Bonnie
Fishsticks Designs in the Riley Blake Booth
I’m pretty sure that I’m the last one out here still blogging about Spring Quilt Market! Apparently, I’m a slow blogger. (Really, I am a slow blogger! I’m blown away by people who blog daily, and those who blog more than once a day? I have no idea how they sleep!) I just loved sewing up these samples for the Riley Blake Designs booth, and I couldn’t not show them to you.
First up is the twin (well, opposite twin, really) to the Messenger Bag that is on the cover of my new Playdate Bag pattern. This Chevron fabric is so popular right now, and such a fun, modern fabric. Lining up those chevrons for the flap and the strap was a challenge, but it was definitely worth the end result!
Here’s the Pajama Party PJs as Christmas morning pajamas in Alpine Wonderland, and . . .
. . . comfy summer jammies in Seaside!
(Funny story about Seaside? I chatted with Jina at Riley Blake about doing these samples for them months ago. The fabric samples began to arrive a few weeks later, and I set them aside until I had time to focus on sewing them. When that time came, I pulled out the pile, washed and dried everything and started working. On a Friday morning, I realized that I was missing Seaside. I turned my whole sewing room upside down. Took everything out of every cabinet, re-stacked it all and put it all back in. When the fabric didn’t surface, I turned my sewing room over to Ray, hoping that a new set of eyes would help! A second complete search of my sewing room turned up nothing. I very reluctantly sent an email to Jina admitting to losing the fabric. (The fabric isn’t in stores yet, so I couldn’t just go out and buy more!) Then I spent the rest of the next day, peeking in every nook and cranny in my house, still hoping it would turn up. It wasn’t until Saturday evening that I noticed a response in my email box from Jina telling me that I wasn’t going to find Seaside because it had never shipped! Aaargh! and Yay! at the same time! Lesson learned: Next time, keep track of the fabric as it arrives so you don’t waste two whole days looking for something you never had!)
And, finally, my Everyday Camp Shirt pattern in Peak Hour. I love this shirt so much that I have to get some of this fabric to recreate it for Charlie! Isn’t it a perfect little boy top?
I feel like I can call my second Quilt Market appearance a success! It definitely has me even more excited to see what awaits my little business in the coming months!
High School Graduation, First Meetings, Surprise Parties & Lawn Work
Last weekend was packed full from beginning to end with work, fun, surprises, achievements and beautiful memories. Morgan and Katie drove in from west Texas on Thursday evening, and Ray flew back in from a few weeks in Florida on Friday morning. The weekend started with several hours of chopping and cutting to remove the damaged parts of our walnut tree.
I’m happy to report that we only lost about a third of the tree, and while the view out into my backyard has definitely changed, it’s not a bad change. We cleaned house and readied things for a house-showing on Saturday morning and the arrival of my mom and step-dad on Saturday afternoon. 
Nana thoroughly enjoyed meeting and cuddling with her first great-grandchild.
We ate out nearly every meal and enjoyed every minute of it!
On Sunday afternoon, we’d planned a surprise 11-month birthday party for Katie. Morgan and Chad have moved to west Texas because of a job change, and we’ll soon be off to Florida meaning we won’t actually be able to celebrate her first birthday with her. I managed to send Morgan off to pick up coffee at Starbucks so we could toss up some quick decorations and be ready when she came back. A phone call for another house showing threw those plans totally off, though. I had no choice but to call Morgan, tell her about the party and ask her to come back and help pick up for the showing! A few more phone calls, however, gave us the perfect quiet spot for our little celebration while our house was being viewed by potential buyers. (A huge Thank-you! to the folks at our local Target for letting us use the back of their Starbucks coffee shop!)
We had a lovely time celebrating with Katie. She seemed to like the owl stuffy that I made for her (more about it next week in my next 52 Family Projects post). She definitely enjoyed playing the “drop and pick-up” game with it! Morgan loved the knitted flowers that Samantha made for Katie. (She’s really become quite the accomplished knitter!) Katie’s wearing one of the two flowers in this picture.
We wrapped up the party just in time to head home and get ready for Sean’s graduation! A few hours later we were settling into our seats to watch and listen.
There were a little more than 400 in Sean’s graduating class.
Our little ones were very well-behaved, thanks to a bag full of lollipops, some virtual coloring pages and plenty of cuddling.
Before we knew it, it was time for Sean to walk across the stage and receive his diploma.
Then the school song was sung, hats were thrown in the air and Sean was an official graduate!
It seems like just yesterday that I held this baby boy for the first time.
Now he’s grown up and ready to head out into the world!
Congratulations, Sean! I’m so excited to see what God has in store for you in the years ahead!
It’s Skirt Week over at Crafterhours!
I’ve been so busy with family stuff (house selling, graduation, visiting family, etc.) and finishing up new patterns (nearly done!), that I almost let this year’s Skirt Week at crafterhours totally pass by! There are some amazing skirts popping up in the Flickr pools, and there’s still a little time to enter one of your favorites! You have until midnight eastern tomorrow night, and you can enter any skirt that you’ve sewn since July 1st of last year.
Don’t skip dropping in if you’re like me and simply don’t have time to sew a skirt right now, though! There is a whole collection of skirt tutorials to check out and add to your summer sewing list. Adrianna’s Milkmaid Skirt for Grown-up Girls is the latest addition to mine. It’s a perfect summer day-at-beach skirt . . . maybe in seersucker to throw on over my swimsuit? (Why, yes! I am really looking forward to being back in Florida and less than an hour from the beach!)
New Spring/Summer 2012 Patterns are Now Available!
Just click the image to find the pattern!
Remember that you can find all of my paper and pdf patterns right here: Fishsticks Designs Sewing Patterns
Everybody Ready for a Pajama Party? Don’t forget your Pajama Party PJs!
I’m such a lover of cute PJs on my little ones! I need lots of options. (That’s why I offer so many options!) This one, though, is definitely going to be one of my personal favorites. There is just something so appealing about the classic look of a woven button-up PJ top and pants. I can’t wait for Christmas morning photos in PJs sewn from this pattern!
The Pajama Party PJ pattern includes both top and pants. Options are included for a short-sleeve, short pants warm-weather version and a long-sleeve, long pants version perfect for the colder months. The top can be fastened with buttons or snaps, and the elastic waist shorts feature side seam pockets. This Pajama Party PJ pattern covers sizes 12 months to 5T, but don’t fret at all if you need the bigger sizes! They’ll be along next week. I just have to get the cover photography done, and the cover back from the printer!
There are so many options with this pattern to mix and match your favorite woven quilting fabrics. The adorable fabrics featured here are all from the Riley Blake Puppy Park Collection which is due in stores later this month.
And that, my dears, wraps up my new pattern releases for Spring (okay, I’ll admit that it’s really Summer) 2012! All of the new patterns are due to be uploaded and ready for you to purchase at 8 p.m. central tonight, right here: Fishsticks Designs Patterns.
I thought I’d leave you with a few photos that I think show how incredibly well-behaved and easy-to-photograph my little ones have become thanks to all of their cover-modeling experience. I think they might both have a great future in modeling . . . or maybe I really just pray that they don’t grow up hating the sight of a camera!
Hey! There’s a bug back here!
Are we done yet?!
1, 2, 3, JUMP!
Samantha is always a great help behind the camera.
Occasionally, she has to step in front of the camera: Smile, Charlie! Like this!
Perfect!
Oh, Boy! It’s the Oh, Boy! Boxers!
Next up in my collection of new patterns is the Oh, Boy! Boxers. In sizes 2 all the way to size 14, your little and big boys are going to love having a collection of one-of-a-kind boxers! (The fun fabrics in my samples are all from Michael Miller.)
These boxers can be sewn with a traditional fly, with a faux fly or (the quickest option) no fly at all. The pattern works perfectly with your favorite cotton quilting fabrics, as well as lightweight cotton jersey knits.
I designed the pattern with a comfortable, easy fit, so they can be worn as underwear or as loungewear. (They make great summer PJs when paired with my free The Tank pattern, too!)
This is one of those basics patterns that I hope you’ll find yourself turning to over and over again.
Don’t forget to check back tomorrow — I have one more pattern to introduce before releasing the whole set of new ones!
The Playdate Bag Messenger Bag for Mom, Backpack for Tot
Oh, I hope you all love this one as much as my family does! The Playdate Bag pattern is one pattern that creates two bags–a messenger bag for mom and a backpack for her toddler. My daughters have already confiscated two of my original messenger bag prototypes for themselves, and I had to hide the backpack that you see on the pattern cover from Charlie so that I could take it to Quilt Market with me!
The Playdate Messenger Bag is packed full of features for its small size. Outside, you’ll find a large back pocket with a smaller pocket hidden just inside—the perfect spot for keeping your cell phone safe but easy to grab when you need it. Inside, there are compartments for all your other on-the-go needs, including a cushioned storage spot for your tablet or e-reader.
The Playdate Backpack is sized just right for toddlers to preschoolers and features comfortable, adjustable straps. Inside, your little one will find his crayons organized and ready for creativity and plenty of space for other toys.
All of the fabrics in my cover samples are from Riley Blake Designs. The adorable fabrics on the backpack are from Kellie Wulfsohn’s Peak Hour collection, and the oh-so-modern messenger bag fabrics are a combination of Chevrons and Solids.
Do you have a little one who would love a new backpack? Or, maybe you need a new bag for yourself? Or, could it be that your preschooler needs a backpack and you need a new bag? Why buy two patterns when you can get them both in one?
All of my new patterns are set to be released next week! More previews coming Monday!
The Everyday Camp Shirt & The Which Way Out Jacket . . . In Big Kid Sizes!
Next on my list of new pattern releases: two of your favorites . . . now in sizes 5 to 14 for your big kids!
The Everyday Camp Shirt is such a great choice for boys of any age. My boys wear them for everything from days at the zoo to Sunday mornings at church.
