Date Night Fabric

Today I get to officially introduce you to Date Night, my second fabric collection and my first to be released under the Riley Blake Designs banner (Five and Dime was part of the Penny Rose Fabrics division). I love these prints, and I'm so happy to finally get to share them with you!

I grew up on a steady diet of movies and television from the golden age of film, and these fabrics are a love letter to some of my favorites, which were almost always romantic comedies. Inevitably the characters seem to wind up on a date at a supper club with dinner and dancing. The clothes are amazing -- chic dresses, suits and ties, classy hats on both men and women. It's like a whole different world, and I find it utterly charming. If you're new to the time period, here's a list to get you started:

It Happened One Night

The More the Merrier
Bringing Up Baby
The Thin Man
The Bachelor & the Bobby Soxer
It Started with Eve
His Girl Friday
Bachelor Mother

There are 8 prints in this collection in 3 colorways, all spring pastels in shades of green, blue, and pink with just a touch of yellow and white. I was very much inspired by the feedsack prints of the 1930s and 1940s as I designed these fabrics. And here they are...

Main

Bouquet

Datebook

Candy Box

Corsage

Sweet Nothings

Posies

Cufflinks

It's pretty hard to choose favorites when it comes to your own designs, but two prints stand out for me from this collection. I can't stop using the Candy Box stripe -- especially in blue -- which makes the sweetest quilt binding ever. The Date Book print is particularly special to me, though. I've always wanted a small scale calendar print for fussy cutting, so it was a thrill to finally design my own. If you look very closely at the December calendar, you'll see that the 11th is circled, which was when my husband and I went on our first date. We were married exactly one year later minus a day on December 10th, so I think we can officially call that date a success!

I'm starting to see Date Night pop up in shops all over the place. Be sure to check your favorite quilt store to see if they're carrying it, and tell them to get in touch with Riley Blake Fabrics if they don't have it yet. I hope you enjoy sewing with these fabrics as much as I loved making them for you.

On Monday I'll be sharing the free Vintage Vanity pattern that I designed for this collection, so be sure to stop by!

Hectic

1. Carefree, 2. Kid's Travel Bags, 3. Patchwork Wristlets 2, 4. LJ Quilt, 5. Chevron Doll Quilt, 6. Nanny Bee Pouches

July was just plain crazy. We lead a pretty hectic life in our house, but it's been a while since we've had a month as busy as this past one. I think we fit about three months worth of activities, vacationing, and medical appointments into the last four weeks. The projects above were mostly gifts for some of the wonderful people in my life, the only exception being my Carefree quilt which was a little gift for me.

By the way, I can't recommend those travel bags I made for the girls highly enough. If you have kids or know kids or are thinking of giving birth to a kid some time in the near future, make one of these for them -- the parents will love you forever. Not only did these little wonder bags keep my girls busy during the eight hour car trip, they also entertained them in restaurants, during church, at the house, absolutely everywhere we went. I knew they were going to be helpful, but I had no idea they were going to be miraculous. If these bags had feet, I would kiss them. Seriously...I love them that much.

Linking up to Fresh Sewing Day at Lily's Quilts.

Celebrate

1. Patchwork Pouch, 2. Mr. Bear Kit 2, 3. Zakka Bell Pepper Hot Pads, 4. Plain & Fancy Mini Quilt, 5. Scrappy Kaleidoscope Pillow, 6. Chevron Baby Quilt, 7. Zakka Tea Cozy Set, 8. Happy Go Lucky Pouch 2, 9. Zakka Apron

I always love Fresh Sewing Day. It's great to look back on the month and celebrate everything that we've made. June was full of Zakka, gifts, and fun little quilts. It's always best to enjoy summer while you have it, I say...

Linking up to Fresh Sewing Day at Lily's Quilts.

The History of Kate Spain (at Fabric Mutt)

Kate Spain's beautiful fabrics were one of my first designer purchases as a new quilter. It was all about the color for me, and maybe a little bit about the whimsical imagination she brings to every collection. Every time I see one of her prints, especially when it comes to her Terrain line, I'm reminded of storyboard art by Disney artist Mary Blair (if you're unfamiliar with her work, you can look inside this book here and preorder an updated version at a far more reasonable price here). There is such personality in the work by both of these artists, and this is probably what I love best. So here I give you the history of Kate Spain at Fabric Mutt...



Only a week or two before I started this blog, I made my fourth (and largest to that date) quilt from squares of Fandango. My husband actually picked out the fabric for this quilt. It was to be a Christmas gift for my parents-in-law, and we were looking for something that would complement the decor in their Southern Arizona home. I now look at this quilt and wish dearly that I had done so much more with it, but I was really new to quilting back then...



