MODKIDBOUTIQUE: books

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MODKID SUMMER FUN, Virtual Book Tour... The End

Well, folks, as they say, all good things must come to an end. I hope you have been following along with the MODKID SUMMER FUN Virtual Book Tour, and entering to win a free book of your own at each stop. There were some amazing posts and super cute sewn items shared. I wish I could visit everyone personally and give them a big fat hug, but alas this virtual THANK YOU SQUEEZE will have to do! :)

Here is a quick recap of the virtual book tour (with some direct links to the posts):

On April 1st, my dear friend, Jen Coe, of FabricBliss, shared the Swimsuit, Sun Hat and Beach Bag she made from the book: http://fabricbliss.blogspot.com/2014/04/modkid-summer-fun-blog-tour-and-giveaway.html
On April 2nd, we saw Carla Crim's adorable Sun Hat, which happens to be a miniature version of the one I designed for her Sewn Hats book: http://www.scientificseamstress.blogspot.com/2014/04/summer-fun-with-patty-young.html
On April 3rd, the adorable Sara Lawson, of SewSweetness, shared the Sleeping Bag she made with her daughter (WOW!) for her Hello Kitty doll: https://sewsweetness.com/2014/04/modkid-summer-fun-and-giveaway.html
On April 4th, Tracy Mooney at GenerationQ also made a Sleeping Bag for her daughter Cyd's doll, Mia (I just adore that sushi fabric!!): http://generationqmagazine.com/2014/04/modkid-summer-fun-blog-tour/
On April 5th the third and last Sleeping Bag, this time with matching Pillow, came courtesy of Suzanne Winter at Pattern Revolution: http://patternrevolution.com/pattern-reviews/2014/4/4/modkid-summer-fun-sew-7-stylish-patterns-for-18-inch-dolls-by-patty-young
On April 7th, Laura Kelly, of Laura Kelly Designs and Doll Diaries, shared a couple of mix & match Beach Bags she made from the book: http://www.laurakellydesigns.com/laurakellydesignsblog/index.php/2014/04/07/diy-doll-beach-bags-modkid-summer-fun/
On April 8th, Lindsey Fullington and team at American Patchwork & Quilting made a plethora (I just wanted to use that word!) of mini pillows in honor of their 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge, which MODKID is a proud sponsor of: http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/blogs/apqstaff/2014/04/08/modkid-summer-fun-blog-hop/
On April 9th, Beth at SEW MAMA SEW shared some Tips & Tricks (written by yours truly) for how to sew doll clothes: http://www.sewmamasew.com/2014/04/tips-tricks-for-sewing-doll-clothes-modkid-summer-fun-giveaway/
And last but certainly not least, On April 10th, my dear friend, Jenny Fish, shared the adorable Cargo Shorts and T-Shirt she made for her daughter's doll: http://sewprettydresses.blogspot.com/2014/04/modkid-summer-fun-blog-tour-and-giveaway.html

Today I am ALSO giving away a FREE copy of my new book, MODKID Summer Fun. All you have to do is leave me a comment and let me know if you've been following along with the tour and if there was a particular post you truly enjoyed... maybe a project you want to tackle yourself, or a story you found particularly sweet or funny. I will leave this contest up until next Wednesday, April 16th and then I will draw a winner. U.S. Residents will receive a paper copy and non US Residents will receive a digital copy of the book.

Good luck everyone! (don't forget to leave a way for us to contact you if you are the lucky winner!)

Also, you can purchase a signed copy on our website!

I leave you with a few of the photos we took along the way as we were designing the projects for the book:

MODKID Summer Fun Blog Tour!

Oh, don't worry! I haven't forgotten about the Going Digital survey. There is still time to weigh in. I will share the results after the blog tour and we will begin digitizing the first 4 patterns immediately after!

But now, on to other exciting things!! We are having a blog tour for my newest book (pattern pack), MODKID Summer Fun. You may remember I shared some info about it back when it was first released. Well, a select group of bloggers have all received copies from my publisher and they are ready to tell you (and show you) what they thought. Follow along the tour and enter to win your own FREE copy at each stop!

