Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Citron Gray colorstory update

for credits and links please visit us on pinterest

As color trends go,
Citron and Gray has now gone mainstream.
Over the past few years we've seen variations on the theme from Black and Canary yellow
to Gray and all  shades of yellow and citron.
There was a time when it was on the outer fringes of acceptance.
(fun clip from The Devil Wears Prada too)

how's this for a smooth transition from Dior- Devil wears Prada - Atomic Kitchen?
if the color story fits, why not?
which of course goes with Backyard BBQ
not your cup o' tea?
you're bound to find something to take a spin in
toodles till next time!

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Designer spotlight Sunday: Sarah Jane

Hi folks! 
So fun to be here on Kathy's blog. What a treat!
 I've been here for about a year,
 and man I love the Michael Miller Family.
 I'm sure you can just imagine how much fun it is...
well, I'm here to say it's been an awesome ride 
since launching my first fabric line with them last spring!
(Last spring? Where does time go!)
It's been a few months since its release but you are still coming up with
Since launching Children at Play, I've been just amazed at the response, and I have LOVED seeing all your amazing creations on the FLICKR group which is growing daily! 
My, you guys are unbelievable. 
I get so inspired! Keep it coming! 
 This past fall, I launched some necklace designs, art prints for the kid's rooms and other products that coordinate with Children at Play as well! It's been so fun to see your amazing spaces come together.


I've even signed on with Making Memories with a really sweet Children at Play paper line that will be coming out next month!!! I'm photographing it all right now...but here's a little sneak peek.
Stop on over at my blog for updates very very soon! 
I have a lot more up my sleeve (new fabric soon, new books, etc) and you can come over and peek into the studio window over on my  blog or facebook.

But what I really wanted to share with you today, is a fun project that I've been asked to help you out with. At market, I designed this quilt and so many of you wanted to get a hold of a template and pattern.
Well, here it is! Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy. I designed it days before quilt market, and Amy Smart (the adorable genius behind Dairy of a Quilter) offered to sew this up for me!

It's been a really fresh addition to the house...
and nice wall quilt, lap quilt, or baby quilt. 
And the OVER THE FENCE colorway 
from CHILDREN AT PLAY works great.

Ok! Let's go! This is a really rough and loose tutorial. There really are so many ways to do this project...this is just how Amy and I did it. So, forgive the "kind of's and sort of's" here. That's how I roll.
Let's start! 
And then sew it down with your machine!

I've got a downloadable template for the airplane here. It's designed to fit a 41x41 inch quilt.

This one was put together by making a strip of horizontal pieces (that could be any size you want, but this strip is 6 inches wide)

After sewing the pieces together, you can applique, and then embroider the swirly tail by first drawing a swirly line with an erasable pencil. 
(I just winged it, and you might want to practice on a paper first.)

The best way to embroider the swirl, is by using a full skein of floss, and using a split stitch for a nice solid dash.


And Voila!

Download the template HERE.

And...just for fun...I'm including a little gift of 15% off any orders made today or Monday for all you lovely Michael Miller fans! Come on over and stop by, and enjoy a discount with the code: MMF15

Enjoy! And Happy sewing!!

xo
sarah jane

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Urban Grit update

Congratulations!
Heidi Meinicke-Smith
you're the winner in last week's
Princess
giveaway
please email your name and street address to: info@michaelmillerfabrics.com
 
Now for today's
 color story:
Urban Grit
for inspiration credits and links please visit us on Pinterest

Back in September 2011 I blogged about this color story. 
Everyone was  looking for a safe bet in an unsteady economy.  
In the Black 
colors:  
Rock steady grays,
Strong coffee
 with a dash of cream
and a touch of cinnamon
Familiar colors in our wardrobe and world.

 Now we're looking for the steadiness of things we can touch,
 that don't disappear into digital air.
We're not total luddites
Just finding balance in our techno world. 
Maybe that explains my attraction to 
typewriters
and I'm not alone in this attraction 
 
My attraction's more like 
this Underwood beauty I found at a garage sale years ago
and prints like this 
and fonts!
typewriters, fonts, old script
looks like a trend to me!

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Greetings from the Lost Pixie

I'm not lost though really!  Just been busy.  So I am here, crashing the Making it Fun blog once again (these crashes are so much more fun when Kathy doesn't really know they are coming - alas, this one is at her request..)

Let's see..  what shall we chat about today?

Oh I am dreaming of spring.  Will winter end soon?  I love all 4 seasons in their own right, but around January, I am ready for it to be over!  So I have been surrounding myself with photos and colors of bright happy-ness.  All citrusy and berry colors - bright pops against muted backgrounds.  It's making my heart sing right now..  Here, take a peek at a bit of an art board that has been working it's was out of my sketchbook and gradually into design for a new fabric collection.