My sister loved the Fandango so much that I made her a table runner and place mats about a month later out of the leftovers. Believe it or not, I still have a bit of this collection in my fabric closet which I'm saving for a rainy day.



I fell hard for Good Fortune when it was released, and I was so excited to use most of two charm packs to make a lap quilt for a friend of mine who is originally from China.



For Bunny's birthday that February, I made some little pillows and felt characters as favors for her Alice in Wonderland party. The rest of the charm squares were perfect for these, and while the felt characters bit the dust soon afterward, those pillows are still going strong!



My very first tutorial was my Abacus Baby Quilt which I made with charm squares of Central Park that I got from a friend. My girls use this quilt often for tea parties with their dolls.



The most recent project I've made with Kate Spain fabrics is my Watercolor mini quilt, and it is definitely my favorite of all the ones you see here. This quilt hangs on the wall in my daughters' playroom, which used to be one of their bedrooms before they all moved into one room together. I've spent many a night looking up at this quilt while rocking a little one to sleep, and we've kept good company together. Perhaps that's part of the allure of Kate Spain's fabrics too: there's a friendliness in all of her collections that's so very hard to resist.

Be sure to visit the blog hop page here for the rest of the schedule, and so many thanks to my friend Alyce for letting me join in the fun!

Hello June

1. Mopsy, 2. Have It All Wallet, 3. Mosaic Bag, 4. Timber Mosaic Bag, 5. Patchwork Case for Scribble & Write, 6. Pillow for Mom, 7. Lagoon Floor Pillow, 8. Bear's Floor Pillow, 9. Mouse's Floor Pillow, 10. Summer, 11. Summer Folded, 12. Office in a Pouch x3

May was full of celebrations of so many kinds, and I had a grand time making gifts for each one. In fact, as I look at the projects in this mosaic, I'm reminded of how much I enjoyed myself in the sewing room this month.

June is already shaping up to be a fun month too, full of happy sewing and family adventures as we plunge into the start of summer. Yesterday's post covers some of the blogging events that are on the calendar already. I look forward to sharing them with you in the weeks ahead!

Linking up with Fresh Sewing Day at Lily's Quilts.

Quilter's Favorites

Color Study Baby Quilt

Geta had the brilliant idea for an event called Quilter's Favorites -- a chance for quilters to share tips that work for them and get some new ideas from others who link up. I'm getting my post in here at the very last minute, but here are my thoughts on a few of her suggested questions:

Timber Mosaic Bag in progress

List a few favorite quilting notions: Clover clips have become absolutely indispensable to me, especially when I'm making a bag. Pins just can't hold the pieces together as firmly. I also finally caved in and bought my first can of basting spray. Now all I can think is...what took me so long?? I want to buy a case of this stuff! It's made my small quilting projects so much easier to manage, and I love how quickly it can be applied.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Bundle

Any advice for a successful color scheme of a quilt? I'm still learning about this, but I'm finding that I really love the look of a project that has a mix of different prints from different collections. I've been practicing more often through my Fabric Auditions, which I'm trying to post weekly on the blog (I know I've missed a few weeks lately, but I'm trying to get back on board again...), and it's been a great learning experience for me. A few tips I've learned so far: 1) sticking to a specific color scheme makes a quilt look so much more pulled together, 2) try to vary the lightness and darkness of the colors within that scheme, 3) throw in some neutrals -- I'm loving plain old white and black these days, and 4) try to mix up the types of prints you use: dots, stripes, flowers, checks, solids, etc. The more you practice, the easier it comes, but I've learned to trust my instincts about what I choose. If I don't love it, I keep looking until I find a mix that makes me happy.

Do you have free tutorials on your blog? You can find them all right here. My Patio Placemats have been featured on several websites this month, and they make a great easy project for picnics and patio dining.

Any tips for sewing organization? I have a post on how my sewing room is organized which you can see here. A few things have changed since then, the biggest thing being that I have a fantastic new sewing table, but otherwise the place looks basically the same.

Zakka Delightful Linen Bag

Could you recommend a book to someone that just started quilting? The book that had the biggest impact on me as a fairly new quilter was Zakka Style by Rashida Coleman-Hale. It's not specifically about quilting, but it introduces you to a host of different techniques and types of projects. That book taught me how to how to install a zipper, how to sew hexagons, how to make my first bag and pouch. It opened up a whole new world to me of projects that I could do and gave me a love for zakka projects and linen in general. I will always have a special place in my heart for that book.

