t have to draft facings.</li><li>Create a master pattern without seam allowances. This makes drafting additional facings, collars and sleeves much easier. When you&#8217;re happy with your draft, don&#8217;t forget to add your seam allowances back in.</li><li>Be aware that your finished product won&#8217;t always be the one that you had in mind when you started. Nine times out of ten you&#8217;ll love them anyway. This is one of the things that makes pattern alteration so much fun.</li><li>Embrace the inevitable failures and see them as a learning opportunity</li></ul><p>We love this idea so much that we&#8217;re doing a series about it on our <a href="http://www.sewtogether.com.au/our-blog.html">blog</a>. Each week we take a basic pattern shape and show our readers how infinitely flexible these patterns are. We hope to give our readers the skills to become confident, designers and creators. Pop in and have a look. We&#8217;d love to see you!</p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/02/whipupcollage.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22814" title="whipupcollage" src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/02/whipupcollage.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="360" /></a></p><p><strong>Take a look at some of the basic patterns that we&#8217;ve altered&#8230;</strong></p><ul><li>1. Basic jacket with ruffle</li><li>2. Dress to jacket inspired by <a href="http://www.craftinessisnotoptional.com/2011/07/junebug-dress-sew-along-part-1-pattern.html">this </a></li><li>3. Modern vintage top ( basic bodice pattern with flutter sleeves and a contrast placket)</li><li>4. Sixties inspired dress (a-line dress with peter pan collar and cuffs)</li><li>5. Reversible dinosaur jacket (basic jacket with spiked lining!)</li><li>6.Ruffled blouse (peasant dress with ruffle collar and placket)</li><li>7. A-line dress with bow feature (this one is SO simple to make!)</li><li>8. Little girl dress-up dress (bodice top with ruffle, back placket and elastic waist style skirt)</li></ul><p>&nbsp;<strong>Similar Posts:</strong><ul class="similar-posts"><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2012/02/21/book-custom-crochet-sweaters/" rel="bookmark" title="February 21, 2012">Book | Guest post | Custom Crochet Sweaters</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2012/03/06/guest-post-creative-process/" rel="bookmark" title="March 6, 2012">Guest post | Creative process</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2012/01/19/guest-post-monthly-apparel-challenge/" rel="bookmark" title="January 19, 2012">Guest post | Monthly apparel challenge</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/06/28/guest-post-the-shirt-off-daddys-back/" rel="bookmark" title="June 28, 2011">Guest post: The Shirt off Daddy&#8217;s back</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/08/27/guest-post-newborn-baby-hat-tutorial/" rel="bookmark" title="August 27, 2011">Guest post | Newborn baby hat tutorial</a> |</li></ul><p></p>Share and Enjoy:<a rel="nofollow"  href="mailto:?subject=Guest%20post%20%7C%20Sew%20together%3A%20Beyond%20the%20basics&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F03%2F02%2Fguest-post-sew-together-beyond-the-basics%2F" title="email"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/email_link.png" title="email" alt="email" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F03%2F02%2Fguest-post-sew-together-beyond-the-basics%2F&amp;partner=sociable" title="Print"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/printfriendly.png" title="Print" alt="Print" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F03%2F02%2Fguest-post-sew-together-beyond-the-basics%2F&amp;title=Guest%20post%20%7C%20Sew%20together%3A%20Beyond%20the%20basics" title="StumbleUpon"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/stumbleupon.png" title="StumbleUpon" alt="StumbleUpon" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F03%2F02%2Fguest-post-sew-together-beyond-the-basics%2F&amp;title=Guest%20post%20%7C%20Sew%20together%3A%20Beyond%20the%20basics&amp;bodytext=Caroline%20and%20Maryanne%20are%20sisters%20who%20live%20in%20Sydney%2C%20Australia.%20They%20come%20from%20a%20long%20line%20of%20crafting%20women%2C%20who%20have%20all%20had%20the%20desire%20to%20create.%20They%20hope%20to%20continue%20this%20family%20tradition%2C%20spark%20this%20same%20passion%20in%20their%20children%20and%20share%20it%20" title="Digg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/digg.png" title="Digg" alt="Digg" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F03%2F02%2Fguest-post-sew-together-beyond-the-basics%2F" title="Technorati"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/technorati.png" title="Technorati" alt="Technorati" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Guest%20post%20%7C%20Sew%20together%3A%20Beyond%20the%20basics%20-%20http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F03%2F02%2Fguest-post-sew-together-beyond-the-basics%2F" title="Twitter"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/twitter.png" title="Twitter" alt="Twitter" class="sociable-hovers" /></a><br/><br/>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://whipup.net/2012/03/02/guest-post-sew-together-beyond-the-basics/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Books &#124; Fabric design</title><link>http://whipup.net/2012/02/16/books-fabric-design/</link> <comments>http://whipup.net/2012/02/16/books-fabric-design/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:06:42 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>kath_red</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Books]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sewing+Fabric]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fabric design]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://whipup.net/?p=22767</guid> <description><![CDATA[Book 1: Kim Kight is the fabric expert behind the much loved blog TrueUp. It was only a matter of time before she would write a book and I so very glad to finally be able to tell you how excellent it is. Kim has a way of delving into each topic with such depth [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/02/fabricDesign.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22768" title="fabricDesign" src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/02/fabricDesign.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="371" /></a></p><p><strong>Book 1:</strong> Kim Kight is the fabric expert behind the much loved blog <a href="http://www.trueup.net/">TrueUp</a>. It was only a matter of time before she would write a book and I so very glad to finally be able to tell you how excellent it is. Kim has a way of delving into each topic with such depth and unbiased insight which is why her blog has become the go-to place for fabric designers and fabric appreciators alike. And her recent book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607053551/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=whipup-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1607053551">A Field Guide to Fabric Design</a> (C&amp;T Publishing November 2011),<img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=whipup-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1607053551" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> I am very happy to report does her justice.</p><p>In <em>A field guide</em>, you will find: how to develop your design using various tools (with tutorials), how to develop a colour palette (with a colour theory primer), there is a bit about copyright, collections, fabrics and printing options, and finishing with how to enter the designing fabric marketplace. All of this information is set out very clearly and is an excellent overview to getting started on designing your own fabric and starting up a business in fabric design.</p><p><strong>Book 2:</strong> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1452101159/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=whipup-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1452101159">Mastering the Art of Fabric Printing and Design</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=whipup-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1452101159" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> (Chronicle Books February 2012), is a recent release on the market covering this very popular diy fabric design market. The author <a href="http://lauriewisbrun.com/">Laurie Wisbrun</a>, brings her personal expertise to the table here, as a surface designer who began designing and selling her own fabric designs through <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/scarletfig">Etsy</a> (using <a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/tags/laurie%20wisbrun">Spoonflower</a> printing) and now designs for <a href="http://www.robertkaufman.com/">Robert Kaufman Fabrics</a>.</p><p>This is a big book with a lovely textured hard cover &#8212; I like that in a book. <em>Master the Art</em> in addition to how to design, info on colour and fabric etc has the addition of guest designers offering some tutorials, for example Malka Dubrawsky explains the process of dyeing, while Jesse Breytenbach explains how to print by hand. The book is bulked out with some interesting interviews with fabric designers as they tell us how they got started in the industry.