My new book

My Blue Bunny Bubbit will be in stores Jan 7th!

The story was inspired by a stuffed bunny I designed and sold in my Etsy shop from 2005 - 07. I sold many of these bunnies and customers really loved them.

 I felt it was one of my best pattern designs ever.

 While I was making bunnies, this story came to me about a girl and her grandmother sewing together. Nonni made Bubbit for her when she was born, and now they are making something for the new baby! For the fabric, they cut up the girl's "old favorite jacket that Nonni made me" that is now way too small.

I hope readers will enjoy this story about grandma/granddaughter togetherness, re-purposing materials, and creating wonderful things together!

Second proofs for my next book

this week i received a copy of the second proofs for my next book!
it's called My Blue Bunny Bubbit, and will come out in the fall. the art for the book was put together digitally, which is a first for me. i used a combination of traditional and digital to create the artwork, and it was very strange and kind of anticlimactic to just upload the finished files to the art director's Drop Box after all the months of work. before, there would be the ceremonious labeling and careful packing of the original art, taking the box to Fedex, and then receiving an appreciative and enthusiastic phone call from the editor and art director when they had received the package and were seeing the art for the first time.

however, there was a reason to develop this new way of working - it was something that i felt called to do for this particular story, and i'm very happy with what i came up with and will probably continue to work this way. i was worried about how the art would print, since on the computer you're always seeing a brighter version of things due to the back-lit screen and you feel a certain disconnect. but i needn't have worried because it's printing very well, and pretty close to what i expected.

the story has a sewing theme, so i'm also making simple version sewing patterns of the two stuffed toys that will be available to readers through Clarion Book's website. i hope parents and kids will enjoy making them together! these are the first round samples - i'll show the finals next. xo

Easter is coming!

Spring has always been my favorite time of  year - the determined blooms emerging from a gray & brown world, speckling the sidewalks & yards with a confetti of color - it's so exciting!
If you have little ones in your life and like to sew, I have a special pattern in my etsy shop so you can get a Hop on Easter....These stuffies are totally baby safe, and all young children love them.

Happy Spring!
xo

Happy New Zoo!

Another adorable softies set made from my pattern.
This one is by Frambooske.
I especially love the polar bears and the peace-out giraffe!
xo

custom kitty

custom flannel Kitty-Bird in easter colors for an etsy customer.
calling all daffodils!

Big Meadow pattern set!

 i finally finished the Big Meadow pattern set for my etsy shop. it was a long time coming, since, as i've probably said before, these patterns take an unimaginably long time to complete!

 i had fun adding new animals and doing a different treatment with the basket, since the word Meadow was a bit too much to applique.

 this set has a leafy log for the animals to jump over or to gnaw on...

 and some felt fir trees too.

the pdf is 15 pages and includes patterns, instructions, diagrams and reference photos.
it's a great pattern for urging Spring to get here soon!
xo

charming charms

i got my friend Karen crafting again, with my Lucky Charms sewing pattern.
and look what she made!!
i'm especially in love with this gray owl...he would make an adorable pin!
xo

bitty birds!

the decorating hasn't really begun, but i just wanted to see how cute some Bitty Birds look on the tree...
answer: very cute!
i'm fantasizing about a whole tree covered with them...
hmm, maybe for an itty bitty tree!
xo

big farm in austin, tx

a customer in Austin sent me this photo of the Big Farm set she made from my pattern. i just love how completely different it is from mine - i really dig some of her fabric choices!
besides reporting that the instructions were easy to follow for a novice seamstress, she said, "It's hard to give it away since my 3yr-old fell in love with each animal while I was making them."
yay!