Sew Fresh Fabrics

New Arrivals!

2012-01-11T22:48:00.001-05:00

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

2012-01-06T21:29:00.001-05:00

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!

2012-01-01T12:00:00.000-05:00

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!

2011-12-23T21:38:00.001-05:00

'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

2011-12-15T08:27:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-13T18:54:00.002-05:00

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

Nestled all snug in their beds

2011-12-06T19:17:00.001-05:00

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?

2011-12-02T12:00:00.000-05:00

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

2011-11-14T18:43:00.001-05:00

Daiwabo of Japan should be arriving shortly!

Quick Project - Take 2

2011-11-06T09:49:00.003-05:00

Don't be alarmed. This is really a quick project. The recipe goes like this:

One part Dead Simple Quilt Along
One part Charm pack (mixed with solid squares)

Chain piece and whoop, there it is. A lap quilt top right before your eyes.

Quilt with simple straight lines or have some fun with your free motion quilting. If you want to speed up your binding, check out Rita's tutorial on machine stitching your binding.

Stitch with love. :)

We've got our pre-cuts for Terrain and Little Apples at ridiculously special pricing right now. Find yourself a few quiet hours (probably the hardest part of this entire project), get comfy at the sewing machine, put on some tunes, maybe a cup of tea (or glass of wine) and have at it!

Quick Projects - Take 1

2011-11-02T08:55:00.001-04:00

It's November folks and we don't need to tell you which season is fast approaching. So much more doesn't need repeating as well. Busy.... yup. Budget.... ouch.

So we're talking fast and easy holiday projects here. One sitting, maybe two. Materials that you probably have or maybe you'd need to purchase a fat quarter here. :) Just sayin'.

Today is clutches and checkbook covers. The checkbook covers that Becca made with Echino linen/cotton blends use a Keykalou pattern. The clutch envelope (Echino with some interfacing to stiffen) was a bit free-form, based on this tutorial. The patchwork zip pouch is also an improv. Lots of jumping off places can be found online. Need to put in a zipper... You Tube can show you how. So much of the sewing community is so generous with their tutorials. Use them well and credit them generously.

Let's make this a handmade season people. A little love goes a long way. And please show us your creations in our Flickr group. (Sounding a little Hill Street Blues here, don't know why, but you better be careful with those needles out there.)

At Long Last - Scrap Bee Progress

2011-10-30T16:05:00.002-04:00

Quilt tops from Round 2 and 3 of the Scrap Bees! We bet you thought you'd never see them. Us too. And we're so glad we found a sunny day on Friday to get these photographs before it SNOWED on Saturday night. (Snow before Halloween for crying out loud!) These are being backed now and will make it to their respective destinations (Quilt Challenge for ALS and Margaret's Hope Chest).

We are planning to continue the scrap bees next year and are working to streamline the process. We have a nice list of volunteers that we'll be contacting (let us know if you want to be added) as we get rolling again. Thanks for your willingness to participate along with us.

Outfoxing the Gang

2011-10-21T19:27:00.001-04:00

Lizzy House's Outfoxed is now available in the shop in three colorways!

With matching Kona bundles, of course.

Meet the Gang by Marisa and Creative Thursday is also available in three colorways.

and you know what these are.

Project Linus Quilts Finally on their Way!

2011-09-29T21:22:00.005-04:00

It's signed, sealed and delivered (probably tomorrow or Thursday). A bursting box of two of the most darling quilts for a little boy and a little girl that you'd ever imagine. This is thanks to our Scrap Bee-ers who created some amazing blocks. In between the raindrops of our wet, wet fall here in New England, we managed to take a few pictures.

Cozy on the bench outside our office.

Soon to be wrapped around some tiny shoulders for comfort. Thanks everyone! We couldn't have done it without you. Visit our Flickr group to see more details of the blocks.

We're not faithful. There. We said it.

2011-09-28T21:45:00.000-04:00

Not to this blog of late, that's for sure. A crazy summer is over and and we've committed to pay more attention here. There's a line in a Lyle Lovett song that says, "she wasn't good but she had good intentions." That kinda covers it.

And Becca, that vixen, has been spending time as a Farmer's Wife in addition to hanging with her dear hubby of 20+ years. Now, if she were truly committed to the Farmer, she'd be showing us over 30 blocks but these 17 are just so gorgeous that we can forgive her unfaithfulness.

In honor of these beauties, we're again offering our Farmer's Wife Scrap Packs in the shop. These are 10 ounces of scraps, the equivalent of about 2 yards of fabric, cut in various sized squares, rectangles and a few strips. There are some classic prints and some of our latest arrivals. If there's a scrappy project in your future, you'll want to play with these. But don't take our word for it. This is a sampling of what our customers say about our scrap packs.

"This was a fantastic bundle and one of my all-time favorite fabric purchases! I've been using it up bit by bit as I make my way through the Farmer's Wife blocks!"

"This is just the best scrap pack ever! All the fabrics Sew Fresh Fabrics carries are super cute and high quality, and this scrap pack is a sampling of a lot of those. I'm just so happy with it!"

Have patience with us as we work through our commitment issues. Thanks.

Specials on Fat Eighth Bundles with Kona!

2011-09-12T16:12:00.004-04:00

Get your Fat Eighth bundles of Terrain and Little Apples with some solid Kona goodness at a terrific price! It's like getting your solids nearly free! An instant project starter.

Lunch Time

2011-09-04T11:47:00.009-04:00

School has started and my 3rd grader needed a new lunch bag. Thanks to Ayumi's lunch tote tutorial she has one.

Not sure who's more excited about school starting, just glad we both are!

New Arrivals

2011-08-21T20:23:00.006-04:00

Fat Eighth bundles of Kate Spain's Terrain

Storyboek (Organic) from Birch Fabrics

Premier Lord by Dan Bennett for Westminster Fabrics

We could not resist the bread and lettuce from Farmer's Market.

Hometown by Moda

Oops A Daisy by Keiki for Moda

They're Here!

2011-08-01T19:08:00.006-04:00

Also Terrain Charm Packs.

Also Little Apples Fat Eighth bundles (they're the cutest things!), charm packs and layer cakes.

New! Hokkoh of Japan and Coming Monday Terrain and Little Apples

2011-07-29T10:18:00.009-04:00

From Hokkoh's Hummingbird collection.

Pre-cuts from Kate Spain's Terrain and Aneela Hoey's Little Apples will be available on Monday in the shop! Moda has added Fat Eighth packs to their assortment so you can purchase an entire collection for a reasonable price ($58). The Little Apples Fat Eighths will be here on Monday. We're still waiting for an arrival date for the Terrain Fat Eighths. Stay tuned.

New Joel Dewberry and Tina Givens!

2011-07-21T15:10:00.008-04:00

The classic style of Joel Dewberry hits new heights with Heirloom. Florals, paisleys and cool geometrics work magic in several palettes... Amber, Garnet and Gold.

The magical land of Pernilla's Journey is created by Tina Givens based on a story she read as a child and found again for her daughter. Elephants, unicorns and parrots inhabit this fantastic place. It's both whimsical and lush, inviting stories of your own.

New Stash Builder Bundles

2011-07-17T18:01:00.006-04:00

Orange and grey....

Fire Engine...

Forest....

Aqua...

Blush....

Hugs and Kisses (from Loulouthi)....

Noah's Ark

Eye candy only today. It's too hot to blog...

Zen Chic Pattern Winners!

2011-07-04T21:26:00.002-04:00

The almighty algorithm at Random.org has chosen #6 and #30 as winners in the Zen Chic giveaway! (Whoever responds first gets dibs on the pattern of their choice. Sorry to be a stinker. Mr. Random is too impartial.)

#6 is Sequana ...