Share a favorite quilt made by you. Every quilt has special feelings attached to it for one reason or another. It's so hard to choose, but I narrowed it down to two of my favorite quilts. Memory is full of scraps from my first year of sewing and now resides on the bed I share with my husband. I love the memories that are wrapped up in that quilt.

Once Upon a Time is a quilt I made for my daughters featuring Heather Ross prints I had been saving for over a year. It's the most improvisational quilt I've made to date, and because of that, it was a real challenge for me. Right now I'm working on a second one of these for my grandmother which I hope to finish in the next month.

Perspective Mini Quilt

Don't do like me...and hurry through your sewing. So often I get excited about a new project, get into the sewing, and then get distracted by other ideas and deadlines. I end up rushing through the end of the project, not always giving it my best, and not enjoying it nearly as much as I should. I need to remember that the process matters just as much as the product, or as my dad once said, "It's supposed to be a hobby. If you're not having fun, it isn't a hobby anymore." When I slow down and take time to enjoy myself, my projects look better and I have so much more fun making them!

I hope something in here is helpful to all of you. Be sure to drop by the link-up at Geta's blog for more great ideas and advice!

April Showers

1. Mouse's Lovey, 2. Traveling in Circles Tote 3, 3. Spring Table Runner, 4. Dapper, 5. Fox Hollow Box Bag 2, 6. Melford Bag Unplugged 2, 7. Patchwork Bag, 8. Office in a Pouch

April was a crazy month, but somehow in the midst of all that insanity, my projects took on the quiet glow of spring. Funny how life works out that way sometimes...

Most of the finishes above were gifts. I loved making them; I loved giving them away. And isn't that one of the best things about this wonderful hobby?

We celebrated two weeks of incredible tutorials for the workspace during the Girl Friday Sews Blog Hop -- you can find links to all of them in this post. It's been suggested that we have a link-up soon where all of you can share a project that you've made for your workspace from the tutorials or on your own. If you're interested, let me know, and I'll make sure we schedule it and get some prizes involved. I was featured on The Name Game this month, and my Sweet Contrary fabric mosaic made it into the top ten finalists. I'm also gearing up along with the rest of you for Sew Mama Sew's upcoming 10th Giveaway Day -- be sure to stop by here on Monday for a chance at a fun package!

In our home, May is the last month of school, and the beginning of summer's lazy days. I am so ready for them to start...

Linking up to Fresh Sewing Day.

Girl Friday Sews is a Wrap

I'm thrilled to pieces with the wonderful mix of tutorials that my fellow bloggers delivered for Girl Friday Sews over the past two weeks. Everything is practical, pretty, and easily whipped up over the weekend. Here's a quick re-cap with links...


Photo Desk Blotter by Heidi at Fabric Mutt

Pencil Case by Kristy at Quiet Play


Traveling in Circles Tote by Becca at Bryan House Quilts


Framed Office Supply Pouch by Amanda at A Crafty Fox


Cork Board Makeover by Lee at Freshly Pieced


Pen Organizer by Svetlana at S.O.T.A.K. Handmade


Easy Messenger Style Book Bag by Beth at Plum and June


Tablet Pillow Stand by Taryn at From Pixels to Patchwork


File Folder Organizer by Lori at Lori H. Designs


Improv Coffee Cozy and Mug Rug by Leanne at She Can Quilt

These ladies are all incredibly talented, and I'm so grateful to them for taking the time to share their creativity with us. You are amazing, my friends!

I can't thank our generous sponsors enough: Craftsy, Fabricworm, Pink Chalk Fabrics, Sew Me a Song, and Westwood Acres. Please stop by and check out what these wonderful shops have to offer. I promise you won't be disappointed.

From time to time, you'll be seeing more Girl Friday Sews tutorials here on Fabric Mutt, because honestly I just love making projects for our work spaces here at home. I'll have them linked on my Tutorials page as well as on the Sew Along page so that you can find them when you have your next office supply emergency. Seriously, though, pick a project from the list above and make something fun for your desk this week. You won't believe the difference it can make.

Happy Monday to you all!

Snapshots

It's a busy week here...lots of sewing and non-sewing activity going on. For instance...

hexagons for a Denyse Schmidt mini quilt

low volume lovey quilt for Mouse

more alterations

my new favorite magazine

a picture of me by Bunny

Girl Friday Sews is in full swing with more great posts. Kristy shared a darling pencil pouch yesterday, and Becca has a fabulous tutorial for a traveling zipper tote that will be posted later today (she's got a flu bug on the loose at her house, but she's promised to have that post ready for you this afternoon -- what a trooper!). Be sure to stop by both of their blogs for a look if you haven't already. I have to tell you that I'm loving my new desk blotter, and I can't wait to see what else I'll be making by the end of this blog hop!