</p><p><strong>Comparison:</strong> it is difficult to compare these two books, they do cover a lot of the same ground, but are written from different perspectives. Either of these books would be a useful addition to your design library.</p><p><em>Master the Art</em> is stronger in the design aspect. Laurie&#8217;s knowledge as a surface designer comes to the fore and her photoshop and illustrator tutorials are very thorough, and her personal experience using Print-on-demand services meant that she has some detailed advice regarding colour management and digital printing. I would have hoped for more regarding marketing and selling your designs, but these business development sections may require a whole other book!</p><p>Kim Kight brings a broader view to her book, she has a vast knowledge of pattern, trends, vintage and current fabrics and designers as well as having experimented and researched many of the digital and online printing options. <em>A field guide</em> offers a lot of examples of fabric designs from all eras which I thought was a definite bonus (Laurie seemed to focus more on her own and other contemporary designs), Kim&#8217;s strengths lie in her broad view, passion and understanding of the fabric industry as a whole.</p><p>Both great books which can&#8217;t but help overlap in many ways but come from different perspectives and add to the whole story of becoming a fabric designer.</p><p><strong>Fabric design online resources:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="http://www.bonbonkakku.com/">Bonbonkakku</a> ::<a href="http://www.fabricondemand.com/"> fabric on demand </a>:: <a href="http://www.karmakraft.com/">Karma craft </a>:: <a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/">spoonflower</a></li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/03/01/guest-blogger-series-fabric-design-tips/">Lizzy house </a>- Article on getting into the fashion/textile industry</li><li>Its a good idea to<a href="http://tinyhappy.typepad.com/tiny_happy/2010/10/inspiration-board.html"> create a mood board</a></li><li>Ellen has a great <a href="http://thelongthread.com/?p=6515">roundup</a> of fabric printing ideas and resources</li><li>How to <a href="http://www.designsponge.com/2008/05/welcome-julia-and-how-to-make-a-repeat-pattern.html">create a repeat pattern</a> on paper</li><li>Portabellopixie<a href="http://portabellopixie.typepad.com/portabellopixie/how-do-you-design-fabric.html"> explains</a> the design process</li><li>How <a href="http://whipup.net/2011/09/23/guest-blogger-series-fabric-design/">Sarah Fielke </a>designs her fabric</li><li>MORE design stories and inspiration<a href="http://whipup.net/2011/06/26/guide-to-fabric-design-online/"> back here</a></li></ul><p><strong>Similar Posts:</strong><ul class="similar-posts"><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/06/26/guide-to-fabric-design-online/" rel="bookmark" title="June 26, 2011">Guide to fabric design online</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/03/01/guest-blogger-series-fabric-design-tips/" rel="bookmark" title="March 1, 2011">Guest blogger series: Fabric design tips</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2010/11/24/books-3-design-books/" rel="bookmark" title="November 24, 2010">books: 3 design books</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/09/23/guest-blogger-series-fabric-design/" rel="bookmark" title="September 23, 2011">Guest blogger series | Fabric design</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2010/11/26/book-the-knitgrrl-guide-to-professional-knitwear-design/" rel="bookmark" title="November 26, 2010">book: The Knitgrrl Guide To Professional Knitwear Design</a> |</li></ul><p></p>Share and Enjoy:<a rel="nofollow"  href="mailto:?subject=Books%20%7C%20Fabric%20design&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F02%2F16%2Fbooks-fabric-design%2F" title="email"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/email_link.png" title="email" alt="email" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F02%2F16%2Fbooks-fabric-design%2F&amp;partner=sociable" title="Print"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/printfriendly.png" title="Print" alt="Print" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F02%2F16%2Fbooks-fabric-design%2F&amp;title=Books%20%7C%20Fabric%20design" title="StumbleUpon"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/stumbleupon.png" title="StumbleUpon" alt="StumbleUpon" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F02%2F16%2Fbooks-fabric-design%2F&amp;title=Books%20%7C%20Fabric%20design&amp;bodytext=%0D%0A%0D%0ABook%201%3A%20Kim%20Kight%20is%20the%20fabric%20expert%20behind%20the%20much%20loved%20blog%20TrueUp.%20It%20was%20only%20a%20matter%20of%20time%20before%20she%20would%20write%20a%20book%20and%20I%20so%20very%20glad%20to%20finally%20be%20able%20to%20tell%20you%20how%20excellent%20it%20is.%20Kim%20has%20a%20way%20of%20delving%20into%20each%20topic%20w" title="Digg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/digg.png" title="Digg" alt="Digg" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F02%2F16%2Fbooks-fabric-design%2F" title="Technorati"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/technorati.png" title="Technorati" alt="Technorati" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Books%20%7C%20Fabric%20design%20-%20http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F02%2F16%2Fbooks-fabric-design%2F" title="Twitter"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/twitter.png" title="Twitter" alt="Twitter" class="sociable-hovers" /></a><br/><br/>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://whipup.net/2012/02/16/books-fabric-design/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>3</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Little Bits Quilting Bee &#124; talking pre-cut fabric</title><link>http://whipup.net/2012/02/06/little-bits-quilting-bee-talking-pre-cut-fabric/</link> <comments>http://whipup.net/2012/02/06/little-bits-quilting-bee-talking-pre-cut-fabric/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:20:45 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>kath_red</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Little Bits Quilting Bee]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Quilting]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sewing+Fabric]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fabric]]></category> <category><![CDATA[little bits quilting bee]]></category> <category><![CDATA[pre-cuts]]></category> <category><![CDATA[quilting]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://whipup.net/?p=22685</guid> <description><![CDATA[Throughout February I will be featuring quilts from my book Little Bits Quilting Bee (published by Chronicle late last year). Because designer fabric is often only in print for one season it can be difficult for quilt designers and authors to choose fabrics that will be still available when the book or pattern is published; so to help you [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><em>Throughout February I will be featuring quilts from my book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811877302/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=whipup-20">Little Bits Quilting Bee</a> (published by <a href="http://www.chroniclebooks.com/titles/pop-culture/collectibles-nostalgia/little-bits-quilting-bee.html">Chronicle</a> late last year). Because designer fabric is often only in print for one season it can be difficult for quilt designers and authors to choose fabrics that will be still available when the book or pattern is published; so to help you out I will be offering advice and alternate fabric choices for many of the quilts in my book. <strong>You&#8217;ll also need</strong> a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811877302/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=whipup-20">copy of my book</a> to make the quilts &#8211; and they are available in all good book shops and online too.</em></p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/01/PreCuts.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22686" title="PreCuts" src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/01/PreCuts.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="192" /></a></p><p><strong>What is pre-cut fabric?</strong></p><p>Pre-cut fabrics are a series of co-ordinating fabrics &#8212; usually from a single collecton &#8212; especially cut and packaged by the manufacturer. Using these pre-cuts has a few benefits:</p><ul><li>1. You get a whole bunch of different fabrics at once &#8211; making it easy to build up your stash. You can use them together in one quilt or mix them with other fabrics from your stash too.</li><li>2. Coordinating fabrics and colours for a quilt is easier.</li><li>3. The packs are cut into handy pieces allowing you to whip up  a quilt very easily and quickly.</li></ul><p><strong>Do I need to pre-wash pre-cut fabric?</strong></p><p>Pre-cut fabrics are a little difficult to pre-wash, because the pieces are so small they get tangled up in the wash and are time consuming to iron. I usually don&#8217;t worry about pre-washing my pre-cuts &#8211; however there are a couple of exceptions:</p><ul><li>1. You should pre-wash hand dyes and batiks as the colours are likely to run.</li><li>2. You should pre-wash dark colours &#8211; especially red, purple and navy as these are more likely to run.</li><li>3. You should pre-wash reds especially if you are using them with lighter colours.