A huge thanks, some winners and a couple of announcements!

When I asked for ideas, suggestions and comments in my last post, I wasn't expecting you guys to give me such detailed responses. I am deeply touched by your comments and how much thought and care was put into them. Please know that each and every one of your ideas has been written down and will be reviewed and examined in the coming months. After all, we are here to make things that make you happy! It is just an added bonus that they make us happy too. :)

Here are the three winners of the contest. Each of you will be emailed a $25.00 coupon code to use on our website. CONGRATS to all!

(for the rest of you, please scroll down to the bottom of this post, where I address a few more of your suggestions and share some links and NEWS!) 

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jednoiglec2:38 PM

Fabric themes - my favorite line are Mezzanine, Flora&Fauna and Heaven&Helsinki - I would love to buy more of such designs. I love especially these designs of you which are tonal (one of my favorite is blossom in lime and dandelions in mustard).
Fabric Colors - more lime, definitely more lime! (I love especially this from Flora&Fauna - your lime fabrics from this collection are the most precious to my heart and I've got special amount in my stash) I love also your mustard (from Flora&Fauna) and amaranth.
Fabric substrates - quilting weight and flannel - I would love to make a blanket having quilting cottons on one side and your flannel at the back!
Sewing patterns - another book would be the best:) I know that it would be hard to publish it in 2013, but we can wait:)))
Tutorials and PDFs - some simple dress for mum and its daughter
Classes, workshops, lectures, events of any kind - I'm international, so I won't give any ideas (I don't want to be dissapointed that I won't take part in it...)
Other products - I love ribbons and I would love to see more of it with your designs.

Rebecca2:59 PM

For fabric themes, first I just want to say that the basics are great - keep expanding on those. I also like flourishes, swirls - prints that can be done in girlie and neutral colorways, but not always with flowers or butterflies.

For colorways, I usually go for aqua, purple, gray, orange. And fabric lines with colorways that focus on just two or three colors.

I mostly use cottons, but also love to find matching minky's for backing and baby items.

For patterns, some more for purses and bags would be great, as well as accessories. And maybe a pattern with baby accessories that coordinate - like boxes, burp cloths, receiving blankets, changing pad, diaper organizer, etc.

I usually purchase quilts and bag patterns in downloadable format - these are the type of patterns I make most and don't often require many pattern pieces.

I'd love to see a bunch of sewers make one design, and see all the variations. Maybe like a blog tour? It's so fun seeing how one pattern looks amazing in so many different fabric combinations and little variations in detail.

Your coordinating ribbon and rickracks are a lot of fun, maybe you could expand on those with embellishments? And have matching thread to your lines? And every time you have a new line, you could offer a free quilt download that showcases all the prints?

You're doing an amazing job, and your designs are beautiful! I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with in 2013!

Beth9:16 PM

I love your fabrics - so bright and colorful. My favorite colors are the cool blues, turquoise, teal, purple... so keep doing what you do! I have wished a couple times to have them in flannels or thin-wale corduroys in addition to the quilting cottons and knits.
As far as sewing patterns - I echo everyone else's requests for more baby and boy stuff.
Downloadable PDFs are great for the ease of printing what I want (and no more), as well as the ability to read the pattern off my iPad while I sew.
I would love to have time to come to a class, workshop, lecture, or any event that would allow me time to sew or craft with like minded folks - especially if you were teaching or working with us! At this point (as a nursing mom) I can't quite plan on whole day/weekend events, but look forward to that again someday.
For other products - your ribbons are great, so keep the embellishments coming (buttons, elastics, lace trims, ric rac). I like to do other kinds of crafting too, so things like papers/cards, washi tape, vinyl or heat transfer material would be fun.
I look forward to seeing what will be created in 2013. Thanks for inviting us to dream with you!

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Again, thank you so much! These are all awesome suggestions as are so many of the other ones we received! 

I did want to address a few other questions/comments we received this past week:

• A few of you asked about virtual tours of our studio. Did you know that I did a Skype interview with Monica Lee at Smart Creative Women last year and I actually grabbed my laptop off my desk and took you all on a virtual tour of the studio? Yes, and in that interview you not only get to see the full studio (even the warehouse) and meet my assistants, but also learn about my journey into fabric and pattern design. If you missed it back then, I encourage you to check it out. Here is Part 1, and here is Part 2.
• A few others asked about sewing tutorials, especially tutorials for sewing with knits. I am pleased to announce that we will have a collection of new sewing tutorial videos out this year. I am filming the first of many next week down at the BabyLock headquarters! Can't wait!! But in the meantime, please check out the 5 sewing videos we have on YouTube. Our next few will be more professionally shot and will cover many more techniques, I promise!
• I also saw a few requests for blog tours, where different bloggers sew the same item from a pattern and share their versions. I absolutely LOVE that idea and would love to get one going soon. If you guys have suggestions as to which project you'd like to make or how to go about it specifically, please leave those in the comments section below.
• Some of you asked for paper products (scrapbooking, cards, etc.) and I am so happy to announce that my partnership with Silhouette has led me to make several other contacts in the paper crafting industry and this year I will be launching 1 or maybe 2 paper collections based on my fabric designs. More on that very soon!
• More PDF patterns are in the works as well. In the meantime, please check out our current PDF patterns (yes, I know there are only 2, but we are designing more literally as I type this!) on YCMT, Craftsy and Fat Quarter Shop.
• LECTURES: if you are local to the Central Illinois region, I will be doing a couple of lectures in the coming weeks.
  - Tuesday, January 22nd at 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. for the Bloomington-Normal Modern Quilt Guild. Lecture will take place at the Bloomington Public Library and will be followed by a Mini-Modkid Store.
  - Saturday, February 23rd at 1:00 p.m. for the Lincoln Quilt Guild. Meeting will be at
  Jefferson St Christian Church in Lincoln, IL and there will also be a Mini-Modkid store there.

OK... off I go to make more pretty things! Thank you all again from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to sit down and write all these suggestions for us. We simply CANNOT WAIT to get started on all these new fun projects!