It is also the color scheme for my new studio space!  We moved our little group into the back building in a cool section of downtown Missoula a few months ago.  I haven't shared anything about this space, because it's been a little daunting just learning how to divide work from home now!  I have been so used to having everything in one spot, it has taken some getting used to.  But the transition is going well!

The space was U-G-L-Y.  But the price was definitely right and the landlord had that -  knock down a wall / do whatever you want to the place, as long as I get a rent check.. attitude.  So we signed on the bottom line and started moving.  Will show pictures soon..

Let's see.. what else?  I am sewing a TWO wedding dresses right now!  Both in color, and I am using Cotton Couture for these non-traditional brides.  I was scratching my head when they both told me what they wanted, but now I am loving it.  Look how pretty..


OK, back to it!  See you again soon-
xo
Sandi

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Calling all Princesses giveaway

Congratulations!
Laura
you're the winner in last week's 
color story 
please email your name and street address to: info@michaelmillerfabrics.com


Now for today's collection:
 warning:
 the following IS intended for immature audiences
 

Once upon a time there was a princess
who lived in a magical kingdom
 of castles, ponies, unicorns
 and all things 
cute and sweet
 in a world of 

sound like someone you know?
 quilt designed by Marinda Stewart
download instructions here



CX5468 Princess Castles/pink
CX5465 Crown Jewels/ pink

CX5166 Castles in the sky/ pink

Go ahead, get a second opinion and let me know if this is her world.
Leave her comment and a yard of each of the prints above could be coming to 
 your little princess.
winner announced next Wednesday

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentines Day
Sweethearts!
Sweets for the Sweet tomorrow
see you
then
!

Monday, February 13, 2012

Block Contest

Just a quick heads-up to head on over 
to Emilys' blog Crazy Old Ladies
Block contest and give away

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Designer Spotlight Sunday: Laura Gunn

Good Morning Sunshine!
That's how I feel about this post.  
Laura Gunn's Garden Wall Collection is exactly that. 
So without further adieu: 
Sunshine and happiness to all this Sunday!


Hello!  Laura Gunn here.  It’s a treat to chime in on Kathy’s lovely blog. I’ve got some new pictures to share with you, as well as some project inspiration for my newest line, Garden wall.
This line has been so much fun to work with.  In fact, I love these prints so much that they have caused all sorts of unnecessary redecorating.  (Unnecessary redecorating is a bit of an addiction for me.) 

You may have spotted my daughter Lily’s bedroom makeover on my blog.  These are a few of my favorite shots.  Those curtains on the side of her bed actually close and she can snuggle up in her cozy nest.  I’m doing all I can to mold a fellow fabric junky.  

It’s already paying off!

The chair is my favorite.  I’m pretty sure that anything would look better with hot pink piping.  To read more about the quilt, wall panels, etc., read here.
Isn’t she sweet!  She’s not mine, but I try to borrow her as much as possible.  This print, Wee Spring, was a watercolor.  It’s the first time I’ve used a watercolor for a textile design, but definitely not the last.  I love how delicate and whimsical it turned out.  Read more about the shirt pattern here. 
Here’s my latest decorating project.  This shelf in my dining room is one of the first things you see when you walk into my house.  The dark wood behind my dishes was bumming me out.  But THIS makes me happy--Almost as happy as bright yellow chairs with this funky print on the seat.  Ahhh, yellow--It’s like the sun is shining from inside my house.
The new chairs and new wall made me want a new table cloth.  (Here we see the domino affect of my redecorating addiction.)  This motif was inspired by a vintage table cloth that I love.  I used my Painter’s Canvas prints for the main flower and my Gypsy Vine print for the embellishing flowers.  I’ll be sharing the template for the applique on my blog.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Indigo Red color story and giveaway

Congratulations!
Elaineridley
you're the winner
in last week's color story 
Aqua Red
please email your name and street address to: info@michaelmillerfabrics.com


Now for today's 
color story:
Indigo Red

for inspiration credits and links visit us on pinterest 
Here's the question:
When do you know a color trend is starting?
For me there's always an "aha" moment that makes me chuckle.  It happened early last spring. I started getting calls from our designers discussing future collections and one after another everyone brought up the concept of Navy with Red (various kinds of red)
They had no idea I was working along the same line or that the other designers were too.
I really do believe we're a lot more connected to each other in matters of color trends than we realize.  It happens on such a subconscious level we barely notice. 
sometimes the simplest things just stop you in your tracks.
We'd just  parked the car and in that instant of stepping out of the car and looking up, there it was the perfect picture:
Photographer and designer Trenna Travis and I were on an impromptu weekend photo shoot last summer around Northern California with a lot of ground to cover to get it all done. 
Hog Island Oyster Farm was worth the drive and perfect for the
Indigo Red color story.
 maybe it's the color story, 
maybe it's the destination
or
maybe it's these prints that put you in that 
"get up and get away" kinda mood.
 Whatever the case, 1 yard each of these 
from our Indigo Red story could be yours;
just share your "aha moment" when you realized that color story you're attracted to is part of a trend. 
winner to be announced next Wednesday