</li></ul><p>If you didn&#8217;t pre-wash your fabric before making the quilt and you are worried the colours might run (especially if you have a white background) &#8212; all is not lost, there are a few things you can still do to ensure the colours in your quilt do not run the first time you wash:</p><ul><li>1. Wash your quilt in cold water on a gentle cycle and throw in some colour catchers to soak up any dye that might come out.</li><li>2. Wash your quilt in cold water with vinegar &#8211; the vinegar will set any colours that are likely to run.</li><li>3. Use a product such as synthrapol in the wash, this special detergent is used to remove unattached excess dye.</li></ul><p>In <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811877302/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=whipup-20">my book</a> Little Bits Quilting Bee, </em>I use four different types of pre-cuts to create the 20 unique quilts: Fat Quarters, Charm Squares, Jelly Rolls and Layer Cakes.</p><p><strong>Fat quarters:</strong></p><p>Fat Quarters are the most widely available and used pre-cut fabric. A fat quarter is literally a 1/4 of a yard of fabric, but it is not cut selvedge to selvedge it is cut by cutting half a yard of fabric in half widthways. Fat quarters are generally 18 inches by 22 inches. Most fabric companies offer Fat Quarter bundles, which contain every print in a collection.</p><p><strong>Charm Squares:</strong></p><p>A charm square is a 5 x 5 inch square of fabric, and are great for easy patchwork quilts. Charm packs are made up of about 40 pieces of  5 inch squares and are equal to approx 3/4 of a yard of fabric.</p><p><strong>Jelly Rolls:</strong></p><p>Jelly Rolls are a Moda invention, but are available under other names from different fabric manufacturers: Bali pops, Design rolls, Strip-tease buns, Sushi Rolls, and Roll-ups are just some of the names these are sometimes called. They usually contain forty strips (well 40-44 strips &#8212; but check before buying how many are included as different manufacturers offer different amounts of strips) and are a standard 2 ½ inches wide. These are perfect for binding and sashing but are also great in any strip type quilt design.</p><p><strong>Layer Cakes:</strong></p><p>Layer cakes are 10 inch square packs of fabrics, containing usually 40 squares. The total fabric yardage is about 3 1/2 yards. Layer cakes are fun to use because they are so versatile, you can use them as they are and they make for a quick and <a href="http://whipup.net/2012/01/10/whipup-tutorial-mid-season-quilt/">easy quilt</a>, but you can also cut them into squares and triangles or use them for applique too. Various fabric companies, as well as Moda, offer these 10 inch square packs under other names, but the amount of squares in a pack may vary.</p><p><em>All images are copyright <a href="http://www.johnpaulurizar.com.au/books.html">John Paul Urizar </a>who did a great job on the photography in the book. </em></p><p>&nbsp;<strong>Similar Posts:</strong><ul class="similar-posts"><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2012/02/20/little-bits-quilting-bee-talking-pre-cut-fabric-pop-wreath/" rel="bookmark" title="February 20, 2012">Little Bits Quilting Bee | talking pre-cut fabric | Pop wreath</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2012/02/15/little-bits-quilting-bee-talking-pre-cut-fabric-crimson-cross/" rel="bookmark" title="February 15, 2012">Little Bits Quilting Bee | talking pre-cut fabric | Crimson cross</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2012/02/17/little-bits-quilting-bee-talking-pre-cut-fabric-sunny-day-mat/" rel="bookmark" title="February 17, 2012">Little Bits Quilting Bee | talking pre-cut fabric | Sunny Day Mat</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2012/02/10/little-bits-quilting-bee-talking-pre-cut-fabric-squadron/" rel="bookmark" title="February 10, 2012">Little Bits Quilting Bee | talking pre-cut fabric | Squadron</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2012/02/29/little-bits-quilting-bee-talking-pre-cut-fabric-community-garden/" rel="bookmark" title="February 29, 2012">Little Bits Quilting Bee | talking pre-cut fabric | Community garden</a> |</li></ul><p></p>Share and Enjoy:<a rel="nofollow"  href="mailto:?subject=Little%20Bits%20Quilting%20Bee%20%7C%20talking%20pre-cut%20fabric&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F02%2F06%2Flittle-bits-quilting-bee-talking-pre-cut-fabric%2F" title="email"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/email_link.png" title="email" alt="email" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F02%2F06%2Flittle-bits-quilting-bee-talking-pre-cut-fabric%2F&amp;partner=sociable" title="Print"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/printfriendly.png" title="Print" alt="Print" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F02%2F06%2Flittle-bits-quilting-bee-talking-pre-cut-fabric%2F&amp;title=Little%20Bits%20Quilting%20Bee%20%7C%20talking%20pre-cut%20fabric" title="StumbleUpon"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/stumbleupon.png" title="StumbleUpon" alt="StumbleUpon" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F02%2F06%2Flittle-bits-quilting-bee-talking-pre-cut-fabric%2F&amp;title=Little%20Bits%20Quilting%20Bee%20%7C%20talking%20pre-cut%20fabric&amp;bodytext=Throughout%20February%20I%20will%20be%20featuring%20quilts%20from%20my%20book%C2%A0Little%20Bits%20Quilting%20Bee%C2%A0%28published%20by%C2%A0Chronicle%C2%A0late%20last%20year%29.%20Because%20designer%20fabric%20is%20often%20only%20in%20print%20for%20one%20season%20it%20can%20be%20difficult%20for%20quilt%20designers%20and%20authors%20to%20cho" title="Digg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/digg.png" title="Digg" alt="Digg" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F02%2F06%2Flittle-bits-quilting-bee-talking-pre-cut-fabric%2F" title="Technorati"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/technorati.png" title="Technorati" alt="Technorati" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Little%20Bits%20Quilting%20Bee%20%7C%20talking%20pre-cut%20fabric%20-%20http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F02%2F06%2Flittle-bits-quilting-bee-talking-pre-cut-fabric%2F" title="Twitter"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/twitter.png" title="Twitter" alt="Twitter" class="sociable-hovers" /></a><br/><br/>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://whipup.net/2012/02/06/little-bits-quilting-bee-talking-pre-cut-fabric/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>4</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Guest post &#124; Monthly apparel challenge</title><link>http://whipup.net/2012/01/19/guest-post-monthly-apparel-challenge/</link> <comments>http://whipup.net/2012/01/19/guest-post-monthly-apparel-challenge/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:37:31 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>contributor</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Community + Creativity]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Guest Blogger]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sewing+Fabric]]></category> <category><![CDATA[sewing challenge]]></category> <category><![CDATA[sewing clothes]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://whipup.net/?p=22412</guid> <description><![CDATA[2012 Monthly Apparel Challenge Becca is a music teacher who knits, spins, sews and tries to keep up with her three young sons in her beloved Minneapolis, MN. You can follow her attempts to sew her way through 2012 at her blog and on Twitter. She is also on Ravelry, where she attempts to design and share a [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><h3>2012 Monthly Apparel Challenge</h3><p><em><a href="http://knittymama.com">Becca </a>is a music teacher who knits, spins, sews and tries to keep up with her three young sons in her beloved Minneapolis, MN. You can follow her attempts to sew her way through 2012 at her <a href="http://knittymama.com">blog</a> and on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/knittymama">Twitter</a>. She is also on <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/Knittymama">Ravelry</a>, where she attempts to design and share a pattern now and then.</em></p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/01/sewingbooks.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22413" title="sewingbooks" src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2012/01/sewingbooks.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="318" /></a></p><div><div><p>I&#8217;m not much for New Year&#8217;s resolutions, but I do like to take a look back at the previous year and think about what I&#8217;ve done. Usually I like to challenge myself somehow, but when I looked back at 2011 I found it to be a bit ho-hum. Not that I didn&#8217;t make a lot of things, I just didn&#8217;t push myself to do anything new. I&#8217;ve learned a lot of skills since I first picked up a pair of knitting needles 8 years ago. I can knit myself a gorgeous lace shawl or a sweater that actually fits. I can spin a consistent yarn that&#8217;s nice enough to knit something with. I can make myself a quilt. And I can throw together a pair of pajama pants for my boys in my sleep. What I realized I can&#8217;t do yet, is &#8212; sew my own clothing.