4/1/2014 Jennifer Coe: fabricbliss.blogspot.com
4/2/2014 Carla Crim: scientificseamstress.blogspot.com
4/3/2014 Sara Lawson: sewsweetness.com
4/4/2014 Generation Q: generationqmagazine.com
4/5/2014 Suzanne Winter: www.patternrevolution.com
4/7/2014 Laura Kelly: lauradesignsblog and dolldiaries.com
4/8/2014 American Patchwork & Quilting: allpeoplequilt.com/blog
4/9/2014 Kristin Link: sewmamasew.com
4/10/2014 Jenny Fish: sewprettydresses.blogspot.com
4/11/2014 Patty Young/MODKID modkidboutique.blogspot.com

As always, you can order a signed copy of the book here.

Essential Sewing Reference Tool
Book Review (and giveaway) by Patty Young and Emalee Grambo

***UPDATE: this contest is now CLOSED. The winner was.... Susan Bates! Congrats!***

If sewing is your "thing", then I'm sure you've heard of Carla Crim, a.k.a. The Scientific Seamstress. The girl is a friggin' genius... as in, she has a Ph.D in Molecular Biology! She is also one of the most clever and funny people I have ever met and vertically challenged, just like me, so when we run into each other at sewing events, we usually stick together!

Well, I was thrilled when Carla asked me to review her latest book, Essential Sewing Reference Tool, because I knew it would blow me away, like everything she does. A small part of me was even giddy that I got to receive an advance copy because I knew this was the sort of book I would come back to reference over and over again. And boy, was I right! Pssst... you can also enter to win a free copy by leaving a comment below this review!

But let's get right to it. My assistant, Emalee, and I are co-reviewing this book for you today. We decided to do this in tandem because I thought you guys would enjoy getting some different perspectives coming from two totally different points of view.

I will go first. The book starts out with what I like to call the hardware... everything you ever needed to know about sewing machines, cutting tools, notions of every imaginable kind, pins, needles and threads, oh my! Then it goes into techniques. What would you like to learn about? Machine stitches, hand stitches, seams, hems, maybe even some stuff you've never heard of (hello there, Hong Kong Finish!)? Well, it's all here, and then some! Wanna know how to make your own bias tape or piping, install zippers, make buttonholes? Well, this is the book for you!

But, perhaps, the section I was most excited to delve into was the garment-making and pattern sections. Well, after having been designing sewing patterns for over 7 years, I have amassed a huge quantity of reference materials, from sizing charts to measurement conversions... some of them are bookmarked on my browser, others are printed out and filed away. But, whenever I need to look something up, I invariably always forget where I've saved it. Well, who needs Google, when you've got the Essential Sewing Reference Tool at your fingertips? If you are a beginner pattern-maker, this will be an invaluable tool to have... oh how I wish I had this book way back when I was just starting out!

Now, on to Emalee's review. Hers is less conversational, and more to the point (bullet-pointed and all!):

Visually appealing
Covers every area of sewing industry: Bed sizing, pillow sizing, curtains, bed skirts, table cloths, placemats, belts, bags, garment construction…
Pg. 46: Her way of cutting bias tape is a helpful reference.
Pg. 47 and 48: Awesome new way to do continuous bias tape!
Zipper instructions are always helpful to beginners.
Pg 70: Her instruction to place a toothpick under a button when sewing is great! Never heard of that!
Pg. 89: Hemming a Tablecloth! Never knew that either and that is awesome!
The sizing charts and number conversions are super helpful to have.
This book has every reference you could ever need all under one cover!

Well, there ya have it, folks! I hope this review was helpful to you. And many kudos to my friend, Carla Crim, for a most excellent reference tool that we will surely use for years to come!

GIVEAWAY!!! If you would like to enter the giveaway and receive your very own copy of the Essential Sewing Reference Tool, please leave me a comment below. We would love to know: Are you new to sewing, or pattern-making, and are looking for a book to help you kick start your business? Or are you an old pro just looking to have all those helpful reference materials in one spot? Make sure you leave us a way to contact you if you win (email, clickable link, etc.). We will draw a winner on Wednesday, March 19th.

***UPDATE: this contest is now CLOSED. The winner was.... Susan Bates! Congrats!***

Seams Unlikely Book Review

I am so honored to have been asked to participate in Nancy Zieman's Blog Tour for her new autobiographical book, Seams Unlikely. I had the pleasure of finally meeting Nancy last Fall when I went up to Wisconsin to tape a couple of episodes of her popular TV show, Sewing With Nancy, and I found her to be one of the most genuine people I have ever met... she was warm, welcoming and humble, which is something you don't usually get from high-profile people.

So, of course, I was curious to learn more about Nancy's life. Like most autobiographical books, this one begins at early age. I was fascinated to learn about farm life because it was so different from the way I grew up. Nancy really makes you feel like you were there... milking the cows, feeding the chickens and tending to the vegetable gardens. A far cry from my urban upbringing. From the very first few chapters of the book, you already start to get a sense of what shaped Nancy's personality... from the family values instilled by her parents to the health problems that plagued her since infancy. My heart broke when I read about the onset of Bell's Palsy and the myriad of knee surgeries that left her not only physically but also emotionally scarred. Nancy's writing style is so conversational, so frank, that you feel like you are sitting across the table hearing her tell you these stories over a cup of coffee.

When I was up in Beaver Dam last Fall, Nancy and I had an hour to kill during the drive down to Madison to film the TV show. At the beginning of our drive, I asked Nancy to tell me how she got started in the business. She explained how she used to travel with some of her favorite notions and people would often ask her where she got them, and how this evolved into her company, Nancy's Notions. Then she went on to tell me about how hesitant she was about appearing on TV because of her facial paralysis. Well, in the next part of her book, she goes into every detail you would ever want to know about how she started her business and grew it to what it is today.

Now, this is where I began to feel a bit more connected to her story. It was exciting to read about her husband, Rich, leaving his work to join her new endeavor (just like Jon did when he joined MODKID back in 2010). Then reading about how they moved the business from their cramped basement quarters into their first facility (just like we did a couple of years ago!). And hiring their first employees (just like we did!). And attending trade shows (helloooo?). Need I say more? I felt like this book was written just for me because I could identify with so much, but yet with every new chapter I was learning something new...something that hopefully I could apply to my own business. Nancy doesn't just tell you the good... she tells you the bad and the ugly too! The trials and tribulations of running a successful business while juggling a personal life are all spelled out right there in the pages of Seams Unlikely.

Of course, MODKID is still at its infancy stage, so I can only hope that one day I can achieve the level of success that Nancy has accomplished with both Nancy's Notions and Sewing With Nancy. More than 30 years later, they are still going strong and have a fan base as loyal as can be! Here's a funny anecdote: when we were wrapping up the taping of my second episode for Sewing With Nancy, the floor manager, Greg, said that I was a natural and totally belong on TV. Nancy looked at me and jokingly said "Oh-uh, should I be worried?". I responded, "Hmmm... 'Sewing With Patty' does have a nice ring, doesn't it?" We all had a good chuckle!

I jest, but honestly, I can only dream of building something like what Nancy has built here. She has surrounded herself with wonderful and supportive people who believe in her because she treats everyone with utmost respect. This and so much more can be found in Nancy's book, Seams Unlikely. I urge you to run out and get your copy today... you won't be disappointed!

GIVEAWAY!!

Nancy is giving away twenty copies of Seams Unlikely. Please leave a comment on Nancy's blog HERE to qualify for book giveaways. Twenty random winners will be announced February 18, 2014.

If you'd like to read what the other reviewers had to say, check out the full blog tour here:

February 4 Nancy Zieman http://www.nancyzieman.com/blog
February 5 Eileen Roche http://dzgns.com/blog/
February 5 Pat Sloan http://patsloan.typepad.com/
February 6 Melissa Stramel http://melissaslilaclane.blogspot.com
February 6 The Long Ladies http://www.mariemadelinestudio.typepad.com/
February 6 Tori Thompson http://totallystitchin.net
February 7 Amy Barickman http://www.indygojunction.com/blog/
February 7 Melissa Mora http://mellysews.com
February 8 Shari Butler http://www.doohikeydesignstudio.com/blog/
February 8 Vicki Christensen http://www.sewinspiredblog.com/
February 9 Carolina Moore http://alwaysexpectmoore.com
February 9 Kate Mclvor https://theconfidentstitch.squarespace.com/blog/
February 10 Amy Ellis http://amyscreativeside.com/blog/
February 10 Melissa Mortenson http://www.polkadotchair.com
February 11 Ilene Miller http://happyvalleyprimitives.blogspot.com/
February 12 Liz Hicks http://blogerisms.blogspot.com/
February 11 Julie Herman http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/
February 12 Bill Gardner http://www.quiltersnewsletter.com/blogs/insideqn/
February 12 Elizabeth Evans http://www.simplesimonandco.com
February 13 Amy Webb http://www.amylouwhosews.com/
February 13 Lindsay Wilkes http://thecottagemama.com/blog/
February 14 Gertie Hirsch http://www.blogforbettersewing.com
February 14 Veronica Philips http://cloverusa.wordpress.com/
February 15 Jenny Gabriel http://www.sewvacoutletblog.com
February 15 Laura Wasilowski http://artfabrik.com
February 16 Frieda Anderson http://www.friestyle.com
February 16 Rita Farro http://ritassewfun.blogspot.com
February 17 Cindy Cloward http://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/blog/
February 17 Joan Hawley http://www.lazygirldesigns.com/blog/
February 17 Patty Young http://modkidboutique.blogspot.com
February 18 Nancy Zieman http://www.nancyzieman.com/blog/

New book reveal and our BIGGEST SALE ever!

I've hinted of a new book in the works on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, but at last I am thrilled to show you the fruits of our labor! Emalee and I collaborated on this new pattern pack published by STASH Books. It is called MODKID Summer Fun, and as the title teases, it is packed full of fun things to make for your 18" dolls!

Order your autographed copy HERE today!

I am so excited about this new project! And so are Sophie and Sydney, as they ended up with tons of new clothes and accessories for their American Girl Dolls, while we made and perfected prototypes. :)

Here are some more pictures to whet your appetite:

Aren't they adorable?! Get your signed copy today HERE!

*** PATTERN SALE!!! ***

While you're visiting our website don't forget to browse our newest sale! As the title of my post hinted, it's the BIGGEST SALE we've ever had! Select patterns have been placed at 30% and 50% off!!

Click HERE to browse our pattern sale.

This SALE expires on February 17th, 2014, so hurry up and stock up before they are all gone!

Last-Minute Gift Ideas

The Holidays are fast approaching (only 7 days 'til Christmas! Eeeek!) and at this time of the year I always find myself scrambling for last-minute gift ideas. If your friend, family member, teacher or student is the crafty type, we have some great ideas for gifts or stocking stuffers. Did you know we always ship within 24 hours (business days only)? So, if you buy in the next day or two, there is still time to get these goodies in by Christmas!!

Cutest Stocking Stuffers EVER! only $6.95

Our best-selling products on our website are these adorable designer pin tins! They come in two styles, Splendid Spears and Spade Parade, and each tin has 100 colorful, glass-headed pins designed by yours truly...

http://modkidboutique.com/SplendidSpear.html

http://modkidboutique.com/SpadeParade.html

Our Designer Pin Tins are available on our website now, so stock up for the Holidays... these are perfect for stocking stuffers, teacher gifts or for your sewing group gift exchange! :)

For your Scrappy Friend - $10.00

Do you have a friend who loves to make scrappy quilts or applique tees? These oversized bags are filled to the brim with sizable studio scraps from all my fabric collections! You will receive an assortment of bits & pieces of fabric inside a clear bag that measures approximately 6"w x 12"h x 4"d... perfect for appliqué projects, covering buttons or small crafts.

There are two types of scrap bags... Woven Bag (quilting cottons!)

http://modkidboutique.com/ScrapBag.html

And Knit Bags, including an assortment of cotton interlock and cotton/poly/spandex jerseys.

http://modkidboutique.com/KnitScrapBag.html

Ribbons, ribbons, ribbons! $14.95

These ribbon sampler packs include 2 yard cuts of assorted jacquard ribbons from my Lush or Grand Bazaar collections. These are great for embellishing skirts, purses or jeans. We also use them for belts, lanyards, keyfobs and purse handles!

http://modkidboutique.com/kits.html

For the bookworm in your life. $24.95

What do you give the one who loves books and sewing? A copy of my book, Sewing MODKID Style, of course! It comes chock full of information on sewing with knits in addition to 20 projects to make for girls ages 2 to 10. It is hard-cover and spiral bound so it'll lie flat on the table and all patterns come full-sized inside an envelope on the inside front cover.

http://modkidboutique.com/SewMK.html

And patterns, of course! $4.95 - $14.95

Our Micro-mini patterns make great stocking stuffers at only $4.95!

We have 60+ paper sewing patterns on our website:

http://modkidboutique.com/patterns.html

And 17 PDF pattern on our Etsy store. Our PDF patterns come as a downloadable files, which can be opened with Adobe Reader and will print on standard letter-size paper (8.5" x 11").

https://www.etsy.com/shop/modkid?ref=l2-shop-info-name

So, hurry, don't delay, cause Christmas is just a few days away!! Do you need a cute and MOD stocking to put all these stocking stuffers into? How about using our FREE pattern for this adorable Elf Stocking, found HERE.

http://babylock.com/holiday-projects/

What's new?

WOW, it's been nearly 6 weeks since I blogged! This Summer has proven to be one of the busiest Summers I've had in a long time (if ever). Lots of new exciting projects coming up which, as it usually goes, I have to keep hush-hush until it's all said & done.

But I did want to keep you abreast of some of the stuff that's been keeping us busy for the past few weeks.

On the PDF pattern front, we are working on a few new designs, and we just released a new pattern yesterday. It's called the JOSIE Retro A-line dress.

Josie is a sweet A-line dress with retro styling. It features a center gore with wrap-around tabs and adorable cap sleeves. With only 5 pattern pieces to cut, this dress will be an easy sew, so you can make it over and over again in all your favorite designer fabrics!

At the moment you can buy JOSIE (along with all of our other e-patterns) here:

Here's some wonderful pictures I received from my tester, Debbie Clifton. This gives you a clearer idea of the fit and construction. It has adorable button-back tabs for a more fitted look and sweet cap sleeves. How perfect is this for back-to-school wardrobe? I know, I know... they just got out of school, but it's never too early to start planing ahead, right?

On the PAPER CRAFTING front, I have been creating lots and lots of new shapes for my Silhouette store. My most popular, by far, have been these fun and colorful cupcake wrappers shown below. And I can't lie... I do love that in order to photograph them well, we need to get some of these amazing cupcakes from Sugar Mama Bakery here at the studio. It does sweeten our day quite a bit. ;)

Can I just say...YUM!

On the PUBLISHING front... oh boy, where do I even begin!? I am in the middle of signing contracts for not one, but two (yes, 2!) books to be published in 2014. Sorry that I can't reveal anything more on that, but just trust me when I say it's exciting and NEW for us, so I hope you all will be just as excited about them.

We have also been working on LOTS and LOTS of projects for different magazines. In addition to the quarterly SCRAP LAB projects for American Patchwork & Quilting (a new one will be out on August 13th!), we are also busy designing projects for Modern Quilts Unlimited. Actually, we will be featured THREE times on MQU this year, including a studio tour later this year! Stay tuned.

Currently, we have a quilt in the current issue of QUILTY Magazine (a Fons & Porter publication):

And a table runner in the current issue of Modern Quilts Unlimited:

On the FABRIC FRONT, a little birdie told me that Just My Type is shipping in just a couple of weeks, so we have been busy creating projects for the fabric launch. Check your favorite store and see if they have Just My Type on pre-order. I hear it's selling out FAST!!

Thank you all for the wonderful comments on my blog reveal last month! I am thrilled that you love it as much as I do. :)

OK, that is it for now!! PHEW. Like I said above, LOTS and LOTS more exciting projects coming up soon... new patterns, new fabric, new magazine projects, books and paper crafting items, so STAY TUNED!

Introducing: Sew Red
Win your own copy... see end of post

... and exhale! Phew, I feel like I've been holding my breath for months! I'm so excited to finally be able to tell you about this exciting project I am honored to be a part of. Sew Red is finally out in the world, just in time for American Heart Month, and I couldn't be prouder!

I met Laura Zander, creator of Sew Red, a follow-up book to Knit Red, at Spring Quilt Market 2012 in Kansas City. I have to thank the amazing Nancy Jewell, of Westminster Fibers, for making the introduction. I'll never forget it... she said, "Do you like the color red?" I chuckled because anyone who knows me knows that red is my favorite color. I said, "Like it? I love it! As a matter of fact, my company logo is red and so are all of our marketing materials!" I pulled out a red Modkid pen from my purse and handed it to her. After she was convinced that I was indeed a fan of the color red, she proceeded to explain the project, a book filled with sewing and quilting projects in honor of women's heart health. She had me at "women's heart health", which has always been a personal cause for me, having had a grandmother fall victim to heart disease many years ago.

As if I wasn't already convinced, Laura then started rattling off a list of the other designers who would be involved. This list sounded like a who's who in the fabric and sewing world! Amy Butler, Nancy Zieman, Denyse Schmidt, Kaffe Fasset, Ty Pennington, Aneela Hoey, Tula Pink, Kaari Meng... and the list goes on and on. I thought to myself, "Am I worthy?"

Laura asked me to design a project using mostly red fabrics (that wouldn't be a problem for me) and add a blurb about how women's heart health is important to me. I knew I had to tell my grandma's story!

My maternal grandmother, known as Mama Alicia to all who loved her, died of a heart attack in 1979. We all lived in Costa Rica at the time and there was no easy way to “call 911” like we do here in the States. She collapsed on the street while walking back from church. A neighbor called the local hospital but they didn’t have a driver for the ambulance at the time. Then they called a taxi cab but the driver did not want to be responsible for her. Finally, they reached a family member but by the time they got there it was too late. The story was incredibly sad and made my mother rethink the way she eats and lives. My mother is now in her late 60s and goes to the gym every day and follows a gluten-free and dairy-free diet. She is healthier than most young people I know. To this day, my mother has been quite an inspiration to her children and grand children.

The project I designed is called Sonoma Purse and it's an easy-to-sew pleated bag made from just three fat quarters of fabric:

You can add extra details like the Grand Bazaar ribbon we added to the handle...

Sonoma Purse by Patty Young from Sew Red by Laura Zander, published by Sixth&Spring Books. Photo by Rose Callahan copyright © 2012 by Sixth&Spring Books/Soho Publishing. Used by permission.

Do check out the book. It has 27 projects that range from quilts to garments to accessories designed by the industry's top talent. The book's design is top notch and the photography is outstanding, plus it includes heart-healthy recipes and personal stories from all the designers involved.

And as if that wasn't reason enough to run out and get this book: Jimmy Beans Wool has agreed to contribute a minimum of 5% of their gross profits from the sale of this Stitch Red product to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health in support of The Heart Truth® and women's heart health education and research.

Win your own copy of SEW RED! Leave us a comment below and let us know if and how heart disease has affected your life and what you are doing to live a heart-healthy life. We will pick a winner next Friday, Feb. 22nd, 2013. Please leave a way to contact you if you are the lucky winner. Best of luck to you all!!

Lecture and Book Signing at The Nosh

This weekend I'm headed to one of my favorite places... St. Louis! I met Shannon (owner of a super fabulous fabric shop in Missouri called Fabric Nosherie) almost a year ago at the Fall Quilt Market and we hit it off immediately. I said, any friend of Laura's is a friend of mine! So, of course, I was thrilled and honored when she asked if I would be part of her One Year Anniversary Celebration!

Picture shot earlier this Summer at Fabric Nosherie.

Shannon and her team at The Nosh are celebrating all week so, if you live in Missouri here is the full schedule of events:

Sept. 18 Tuesday - 50% off Oliver + S book and patterns. 50% off Sew Liberated book

Sept. 19 Wednesday - 50% off Miss Henrietta pin cushion pattern

Sept. 20 Thursday - For every $30 you spend, you will be entered into a drawing to win 1 of 3 adorable bags that we've had at the shop!

Sept. 21 Friday - 10% off everything

Sept. 22 Saturday -

Workshop/Book Signing with Patty Young 11:00 a.m. (first 25 to RSVP will receive 15% off Patty Young books and patterns). When you spend $35 or more, you will get the chance to Pop a balloon (when we say chance what we mean is that you’ll throw the dart until you pop a balloon – even if it takes all day) . Inside the balloon is a surprise. It could be 20% off you’re next purchase or it could be a special delivery from Amy Butler, Denyse Schmidt or Laura Gunn… which one will you get? So many prizes……can. not. wait.

So, there ya have it! Come out and see me!! I promise it'll be a great time.