I love that Stony Snippets quilt pattern. However, I like anything she has. What a great new entry into the fabric design world. thx for the chance to win.

#30 is Tamie said...

My browser won't play either but I'll try my computer later. I love the Swiss bag in orange too.

We're sending off emails to you both, but feel free to contact us! Happy 4th of July!

We'd like to thank Brigitte Heitland for giving the patterns to us for the giveaway. We're thrilled with her ventures into the fabric world and look forward to buying her fabrics on the bolt very soon!!

Is it July already?

2011-07-01T11:22:00.002-04:00

Wow, where did half the year go? Yikes! Bear with us for a few rambling notes from the last six months. *(If you stay with us til the end of this post, there's a special waiting.)

• SFF is growing thanks to our great customers and partners! You guys are awesome and make our job so much fun every day! It's good to be surrounded by fabri-holics like ourselves.

• Our first trip to Quilt Market was amazing. We learned a lot, made some great finds and are more excited than ever to continue to bring you the bestest and freshest collection of fabric ever. Watch out Houston!

• We have been working on the shop sections to make it easier to navigate 60+ pages of fabric. There is now a "New Arrivals" section for the stalkers. We know you're out there and we love you for it. :) Etsy's "newly listed" button also includes re-lists so it's not exactly "what's new". Now you can find it by section. We also have sections for Organics, Blenders and Basics, Solids and a category that will be growing significantly in the next several weeks and months... "Japanese Fabrics." We'll be getting in new lines from Daiwabo, Hokkoh, Yuwa and Echino for starters.

• Round 3 of the Scrap Quilting Bee is getting under way, this one for Margaret's Hope Chest. Two quilts for Project Linus have been completed and the quilt for the ALS project is almost in the hands of a Fairy Godmother for completion. We've been behind on photos but promise that we haven't forgotten and will update again soon.

As a mid-year, Fourth of July (for our US readers) celebration, we are offering our $2.50 US/$5 Canada /$7 International flat rate shipping special this weekend (ends Monday 7/4)! We will refund by PayPal after purchase.

Many, many thanks for your continued support.

Happy Sewing!
Peg and Becca

P.S. Don't for get to check out Fresh Sewing Day with Lynne today!
And you have until tomorrow to enter our Zen Chic pattern giveaway.

Introducing Gallery Fiori by Karen Tusinski

2011-06-26T12:07:00.008-04:00

Gallery Fiori, the first fabric line by artist Karen Tusinski immediately caught my eye at Quilt Market. And why wouldn't it? The colors are rich and sophisticated, the painterly and textured quality to the design is stunning. Doesn't it figure that a former painter would go for a fabric collection designed by a painter? Indeed. Add in that Karen is a local artist to our Sew Fresh Fabric land (north of Boston) and we were sold. I had seen Karen's work locally and knew her name from the art circles. It felt like cheering on a friend we'd never met.

It turns out that Karen is as friendly as she is talented. She has graciously agreed to a little interview on our blog. Without further ado, let's see what she has to say.

You started (and continue) as a painter. What is your background and what led you to fabric design?
My fabric line magically began as a result from 2 very important interactions::: as you know Lilla Rogers Studio represents me for all sorts of clients interested in my selected body of work for reproduction purposes; P&B Textiles is one of these companies. So, after Lilla negotiates and licenses etc., then I work with the company (P&B) interested in reproducing my work. P&B extracted patterns from my paintings to create a repeating design for fabric. Then fabric boards are created for my final approval.

Do you have a sewing background?
Although I have a very limited sewing background, I truly believe there is not much difference between using cloth to sew quilts and painting a painting ....... we all use color to create vibrant & exciting compositions. Artists who use cloth to convey a story are quite similar to artists who use paint to tell their story.

I cannot believe what is out there re: quilts these days ..... from landscapes, to abstract pieced quilts. I'm quite sure buying an inspirational yard of fabric is not unlike me buying a new tube of paint!!!

What is it like to see your images on fabric? What would you like to see created with your fabric?
O my goodness!!!! This is such an exciting time, as you can imagine. I am truly curious to see what folks do with my fabric line ..... although I may never know ......unless someone creates a piece & wants to e-mail me!!!! I think my line evokes that mid-century feel.....it reminds me of similar patterns growing up as a child. I would love to see quilts, clothing, drapes, sheets, & all the rest in between!

What is next on your fabric journey?
I'm not sure how to answer this one, I just keep painting!!! Although I would love to try & sew a poppy painting together using my fabric---!!

The entire Gallery Fiori collection is available in the shop.

Zen Chic Pattern Giveaway

2011-06-24T20:51:00.011-04:00

The lovely and talented Brigitte Heitland, Zen Chic fabric and pattern designer, has generously offered two of her patterns to our readers. Yay!

We have created an Orange Brick Kona Bundle to complete the pattern with a Zen Chic Fat Eighth pack. We've chosen some suggestions of colors to use as the solid background that coordinate with the Strawberry and Mauve Fat Eighth Packs of Zen Chic - just in case orange isn't your color. The bundle includes 3.5 yards of a Kona solid and the white for the bricks. If you purchase both the Kona bundle and the Zen Chic fabric from us, we'll give you free US shipping or half price international shipping!

Leave us a comment about what patterns of Brigitte's that you like or what Kona color you'd pair with her fabric to be entered to win the patterns. Giveaway ends Saturday July 2.

Avalon Arrives!

2011-06-22T21:05:00.006-04:00

Perfect for summer! Cool bikes, free-wheeling birds and some yummy colors like grape and cherry. It's Avalon by Jay-Cyn from Birch Fabrics. This 100% certified organic fabric has a lovely hand and would look fantastic in quilts or apparel. Click to the shop to see more.

* The grey birdie spokes are on backorder and due in August.

Wrenly Arrives!

2011-06-20T21:14:00.004-04:00

We were excited when we heard about Wrenly from Valori Wells and even more excited when we saw her booth in SLC. The wrens are darling with folk art style details. The colors are vivid and true... Cobalt, Citrus and Mandarin. Valori just hits all the high notes with this group. The entire collection of quilting weight cottons is available in the shop.

We're Cleaning Out the Closet

2011-06-15T21:08:00.005-04:00

Now I would never fancy doing such a thing in my own house, but it doesn't seem quite the insurmountable task at the shop when pretty fabrics are involved. We're listing yard, half yard and fat quarters at must go prices. Lovelies such as Meadowsweet, Hope Valley, Nest, Art Gallery prints and much more. In perfect condition, cut for quilt shows and ready to find a good home (and sewing machine). Go straight to the Specials Section and find some treasure. All quantity is listed and all cuts are as described.

A Kaleidoscope Quilt Along with Elizabeth

2011-06-13T15:26:00.005-04:00

The talented Elizabeth from Don't Call Me Betsy is organizing a fantastic quilt along with a Kaleidoscope pattern. It looks like great fun. She has just posted the fabric requirements and will begin cutting instructions on June 23 so there's still plenty of time to join in. (Hint: see post #2 for a SFF incentive). There's already an active Flickr group talking fabric details and getting ready. Go take a look.

Feeling a little Zen

2011-06-09T08:57:00.008-04:00

Zen Chic, that is.

Brigitte Heitland, the creative force of Zen Chic, stole the show in Salt Lake this year at Quilt Market, winning best booth by a newcomer. Her fabric is captivating in a serene and soothing way. Everyone was drawn into her booth! And Brigitte herself was just as lovely.

We have brought in her Zen Chic fabric bundles of 5 fat eighths in Mauve or Strawberry printed by Spoonflower. They are one of a kind and gorgeous. Simply stunning. The five prints shown at the bottom of the photos are what is in the package.

It's Getting Crowded in Here. 1001 Peeps has arrived!