Sunday, February 5, 2012

Designer Spotlight Sunday: Emily Herrick

We're kicking off today with
Emily Herrick of Crazy old Ladies fame.
By the way, she's neither crazy nor old.  I'd call her delightful in an upbeat-down- to- earth way that makes her a joy to work with
Her latest collection:
Hall of Fame  
which follows her debut smash hit collection Going Coastal.

join us as she shares her design process
from a Quilter's point of view...

Hey all!  I am so thrilled to be here on 'Making it Fun' telling you about my latest fabric collection 
'Hall of Fame' 
and what better day to do it than 
SUPERBOWL SUNDAY!!!
I wanted to do something fun to celebrate today but I'm not into watching sports so much. 
So I did something that comes a little more naturally to me- I sewed. Well actually, I fused. 
Check out these cuties:
Who can pick a winner when Cooper and Jake are both SO CUTE!!!

 While the guys are in the other room yelling at the TV and drooling into their bean dip over the cheerleaders you can enjoy the world of quilting and fabric and hear how 'Hall of Fame' was born.

I have a son that eats, sleeps and breathes basketball. A couple of years ago I had to make a run to the quilt shop and take him with me. Of course he wasn't thrilled with that idea until he asked if I would make him a sports quilt. When I said "Yes" he was in and we started scouting the walls of fabric. The problem was that the selection was slim. There were fabrics for little boys, and cutesy prints with basketballs and baseballs all over- but nothing that really fit this 8 year old of mine. Fast forward to last year when I decided that my next fabric collection would be a sports line for big boys.

Most of my fabric design inspiration comes from decor. 
I love to decorate and coordinate colors, prints and fabrics for a space and that love has carried over to quilting. So naturally when I started to design fabric I went back to my roots and thought about decor.
My initial inspirations came from prints hanging in my boys room.

These prints are some of my favorites for boys.  I took my color cue from these Norman Rockwell prints. Although I knew that I wanted my collection to 'feel' like these prints, I also knew it had to be current. Mixing the vintage and modern feel was easy once I had my basic color palette however, 
when it came to the individual designs there had to be continuity but also versatility.
The collection actually started with the coordinates. 
I knew I was leaning towards a sports theme but I didn't want to get sucked in. 
I started with the ticking and the turf prints- minimal.
From there I designed the plaid because I LOVE plaid.
I also have an obsession with typeface so I knew the Jersey number print was a must.
At this point I had several cool coordinates but they were all so separate from each other.
I knew I needed a design that had more than one color in it.
That's when Sport Spot was born. 
When I'm at a quilt shop looking for fabrics I definitely gravitate towards dots- many quilters do. 
But there are lots of dots out there and I wanted to make sure mine were different. 
As soon as I made the spots into rings I was in LOVE! The Game Stripe print was an afterthought. I already had the ticking stripes so I wasn't sure about adding another stripe. 
Once it was done however, there was no turning back.


In order to identify this collection as a sports collection I definitely needed some sporty prints, right? Back to my passion for decor I immediately thought of vintage tin advertising signs. I started playing with the idea of a sign for each sport. Basketball, Football, Baseball, and Soccer are the main sports that people think of so those were obvious choices. But again, I wanted this collection to be different. I have a few brothers that love Hockey so I added that. Wanting to aim for a more mature male as well as the young ones I opted to add golf in there too. Lastly I chose Rugby. 
Most people see a football there, but it's actually for Rugby.
The pennant print and the main print "All Stars" were the last that I designed. I needed a print to tie it all together. I love collections, especially vintage ones. Old sports cards with a modern twist developed as I played around with ideas and the pennants naturally followed.


When the collection was finished it was like a Grand Slam. I knew that any big boy out there was going to want this fabric in their quilts and I knew of one in particular. 
Because I was a quilter first, I always think about quilt patterns during the process of designing a fabric collection. Pep Rally, On Target, and Full Court are new patterns that I designed to go along with this collection. Double Bubble, Rock Star, and Out of Time were patterns I had released previously that looked as if they'd been made for this collection. 
All of the patterns can be seen on my blog
crazyoldladiesquilts.blogpot.com  
I hope you enjoyed the back story on Hall of Fame. I can't wait to come back and share my next collection with you!