</p><p>Now,  I <em>can </em>sew up a basic skirt out of old t-shirts. And I did sew a skirt with a zipper in it once, but it was unlined, a bit wonky and way too big. So there&#8217;s a start. But the more I thought about it, I realized that after eight years of being the mom in a wrinkled t-shirt and baggy jeans, I wanted clothes. Real clothes. Unique clothes that were beautiful and fit me properly. I wanted skirts, blouses, dresses and pants that didn&#8217;t fall down. And I wanted to make them myself.</p><p>That&#8217;s when I decided it was time for a new challenge in 2012. I&#8217;m calling it <em><a href="http://knittymama.com/2012/01/03/2012-monthly-aparrel/">Monthly Apparel</a></em>, and it&#8217;s my personal challenge to take my sewing skills to a new level. At the beginning of each month I&#8217;ll pick a pattern. I&#8217;ll take the month to work on it and by the end of the month I&#8217;ll blog about how it went. I plan on working on more fitted, tailored clothing, but I also expect to try to make the perfect t-shirt and maybe even attempt a pair of pants.  I&#8217;ll use wovens and knits, cottons, wools and silks. And by 2013 I should have twelve lovely new pieces of clothing in my wardrobe!</p><p>Now, a challenge like this is no fun alone. So I invite you to take up the challenge as well! Maybe you have your mother&#8217;s sewing machine hiding in the closet because you&#8217;re terrified to even plug it in. Maybe you&#8217;re a seasoned sewer who sews for everyone else but never yourself. Or maybe you&#8217;re like me, somewhere in the middle and hoping to push yourself to the next step. Wherever you are, I would love to have your company while I take on this challenge.</p><p>Now to get started,  I&#8217;ve found some wonderful resources to help me (and you!) on this journey.</p><p><strong>The following five sites are my very favorite for tutorials, patterns and inspiration:</strong></p><ul><li><a href=" http://www.colettepatterns.com/">Colette</a></li><li><a href="http://www.burdastyle.com">Burda Style</a></li><li><a href="http://whipstitchfabrics.com/blog/about/">Whipstitch</a></li><li><a href="http://blog.caseybrowndesigns.com/">Casey&#8217;s Elegant Musings </a></li><li><a href=" http://sewmamasew.com/">Sew Mama Sew </a></li></ul><p><strong>And of course, we need books!</strong></p><ul><li>For those who have never/barely touched a sewing machine: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1440211612/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=whipup-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1440211612">Stitch by Stitch by Deborah Moebes</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=whipup-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1440211612" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" /></li><li>For basic garment sewing skills: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/030758674X/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=whipup-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=030758674X">The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook by Nora Abousteit</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=whipup-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=030758674X" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1440215456/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=whipup-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1440215456">The Colette Sewing Handbook by Sarai Mitnick</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=whipup-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1440215456" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0821257404/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=whipup-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0821257404">Sew U by by Wendy Mullin </a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=whipup-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0821257404" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" /></li><li>For drafting and designing patterns: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307451399/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=whipup-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0307451399">Design-It-Yourself Clothes by Cal Patch</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=whipup-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0307451399" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" /></li><li>For working with knits: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002AWCSGK/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=whipup-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B002AWCSGK">Sew U Home Stretch by Wendy Mullin</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=whipup-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=B002AWCSGK" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" /></li><li>For using applique, hand stitching and other unique additions: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004KAB3FC/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=whipup-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B004KAB3FC">Alabama Stitch Book by Natalie Chanin</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=whipup-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=B004KAB3FC" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" /></li></ul><p>Lastly, no sew-along is complete without a brand new <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/1848316@N20/">Monthly Apparel Flickr </a>group  to share ideas, questions and lovely new garments!</p><p>I&#8217;m quite excited to see how this challenge progresses. I&#8217;m having visions of my fabric stash shrinking and a closet filled with new, beautiful clothing. I&#8217;m a little nervous that accomplishing this without driving my family crazy or feeding them nothing but cereal for supper might be more than I can handle. Despite my worry,  I think this is a doable challenge. Some months might be less complex than others, and I&#8217;m sure there will be at least one month that I go back to my ever-easy recycled t-shirt skirt pattern. As I sew, I&#8217;m hoping to inspire others to take up the challenge as well, playing a part in this wonderful revival of garment sewing we&#8217;ve been seeing these past few years. I do hope you&#8217;ll join me!</p></div></div><p><strong>Similar Posts:</strong><ul class="similar-posts"><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/10/05/guest-blogger-series-a-quilting-challenge/" rel="bookmark" title="October 5, 2011">Guest blogger series | A quilting challenge</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2012/03/02/guest-post-sew-together-beyond-the-basics/" rel="bookmark" title="March 2, 2012">Guest post | Sew together: Beyond the basics</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2012/03/13/guest-post-book-knits-for-nerds/" rel="bookmark" title="March 13, 2012">Guest post | Book: Knits for nerds</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/06/28/guest-post-the-shirt-off-daddys-back/" rel="bookmark" title="June 28, 2011">Guest post: The Shirt off Daddy&#8217;s back</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2010/10/03/2010-guest-blogger-post-crafty-book-inspiration/" rel="bookmark" title="October 3, 2010">2010 guest blogger post: crafty book inspiration</a> |</li></ul><p></p>Share and Enjoy:<a rel="nofollow"  href="mailto:?subject=Guest%20post%20%7C%20Monthly%20apparel%20challenge&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F01%2F19%2Fguest-post-monthly-apparel-challenge%2F" title="email"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/email_link.png" title="email" alt="email" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F01%2F19%2Fguest-post-monthly-apparel-challenge%2F&amp;partner=sociable" title="Print"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/printfriendly.png" title="Print" alt="Print" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F01%2F19%2Fguest-post-monthly-apparel-challenge%2F&amp;title=Guest%20post%20%7C%20Monthly%20apparel%20challenge" title="StumbleUpon"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/stumbleupon.png" title="StumbleUpon" alt="StumbleUpon" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F01%2F19%2Fguest-post-monthly-apparel-challenge%2F&amp;title=Guest%20post%20%7C%20Monthly%20apparel%20challenge&amp;bodytext=2012%20Monthly%20Apparel%20Challenge%0D%0ABecca%20is%20a%20music%20teacher%20who%20knits%2C%20spins%2C%20sews%20and%20tries%20to%20keep%20up%20with%20her%20three%20young%20sons%20in%20her%20beloved%20Minneapolis%2C%20MN.%20You%20can%20follow%20her%20attempts%20to%20sew%20her%20way%20through%202012%20at%20her%20blog%C2%A0and%20on%20Twitter.