Fabric Nosherie

21 N Gore Ave, Webster Groves, MO 63119
Find us in old Webster just a block north of Lockwood on North Gore
(Right next to Dr Jazz) Click for directions 314.968.3794
http://www.fabricnosherie.com/

Sewn Hats Winner!

Thank you to all who commented on my Sewn Hats giveaway post. I had a great time reading through your comments. The Random Generator chose a winner from the 50 comments we received and here it is... drum roll...

Comment #18 is:

Melissa12:50 AM

We have five heads in my family and they all love hats!

Many congrats to Melissa on winning your very own copy of Sewn Hats! Now you can cover those five heads in style! :) Melissa, please email us at info AT modkidboutique DOT com with your mailing address and I will forward your information to Wiley so they can send you your book.

All... stay tuned as tomorrow I will be sharing a new venture I have been involved in! If you follow us on Facebook or Twitter, then you most likely already know, but I am super excited about it and I am preparing a nice little post with sample projects and much more! See ya!!

Sewn Hats Book Tour and Giveaway

I am so thrilled to tell you about this exciting new book that I've had the pleasure of contributing to. Sewn Hats is a collection of 35 hat patterns contributed by industry experts and curated by Carla Crim, a.k.a The Scientific Seamstress.

People are often curious about how long things take in this industry. I get that question repeatedly... how long does it take for a fabric collection to come out? ... for a pattern to be produced? ... for a book to be published? Well, let me tell ya, it's a long time for patterns and fabric, but not nearly as long as it is for books! You really have to have patience in this industry (and that's definitely not my virtue!). I was curious about how long this one took, because Sewing MODKID Style seemed to take forever and a day. Well, I was originally approached by Wiley on January 5, 2011 to ask if I was interested in contributing to Sewn Hats. WOW, that's exactly a year and 8 months ago! But let me tell you, it was well worth it! This book is spectacular!

When I first got the book in my greedy little hands last Thursday, I was immediately surprised by three things:

First, the book has 35 patterns, people! WOW! I know, from personal experience, all the work, time and effort that goes into each and every project of a book like this, so to see this times 35 is truly exceptional... and unusual! Talk about bang for your buck!
My pattern is the first one in the book! I also know, from personal experience, that I usually end up last because my last name starts with a Y, haha! Well, I guess they weren't going alphabetically this time. ;)
Lastly, I was not aware until I held the book in my hands, of just who all had been contributing to this little masterpiece. Seriously, this list reads like a who's who in our industry. These are fellow designers and authors who I have loved and admired for quite some time... Joanna, Mary, Betz, Melissa, Jennifer, Bari and so, so many more! Not to mention Ms. Carla herself! I am not worthy!!

So, without much further ado, let me present to you my own project for this book, which I titled, Sunny Days Hat. As the title describes, it's a sweet little sun hat with a ruffled brim and a decorative ribbon detail that weaves in and out of the hat. But the best part is that since it has no visible seams the hat is fully reversible! So you can use different fabrics for each side and have a completely different look each time she wears it. It comes in 3 sizes, so it will grow with her.

Here are some of the photos we took for the project. These first 2 were shot at the Missouri Botanical Gardens:

And these three were shot here at Modkid. You may recognize that sweet little blond girl, Elizabeth, from two of our most recent patterns, Chloé and Hannah. Boy, how much she's grown! She was only 3 then! And look how short Sydney's hair was! It's halfway down her back now. :)

So... I hope you enjoyed this little tour of Sewn Hats. Do you like to sew hats? Do you collect sewing books? What's your favorite thing to sew? Please leave us a comment and be entered to win your very own copy of the book, courtesy of Wiley Publishing. A winner will be announced a week from today, on Wednesday, September 12th, 2012. Please leave a way to contact you if you win. Good luck all!!

Follow along with the Sewn Hats Blog Tour:

9/4 - Scientificseamstress.blogspot.com

9/5 - Mod Kid Boutique

9/6 – FrenchGeneral.blogspot.com

9/10 – Pink Chalk Studio

9/11 - LuluBliss.com

9/13 – Green Bee Patterns

9/14 – Goosie Girl Boutique

9/17 – Melissa Lilac Lane

9/19 – OneGirlCircus.com

9/20 – Tie Dyed Diva Designs

9/21 – Figgys Patterns