2011-06-07T16:47:00.006-04:00

Lizzy House's 1001 Peeps are here! Magic lamps, genies, camels, enchanted figures and lush colors. We have the entire collection in three colorways... Dusk/Orange, Turquoise and Purple. And it just wouldn't be proper to omit the "Inspired By" Kona bundles. We have three of those too.

Let the magic begin!

Bloggers' Dinner Party

2011-06-06T16:26:00.008-04:00

Kate of Needle and Spatula has organized a Bloggers' Dinner Party, a linky party for all things table... napkins, placemats, trivets, and table runners, etc. This will be ongoing and each month a winner will be chosen at random from the entries. We'll give you one guess on who is sponsoring this month..... yup, it's us. Becca devised a gorgeous Ladies Tea Party Bundle with some Melody Miller Ruby Star Rising Vintage Ladies, Tea Cups, some Jenaveve linen and matching Kona solids. It's scrumptious. Hop on over to Kate's blog and check out the details. You have until the end of the month to enter.

Shop Notes: We have reloaded the "Specials" section of the shop for great prices on one yard (or more) cuts of fabrics. Perfect for backings.

• Stone Ta Dot is back in stock
• Four new Kona colors available – Salmon, Mango, Olive and Purple
• New Alexander Henry Prints – big, bold and beautiful!
• Look for some LouLouthi inspired Kona bundles to appear in the next day or so.

New Arrivals!!

2011-06-01T20:52:00.006-04:00

Eddie, our grumbling UPS man, announced the arrival of 4 boxes of Loulouthi and Summersault by saying we should carry them up to the second floor ourselves. We told him the last big delivery was by FedEx so he should be happy.

He didn't look happy.

We're happy. Look at all the fabric goodness that arrived!!

This is just a few of the gorgeous prints that we have. Next up will be some Loulouthi bundles...

In the meantime, there are a few new Art Gallery Bohemian Soul bundles available, one in purple and one in earth tones.

Thanks also for everyone's kind words. We're both feeling better and ready to bundle and cut some fabric!

So. Sorry. For. The. Snail's. Pace.

2011-05-26T20:58:00.007-04:00

Aack! After the resounding response to the last post of new fabric arrivals, we wanted to hop right up and share some more fabric goodness with you but alas, both Becca and I found ourselves sick in the past week. Becca bounced back first and now I'm finally on the mend. Now maybe we can get back on track.

Some Melody Miller is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Yipee!! And don't tell the UPS man but Westminster/Free Spirit has 174 pounds (!) of fabric arriving on our doorstep next Wednesday. Loulouthi perhaps? Somersault? Wrenly? When we know, you'll know.

Thanks for your patience with our slooooow blogging. We love you all and read each and every comment with glee. There are not enough hours in the day sometimes to do all that we'd like to. And to thank you again, we'd like to offer our 2.5/5/7 shipping deal to our faithful blog followers until 5/31. Use the code "SNAIL" in Notes to Seller for your purchase and we'll set your shipping costs at a flat rate of $2.50 US/ $5 Canada and $7 International. Refunds will be made through PayPal after purchase. You're the best. Thanks!

xxoo
peg and becca

Fabric Addicts Only Need Read Ahead

2011-05-19T21:36:00.014-04:00

These are but a smattering of the goodies (in no particular order) that are currently on order for the Sew Fresh Fabri-holic. More details and release dates to follow. (This is for you, Lynne, because we know you're chomping at the bit. :)

Once Upon A Time...

2011-05-19T08:41:00.008-04:00

... a fabric princess named Tula Pink created a lush and textural aquatic world of turtles, snails, frogs and more. Prince Charming is her new line with Free Spirit fabrics and the rich and soothing palettes of Indigo, Coral, Honey and Olive are just scrumptious. We were smitten immediately. Her designs are elegant and clever and really must be seen. We met her at Quilt Market and she's lovely. Her booth won a prize but we didn't take a picture. Boo on us. Visit our shop to see the new arrivals!

We Went. We Saw. We Ordered Lots of Fabric!

2011-05-16T18:48:00.003-04:00

We're back from Quilt Market in Salt Lake City with lots of orders written for some pretty darn gorgeous fabric! We're working off the jetlag, catching up on shop orders and seeing our families. We'll be posting soon about new lines and great finds. Thanks for your patience while we've been out!

A Quilter's Fairtyale (or a Fabric Love Affair)

2011-05-09T15:16:00.011-04:00

It may surprise you to know that both Becca and I were reluctant quilters.

I was a painter who stopped into a LQS to get some thread to sew on a button. I was instantly mesmerized by the colors, designs and the delicious tactile quality of fabric. I knew immediately I had to do something with this.

Becca was a lifelong knitter who signed up for a 4 week class to make a simple quilt. Two years later, she and I were still in the same 'you pick your project' quilt class, swapping blog finds, gushing over fabrics and oohing and aahing over Flickr projects.

Our stashes grew. The annual quilting weekend with the girls became semi-annual. We both just wanted to sew and play with fabric. All. The. Time. (Maybe pile it up in pretty stacks and pet it once in a while.)

That is the short version of how Sew Fresh Fabrics was born.

We tell you this story as we get ready to go to our First Quilt Market (!!!!!) in Salt Lake City later this week. We simply love fabric and we have a point of view. Fresh (like our name). Sometimes modern, sometimes classic (who doesn't love a dot?). Maybe a wee bit quirky. A blog friend once said that she liked the "curated" feel to our shop.

If we find a good print, we'll stock it until the manufacturer no longer makes it. If we like one print of a line, we'll buy just that one. If we like a whole collection, we'll stock it. We hope to bring you the best of the best.

And we're excited to find more of the best at Quilt Market this week! We thank our fabulous customers for their confidence in us and your amazing support. You make this job even better every day.

*Because we will be at Quilt Market later this week, the last shipping day of the week will be Thursday for orders placed by Wednesday evening. Regular shipping will resume next week and may take a day or two to catch up to normal shipping pace. We appreciate your patience!!

**The visual for this post is the Bento Box quilt that I just completed. It was the perfect pattern for someone who doesn't like patterns and a great way to use lots of fantastic prints. The last picture was taken by my four-year old after I had hung it in the gallery where it is for sale. Not a bad shot.

Bundles and a Rare Find!

2011-05-03T20:14:00.009-04:00

Daisy Janie Organics Shades of Grey bundle

Unafraid of Color for Lynne at Lily's Quilts.

Orange You in Need of Me Stash Builder

Blue Green and Grey Stash Builder

and.....

.... we've scored some Lizzy House Red Letter Day, available in two bundles. Sweet!

Refund Bundles Delivered.

2011-04-26T15:29:00.004-04:00

Congratulations! Thanks to all who entered. This will surely be an annual tax day event!

We have tons of new arrivals in the shop. I'm making this short so I can get to the newsletter to give you some peeks! Have a great weekend!

Quilt Tops At Last! A Bee Update

2011-04-22T22:40:00.010-04:00

First, please excuse the iPhone picture that is a bit grainy. Second, here's a Quilt Top! Becca has sewn together the top for the boy quilt headed for Project Linus. Everyone did such a fabulous job. It's a veritable I-Spy of elephants, campers, giraffes, cars and more!

And by some miracle, I managed to not be late for something and got this top of gorgeous, girly blocks sewn together as well, the other quilt headed for Project Linus. We're both working on the backs now and should have some more pictures soon.

We said we had some news about Round 2 and we're very excited to report that we've enlisted the magical services of Anne Marie of GenX Quilters to be the Fairy Godmother of the next quilt. (Insert sprinkling of fairy dust here.) We will gather up all the blocks, wrap it all up in batting and backing and send it off to the magical land of Ohio as Fairy Godmother Anne Marie has generously agreed to turn it all into a quilt for the ALS Quilt Challenge. We have so many willing volunteers waiting to make blocks for quilts that we wanted to make sure everything moved along in a timely fashion. Becca and I worried that if we were trying to put together a quilt every month or so, that we would get behind. So we're tremendously grateful for Anne Marie's help. Give her a pat on the Fairy wings next time you visit her blog.

Congratulations!

2011-04-21T11:05:00.005-04:00

The response to our little giveaway has been just overwhelming! (My mom thinks quilters are a little crazy! Silly mom.) We decided to award both a US box AND an International bundle.

The winners are #787 – Our Busy Little Bunch and # 1394 – Michelle. We've emailed you both and hope to get your scrappy bounty out to you soon. Thanks to everyone who entered. We surely know how to get our scraps in good hands from now on!

We'll have some pictures of the quilt tops from Round 1 of our Scrap Bee to show in a day or two. These are the boy and girl quilts going to Project Linus! We also have some exciting news about Round 2 coming up. It involves a little bit of fairy magic....

Fabric Refund Giveaway

2011-04-15T16:54:00.017-04:00

Tax day is near upon us and whether you get a refund or write a check, it always tends to be a little stressful... paperwork, complicated forms, math. Blech.

But what if you could get a windfall of fabric? A Fabric Refund! A bountiful, brimming, beautiful box full of Sew Fresh Fabric. Sound tempting? You see, our scrap box runneth over. Again. We're three quilts into our Scrap Quilting Bee and it's not really making a dent. We need to offload some of this bounty.

So here's the prize:
(for US readers) a full Medium Flat Rate box filled with Fabric – guaranteed enough fabric to make an entire quilt

(for International readers) a full Flat Rate Envelope filled with Fabric (sorry folks, the box price overseas is prohibitive but you'll still probably get enough to make a quilt top.)

Here's what you have to do:
• one entry for a comment telling us how you found out about this giveaway (a blog mention, Facebook, newsletter, etc.) or where you've seen our button online
• one entry for signing up for our newsletter (see sidebar)
• one entry for becoming a blog follower

Contest ends Wed. April 20 10 pm EST

Now, keep in mind these are no mere scraps. There are small pieces and large pieces. Fat quarters and any length of fabric shy of 18" landed here. Just to name drop a little... Anna Maria Horner voile, Heather Ross Far Far Away, Lizzy House, Amy Butler, Heather Bailey, Laurie Wisbrun, Sandy Henderson, Denyse Schmidt, solids, Essex linen and more. If it was sold by Sew Fresh, it's fair game.

Blogger's Pillow Party

2011-04-14T10:26:00.007-04:00

If you haven't already, head on over to Stitched In Color to check out the Blogger's Pillow Party. The April entries will be judged by the fabulous Malka Dubrowsky of A Stitch In Dye and the prize will be a Kona Bundle (actually two bundles) by yours truly! 24 FQs of solid goodness.

Pillows are fun, quick, useful and can zip up your decor in a snap. Go ahead and give it a try. I've made a few pillows in my time so I know anyone can do it. If you're afraid of the invisible zipper (though Rachel at Stitched in Color has a great tutorial), go for the quick and easy envelope enclosure. Here's some great inspiration from the Flickr pool and here's a quick and easy one I made. Now go sew!

The Color Purple

2011-04-12T15:39:00.006-04:00

Sisters on the Runway, an organization that seeks to raise awareness and funding for women and children affected by domestic violence, recently added a new chapter at my daughter Alison's university. As a member of the UMass chapter, Ali asked if I would be willing to make a quilt for the silent auction accompanying the fashion show. All of the proceeds from the evening would benefit Safe Passage in Holyoke, MA. The color purple has symbolized domestic violence for more than twenty years so it only seemed appropriate to use that as a starting point for the quilt.

At first I pulled out every purple I owned but it was not what I had envisioned at all. Instead I opted for the Larkspur line from Alexander Henry as the base and then mixed in some Kona solids and various other prints (Tufted Tweets in Orchid, Hypnotize by Kathy Davis in Raspberry, Dan Bennett Eggs in purple and Stone Ta Dot). The left over pieces were used to create the backing. The binding is Cobblestone by Paula Prass, one of my all time favorites.

It was with mixed feelings that I delivered this quilt to Alison. While I was more than happy to make it, I am more than saddened that there is a need. As a Mom, I am so proud of her for getting involved and working to make a difference. I do love that girl....

Becca

Pips are Rolling in

2011-04-09T17:24:00.005-04:00

Most of the Grey and some of the Pink Lemonade colorway of Sherbet Pips by Aneela Hoey has arrived in the shop. We've ordered the entire collection and the rest should be arriving shortly.

We've also received an assortment of Moda Cross Weaves in some yummy colors. The Cross Weaves have different colored fibers in the warp and weft which results in a rich, dimensional color. They are similar to shot cottons but have less stretch than other ones we've seen. We think they make a nice option for sashing. What do you think?

That Day is Here

2011-03-31T21:55:00.005-04:00

On Monday, April 4 we will be increasing prices at Sew Fresh Fabrics. We blogged about it earlier here and you've probably been seeing the prices inching up over the last few months elsewhere. We held off as long as we could but the time has come. As a thanks to our faithful blog readers, Facebook fans and newsletter subscribers, we're giving you an early heads up in case there's something you've been yearning for and want to snap it up before it costs more next week. Like this yummy bundle we've named for Lynne at Lily's Quilts. She'll be starting Fresh Sewing Day on Friday, April 1 (no fooling!).

Pip Peek

2011-03-29T08:37:00.005-04:00

Sherbet Pip pre-cuts (layers, charms and FQ bundles) available in the shop NOW! Eeeek! Yardage of the entire collection will follow next month.

Feeling Fresh?

2011-03-20T21:05:00.006-04:00

Let's see what ya got.

The witty and talented Lynne of Lily's Quilts has brought us on board for a great new blog feature starting April 1 called Fresh Sewing Day. It will be a feature at the beginning of each month to link to your fantabulous sewing projects. And it goes without saying that there will be giveaways sponsored by SFF. Sounds brilliant, right? Add Lily's Quilts to your blog reader right now and start something fresh and sassy to show off on April 1.

If you want to share your projects made with Sew Fresh Fabrics any old time, join our Flickr group and post some eye candy.

And lastly, if you'd like an unobtrusive yet informative dose of Sew Fresh Fabric News delivered by email once a week or so, be sure to sign up for our newsletter (see sidebar on the right). It's brand new and we'll feature new fabrics, giveaways and special deals. You will be seriously glad you did. No joke. As always, our "no spam" promise stands firm.

Searching for signs of Spring?

2011-03-16T20:39:00.007-04:00

Is it too early for these? Is it still muddy and brown where you are? How about joining our friend AnneMarie at GenX Quilters in her second Kona Your World Swap?

A bright, cheery bundle of Kona solids will arrive with your name on it. Now doesn't that say Spring to you?

A Bee in our Bonnets

2011-03-14T20:30:00.008-04:00

Do you ever go through a phase where you feel perpetually behind the eight ball? Both Becca and I are caught in a perfect storm of this, that and a lot of the other. Finally, we had a little time to whittle down that to-do list just a smidge this weekend.

Yes, Bee-ers, that means you! The packets are ready to be sent for Round 2 which will benefit the Hopes and Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS. These will hit the mail in the next day or so.

As far as Round 1 goes, we've still been waiting for 5 blocks for each Project Linus quilt. Then we discovered that the Post Office had a hiccup in our forwarding order. We got that straightened out today and expect a parcel of blocks to hit us this week.

So far things are looking great. Becca will be heading up the quilt for the boy since she has two girls and has sewn her share of pink. The final layout will depend on the remaining blocks but we're so pleased with how amazing these quilt tops are coming together.

I'll be championing the girl quilt because, conversely, I have two boys and yearn for a little something feminine once in a while.

On a related note, everyone who has expressed interest in the Bee should have received an email from us by now. If you haven't, we haven't been able to get your email address through Blogger. Please send us an email at info (at) sewfreshfabrics (dot) com. Thanks.

Blog Hop to Win Fabric!

2011-03-10T12:25:00.005-05:00

We're sponsoring two fabric giveaways right now. Hop on over to visit Alison at Little Island Quilting for some green and blue stash builders and Raechel at Finding My Feet for some Metro Living Circles.

Getting Back into the Groove

2011-03-04T22:00:00.005-05:00

School vacation is over. Our move is complete. We're trying to get our feet back underneath us and get back in the swing of things.

We've been collecting the blocks from Round 1 of the Scrap Quilting Bee and we're excited to sew those together. Be sure to check out our Flickr group to see what wonderful blocks are being sewn. We're getting ready for Round 2 that will benefit the ALS Quilt Challenge.

We've been eyeing some new lines coming out and placing orders, including Lizzy House's 1001 Peeps collection.

Still a lot more to do but we did get a few new bundles listed in the shop today. Now off to bed.

A Featured Quilt

2011-02-24T10:46:00.003-05:00

A quilt of mine is featured by the good folks at Quilt Inspiration. I'm honored. Take a peek.

Short Shipping Hiatus Starting Wednesday

2011-02-21T17:33:00.001-05:00

We will be taking a short shipping hiatus at the shop from Wed. 2/23 through Sun. 2/27. School is out for the kiddos, the shop will make its' final moves to our new location and we may just relax some too. All orders placed during this period will be shipped upon our return on 2/28. We will do our best to answer convos but probably not as quick as we usually do. We appreciate your patience and your patronage.

Peg and Becca

An Exciting Transition

2011-02-17T19:26:00.008-05:00

Can you read it? Our very first sign for our very first real place! Becca and I are beyond excited. We're in transition now so we're asking for a bit of patience as blog posts, convos and (hopefully not many) orders are lagging just a teeny, tiny bit.

It's not a retail outlet right now. Just an office for our fabric and shipping headquarters. Still organizing and working out kinks. Trying to make friends with the UPS man who will have to bring large boxes of fabrics up the stairs in this old Victorian house. (Do you think cookies would help?) The first box yesterday was small, only 3 bolts. He has no idea what's in store.

We have planned the design wall where we can put up all the gorgeous blocks coming in from the Sew Fresh Fabrics Scrap Bee. We're also finding bits and pieces of fabrics that aren't listed in the shop. Some are odd lengths or ends of bolts that got lost. We'll be putting these in the specials section of the shop as we find the time to sort through them. We'll let you know when these are ready. A big Thanks to our fabulous customers who helped bring us here! We're so excited!

And a Good Time Was Had by All

2011-02-10T09:01:00.004-05:00

We had a blast a few weeks ago with the New England Modern Quilt Guild ladies. Such talented women, so much great new energy for fabric and quilting. Just another reason why we are so lucky to be doing what we love. Check out some more here.

P.S. I do wish we had ironed our fabric sign. Sheesh.

A Bit Off Topic

2011-02-09T21:19:00.005-05:00

Well, if you've followed me from my previous blog on wordpress (Ivy Arts) then you know that I'm a baker. I think it's fair to say that I'm an experienced baker. I've been making the lion's share of the bread in our house for about 5 years and I have a sourdough starter that's nearly as old as my son. I conquered my fear of yeast years ago.

A favorite on my blogroll is the lovely and talented Dana from Old Red Barn Co. She's been baking and posting tempting pictures of her treats. Maybe it's the cold winter or (just possibly) my sweet tooth but I've caved twice. Last week it was chocolate chip cookies. My kids favorite cookie. No biggie there.

But then, this week it was these. Kolaches. I'm not even sure I can pronounce it but they just looked delicious.

Well suffice it to say that mine did not come out as mouth-wateringly gorgeous as hers.

Oh they look tasty enough (frosting can do that), and believe me, they are. But maybe I made them too big, or didn't let them rise enough the first time, but they got some tremendous oven spring that made them lose all the jam that was so lovingly placed on each. You can taste a hint of strawberry under the glaze but that's about it. The parchment paper is where most of the jam landed. Sigh. Not quite as planned but still a very edible mistake.

You Can't Win if You Don't Play

2011-02-04T16:42:00.007-05:00

Hop on over to Lindsay's blog to win some Sew Fresh Fabrics Gift Certificates. And....

Starting Saturday, Feb. 5 through Monday, Feb. 14, Free Domestic and Half Off International Shipping on orders totally $35 or more. Refunds will be made through PayPal after purchase. Are you feeling the love?

How much do you love this? Like peanut butter and jelly or cookies and milk.... it's Kaffe and Lizzy. We kind of love it. What do you think? What kind of designer mash-up would you like to see? (Can you tell that Becca and I are Glee-ks?) Let's hear your best mash-up.

We're Blown Away

2011-02-02T16:16:00.006-05:00

Literally and figuratively.

This photo is from the first of 3 storms that dropped a foot of snow EACH! on us. We have 2 more feet on the ground from what you see here. The small boy doesn't mind a bit!

Also from the overwhelming response we've had to our Scrap Bee! The amazing quilters who have volunteered are full of enthusiasm and willingness to help. Our Flickr group is already showing the first blocks for the Project Linus quilts. We have people signed up for at least two more quilts!

(Note: if you've expressed interest and haven't gotten an email from us, we haven't been able to get your email from Blogger, contact us through email please.)

Becca and I would like to get the first 2 quilts through the entire process of being assembled, quilted and bound and then we may refigure the parameters so that we can better make use of your enormous talents and generosity. (Also, you won't have to wait so long to get scraps and start sewing). We've thought of asking for foster mothers for some quilt tops, quilting and binding projects to keep things rolling along. We'll keep you posted.

Thanks again for the enthusiastic response. We're just delighted.

Now back to the shoveling.

Another Snow Day = More Productivity

2011-01-28T10:05:00.005-05:00

See what you can do when you get another foot of snow on the ground. No kidding, folks, we've got 3+ feet of snow on the ground. It's ri-donk-u-lous! But it fell into the wee hours, just enough to cancel school but get cleaned up at an early hour so Becca and I got together, threw the kiddos outside for a while and got to work.

First up, Stash Builder bundles with dots. These are Becca's favorite. Dots for all occasions. The incredible, ever versatile dot. Goes with everything. Need we say more?

Stay tuned over the next few days for more print and Kona bundles. They've been photographed and will be listed when we get a few free moments. :)

Lastly, if you're in the Boston Area, we'll be speaking at the New England Modern Quilt Guild meeting tomorrow at the Arlington library at 1pm. Come on out and see some yummy fabric.

Brrr... It's Cold Out There

2011-01-24T10:47:00.007-05:00

-4.7°F in Massachusetts this morning. Ouch. Luckily that won't stop Becca from delivering these goodies to the post office today. Scrap bags are going out! Thanks for braving the cold, Becca.

Also, be sure to go over to AnneMarie's blog Gen X Quilters to join in her Love Nest Quilt Contest. We're sponsoring one of the giveaway bundles of Anthology fabrics - seven half yard cuts.

Stay warm!!

The Tale of the Wallet-y Things

2011-01-21T11:39:00.005-05:00

It all started with some gift certificates to a few restaurants that I wanted to give my parents for Christmas. Simple enough right? Well, my lawyer sister seemed to think that our parents would lose them. (Why, I really don't know. They raised four of us and we never got lost...) So what's a girl to do but head to the sewing room and make a very fun wallet-y thing to keep the gift certificates in. Easy Peasy. The gift was a hit and won't get lost.