Meanwhile, we'll be having a grand total of fifteen people at the dinner table this evening -- including six guests under the age of seven -- so I have a few things to do...

Linking up to WIP Wednesday.

Wonderful

1. Drawstring Bag 3, 2. Pineapple Upside Down Cake, 3. Seat Stash in Use, 4. Havana Scooter Set, 5. Fireworks Mini, 6. Retro Kitchen 2 Scale, 7. Tsuru Two Zip Hipster, 8. Once Upon a Time

In a word, March was wonderful.

Spring came to visit our home with sunshine, fruit blossoms, and two heavenly weeks of vacation. It's always funny to me how I seem to have less sewing time when there's no school, but it's hard to find the time in between planting flowers, outings with the girls, and playing in the backyard. Still, I'm not empty handed this month, as you can see above: another fun Retro Kitchen block, my Tsuru bag, my Havana tutorial projects for Monaluna, my first Fabric Auditions post. If I had to pick a favorite, though, I'd definitely go with that Heather Ross quilt in the bottom right corner.

This Monday, Girl Friday Sews officially takes off with a tutorial here at Fabric Mutt. If you're looking to freshen up your own workspace, you'll definitely want to tune in. Once again, here's the schedule:

Mon., April 1 -- Heidi Staples @ Fabric Mutt
Tue., April 2 -- Kristy @ Quiet Play (Pink Chalk Fabrics giveaway: $25 certificate)
Wed., April 3 -- Becca Bryan @ Bryan House Quilts
Thur., April 4 -- Amanda Woodruff @ A Crafty Fox (Westwood Acres giveaway)
Fri., April 5 -- Lee Heinrich @ Freshly Pieced
Mon., April 8 -- Svetlana Sotak @ SOTAK Handmade
Tue., April 9 -- Beth @ Plum and June (Sew Me a Song giveaway: fabric bundle)
Wed., April 10 -- Taryn @ From Pixels to Patchwork
Thur., April 11 -- Lori Hartman @ Lori H. Designs (Fabricworm giveaway: Robotic fabric bundle)
Fri., April 12 -- Leanne @ She Can Quilt
Mon., April 15 -- Blog Hop Recap at Fabric Mutt

See you on Monday!

Linking up to Fresh Sewing Day.

Marching On

1. Timber & Leaf Pillow, 2. Katie Jump Rope Pillow, 3. Patchwork Pocket Pillow, 4. EPP Portfolio, 5. Doll's Sleeping Bag in Use, 6. Alterations 2, 7. Directions 2, 8. Color Study Baby Quilt

February was full of lovely sewing: pillows galore, my first cathedral windows, a brand new case for English paper piecing on the go. I sewed quilts (of course), made a doll's sleeping bag, and was so pleasantly surprised by my first attempt at tailoring store-bought clothing. I also got the chance to participate in the Intrepid Thread Scrap Challenge through Stitched in Color, and my work was featured by two different online fabric shops -- the Pink Chalk Fabrics newsletter (for my valentine pillow) and the Pink Castle Fabrics blog (for my triple-zip pouch and EPP case). So much fun and so encouraging!

Fun things are on the way here at Fabric Mutt in the month of March. I have some new tutorials coming up in another week or so over on the blog of a wonderfully talented fabric designer, and I'll also have the details soon for a blog hop I'll be hosting in the month of April. I'm really looking forward to sharing it all with you in the weeks ahead, so be sure to drop by!

Linking up to Fresh Sewing Day.

This Week

This week I'm...

...drooling over this stack of incoming fabric mail and, yes, plotting to order more. Shelburne Falls...you need it. Trust me.

...finally making the churn dash quilt I've been wanting for months. I'm so excited about this one.

...starting work on my Intrepid Thread Scrap Challenge bundle. I can't wait to start paper piecing these beauties.

...trying to decide what this is going to be. I had originally planned to make it into a pillow, but I've made so many lately that I'm itching to try something else. Any ideas?

...booked to the rafters. With Ash Wednesday, Valentine's Day, Bunny's 6th birthday, and a much anticipated visit from my parents-in-law all happening in the next seven days, we have a rather full schedule going on this week. 

At least life isn't boring.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday.