One Slick Mama

YAY!

For those of you waiting on the new oilcloths to be available I think these images speak for themselves! But I should add that they really JUST showed up on my front door step, and are located right next to the flip flops, empty boxes, baby jogger, and leaning against that spot of the house where the kids wrote 'WELCOM' in sidewalk-chalk (which should not to be confused with on-the front-of-house-chalk, of course).



With my iddybit of sample yardage that we got a few weeks ago, we promptly whipped up two Multi-taskers and lined them each in the new oilcloths. I also made a two-sided changing pad (top pic), cotton fabric on one side, oilcloth on the other and quilt batting in the center. Simple. This could be an obvious detail, but when a change is particularly stinky- its quite convenient to use the slick, wipe-able side of the pad. Right. You knew that. Oh I also will be making a splat mat here soon since the little mr. is almost ready for high chair. (how is it time just goes by like that. weird.)



Some people call these laminates, but that makes me think of medical things, so I like saying oilcloth. Sue me.

We should have pre-cuts available in the shop by tomorrow afternoon.

Double-YAY!

more little folks coming soon!

EDITED TO ADD: We won't have the oilcloths in the shop until this afternoon (friday oct. 30th), and they'll be located in the Fabric Stacks section (if you're on the mailing list, you'll get an email). BUT my friends at purlsoho and fabricworm already have some ready to roll. Any other retailers that have it ready please post your link in the comments! Thanks everyone, and have fun!

DOUBLEDOG EDITED to ADD: I have been asked this so many times and have finally gotten my original hunch (and hopes) confirmed by Westminster: Our oilcloths/laminated cottons are PU coated, as in Polyurethane. (They do not contain phthalate, are not made of vinyl or pvc.) I'll try to remember to add this to my faq page...

Voile-Ahh! Little Folks

Finally here. Oh joy. Here for you today are up-close views and some words about my palette inspirations for my Little Folks collection. (There are other members of this fabric family that we'll meet later this week.)

Little Folks prints and the solids included in each palette are printed on the softest 55" cotton voile, and have a beautiful hand, high thread count, gorgeous drape and sew up in the most buttery-soft way you can imagine. I'll have more to say about the qualities and performance of these fabrics in the coming days as I share the rest of the collection and project ideas.

The images in the slideshows below represent about 5x5" of fabric so you can see they are on a much smaller scale than typical for me. The scale makes the fabrics so wonderuflly ideal for small patchwork, many applications of clothing for little ones and adults and I've just begun the sewing. While the artwork carries forth alot of my musings from Good Folks, I relished in designing intimately and small like this and it was a refreshing change. It just felt sweet and precious, but gutsy and fun too. Not unlike a boisterous baby, I imagine. Small but undeniably there.

Speaking of, Roman also agreed to make an appearance today. I know that 98% of you are usually here for baby pictures, so I don't want to disappoint. The pillows he's rolling around on were made by my mom and displayed in my Quilt Market booth to show off the 3 palettes- Sugar Cookie, Moonlight & Playground. Enjoy!

(These fabrics should be available for purchase next month, so you can be sure I will do a giveaway then!)



SUGAR COOKIE palette : baby smells, flower petals, gum drops, red hots, and construction paper

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

MOONLIGHT palette : camp outs, stars, visits to the pond, lavender bouquets, graphite drawings

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

PLAYGROUND palette : swing sets, new shoes, t-shirts, fresh grass, buttered toast, best friends

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

xo,AnnaMaria

Heaven help us, there was a video crew here

I am not going to start every post with a bouquet of flowers, I'll eventually run out of flower money, but might be taking donations soon.

Like an idiot, I let my publisher talk me into creating a video snippet for the new book (due April 2010) so yesterday we spent the entire day trying to get me to say 3 minutes worth of intelligent things about the book. Entire day. Not sure we got it. I'm not sure I said anything intelligent at all, and had to start over about 17 times just getting the title of my book out. Video is such a challenging thing, and while the crew made it as easy as it could possibly be, its just nervy, at least for me. I feel like my eyes get glassy and that I'm staring into the sun once I'm suppose to do something. But there were at least pretty flowers in the studio which I am almost certain are not going to be part of the final cut video. Yet its all I could think about in preparation for the shoot. Must have gorgeous flowers, must have gorgeous flowers. Forget dusting, must get flowers.

The video will be linked right alongside the book and be viewable at places like amazon, my website, the book's website etc., and it is meant to give you some behind the scenes insight into my inspirations for the book and its projects. I am just here to apologize now if I completely screwed it up way ahead of time, and please don't hold my book (which I am really, really proud of) accountable for what a bozo I can be on camera.

The day was ended by treating everyone to cheeseburgers and fries, roller skating and then ice cream. The most caloric pat on the back ever, so my mental state was reinstated by bedtime. Okay back to work on the slideshows of Little Folks! Back soon~ AM

Quilt Market, Fall 2009

So had you walked by, here is what you would have seen. At a glance, I'll run through and give you some words for all of this from the scenic view, then I hope to get down to nitty gritty and share a slideshow of the fabric collections, patterns, project inspirations and so on in the coming days. Flowers above from my favorite place to buy flowers (and candy) in Houston~ Central Market.



This is a new/old couch that belonged to Jeff's grandma. I think she would have liked it like this-trust me. The coverlet on the wall is simply patched squares, turned on point, insulated with one single layer of muslin in the center, backed with more voile and hand tied at the corners of each square (thanks to my mom). Makes a lovely lighter-weight option for warm weather or layered with other snuggly items for cooler weather. In the back ground you see two of the three upcoming new sewing patterns.



This is the cozy corner. A poster of Roman +flannel fabric was an easy pull into the booth.



And the 3rd of the upcoming sewing patterns~a variation of which I am sure you might recognize if you read here often.



And a full view of the charming twists and turns I shared here recently. Its a pillow. Of course. This pillow represents the 6 solid shades that I've chosen to mix in with my Little Folks printed cotton voile collection. I am having loads of fun having these to work with-note the empire dress in the previous picture.,



And playing a supporting role in the Little Folks collection are the cotton dobby dot prints. You can really see the nubby-fun texture in this photo. The dobby dots are soooo fun and old-timey. They are comprised of four of those "square dance" prints and 8 colors of the "pastry line" stripe. Can't wait to give you the slideshows of all these!



This is me holding a buyer captive and pontificating on the wonders of voile, dobby dot, flannels, and laminates. She agreed with everything. Or maybe she just wanted to leave as quickly as possible and that was the smartest way out. Just nod and say yes, thats what I do when I want out of a conversation. Oh dear. Why do I stand like that?



And my faithful employees, Allie and Juliana, trying to be as cute as Roman, which apprarently made me laugh the camera into one shaky blurry photo after another, dernit.



OH. Not making me laugh was the charming Brandon Mably trying to flatter Allie's gorgeous locks into modeling for he and Kaffe. They're always looking for redheaded models he told her, blah, blah, blah. Oh he looks nice enough. Those locks are mine, mine!



And she is faithful because I pout. And I feed her too.

Okay hopefully this makes you feel like you came along a bit. I am really, really so extremely tired once we get the booth up (which isn't even possible without my loving (and strong) husband) and then its a matter of being excited to talk about everything to the point of more exhaustion and never enough good photos, I am afraid. And trust me I do not tire easily, but booths-ahh so tiring. Thank goodness for several online pals who insist upon being really good at reporting!

More soon with up close and personal details of the new fabrics and patterns!

xoxo, AnnaMaria

The Showoff

One item I relished in making was this patchwork coverlet from an assortment of my new collection of printed cotton voiles called Little Folks. This also includes squares of the "Square Dance" printed panels that are printed on dobby dot cotton (similar to swiss dot). I will introduce you to them all individually soon, but going through photos now and wanted to start leaking them out.

It isn't very often that I make quilts with such large pieces. And though these are smaller prints, for the most part than I've ever designed, I was inspired to play with fields of them rather than cut them up too small or too complicated. I like how, as a whole, the squares of tinier prints take on a solid tone. Fun.

More soon ~ xoxo, Anna

Excuse Note

Please excuse Anna for not attending the blog for the past several days. She has been writing the final edits to her book, wrapping up book photography, shooting the covers of three new sewing patterns, finalizing the design of those patterns, sewing up a storm for quilt market, overseeing lots of sample sewing for quilt market where she launched a new family of fabrics including voiles, solids, laminates, dobby dots, and flannels, attending the quilt market which required a 28hr round trip pulling a trailer filled with lots of other stuff she made, caring for or arranging for the care of 4 of her children- 3 of which became ill - and of course nursing or pumping every 3 hours pretty much throughout. And there might have been a shower in there somewhere, but no evidence of that.

We will be back shortly with evidence of all of that in no particular order. Thanks for your patience and understanding!

Inspired

While I was making this with quilt rulers and fabric....



Eleni was beside me making this with quilt rulers and crayons.



And somehow, looking at both, I was hungry for this. Inspiration is funny. This is your window in to where design meets sugary marshmallow cereal. And crayons. Happens nearly every day here, actually.

You've also been given the sneakiest peek of a very tiny portion of my newest fabric collection (which, yes, along with many features includes some solids!). I would call the new fabrics a family rather than a collection, as its varied, related, sprawling and non-stop on inspiration. Total reveal next week!

For now, I need to exit the studio and clean house as we prepare for Roman's Baptism tomorrow and the 90 or so closest friends that will share it with us. Right after the triple-dunk festivities, I imagine I'll be right back to sample sewing for market, continuing work on 3 new sewing patterns, and wrapping up photography for book 2. Whew. Who wants to slow down with me? Me, Me!

Have an inspired weekend! xoxo, Anna

No comment

But I don't want to use my time wisely

Each and every early morning for a few weeks, as I lay in the dark nursing Roman, while the rest of the house is still quiet, I think about pockets. Not side pockets or lined pockets or any other kind of pocket that fun. But pockets of time. I visualize our day in pockets of time, and what can be accomplished in each. Then I further think what else could be accomplished simultaneously if I plan, delegate and think hard enough about it. Thinking this way during the nursing pocket has proved very productive. The book is written. Still loads to do, naturally, to be completely done with photography, and all else, but I am so glad I can say that it is written.



We had a weekend in South Carolina recently to celebrate my sister's wedding, and we had a pocket of time to visit with some friends we hadn't seen in way too long. Though we needed to head home we chose to linger a bit longer and visit them at their temporary home on the lake. All of our children (11 between us) buzzed around the water in canoes, rode bikes in the breeze, fed bagels to the cat (bad idea, I think) while the moms and dads had coffee by the water. Because I wasn't at home, I didn't feel the pull into the studio that I normally would have, but just existed there for a while with everyone and didn't ask one thing of myself. The only thing I got accomplished in that pocket was nothing. It was the wisest use of time I've had all summer.

Flipping through the pictures of our visit several days afterwards, I realized that summer has come and gone. In that time, Isabela has lost a few inches of the dress that was made for her at Christmas, and she is edging dangerously near to becoming elegant. So sure-footed and curious. And after her begging me (again) last night to cut her hair short, that photograph means entirely more to me than it might have otherwise. It's her eight year-old summer-bleached blowing hair that is likely to be gone here very soon. At least a hundred little changes like that have been happening with everyone and I'm afraid I can't keep up, name, photograph or elaborate on them all. I needed to make a note here. Just to stop for a moment and write a little postcard to myself. I'm not really sure where this post is going. With Summer, I suppose. Away.

xo,Anna

My boys

One of these boys makes deadlines so much easier and one of them makes deadlines, umm, uhh, less easy. I love all four of them. Erhh two of them. (Well, I do love all four of my boys, its just the other two are at school right now, so of course I was talking about the two in the mirror. I might be the only human who could make it this confusing.)