Then my SIL and I decided to do the same thing for our in-laws. And even though we had every confidence they wouldn't lose their gift cards, how could I not make two? I am not sure which was the bigger hit: the gift cards or the wallet-y thing. What I do know is that a week later my MIL emailed and asked for 6 larger wallet-y things that she could put stationary into for some friends hers.

Two down , 4 to go........ Maybe I should have just gone with a tie and some perfume :)

Specials Section Restocked

2011-01-21T11:21:00.004-05:00

We've moved over a bunch of fabrics to our "Specials" section. All prints are $5.95, minimum 1 yard cuts. We know many of you have tightened the fabric budget so this should help when you need backings and such.

It's yet another snow day here in Massachusetts. A good day for cutting fabric. And packing it into envelopes for our Scrap Bee. I delivered the labels and instructions to Becca yesterday in advance of today's storm. She's been hard at work making 32 scrap packs for our eager Bee-ers. We'll let you know when they hit the mailbox early next week!

Stay Warm!

Half Square Triangles made a bit easier

2011-01-18T20:51:00.013-05:00

Our good friend Liz, from Goddess in Progress Quilts (formerly Teeny Tiny Quilts), began a Half Square Triangle quilt with her scraps paired with Kona bone. The saga begins here. It's a bang up idea and a great way to (use up), I mean, showcase scraps. And let's just say right up front that this is going to be gorgeous. It's one of my "someday" quilts.

The other thing we need to say about HSTs is that they are t-e-d-i-o-u-s in any kind of quantity. What if you could eliminate half of the cutting? Sounds good, right? Enter Moda Bella solids charm packs. We brought them into the shop in White and Snow, a creamy off white.

I sorely wished we had come across these in time for Liz. (Sorry Liz!!) Go on over and start stalking Liz's blog because we're sending a charm pack on over her way to offer to her readers.

Pearl Bracelet is back in stock!

2011-01-17T10:49:00.007-05:00

Plenty of yardage is available of the classic pearl bracelet. Shop here. Have you seen it on the cover of the new Block Party book?

In an Ideal World....

2011-01-07T11:22:00.019-05:00

.... sewing machines would be cheap and fabric would be free. A girl can dream, can't she?

There's a retailer in our area whose tagline is "an educated consumer is our best customer." Becca and I believe the same thing, being quilters and fabric addicts like yourself. We think it's in your best interest and ours (as ones who want to sell you fabric) to let you know what's going on so you can make smart buying decisions. So what am I really talking about? Cotton fabric prices are going up this year.

Cut to the reality version of this scenario and you'd see floods in China and Pakistan, where the bulk of the world's cotton crop is grown, and droughts in India, another contributor to the cotton supply. Supply is way down, demand is up. What does that mean to me, the quilter/crafter/sewer in my little sewing space, reading blogs and stashing yummy fabric? You can expect to pay an additional .50¢ to $1.00 per yard at your online and LQS shops in the near future.

Most, if not all, cotton fabric manufacturers imposed a price increase as of the first of the year. Retailers, like ourselves, did our best to lock in buys and pricing last December to see us through the next few collection releases. We're trying to hold off as long as we can on passing the increase on to our customers. But sadly, my friends, it's coming.

Some trends that are happening in the meantime are slightly narrower bolts and we may see more 42-43" bolts instead of the customary 44-45". Some large chains currently negotiate for lesser quality goods that have a name you know on them and more of this may happen. And the short life cycles for prints may become even shorter. Manufacturers are printing for demand so they do not carry costly inventory on the shelves. Designs are printed with small overages after orders are written. If designs are released but not ordered in sufficient quantity, they may not be printed at all.

As a note of perspective, the price increase for cotton fabric from 1990 to 2010 has only increased about 35%. The prices for bread and meat have gone up roughly 275%.

Deborah at Whipstitch did a fantastic job of laying out the very complex issues at play and how it will affect all of us. Please read her post here for a more complete picture.

Sew Fresh Fabrics (meaning Becca and myself), like most small online and local shops, value our customers, love what we do and strive to bring great products at competitive prices and value for your dollar. The best thing I can say about the situation as a whole is the very thing I love about quilters and this community – we do this for love. We love fabric, love making quilts, love finding good homes for them. If you love a fabric, then buy it, sew it, find it a good home. You'll never regret those few dollars more when you're doing what you love.

We're Starting off with a BANG!

2011-01-07T10:10:00.006-05:00

The first round of the Sew Fresh Fabrics Scrap Bee will be making 2 quilts for Project Linus. We were just blown away by the response and generosity of you folks. Quilters really are the best people. The first 32 participants will be receiving emails later today with their instructions and information. You can keep track of our progress on our Flickr page. We're keeping a list of all others interested in future rounds, so please send an email if you'd like to participate. Thanks again, everyone. We look forward to sewing with you!

Won't You Join Us?

2011-01-04T11:03:00.003-05:00

We have scraps. Lots of scraps in fact. Many are in strip format from trimming the beginning of the bolt. The rest are left overs from the end of the bolt, too small to sell as is but plenty big enough to sew with. We thought about selling scrap bags, but thought again. You've got your own scraps to deal with, right?

Here's what we've decided to do instead: a Sew Fresh Scrap Quilting Bee. We'd like 16 people to join us. We'll send an assortment of Sew Fresh scrap fabric to you. More than enough to complete a 12.5 x12.5" unfinished block. You make a block (we'll give you a month to complete), send it back to SFF and keep the rest of the scraps. Beginners are welcome, block can be the style of your choice and your commitment is to only one block, one month. We'll assemble the blocks and quilt them then donate it to a charitable organization such as Project Linus and Hopes and Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS. We'd like to do this several times this year starting in February. Sound like fun? Want to play along with us? Send an email to info(at)sewfreshfabrics.com if you're interested.

* First round is filled. Please continue to email if you'd like to be on the list for the next round. It may start sooner than we think if we continue to get such a great response. Quilters are awesome!! :)

** Wow! Second round is filled too. We'll keep taking names as long as we have willing participants. Thanks for your patience. Please make sure we can get your email from Blogger or send an email to info[at]sewfreshfabrics.com. There are a few volunteers that we can't get a hold of. Thanks again!!

Welcome in the New Year!

2011-01-03T10:01:00.001-05:00

Becca and I see so many awesome combinations of fabrics that our customers pick that we're really dying to see what you're making. We've created a Flickr group for Sew Fresh Fabrics Fans so you can post pictures of your creations.

We've come up with a few bundles in the shop if you're looking for inspiration. But we've also decided to select one customer per week with the most exciting combination of fabric and give them free shipping on their next order. We'll announce the winners here and on Facebook. C'mon, get sewing!

Congratulations to Jenny from Cut.Sew.Iron.Repeat who won our giveaway with Don't Call Me Betsy.

Happy New Year!

New Year's Day Smorgasbord

2011-01-01T10:22:00.000-05:00

Giveaway with Don't Call Me Betsy
We're sponsoring a weekend giveaway with the fabulous Elizabeth from Don't Call Me Betsy. Winners will receive 8 half yard cuts from Art Gallery Fabrics. Pat Bravo's designs are so beautiful and luscious and work for all sorts of quilts and projects. Hurry over to enter before the contest ends on Sunday, Jan. 2!

Must. Have. Now.
That is the message I got from my sister when the 2 new vans/car prints arrived in our shop last week. ( I actually have 3 sisters however this one is the other fabric junkie.) When we spoke the next morning she let it be known that what she really needed was 2 napkins made from these prints to go with the ones I gave my nephew last year. So, since they're easy to make, I whipped these together for him. And I couldn't very well make some for him without also making a couple for his little sister.

Happy, Happy New Year!
On a side note, my youngest sent off a letter to Santa this year. There is a special collection mailbox just for this. In return, she received a letter from the North Pole yesterday. After reading the letter aloud to us, she said, "Now I REALLY know there is a Santa."

Happy Holidays to you and your families!!
Becca

Welcome Gen X Quilters (and Y too)!

2010-12-15T20:54:00.005-05:00

Hello, hello quilters! Come on down and make yourself comfortable. Pull up your sewing machine and let's have some fun. Sew Fresh Fabrics is Peg (me) and Becca – friends, fabric addicts and multi-taking moms. We love bright, fresh prints as well as solids and have a deep and abiding fondness for wonky. We've got some great Kona mixes in the shop but if you want to have it your way, choose a Pick 4 (or 6 or 8...) in FQs, half or whole yards. Your Konas will always come labeled so you can identify all the yummy colors. And most importantly, we're always happy to hear what you'd like us to carry and see what you've made. Thanks for visiting. Don't be a stranger.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T21:30:00.006-05:00

My favorite Thanksgiving story goes like this.

My family really likes cranberry sauce. I mean, reeeaaally likes cranberry sauce. I remember having homemade cranberry sauce at my grandmother's house, each of us with our own portion in a little glass pyrex bowl. It was smooth like applesauce. I learned that a foley mill was key to getting the perfect texture. Later my dad became the cranberry sauce maker in the family and the individual serving bowls seemed to get bigger. I swear my brother has a cereal bowl for his.

Many years ago, while living in California, I found a foley mill at a yard sale and bought it. Not long after, I was getting ready to make my first ever Thanksgiving dinner. The 'stray dog' dinner we called it as we were all transplants who weren't going to be with family that day. We were going to watch some football and the guys were betting on who could gain the most weight over the course of the meal. (I was asked to have a scale handy for the before and after weigh-ins.) I ordered a fresh, free-range bird and planned to make all the stuffing, sides and desserts from scratch. I called my dad to get "Grandma's Cranberry Recipe." Surely this was a family secret to be passed down in loving tradition. I had my pen ready.

"Look on the back of the bag and it's right there," my dad says. "I cut down the sugar a little bit but that's it."

Seriously? My treasured family delicacy was splayed out there openly by Ocean Spray for all the world to see? My heart sank. Certainly there was nothing special about that. The only thing special about us is the way we line up with our cereal bowls to get our enormous ladle of sauce. It's really good stuff, you know.

Many happy Thanksgiving wishes to you and yours.

Pearl Bracelets Never Go Out of Style

2010-11-19T21:52:00.006-05:00

We just received this great classic Lizzy House print from her Red Letter Day collection. It's a terrific quilting basic for any type of project.

Alexander Henry Arriving Next Week!

2010-11-16T22:08:00.006-05:00

Brilliant! Colorful! One of a Kind! It could be none other than Alexander Henry studio prints. Simply delectable and available in the shop next week!

More Fabric Show

2010-11-15T13:07:00.006-05:00

How about some delicious Patty Young Sanctuary fabrics by Michael Miller? They're a luscious cotton lawn, but a tad heavier almost like a pima cotton. Soft and luxurious. Stay tuned for their arrival date.

After Market market

2010-11-14T22:21:00.000-05:00

When the dust settles in Houston, our local sales reps put on a mini show for those of us who couldn't make the Big Show. Becca and I spent the day looking over samples and swatches, ooh-ing and aahh-ing the delicious fabrics that will be coming out in the coming months. We have tons of great new lines to look forward to as well as keeping our strong commitment to solids, dots and more black and white prints. Stay tuned as we preview the fabrics and keep you updated with new arrivals.

One of the first to ship will be Melissa Averinos' Swoon line with Andover Fabrics. There was a gorgeous quilt at with this line that sold us right away. We hope it makes you swoon too.

Bold Bento Boxes

2010-11-10T21:36:00.000-05:00

I've been wanting to do a Bento Box quilt for a long time and seeing as how I've cleared out many UFOs (finally!!), I thought it was a good idea run with it and use some of the shop's new fabrics as well as some stash favorites. I sometimes think I do more collecting of fabric than sewing with fabric. I'm so happy to finally see some of these lovelies in blocks.

The bento starts as a courthouse steps block seen below.

Before

Then, boldly slash your blocks into quarters. (It's hard at first to run that rotary cutter through newly sewn blocks.) Mix them all up and get ready to sew again!

After

I think it's kinda fun! I have 9 unsewn blocks done and am going for 7 more.

Peg

Yummy!

2010-11-03T21:10:00.004-04:00

When these came in, we nearly started to drool. Delicious! Bright, happy new prints from Alexander Henry, aptly named June Bug, June Song and Joy of Life, will be nice to sew with as the days get shorter, the clocks change this weekend and it moves towards winter. What would you make with these?

Inspired?

2010-11-02T20:25:00.002-04:00

The BQF has more than enough inspiration to go around. We love the thumbnail links that provide so much eye candy to click through.

If you've seen some inspiring quilts and are itching for a new project, we've launched a shipping discount to go through the end of the year! Free domestic shipping with orders over $35 and half off international shipping. Refunds will be made via PayPal after purchase.

Take a look at our "Pick your Own" listings for designer cottons and Kona solids to get an assortment of your choosing. As always, please feel free to contact us for custom listings.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Wind Your Bobbins!

And the Winner Is....

2010-10-29T18:54:00.003-04:00

(courtesy of random.org)

#31 - burrito who said...

I just got my first bit of organic cotton fabric - am excited to play around with it!

Thanks to everyone for their input. We're like many of you who voted, it depends on the project. But there are more and more great options out there and we will be showing you more of them before the year is out!

Are you ready for BQF Fall 2010?

2010-10-26T08:31:00.006-04:00

If you're not already on your way to Houston, you can participate in the Blogger's Quilt Festival right from your computer. Amy is once again hosting the largest online gathering of quilters and inspirational quilts. Everyone is welcome to participate. Go to Amy's blog for details. Sew Fresh Fabrics will be sponsoring a prize package of 10 designer FQ prints or 10 Kona half yards (winners choice). Starts on Friday!!

P.S. Poll is open until Friday. Leave a comment in the post below to be entered to win some Monaluna organics!

Organic Fabrics: Are they for you?

2010-10-22T16:44:00.005-04:00

Please take a minute to take the poll in the sidebar about organic fabrics. Be sure to leave a comment below to be entered in our drawing for some organic fabrics by Monaluna coming in next week. (We are not able to count your entry if you just respond to the poll.) We appreciate your input. Poll and contest ends Friday, Oct. 29 at 5pm EST.

New Konas, New Art Gallery!

2010-10-21T11:24:00.005-04:00

New prints from Art Gallery's Modern Affair line. So gorgeous!!

New Kona solids in stock. 56 total now.

Our First Trunk Show

2010-10-19T21:01:00.005-04:00

One of the many reasons that we haven't posted in a month is that we were preparing for our first trunk show. We made that great leap from behind our laptops to the real world of face-to-face customers and sales. We had a booth at a local quilting guild show and it was a fantastic weekend of meeting and talking to fellow quilters and fabric lovers. A beautiful fabric love-fest!

It was great to be able to hear the first hand feedback on our fabrics. We were pleased to be invited to a quilt show next spring and to another guild meeting. We gained a lot of confidence in our business and are eager for more! If you're in Eastern Massachusetts and want to see Sew Fresh Fabrics at your guild, let us know!

Feeling Lucky?

2010-09-15T20:25:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow at noon (EST) will conclude the Nest/Kona giveaway we're sponsoring with Rachel at Stitched In Color. Get another entry if you blog about the giveaway yourself.