%C2%A0She%20i" title="Digg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/digg.png" title="Digg" alt="Digg" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F01%2F19%2Fguest-post-monthly-apparel-challenge%2F" title="Technorati"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/technorati.png" title="Technorati" alt="Technorati" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Guest%20post%20%7C%20Monthly%20apparel%20challenge%20-%20http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2012%2F01%2F19%2Fguest-post-monthly-apparel-challenge%2F" title="Twitter"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/twitter.png" title="Twitter" alt="Twitter" class="sociable-hovers" /></a><br/><br/>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://whipup.net/2012/01/19/guest-post-monthly-apparel-challenge/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Book: Freya and Fred</title><link>http://whipup.net/2011/12/16/book-freya-and-fred/</link> <comments>http://whipup.net/2011/12/16/book-freya-and-fred/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:55:55 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>kath_red</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Books]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sewing+Fabric]]></category> <category><![CDATA[quilt book]]></category> <category><![CDATA[self-published book]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://whipup.net/?p=22203</guid> <description><![CDATA[I had a chance to ask Janet Clare about her new self-published quilt project book &#8211; Freya and Fred: a week full of quilts for a girl and her dog. This beautifully presented book full of imaginative and fun quilts and other projects is a joy to hold and view and I know many of [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><div><p><em>I had a chance to ask<a href="http://www.janetclare.co.uk/"> Janet Clare </a>about her new self-published quilt project book &#8211; </em>Freya and Fred: a week full of quilts for a girl and her dog<em>. This beautifully presented book full of imaginative and fun quilts and other projects is a joy to hold and view and I know many of the techniques and images will be inspiring us for a long time. </em></p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/12/FreyaFred2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22204" title="FreyaFred2" src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/12/FreyaFred2.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="486" /></a></p><p><span style="color: #666699;">Hi Janet, I love the concept behind this book &#8211; a little girl and her dog doing a week of activities &#8211; can you tell us a little about what inspired this idea?</span></p><p><strong>Janet:</strong> I was inspired by the paper dolls and their clothes that I used to play with when I was little. Making an appliqué girl and getting to design a wardrobe of clothes for her was great fun! And then I felt she looked a little lonely so I got her a dog! Freya is my favourite girls’ name, but I had two boys- luckily I have two lovely nieces called Freya now!</p></div><div><p><span style="color: #666699;">You self published this book &#8211; is that correct?  &#8230; the photography and design of the book is simply wonderful &#8211; I love the quality of the paper too &#8211; can you talk about the process of going from idea to self publication?</span></p><p><strong>Janet:</strong> Yes, I did self publish and made all the projects and took all the photos too. My friend Hayley is a graphic designer and she laid out all the pages for me and my lovely husband helped do all the technical bits that I am clueless about! My friend‘s little girl modelled for me. So, in no way did I do the book all by myself, I had a lot of help.</p></div><p>I’m so glad you liked the style of the book and the paper etc because I was very fussy indeed about all that and got the printer to order in the paper especially. The best part about self publishing was never having to compromise! So, I made <em>my</em> book my way and am very, very fortunate that others like it too!</p><p>In terms of the process I decided in January 2010 to write and self publish a book which would be launched at ‘The Festival of Quilts’ (the biggest quilt show in Europe, August at the NEC Birmingham), started a sketchbook (new project, new sketchbook!) and asked Hayley if she could help me and then worked round the clock for a few months to get everything made. Hayley, Tony and I worked ‘til the wee hours of the morning every night for three weeks. The files were taken to the printers and I waited and waited and then just the morning before I had to leave for Birmingham I picked my books up- there wasn’t a second to spare!</p><div><p><span style="color: #666699;">A couple of things about the illustrations and designs that really stood out for me were the jointed applique templates for Freya and her dog Fred, can you talk about how these came about, and what quilters can use these for?</span></p><p><strong>Janet:</strong> The jointed appliqué templates were a brainwave of mine a few years ago. I was cooking dinner for the boys and trying to draw six horses all the same size but in different positions for my <a href="http://www.janetclare.co.uk/quilts/horse/indexHorse.htm">Horse</a> blanket pattern.</p></div><p>It wasn’t going well, the dinner was spoiling and the boys were bickering when all of a sudden I just knew I only needed to make one horse that <em>moved. </em>The rest is history! I now have jointed movable patterns for a horse, rabbit, dinosaur, cat and dog and in my book there is a dancing ballerina and a moving Fred.</p><p>Using a jointed template for your appliqué makes them very versatile and makes every quilt truly unique. Just position the ballerina as you wish and then trace her onto some fusible web (Bondaweb) or onto your fabric and appliqué as normal. Re-position the template and start again! The templates can be turned over too so Fred can look left and right.</p><p>I have suggested photocopying the templates onto card before you use them and you could also enlarge or reduce them too. I have also used my templates for paper crafts and the boys have coloured them in and made little puppets to play with. My appliqué templates are very versatile!</p><div><p><span style="color: #666699;">I love that each quilt project is accompanied by a little story, recipe or additional craft project accessory &#8211; you obviously had a huge amount of fun creating the projects and concepts for this book &#8211; can you talk about your decision making process for each quilt?</span></p><p><strong>Janet:</strong> I had the best time writing my book! I had so many ideas that I couldn’t fit them all in. In the beginning I decided to make ‘Freya and Fred’ a lovely object in its own right- the kind of book that you just loved to curl up with and take inspiration from. I was really determined not to make just a project book (although there are many projects to make in the book!) I also decided not to make the book for complete beginners- this meant I didn’t have to include very detailed step by step instructions but could assume some prior quilt making experience.</p></div><p>However I did want to explain my favourite techniques in great detail, so I took a lot of care over describing and illustrating how I use my appliqué templates and how I use free motion stitching to draw with my sewing machine. I hope I achieved this.</p><p>Once I knew the book was going to be about a week in Freya’s life the projects and ideas came very easily. I actually made the front cover of the book first and worked through it day by day until it was all done. I drew and painted in my sketchbook and looked at a lot of vintage toys and fabrics from the 1940’s and tried to capture that childish innocence. Writing ‘Freya and Fred’ was a pleasure from beginning to end, and I really feel it shows.</p><p>One lesson I have learnt though is to leave more time for the next book- so I’ve started it already! Hayley and I have a ‘book design’ meeting in our favourite bar planned- we’ve discovered that these meetings go better with a margarita!</p><div><p><span style="color: #666699;">Thanks so much Janet, I know a lot of people are going to love this book &#8211; can you tell us how we can get one for our friends?</span></p><p><strong>Janet:</strong> Oh, I do hope you’re right! You can buy ‘Freya and Fred’ from: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/JanetClare">Etsy</a>,  <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Freya-Fred-Week-Full-Quilts/dp/0956977006/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1323710370&amp;sr=1-1">Amazon</a> (UK) and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0956977006/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=whipup-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0956977006">Amazon (USA)</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=whipup-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0956977006" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" /></p></div><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;<strong>Similar Posts:</strong><ul class="similar-posts"><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2010/12/19/book-pop-up/" rel="bookmark" title="December 19, 2010">book: pop-up</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2010/12/18/book-printed-pattern/" rel="bookmark" title="December 18, 2010">book: printed pattern</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2010/07/28/book-sew-retro/" rel="bookmark" title="July 28, 2010">book: sew retro</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/11/06/book-the-art-full-tree/" rel="bookmark" title="November 6, 2011">Book: The Art-Full Tree</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2010/07/18/book-sewing-clothes-kids-love/" rel="bookmark" title="July 18, 2010">book: sewing clothes kids love</a> |</li></ul><p></p>Share and Enjoy:<a rel="nofollow"  href="mailto:?subject=Book%3A%20Freya%20and%20Fred&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F12%2F16%2Fbook-freya-and-fred%2F" title="email"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/email_link.png" title="email" alt="email" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F12%2F16%2Fbook-freya-and-fred%2F&amp;partner=sociable" title="Print"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/printfriendly.png" title="Print" alt="Print" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F12%2F16%2Fbook-freya-and-fred%2F&amp;title=Book%3A%20Freya%20and%20Fred" title="StumbleUpon"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/stumbleupon.png" title="StumbleUpon" alt="StumbleUpon" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F12%2F16%2Fbook-freya-and-fred%2F&amp;title=Book%3A%20Freya%20and%20Fred&amp;bodytext=%0D%0A%0D%0AI%20had%20a%20chance%20to%20ask%20Janet%20Clare%20about%20her%20new%20self-published%20quilt%20project%20book%20-%20Freya%20and%20Fred%3A%20a%20week%20full%20of%20quilts%20for%20a%20girl%20and%20her%20dog.