I am so so so so so so close to being finished I can taste it. I don't know what it tastes like, but it seemed like I should say something like that for you to know what I mean.

Oh and Roman in jeans. I have mixed feeling about babies in jeans. I feel guilty for putting this stiff fabric on his sweet soft body (even the softest denim is still denim) but I also can't stand his little diaper butt in jeans. It overwhelms me with cuteness almost to the point of having to look away. Can't stand it.

Okay~have a wonderful long, long few days of sweet summer and I will see you on the other side of the weekend and my deadline!

kisses & cute babies to you (better than hugs), Anna Maria

This milk jug just completely freaked me out and slapped me in the face really hard. Ouch.

September? Sept. Tem. Ber!?

I was perfectly happy in book deadline denial until I went into the kitchen to pour a tall cold glass of distraction. And right there, printed at just the right angle for my eyes, and in the snootiest rub-it-in-my-face font, my milk screamed September. Seriously? September is just one drink-by date away!?

Oh geez. I gotsta do what I gotsta do, and I may be a bit quiet here for another week or two to do it. Maybe a photo here or there. I almost always think of a zillion things to blog when I decide I need to not blog for a bit. I'll try to keep a list & get to them after my deadline....ooohpp-no, no I won't, I don't have time to keep a list. You see, there I go.

Be back soon.

(It should be noted that, sell-by dates aside, the milk is likely a much better choice of book-writing fuel for a nursing mother than all the late night hooch snacks that got me through the first book. I am learning.)

xo, anna

3 months

I should begin this meeting with the bottom lip. This is Roman's bottom lip. Should you begin a conversation with Roman when he's not quite ready for your face or the sounds coming out of your loud mouth he does this bottom lip thing. To all of us. Even me, his favorite. In certain situations (like singing to Prince really weird right in his face) the bottom lip will turn out even further and then his whole face turns into a big red crying raisin. But usually after some intense bottom-lip-thinking on his part......



...his face turns into this, for only the fortunate. If you're stupid enough to get really excited about the smile, and show such in a squeal or any other abnormal sound you might be right back at the bottom lip again in a split second. This is just one of the emotional adventures of a 3 month old. I have unfortunately pointed out the phenomenon to the other children and a favorite thing to do now is see if they can freak him out enough to cry. I know. Not cool.



So I've been trying to encourage his other tricks. Like holding stuff. He will give you a huh?-look when you put something in his hand, and think about it very intently.



About five minutes later , since he doesn't know how to let go of the object, it occurs to him to look down at the noise that thing in his hand is making and then hit himself in the head with it a few times. Then we're back to where we started with the evil siblings trying to give him objects that he'll hit himself in the head with (I should state that its mostly just one or two of them, who shall remain nameless, that do this, while the others come to Roman's rescue before things get out of hand). It's all just a lot of silly fun, and he has no idea that he is the only human on earth who can get such laughs out of his siblings. Belly-aching, falling over, rolling in the floor, tears in the eyes laughs. All because he hits himself in the head with a rattle. He's a comedic genius.



My personal favorite is when holding a rattle turns into the elliptical-trainer-marching-band-style-all-four-limbs-going-at-once thing. I love it. Like he had know idea how exciting life could be. Just wait little one....

Oh- and the quilt-in case someone asks-just nine log cabin blocks made into a square quilt, about 38x38", made with Good Folks when I was pregnant. We use it as a floor quilt for him all over the house. Now that he's rolling over, he LOVES sitting up on his forearms and having a good look at the prints. I should have gotten a picture of that too, but I think I've indulged plenty today!

xo,AM

Sometimes I Stitch

And stitch. And stitch. I then I go off to do other things but I think about stitching as I'm doing the other things. Then I finally get back to stitching after I've done other things for about seven minutes.



When I'm stitching I'm not emailing. I'm not texting. I'm not talking. I'm not writing. Not negotiating. Not invoicing. Not shipping. Not receiving. Not cutting. Not even sewing. I'm stitching.



I don't know what I would do without it. I'd go do the other things, I guess, and maybe be just a little less happy. I dare say I would know myself less, too.

Stitch, I love you, don't ever leave me.
your friend, Anna

last light tonight

A shower, one last nursing for the night and then I'm calling it.

goodnight, anna

Greg + Amy (+ Amy's Granny) Are So Cool

**

We recently sent some Studio Scraps to a very happy customer who let us know (in the customer comments section, no less) that she would be using said scraps as part of her wedding decor. We couldn't have imagined it more beautifully, and I was thrilled to receive images of the wedding.

**

Looking through the photos, (which you can find more of at the photographers' website-stunning!) it was evident that every piece of this day was put together with love....from this image of Amy's Grandmother imparting her wisdom to the guests....

**

...to the gorgeous quilts made by Amy's great-grandmothers and aunts that softened the hay bales seating everyone.

I'm pleased as spiked wedding punch that my fabrics were the teeny-tiniest part of such a day.

Perfect. Run off and be happy now, you two gorgeous people!

xo,Anna

**all photos by thenichols and used with permission :: wedding also featured here

A Change

To avoid eye-rolling and a verbal lashing I had to secretly shoot this through a window (and a few trees). To be fair it was a virtual 100 degrees yesterday and that tire jack wasn't the only cranky thing out there. They may still retroactively kill me for this. Its just that I think they'll also thank me one day. Not entirely the point, really, but I'm thanking me for taking these photos.

I have my favorite capture of Summer 2009 (although this one is a tie for first).

What's yours? Photographed or remembered.....

xoxo,Anna

Handmade Beginnings...

photo by angela crutcher

......is the name of my next book. And this book is the project that has had me captivated for almost a year now (and has had me dropping hints either with words or pictures here, here, here....hmmm here, oh and here too.)

Last September while working with my publisher on the second book concept (yes, before the first book was even published-it often works like that) I learned that I was pregnant. I found myself even more inspired to make the book that I'd already had thoughts and some sketchbook scribbles about. Even earlier, as I wrote Seams To Me, I kept thinking of another book that could be devoted solely to welcoming a baby into the world- a book that would celebrate the anticipation, the arrival, the mother, the father, the siblings and give everyone in the baby's life, including the baby, of course, a place and a project.

I have so many feelings about motherhood that are intermingled with feelings about making, and I find the joy that arrives out of each endeavor, to be from the same place perhaps. Its with this spirit of wanting to create things that are good, that are useful, that are beautiful, that are nurturing and loving that I've been developing, writing, sewing and working. Both my belly and my baby have been my muse as I write for maternity projects, baby projects. My family and my home have been my bare canvas, as I write for older sibling projects and nursery projects that will help to welcome a new life into the family home.

How many people do you know that jump at the chance to make something from her hands when she learns a loved one or even someone she barely knows is expecting a baby? I know many! And I am writing this book as much for the aunt, sister, grandmother, adoptive mommy, foster mommy, best friend, or neighbor who loves to sew for others just as much as I am writing it for the pregnant mommy who loves to sew for herself. Its a book that I hope stays on your shelf as an inspiring resource to reach for every time you receive that wonderful piece of news that always makes you smile....the news of new life waiting to meet you. I've been wanting to spill these beans forever it seems, and so glad that I have you to spill them on- mean it. I can't wait to share the book with you! Oh, which won't be until Spring 2010, but you're patient, right?

Now I have a bit of -uhem- new life making a ruckus in the other room, so I better scoot before he loses patience with me.

(and thanks for all the 37 love!) xoxo, Anna