Also, don't miss a chance at this sweet Janome Horizon at the Modern Quilt Guild blog.

Presents are in order!

2010-09-13T11:32:00.004-04:00

It was Rachel's birthday last week and mine is this week so we're feeling the need for presents. Hop on over to Stitched In Color to enter the Nest/Kona giveaway we're sponsoring! And eat some cake if you've got some.

And the winners are....

2010-08-28T09:31:00.007-04:00

Thanks for all the entries. Our lucky winners of the Urban Circus FQ bundles in earth and spring are...

#20 - Regina who chose sable, canary and grass to match with the collection.

and

#50 - Melissa who stayed neutral with stone and espresso for earth and white and black for spring.

Please contact us with your email address so we can get your bundles out right away.

Remember that our free domestic shipping with orders over $40 (half off international shipping) ends 8/31.

The Circus is in Town! Win some for yourself!

2010-08-23T07:24:00.007-04:00

Laurie Wisbrun's designs have been a favorite of ours since she was creating them herself with Spoonflower. We've been in love with Tweets and now we're falling for the Circus – Urban Circus from Robert Kaufman. Giraffes and elephants, oh my!

The collection in two colorways - Earth and Spring - are now available in the shop. We'll also be giving away two fat quarter bundles of the entire collection! Visit our shop and pick a few Kona colors that you would use with these bundles and leave a comment telling us your picks. Entries will be closed at midnight Friday, Aug. 27 and winners chosen on Saturday. Good luck!

Poppy Pillowcases

2010-07-23T09:53:00.007-04:00

We have a number of Laura Gunn's Poppy prints for sale in the store now. I've been a big fan since I made a quilt with Laura's Lantern Bloom line.

If you have any doubt about how great these luscious, bold flowers are, just take a look at what Ashley from Film in the Fridge has made with them. I could just stare at that clothesline all day! Check out her blog for the full story and link to the tutorial.

A little bird just told me ...

2010-07-09T05:40:00.010-04:00

... that the house quilts made with my beemates from Hip 2 Bee Square and Bee Addicted 3 are being featured over on Heather and Megan's blog, Quiltstory. Have you seen their blog yet? This dynamic sister team not only has their own quilt design company, "Fresh Poppy Design" but also hosts Quiltstory as a place to share quilts and the stories behind them. Please take a moment to visit their site and "meet" all sorts of quilters and learn a little about their story.

Ask and Ye Shall Receive

2010-06-30T19:26:00.004-04:00

Thanks to the Teeny Tiny Quilts readers and their input on favorite Kona colors, we have eight new solids in stock with heavy emphasis on pinks and purples. And yes, we have stacked up those luscious shades in an "In the Pink (and Purple)" FQ pack. Pomegranate, which was a top pick, is backordered and should join the others soon.

A Win-Win Situation

2010-06-26T20:52:00.014-04:00

The Castle Peeps giveaway on Liz's blog, Teeny Tiny Quilts is over and Helen from New Zealand is the lucky winner of a FQ set of Peeps in Gallant Green. The fantastic readers of TTQ gave us some good direction as to new Kona colors they'd like us to stock. The top votes for specific colors were Cerise, Pomegranate and Celery.

Great choices! We love them. For those who couldn't pick just one color, the most requested hues were purples and pinks, followed closely by greens and blues. In response, we've listed "I'm Blue for Greens" FQ and half yard packs in our shop. It's 12 fabrics in our selection of greens and blues.

A new Kona order is in the works and I'm sure the result will be a pink and purple package. Thanks for the great feedback. Happy Sewing!

Want to Win Some Peeps?

2010-06-21T22:18:00.005-04:00

Visit our great friend Liz of Teeny Tiny Quilts, and enter the Peeps FQ giveaway we're sponsoring. Liz is great for sharing her gorgeous quilts and helpful hints (see the Cobblestone quilt, beautiful technique). She's one of the people who really helped me overcome my solid aversion. And somehow she does all of this while raising toddler twins. An amazing woman.

And go easy on the intervention folks. As a supplier of her solid habit, we think she's really got this thing under control. A girl just needs some nice fabric every now and then. It's no big thing.

Peeps are in the house!!

2010-06-15T08:17:00.003-04:00

Castle Peeps by Lizzy House! And there was much rejoicing at Sew Fresh Fabrics! Check out the shop and stop in again later in the week for a giveaway.

Sometimes all you need is a quick fix...

2010-06-12T17:24:00.011-04:00

... of fun fabric that is. When Tufted Tweets arrived on Monday, amidst all the buzz, Peg and I knew that any thoughts of adding to our own stash were foolish. We cut 4 inch strips for ourselves and then spent the next 4 days cutting and shipping, cutting and shipping. By Friday night I was pooped – any thoughts of going near a sewing machine were non-existent. Nine hours of great sleep later, I HAD to play with what few strips I had. Based on this tutorial I made myself a belt - not perfect but oh so fun and quick (and able to be sewn while playing purple ponies with my girl).

We do have the whole line on reorder – not sure of arrival dates but we think mid-July. We'll keep you posted.

And the Winners Are....

2010-06-11T09:44:00.006-04:00

#81 - Cathy said... Birds and chairs as cushions for chairs, oh my! I adore this divine fabric and will be checking out your store tomorrow. xo

#120 - Karen said... Love the colors and the whimsy of the designs. I see a baby quilt made from any of the colors.

#40 - Jen said... Love these fabrics. I would make a quilt like some of the gorgeous ones I've seen around.

Congratulations ladies! Please send us your address by email (sewfresh (at) ivyarts.com) and your first and second choice of colorway. We'll accommodate based on order of request.

Thanks to everyone who participated. We've really enjoyed Tweets week at Sew Fresh Fabrics. The excitement for this line has been amazing and well deserved. Be sure to check out Laurie's blog for an update on her own designs as well as her next line with Robert Kaufman - Urban Circus, due in August. We've already placed our order and will keep you posted.

We'll be putting together a pillow cover tutorial using the Tufted Tweets and Becca has made a gorgeous market tote that we'll show off soon!

Thanks again everyone.

Tufted Tweets Giveaway!!

2010-06-05T20:15:00.014-04:00

Becca and I have been fans of Laurie Wisbrun for a while now. We've both bought fabric from her Etsy store. Donkeys in Wellies, Urban Circus, oh my! Such fun designs and vibrant colors.

Laurie's first release with Robert Kaufman is Tufted Tweets, a whimsical study of birds and chairs in three luscious palettes - Grass, Orchid and Sorbet. We'll have the entire line in our store tomorrow and have fat quarters, half yards and fat quarter assortments ready to go then.

We will be giving away three fat quarter 4-packs (four designs in one colorway) on Friday, June 11 to three lucky winners. Leave a comment and let us know what fabulous project you want to tackle with these lovelies. If you need some suggestions, Laurie's blog has some great ones.

Also become a fan of Sew Fresh Fabrics on Facebook to be alerted when other new Market arrivals come in. Thanks.

Top photo courtesy of Laurie.

Blogger has had a few hiccups. Double entries will be deleted.

Sew Fast Pillow Project

2010-05-28T11:29:00.006-04:00

Ever get the feeling you just have to sew something? Something quick and easy, an instant gratification fix. This fun pillow cover is it. I finished in just under an hour.

I cut strips of the fantastic bikes from Erin McMorris' new line, Weekends (a good choice for the long holiday weekend!) and paired them with strips of Kona solids - cactus, bright pink, medium grey, orange and ash. I didn't even care if I sewed them that straight. A little wonky never hurt anybody. It's a simple envelope enclosure in the back. If anyone is interested in a tutorial, leave a comment and I'll get a more specific write-up for you.

All fabrics used are available in our shop. Have a great Memorial Day weekend!!