Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Behind the Seams with Michael Miller Fabrics!

Today, on Making It Fun, we're going Behind the Seams...
Dagbjört Linda Sigurðardóttir

My very long and difficult to pronounce name is Dagbjört Linda Sigurðardóttir (you can copy and paste it into Google Translate, choose Icelandic and hit the microphone to hear it.) I'm from Iceland but now I live in Norway. My husband got a job offer here and we decided to give it a try for a couple years and suddenly 16 years have gone by and we are still here. Before that we lived and studied in Seattle, Washington, and back then I was very happy to have my middle name. I am an optician by trade and worked in that field until a little over a year and a half ago when I switched jobs and now I work for an ophthalmologist. I love my job and I have wonderful colleagues but work and life can be stressful at times and that makes me love my sewing time in the evenings so much. I can't remember when I started a profile on patterntesters, I believe it was called, never really finished it though. When I received an email that they were making changes and it would be Sewing Portfolios from now on I was intrigued and followed the link in the email and started my new profile. I haven't added all my previous sewing to my portfolio but I add all my new makes to it. As I see it all I can do is gain from it, costs nothing - I have a diary of my sewing - somebody might notice and like my work. Like getting a chance to be a Sewing Portfolios Ambassador and play with some gorgeous fabric.
*looks feature In Bloom Collection
Q: What's your favorite piece of work that you have created, your favorite project or your favorite part of the work day?
A: I would for sure say that my favorite part of the day is my sewing time in the evenings. Don't get me wrong I love spending time with my kids too but you moms out there know what I mean! When I first started sewing about five years ago my only plan was to make some cute little skirts with elastic waistbands for my youngest daughter who was almost a year old. I was hooked on Pinterest at the time and found a tutorial and made her two skirts. After I washed them for the first time the inside was a total mess and I remember that we learned in school that you should zigzag your edges on woven fabric. This then led me in the direction of sewing blogs and the rest is history, I now have a fabric/pdf pattern/sewing addiction! But starting out with this simple goal of little skirts makes my favorite pieces the three outerwear garments I made for myself and love to wear. The bomber jacket, the cocoon coat and the blazer. These patterns I tested for Wardrobe By Me and with all of them at first I thought jeez what have I gotten myself into, I can't do this! But slowly and carefully with the trusted seam ripper by my side I got them done and I loved seeing them come together bit by bit and I wear them with pride.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: At the moment we are doing a bit of work at our house. My youngest two who share a room are now staying in my sewing room as we make the new room. While we are getting that done all I can do is swoon over the gorgeous makes everybody else is posting.
*Dagbjört next to her sewing machine in her sewing room/kid's room
Q: What are your goals for the future, both work wise and life?
A: I can't say I have any specific goals, I love my life as it is. All I want is to see my kids happy and grow up to become good adults. Oh and of course keep on learning sewing techniques and grow my fabric and pattern stash.

Q: What are you doing when you're not creating or at work? What hobbies do you have?
A: After work and dealing with housework, homework and after school activities sewing is the only hobby I have time for. My husband is away for work a lot so most of the time I'm doing everything that needs to be done at home myself.

Q: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
A: Maybe that we have two older kids. On the blog and Instagram you just see me and my two youngest. Our older kids are 21 and 18, I have sewn a couple things for them as well but they refuse to be photographed and shown to the world.

Q: Do you have any favorite blogs/magazines/IG feeds that you follow or read? 
A: I am ashamed to say that I don't spend as much time as I did browsing through the blogs I have saved in my Bloglovin' list. But I love Sewing Like Mad for tips and tricks. My Instagram is pretty much all sewing related and it's full of amazingly talented ladies and a couple of gents. I simply can't choose a favorite.

Q:  Where else can we find you? 
A: I blog here: bydagbjort and my Instagram is @bydagbjort

Q:  What else should we know about you and your work?
A: I don't think there is much more to me really. I'm a bit of an introvert I have a few but very good friends that I love to be with. A good night at home with friends and or family chatting about everything and nothing, a nice meal and some wine and I'm very happy.

Q: Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others? 
A: Not all your projects will turn out as great as you thought in the beginning but don't be afraid to try again cause practice makes perfect!

Q: Do you admire any artists / people? (famous or not!) 
A: Can't really say that I do. I admire good honest people that treat others with respect and kindness, pretty corny perhaps. I don't like idolization and I never remember names anyway.

Q: What is your favorite....
Color: All the variations of blue and lately pink too.
Animal: Well we have a dog and a cat.
Season: Summer!
Movie: A good romantic comedy like the Bridget Jones movies
Book: So totally different from my movie taste, I love crime novelles f. eks. by Jo Nesbø a Norwegian author.
Vacation Spot:The Greek islands, we once stayed in Skiathos and what an amazingly beautiful place.
Food:Spicy Indian food.
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As an ambassador for Sewing Portfolios, Dagbjört created the looks below using In Bloom by Sandra Clemons (in stores now!)
Click HERE to read more about them! 

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Friday, November 3, 2017

Project Dovetail~ a licensed collaboration & "sew" much more!

Quilt Market Re-cap :: Part 1
We're back from International Quilt Market and I can finally share our news! We've been working with our licensed designers to create a collaborative collection...
https://www.michaelmillerfabrics.com/shop/collections/project-dovetail.html
Each of our amazing licensed designers created one design in two colorways...