Allen and Jamie are wearing samples sewn up in the plaid and floral fabrics from Deena Rutter’s Stars & Stripes fabric collection for Riley Blake. I love how you can get completely different looks with this pattern just by changing the fabric or the buttons and snaps. We think these shirts have a decidedly western flair to them. (Jamie plays the part well, doesn’t he?)
And, the Which Way Out Jacket in corduroy and flannel (or twill and quilting fabric, or PUL and minky, or . . .) is exactly what your big boys and big girls need to top off their fall wardrobes. (Yes, I know summer is barely here. That means you have plenty of sewing time before fall arrives!)
Allen’s Which Way Out Jacket has an outer layer of gray baby-wale corduroy, and the reverse layer is Michael Miller’s Gray Camouflage on cotton flannel. It’s a fairly lightweight jacket that is still nice and warm.
What fabrics do you think your big kids would love in an Everyday Camp Shirt or a Which Way Out Jacket?
All of my new patterns are set to be released next week! More previews to come!
Lightning Vs. The Walnut Tree
Eeeeek! This is what I woke up to this morning. We’ve had some crazy storms here the last few days, and the gorgeous walnut tree that sits outside of my kitchen window was a victim of one that blew through here during the night. So, instead of typing a post about new patterns, I’m sharing pictures of my poor tree.
The smaller portion of the tree (thankfully) is currently residing on the roof of our side porch so the next day or so will involve ladders and chainsaws. Hopefully the clean-up outside will be quick because I’ll be cleaning inside, as well. My mama and my step-dad will be here this weekend for the high school graduation of our oldest son, Sean!
I’m a little behind where I’d planned to be with revealing new patterns and sharing the rest of my Quilt Market stories. (If I searched my blog, do you think I’d find that the phrase “I’m behind” is used more often than any other? Maybe I need to stop setting arbitrary deadlines for myself? But then I’d never get anything done!) Little things like the above always seem to pop at the most inopportune times. My plan is to post two more new patterns this evening before bedtime (big kid sizes of a couple of your favorites) and another new pattern tomorrow. Then, I’ll be taking the weekend off to enjoy some family time, and we’ll finish up with the last two patterns next Monday and Tuesday so you can buy them and get sewing! I’m taking a little inspiration from this squirrel who was busy gathering up walnuts from the injured tree this morning and just keeping on keeping on!
Just in case you can’t wait to read more about Quilt Market, check out this blog post from the folks at Pellon with links to Quilt Market posts from all over the sewing-blogosphere: Quilt Market Love. Enjoy!
Spring Market, Michael Miller PUL and the Green Beginnings Cloth Diaper
Those of you who sew cloth diapers are going to love this news! Michael Miller Fabrics is releasing PUL! Excellent quality PUL in adorable Michael Miller prints! How cool is that?! I think those of you who don’t sew cloth diapers are going to love this PUL, too, though. It’s the perfect fabric for anything that needs to be waterproof, it has a great soft drape and feel to it, and it’s so easy to work with.
Michael Miller Fabrics had the cutest booth at Spring Market. My booth was right across from them.
The circus theme was so much fun, and there were elephants! No, not real elephants, but huge, adorably dressed almost-lifelike elephants.
And inside their booth, there was a really cute brochure that looked something like this:
I told you, didn’t I? Such cute prints. Can you already see these on your little one’s bum? Oh, the patterns? Why, yes, they are Fishsticks Designs patterns. The Mama & Baby Bag and the Which Way Out Jacket, and one of my brand new patterns: The Green Beginnings Cloth Diaper!
I was so excited by how many people at Quilt Market wanted to hear all about cloth diapering! I am sure that I talked cloth diapering as much as I chatted about my patterns. (I’m a huge advocate of cloth-diapering, in case you didn’t already know that, and I’m thrilled to see it becoming so much more mainstream!)
My goal in creating this diaper pattern was a little out of the ordinary for me. Usually, when I create a pattern, I try to give you lots of options. This pattern, though, I geared towards moms who are sewing their first cloth diapers, and I kept it really simple. The instructions include a whole page of diaper sewing tips–many are things that I’ve learned through my years of experience sewing cloth diapers, and the rest are suggestions from my amazing team of testers.
The Green Beginnings Cloth Diaper is a pocket diaper in sizes newborn to large. It has a trim fit through the crotch and bum, and a slightly raised back with a scooped front. The uncased leg elastic coupled with an absorbent soaker that is slightly narrower than the width of the diaper also creates a faux gusset at the legs to make this diaper a star when it comes to leak protection. My testers have given me great feedback, and Morgan and I both love it on Katie and Charlie. I can’t wait to hear how you and your little ones like it, too!
A quick note: All of the new patterns that I’m going to be introducing over the next week or so will be released at the same time. I mentioned before that I have a few things to finish up, and I want to make sure that my retailers all have the patterns on hand (or on their sites, in the case of pdf patterns). I’m shooting for Tuesday, June 5th, but I’ll keep you updated through my blog and my Facebook page!
