Hello again, glad to meet you!

Yowza, so sorry it's been a month since our last post. There are a bunch of things brewing here in the Sew Fresh world. Some will be revealed shortly, some are just mundane life events that keep us on our toes and consuming too much caffeine. :)

One new and noteworthy event was hosting the Boston Modern Quilt Guild last weekend at our little shop. It's so great to mix and mingle with fellow fabric lovers. We saw so many great quilts and projects at show and tell. Totally inspiring and makes us recommit to finding more time to sew ourselves!

As a result of our playdate, Becca and I were finally outed photographically. We've talked at length about finally showing our faces online and knew the day would be coming soon. We're camera shy and were waiting for the stars to align when we would somehow look as sassy, smart and sophisticated as our imaginations think we are. :) The lovely and gracious Amy from During Quiet Time took this photo that we both are okay with. (Amazing job, Amy! That's me on the left and Becca on the right, packing up goodies for our guests.)

Read more about our day (with lots of photos) at Amy's blog and also Bry of A Blond Quilts, a new arrival from the Houston Modern Quilt Guild.

New Arrivals!

Whoop! A little teaser of new arrivals. Modernology from Art Gallery Fabrics, Barcelona from Alexander Henry, Michael Miller prints from Project Selvedge winner Patty Sloniger and Flower Pots from Patty Young. Check them out!

Something Fun for Mom

 
I made a knitting needle roll for my mom for Christmas using this tutorial from MadebyLoulabelle. I used one of our new Japanese fabrics from Kei for the outside, Live Life Birds in Dusty Purple. I don't know if those are eyebrows on those owls but they're great fun to look at. Add in some Echo Moira in Catalina for an accent because the color just matches that accent in the feathers, not to mention that I adore the print. (Sorry the Catalina is sold out now but we are getting more!)

I'm not good with patterns but this tutorial was very straightforward and I hardly said any bad words while making it. I got all my pieces the right size and in the right places. Admittedly, I didn't look at the direction of the birds when cutting that piece and I totally lucked out that they weren't facing sideways. That would have been a different post all together.

I lined the inside with some Essex linen and an Amy Butler print from my personal stash. The trim is Kona Sage. I'm just pleased that I finished it on time and without much fuss. Love you Mom!

 

Many thanks to our wonderful customers who supported us last year. We hope to bring you more fabric goodness in 2012! Cheers and Happy Sewing!

  
Our flat rate shipping special ($2.50 US/ $6 Canada/ $7 International) continues through tomorrow.

Flat Rate Shipping Special from Dec. 23 - Jan. 2!

'Twas the day before Christmas Eve and our rotary cutters stopped rolling.
The fabrics were all snuggled, bolts on their shelves.
The mailman was happy to be assisted by elves.
The UPS man stopped complaining about our second floor shop.
Shipping at Sew Fresh had come to a stop.
We're taking some time to spend with our kin.
We'll be back again in time for 2012 to begin.

Flat Rate Shipping for $2.50 US/ $6 Canada and $7 International
No minimum order.

Refunds will be made to PayPal account upon shipment. Shipping will resume on Jan. 3. Post office is closed on Jan. 2 for legal holiday.

May you enjoy this holiday with family and friends! 

Becca and Peg

More Yuwa and Kei fabrics from Japan

 

Kei Honeycomb Dots

 

My Berlin prints from Marie Jacobi

 

 

Birds from the Live Life Collection

  

La Vie En Rose by Kei

Apples and Pears on linen/cotton blend

Primitiva by Jane Dixon

Bold. Lush. Dramatic. Natural. Geometric. Dynamic. Delicious. Primitiva by Jane Dixon.

Nestled all snug in their beds

Drea: Don't look if you want to be surprised!!

Becca has been at the sewing machine and she's achieved stinking cute again (see stinking cute bird). She's making Three Bears Sleeping Bags for her niece and nephew for Christmas using this awesome pattern from Flossie Teacakes.

Lamb is playing the part of Mama bear and modeling the medium sleeping bag made from Birch Fabrics Storyboek Cheater print. Papa bear's bag is made from two Daiwabo prints: the Rescue Vehicles and Tip Top Car Panel (the back is also from that panel). Baby bear's bag is made with Tip Top Elephants and some Japanese Ed Emberly fabric. (Note: We've ordered the Ed Emberly collection from Cloud9 Organics for next year!)

 

Bear is modeling the girls version in some classic Heather Ross Far Far Away II Rapunzel. Papa and Baby also have some FFA Princess and the Pea and Sleeping Beauty. (Check out our Japanese fabric section for some Heather Ross if you like.) The Denyse Schmidt Hope Valley binding really makes the little one pop!

 

Merry Christmas to all the little lambs and bears!

Wouldn't you like to make one too?

How awesome is this, folks? Let's all oooh and aaah over Becca's scrap quilt, shall we? And the bird on the back laying an egg? Just stinking cute!

Do you want an amazing quilt like this to come together in no time? Here's her secret. Keep a bin of scraps near your sewing machine. To keep your stitches efficient and to maintain tension as you chain piece, we like to use leaders and enders. Run a pair of scraps through the needle before you begin your chaining (you don't have to be picky or fussy with matching). Before you cut your chain, run another set of scraps through and only cut off what you are chaining. This keeps fabric in your machine at all times, eliminating the need for long pulls of thread before you cut.

Keep working these scraps into rails, log cabins or crazy blocks. You'll probably end up making a few purposeful blocks to complete the quilt top but there you have it... a scrap quilt top. Thrifty, efficient and gorgeous to boot. What's not to like?

How do you make your scrap quilts?

New Arrivals from Yuwa of Japan

 

 

Daiwabo of Japan should be arriving shortly!