Lily Ashbury :: Kayla (Peony & Haze)
Sarah Campbell :: Butterfly Blossoms (Cloud & Grass)
Sandra Clemons :: Bowtie Bunny (Flower & Wisteria)
Susan Emory :: Corsage (Water & Shell)
Laura Gunn :: Mini Grid (Fog & Moss)
Sandi Henderson :: Pomegranate Seeds (Blossom & Lilac)
Emily Herrick :: Sea Star (Ocean & Meadow)
Sarah Jane :: Nature Walk (Aqua & Peach)
Tamara Kate :: Tall Grass (Herb & Blush)
Betsy Siber :: Allium (Petal & Cotton Ball)
Patty Sloniger :: Birch Forest Too (Twilight & Mist)
Axelle Valentin :: Herbal Tea (Coral & Blackberry)


The backstory of our Quilt Market booth
 
When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, we were all so worried about the city and the people that host Quilt Market every year... we watched the news as Houston residents streamed into the George R. Brown Convention Center seeking shelter. As we're sure you can relate, we wondered how we could help. Quilts! Of course, we can send quilts! We reconfigured our plan for the booth and created a working sewing studio. With sewing machines donated by Janome and thread provided by Aurifil, together with you, our sewing community, we made blocks out of Project Dovetail. We're going to use these blocks to sew quilts which we'll donate to Quilts of Compassion. 
Janome Sewing Machine M7200



We knew that a lot of you would be busy with appointments at the show so we sent attendees home with a bundle of fabric so they can mail blocks from home. If you're interested in participating, we will be accepting blocks until March 1st, 2018. The blocks must be 8.5" x 8.5" unfinished and made from our Project Dovetail fabrics. The collection will start shipping to stores in January so keep an eye out or contact your local quilt shop to see if they've ordered the collection. 

Please feel free to include the following Cotton Couture colors as well-
Metal, Pewter, Nickel, Hyacinth, Lilac, Opal, Jewel, Berry, Rose, Teal, Ocean, Spa, Loden, Avocado, Grass, Lipstick, Geranium, Blush 

We have lots of inspiration for Project Dovetail quilts... here are a few...
 Supernova Quilt designed by Lee Heinrich (of Freshly Pieced) and pieced & quilted by Tamara Kate
Hexies made by yours truly... just for fun!
Mapleton Avenue by Sassafras Lane

We'll be back next week with more Quilt Market fun!
xo,
Kait



Thursday, October 19, 2017

Behind the Seams with Betsy Siber!

Now, let's go Behind the Seams with Betsy!

Q: What's your favorite piece of work that you have created, your favorite project or your favorite part of the work day?
A: A couple years ago, I drew a 12 Days of Christmas series, and these 9 Dancing Ladies still top my list of favorite illustrations. It was inspired by a vivid memory of being 11 years old at summer camp on a balcony, watching my friends spin around to music below.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Aside from creating things with my Everglades fabric, I'm currently working on some laser-cut garden signs for my community garden, a mural design for my neighborhood school, and a series of vegetable puns (hopefully I can share more about that last one soon!)

Q: What are your goals for the future, both work wise and life?
A: Designing my own fabric line was a huge work goal attained last year, so I'm still pretty flabbergasted by that. I suppose designing for a quality childrenswear company or publishing a picture book would be great next steps! Current life goals include raising my two daughters to be kind, understanding and inquisitive adults and exploring more of this beautiful planet, preferably with my favorite person, my husband Matt. We're currently planning a 10th anniversary trip to Scotland for Summer of 2018. 


Q: What are you doing when you're not creating or at work? What hobbies do you have?
A: I love to read, and swim, and collect milk glass from local thrift stores. I'm also the vice president of a fundraising committee for my neighborhood school (where my kids attend) and right now we're raising funds to transform our giant asphalt playlot/parking lot into a tree and turf-filled multi-sport complex.

Q: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
A: While living in Japan for a summer, I climbed Mt. Fuji with a Marine Commander, a Naval Captain and my 11-year-old neighbor. Buy me a cup of coffee at Quilt Market and I'll tell you more!

Q: Do you have any favorite blogs/magazines/IG feeds that you follow or read? 
A: I love following Helen Dardik on Instagram and reading Uppercase Magazine. For blogs, I check in on Print & Pattern regularly and like to scroll through They Draw & Travel and They Draw & Cook.

Q:  What else should we know about you and your work?
A: I think my work speaks for itself, and reflects me pretty well: Quirky, kid-friendly and colorful. I don't like perfectly straight lines and I love drawing the sharp teeth on my not-so-scary predators.
*Betsy at work in her studio
Q: Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others? 
A: Make some friends with similar goals and check in regularly! I'm part of Pencil Parade Collective along with three other talented women and they have been my best motivators! We check in regularly online and once a month have a Skype session to talk about what we're working on and what our goals are for the next month.

Q: Do you admire any artists / people? (famous or not!) 
A: Of course! Some of my current favorites are Elise Gravel and Ryo Takemasa. I'm also influenced by the illustrations of Leonard Weisgard, Charley Harper and Ezra Jack Keats.

Q: What is your favorite....
Color:Yellow
Animal:Giraffe
Season:Autumn
Movie:Amelie
Book:Too many to choose from! But if I had to pick, I'd go with the entire Harry Potter series.
Vacation Spot: Santorini, Greece
Food:Buttered toast

Q:  Where else can we find you? 
Website: BetsySiber.com
Facebook: Betsy Siber Art
Instagram:  betsy_siber
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Thanks, Betsy! We're so excited to see what you create for Quilt Market and for all of your future MMF collections!
 Here are a some more sneak peeks of Everglades...
*Climbing, Glade Glimmer, Peek
*Tumbling Blooms, Bad Teeth
*Peek, Chomp, Take Flight
*Float, Take Flight, Climbing, Tumbling Blooms, Glade Glimmer, Hazy Moon, Snowy Egret, Bad Teeth, Peek, Chomp
Everglades will start shipping to stores in January, 2018