%20This%20beautifully%20presented%20book%20full%20of%20imaginative%20and%20fun%20quilts%20and%20other%20projects%20is%20a%20joy%20to%20ho" title="Digg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/digg.png" title="Digg" alt="Digg" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F12%2F16%2Fbook-freya-and-fred%2F" title="Technorati"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/technorati.png" title="Technorati" alt="Technorati" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Book%3A%20Freya%20and%20Fred%20-%20http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F12%2F16%2Fbook-freya-and-fred%2F" title="Twitter"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/twitter.png" title="Twitter" alt="Twitter" class="sociable-hovers" /></a><br/><br/>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://whipup.net/2011/12/16/book-freya-and-fred/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Books: Growing up sew liberated + Sewing for boys</title><link>http://whipup.net/2011/11/30/books-growing-up-sew-liberated-sewing-for-boys/</link> <comments>http://whipup.net/2011/11/30/books-growing-up-sew-liberated-sewing-for-boys/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:00:15 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>kath_red</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Books]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sewing+Fabric]]></category> <category><![CDATA[kids sewing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[sewing for kids]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://whipup.net/?p=21665</guid> <description><![CDATA[November is book month at whipup.net Growing Up Sew Liberated: Making Handmade Clothes and Projects for Your Creative Child By Meg McElwee, Published by Interweave Press (June 14, 2011). Meg McElwee is a teacher and parent, crafter and blogger and she sure knows her stuff. Her latest book is all about sewing for kids &#8211; [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><em>November is book month at whipup.net</em></p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/10/sewliberated.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-21666" title="sewliberated" src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/10/sewliberated.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="721" /></a></p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1596681624/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=whipup-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=1596681624">Growing Up Sew Liberated: Making Handmade Clothes and Projects for Your Creative Child</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=whipup-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1596681624&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> By Meg McElwee, Published by Interweave Press (June 14, 2011).</p><p><a href="http://sewliberated.typepad.com/">Meg McElwee</a> is a teacher and parent, crafter and blogger and she sure knows her stuff. Her latest book is all about sewing for kids &#8211; the practical side and fun stuff too. It&#8217;s for parents sewing for babies and up to about size 7 &#8211; but the bags, toys and dress-ups are more flexible of course. If you know how to size up your own patterns then you can use some of the clothing patterns as a guide to making bigger sizes for your bigger kids. I am going to have to do that with the sleeping johns and crossover tee &#8211; I also really love the pants pattern that is included too.</p><p>The kids clothing section is minimal because this book is about sewing all the things that your kid will need &#8211; there are a few basic clothing items plus other things a cape for dress-ups, a steiner style doll and that fabulous teepee on the front cover! Also there is quite a few baby essentials &#8211; including a baby wearing sling, bigs and baby clothes and some sweet toddler alphabet letters. For older kids there is a marvelous nature explorer bag.</p><p>For me this book is a big inspiration to throw away (or donate to charity) all those store bought toys and clothes and get back to basics again.</p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/11/Cover-444x500.jpeg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-22033" title="sewing for boys" src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/11/Cover-444x500.jpeg" alt="" width="444" height="500" /></a></p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470949554/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=whipup-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=0470949554">Sewing for Boys: 24 Projects to Create a Handmade Wardrobe</a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=whipup-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0470949554&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373" alt="" width="1" height="1" border="0" /> By Shelly Figueroa and Karen LePage, Published by Wiley; 1 edition (September 6, 2011).</p><p>I want my little boy to go back in time just a couple of years so I can make him some of these cutie pie duds. The clothing sizes range from babies up to age 7 &#8211; so if you have little boys in this age group then you are in very good luck &#8211; because these duds are super cute and practical too.</p><p>Because the patterns are written by the gals at <a href="http://www.patternsbyfiggys.com/">Figgys</a> &#8211; you are in good hands &#8211; these girls know how to sew and write a readable pattern. The patterns are not all aimed at the beginner sewist &#8211; there are some more difficult projects that require collars, pockets, buttons, interfacing, facing etc (The Henry shirt for example) &#8211; so there is plenty here to challenge and inspire the experienced sewist &#8211; while the beginner is not left out either. The lovely thing about making clothes for your little kids is that they appreciate it and wear it even if it&#8217;s not perfect &#8211; so the important thing is to give it a try even if you are unsure about whether your skills are up to the job &#8211; how else will you improve anyway.</p><p>Because I like my kids to have nice things to wear I don&#8217;t often indulge in special occasion sewing, but I love that there are some special occasion outfits for boys in here &#8211; lovely jackets and shirts with collars, a super cute pair of suspender shorts. But most of my sewing for kids involves quick, easy and practical sewing because I know they will be wearing them in the mud and climbing trees and playing soccer &#8211; and luckily this book has some of these sorts of things too &#8211; romper suits and raglan t-shirts and drawstring pants.</p><p>I did say earlier that the patterns only go up to size 7? You can always size up the patterns yourself &#8211; using your child&#8217;s current clothing as a guide. I think I might do that with the raglan t-shirt -and the linen shirt.</p><p><strong>Project excerpt:</strong> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&amp;docId=1000730101">Make</a> the cute hat that appears on the cover.<strong>Similar Posts:</strong><ul class="similar-posts"><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2010/04/02/book-sew-liberated/" rel="bookmark" title="April 2, 2010">book: sew liberated</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/11/07/sewing-books-fresh-quilting-123-sew/" rel="bookmark" title="November 7, 2011">Sewing books: Fresh Quilting + 123 Sew</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2010/07/21/books-crochet-for-bears-to-wear-stray-sock-sewing/" rel="bookmark" title="July 21, 2010">books: crochet for bears to wear + stray sock sewing</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2010/12/02/fave-books-for-2010-books-for-girls-boys-giveaway/" rel="bookmark" title="December 2, 2010">Fave books for 2010: books for girls {+ boys} + giveaway</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2009/12/08/best-books-2009-sew-and-stitch/" rel="bookmark" title="December 8, 2009">best books 2009: sew and stitch</a> |</li></ul><p></p>Share and Enjoy:<a rel="nofollow"  href="mailto:?subject=Books%3A%20Growing%20up%20sew%20liberated%20%2B%20Sewing%20for%20boys&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F30%2Fbooks-growing-up-sew-liberated-sewing-for-boys%2F" title="email"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/email_link.png" title="email" alt="email" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F30%2Fbooks-growing-up-sew-liberated-sewing-for-boys%2F&amp;partner=sociable" title="Print"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/printfriendly.png" title="Print" alt="Print" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F30%2Fbooks-growing-up-sew-liberated-sewing-for-boys%2F&amp;title=Books%3A%20Growing%20up%20sew%20liberated%20%2B%20Sewing%20for%20boys" title="StumbleUpon"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/stumbleupon.png" title="StumbleUpon" alt="StumbleUpon" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F30%2Fbooks-growing-up-sew-liberated-sewing-for-boys%2F&amp;title=Books%3A%20Growing%20up%20sew%20liberated%20%2B%20Sewing%20for%20boys&amp;bodytext=November%20is%20book%20month%20at%20whipup.net%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AGrowing%20Up%20Sew%20Liberated%3A%20Making%20Handmade%20Clothes%20and%20Projects%20for%20Your%20Creative%20Child%20By%20Meg%20McElwee%2C%20Published%20by%20Interweave%20Press%20%28June%2014%2C%202011%29.%0D%0A%0D%0AMeg%20McElwee%20is%20a%20teacher%20and%20parent%2C%20crafter%20and%20blog" title="Digg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/digg.png" title="Digg" alt="Digg" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F30%2Fbooks-growing-up-sew-liberated-sewing-for-boys%2F" title="Technorati"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/technorati.png" title="Technorati" alt="Technorati" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Books%3A%20Growing%20up%20sew%20liberated%20%2B%20Sewing%20for%20boys%20-%20http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F30%2Fbooks-growing-up-sew-liberated-sewing-for-boys%2F" title="Twitter"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/twitter.png" title="Twitter" alt="Twitter" class="sociable-hovers" /></a><br/><br/>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://whipup.net/2011/11/30/books-growing-up-sew-liberated-sewing-for-boys/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>2</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Book: Microcrafts + Treasured collection</title><link>http://whipup.net/2011/11/11/book-microcrafts-treasured-collection/</link> <comments>http://whipup.net/2011/11/11/book-microcrafts-treasured-collection/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:46:03 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>kath_red</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Books]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sewing+Fabric]]></category> <category><![CDATA[japanese sewing]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://whipup.net/?p=21626</guid> <description><![CDATA[November: Month of books at Whipup.net Microcrafts: Tiny Treasures to Make and Share Margaret McGuire, Alicia Kachmar, Katie Hatz, Tamara Barker, Claudia Cormier, Elizabeth Duke, Sarah Goldschadt, Larissa Holland, Melissa Jacobson, Len and Melanie Kachmar, Holly Keller, Colleen Lemons, Mei Pak, Mel Sparkles, Jessica Trail, Hope Wattanaphand, Nadia Marks Wojcik. Published by Quirk Books (October [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><em>November: Month of books at Whipup.net</em></p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/11/IMG_5638.jpeg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/11/IMG_5638.jpeg" alt="" title="microcrafts" width="600" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-21633" /></a></p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594745218/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&#038;tag=whipup-20&#038;linkCode=as2&#038;camp=217145&#038;creative=399373&#038;creativeASIN=1594745218">Microcrafts: Tiny Treasures to Make and Share</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=whipup-20&#038;l=as2&#038;o=1&#038;a=1594745218&#038;camp=217145&#038;creative=399373" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> Margaret McGuire, Alicia Kachmar, Katie Hatz, Tamara Barker, Claudia Cormier, Elizabeth Duke, Sarah Goldschadt, Larissa Holland, Melissa Jacobson, Len and Melanie Kachmar, Holly Keller, Colleen Lemons, Mei Pak, Mel Sparkles, Jessica Trail, Hope Wattanaphand, Nadia Marks Wojcik. Published by Quirk Books (October 4, 2011).</p><p>Quirk books live up to their name and publish some really interesting and well &#8230; uhm &#8230; quirky books (they may be quirky but they are also pretty cool!)</p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/10/microcrafts.jpg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/10/microcrafts.jpg" alt="" title="microcrafts" width="600" height="183" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-21628" /></a></p><p>Microcrafts is a collection of tiny contributor projects (none more than 2 inches high) &#8211; based around the concept of tiny handcrafted treasures and using up odd bits of craft supplies. From mini books to use as jewellery, bunting to decorate a cake, polymer clay candy charms and tiny sewn felt puppies &#8211; there might just be a project or two perfect to give at the holidays.</p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/11/9780143203964.jpeg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/11/9780143203964.jpeg" alt="" title="Treasured collection" width="600" height="730" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-21632" /></a></p><p>Happy Home Made Vol 1: Treasured Collection by Yoshiko Tsukiori has been republished by <a href="http://www.penguin.com.au/products/9780143203964/happy-home-made-vol-1-treasured-collection">Penguin Australia</a> into English with full-sized pull-out pattern sheets adapted for Western sizing (Aus6–16).</p><p>You might have come across the original Japanese version of this book &#8211; or others like it &#8211; if so you will already know that the styling is very oh so simple and relaxed and seemingly without fuss. The clothes are loose fitting but not frumpy &#8211; a little bit boho &#8211; a little bit hippy, but perhaps just Japanese effortless style is more to the point.</p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/11/treasuredcollections.jpg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/11/treasuredcollections.jpg" alt="" title="treasuredcollections" width="600" height="203" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-21631" /></a></p><p>Shorts, smock dresses, pinafore dress, tunic top, crossover jacket and tiered skirt &#8211; is what you will find in this book &#8211; definitely a couple of items I will make to add to my weekend casual attire. So happy it&#8217;s in English &#8211; yay!</p><p><strong>Similar Posts:</strong><ul class="similar-posts"><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/12/09/guest-blog-girls-handmade-jewelry-collection/" rel="bookmark" title="December 9, 2011">Guest blog | Girls handmade jewelry collection</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2008/11/12/uber-collection-of-sewing-tutorials/" rel="bookmark" title="November 12, 2008">über collection of sewing tutorials</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2010/11/08/book-little-green-dresses/" rel="bookmark" title="November 8, 2010">book: little green dresses</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2009/12/17/book-blog-tour-applique-your-way/" rel="bookmark" title="December 17, 2009">book blog tour: Applique your way</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2009/06/06/book-the-complete-book-of-retro-crafts/" rel="bookmark" title="June 6, 2009">book: The complete book of retro crafts</a> |</li></ul><p></p>Share and Enjoy:<a rel="nofollow"  href="mailto:?subject=Book%3A%20Microcrafts%20%2B%20Treasured%20collection&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F11%2Fbook-microcrafts-treasured-collection%2F" title="email"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/email_link.png" title="email" alt="email" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F11%2Fbook-microcrafts-treasured-collection%2F&amp;partner=sociable" title="Print"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/printfriendly.png" title="Print" alt="Print" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F11%2Fbook-microcrafts-treasured-collection%2F&amp;title=Book%3A%20Microcrafts%20%2B%20Treasured%20collection" title="StumbleUpon"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/stumbleupon.png" title="StumbleUpon" alt="StumbleUpon" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F11%2Fbook-microcrafts-treasured-collection%2F&amp;title=Book%3A%20Microcrafts%20%2B%20Treasured%20collection&amp;bodytext=November%3A%20Month%20of%20books%20at%20Whipup.net%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AMicrocrafts%3A%20Tiny%20Treasures%20to%20Make%20and%20Share%20Margaret%20McGuire%2C%20Alicia%20Kachmar%2C%20Katie%20Hatz%2C%20Tamara%20Barker%2C%20Claudia%20Cormier%2C%20Elizabeth%20Duke%2C%20Sarah%20Goldschadt%2C%20Larissa%20Holland%2C%20Melissa%20Jacobson%2C%20Len%20and%20Mel" title="Digg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/digg.png" title="Digg" alt="Digg" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F11%2Fbook-microcrafts-treasured-collection%2F" title="Technorati"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/technorati.png" title="Technorati" alt="Technorati" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Book%3A%20Microcrafts%20%2B%20Treasured%20collection%20-%20http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F11%2Fbook-microcrafts-treasured-collection%2F" title="Twitter"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/twitter.png" title="Twitter" alt="Twitter" class="sociable-hovers" /></a><br/><br/>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://whipup.net/2011/11/11/book-microcrafts-treasured-collection/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> </item> <item><title>Sewing books: Fresh Quilting + 123 Sew</title><link>http://whipup.net/2011/11/07/sewing-books-fresh-quilting-123-sew/</link> <comments>http://whipup.net/2011/11/07/sewing-books-fresh-quilting-123-sew/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:28:14 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>kath_red</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Books]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sewing+Fabric]]></category> <category><![CDATA[quilting]]></category> <category><![CDATA[sewing]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://whipup.net/?p=21589</guid> <description><![CDATA[November: Month of books at Whipup.net 1, 2, 3 Sew: Build Your Skills with 33 Simple Sewing Projects by Ellen Luckett Baker, published by Chronicle books. When I say I love Chronicle books, it&#8217;s not because they are also the publishers of my two quilt books &#8211; its because they do quality, beautiful, practical books: [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><em>November: Month of books at Whipup.net</em></p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/10/6a00d83451c76a69e20153900fe281970b.jpeg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/10/6a00d83451c76a69e20153900fe281970b.jpeg" alt="" title="123 sew" width="550" height="592" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-21591" /></a></p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811876497/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&#038;tag=whipup-20&#038;linkCode=as2&#038;camp=217145&#038;creative=399373&#038;creativeASIN=0811876497">1, 2, 3 Sew: Build Your Skills with 33 Simple Sewing Projects</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=whipup-20&#038;l=as2&#038;o=1&#038;a=0811876497&#038;camp=217145&#038;creative=399373" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> by Ellen Luckett Baker, published by Chronicle books.</p><p>When I say I love Chronicle books, it&#8217;s not because they are also the publishers of my two quilt books &#8211; its because they do quality, beautiful, practical books: pattern sleeve, spiral binding, lovely photos, pleasing design &#8211; and well edited too. <a href="http://thelongthread.com/">Ellen Luckett Baker&#8217;s</a> book is a Chronicle book and has all these great qualities, plus what she brings to the table &#8211; which is well made, well designed, thoughtful and lovely sewn projects.</p><p>In this book Ellen has gone back to basics to introduce the new to sewing crafter some basic skills which can then be built upon in a series of three projects gradually increasing in difficulty level &#8211; great concept and well achieved! For example &#8211; pillows &#8211; begin with a basic scrappy straight sewn design and learn about an overlapping pillow finish. Move on to blind hem applique and buttonholes and then learn about reverse applique and making a hook and loop fastener &#8211; all while making a series of three pillows. Tote bags are another great example &#8211; begin by learning about squared corners, then add in a divider and then learn about drawstring closures and French seams. Brilliant.</p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/10/123Sew.jpg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/10/123Sew.jpg" alt="" title="123Sew" width="600" height="208" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-21592" /></a></p><p><strong>Project excerpt:</strong> You can make the <a href="http://thelongthread.com/?p=8710">mouse pincushion using this video tutorial</a>.<br /> Ps. Ellen is multi-talented and has just released a <a href="http://thelongthread.com/?p=9028">line of fabric with Moda</a>. Congratulations Ellen!</p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/10/FreshQuiltingCover.jpg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/10/FreshQuiltingCover.jpg" alt="" title="FreshQuiltingCover" width="400" height="499" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-21595" /></a></p><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1596682353/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&#038;tag=whipup-20&#038;linkCode=as2&#038;camp=217145&#038;creative=399369&#038;creativeASIN=1596682353">Fresh Quilting: Fearless Color, Design, and Inspiration</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=whipup-20&#038;l=as2&#038;o=1&#038;a=1596682353&#038;camp=217145&#038;creative=399369" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> By Malka Dubrawsky, published by Interweave Press (December 7, 2010).</p><p><a href="http://stitchindye.blogspot.com/">Malka Dubrawsky</a> and Interweave books &#8211; what an amazing combination &#8211; one of my favourite improv quilters and one of my favourite book publishers all rolled up together: Malka&#8217;s stunning colourful designs, combined with Interweave&#8217;s attention to detail &#8211; love it &#8211; and the book delivers!</p><p>Malka&#8217;s quilts and patchwork designs are all about colour and pattern. She dyes and over-dyes her own fabric and combines these in eclectic and clashing and fun ways that are part gypsy and part country but the final result is completely modern! Her stitching may be a bit wonky at times and her corners may not meet up perfectly &#8211; but for me that not only adds to the charm of these improv quilts but also the accessibility of her style &#8211; she all about fearless quilting and sewing &#8211; just getting in there and doing it. Her fearless style embraces flaws but also discovers new methods, exciting colour combinations and fantastic designs.</p><p><a href="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/10/FreshQuilting.jpg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/images/2011/10/FreshQuilting.jpg" alt="" title="FreshQuilting" width="600" height="203" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-21593" /></a></p><p><strong>PS.</strong> You can purchase Malka&#8217;s beautiful creations in her <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/stitchindye?ref=seller_info">Etsy shop.</a></p><p><strong>Similar Posts:</strong><ul class="similar-posts"><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/11/30/books-growing-up-sew-liberated-sewing-for-boys/" rel="bookmark" title="November 30, 2011">Books: Growing up sew liberated + Sewing for boys</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2009/12/08/best-books-2009-sew-and-stitch/" rel="bookmark" title="December 8, 2009">best books 2009: sew and stitch</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2010/11/14/books-guide-to-sewing-basics-and-your-sewing-machine/" rel="bookmark" title="November 14, 2010">books: guide to sewing basics and your sewing machine</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2010/12/08/fave-books-for-2010-sewing-a-giveaway/" rel="bookmark" title="December 8, 2010">fave books for 2010: sewing {+ a giveaway}</a> |</li><li><a href="http://whipup.net/2011/05/27/books-a-pair-of-sewing-books/" rel="bookmark" title="May 27, 2011">books: a pair of sewing books</a> |</li></ul><p></p>Share and Enjoy:<a rel="nofollow"  href="mailto:?subject=Sewing%20books%3A%20Fresh%20Quilting%20%2B%20123%20Sew&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F07%2Fsewing-books-fresh-quilting-123-sew%2F" title="email"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/email_link.png" title="email" alt="email" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F07%2Fsewing-books-fresh-quilting-123-sew%2F&amp;partner=sociable" title="Print"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/printfriendly.png" title="Print" alt="Print" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F07%2Fsewing-books-fresh-quilting-123-sew%2F&amp;title=Sewing%20books%3A%20Fresh%20Quilting%20%2B%20123%20Sew" title="StumbleUpon"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/stumbleupon.png" title="StumbleUpon" alt="StumbleUpon" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F07%2Fsewing-books-fresh-quilting-123-sew%2F&amp;title=Sewing%20books%3A%20Fresh%20Quilting%20%2B%20123%20Sew&amp;bodytext=November%3A%20Month%20of%20books%20at%20Whipup.net%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A1%2C%202%2C%203%20Sew%3A%20Build%20Your%20Skills%20with%2033%20Simple%20Sewing%20Projects%20by%20Ellen%20Luckett%20Baker%2C%20published%20by%20Chronicle%20books.%0D%0A%0D%0AWhen%20I%20say%20I%20love%20Chronicle%20books%2C%20it%27s%20not%20because%20they%20are%20also%20the%20publishers%20of%20m" title="Digg"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/digg.png" title="Digg" alt="Digg" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://technorati.com/faves?add=http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F07%2Fsewing-books-fresh-quilting-123-sew%2F" title="Technorati"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/technorati.png" title="Technorati" alt="Technorati" class="sociable-hovers" /></a> <a rel="nofollow"  href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Sewing%20books%3A%20Fresh%20Quilting%20%2B%20123%20Sew%20-%20http%3A%2F%2Fwhipup.net%2F2011%2F11%2F07%2Fsewing-books-fresh-quilting-123-sew%2F" title="Twitter"><img src="http://whipup.net/wp-content/plugins/sociable/images/twitter.png" title="Twitter" alt="Twitter" class="sociable-hovers" /></a><br/><br/>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://whipup.net/2011/11/07/sewing-books-fresh-quilting-123-sew/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>3</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss>
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