Evolution of Lars

(and a book winner!)

I have a super fun project to share with you guys today as we head out to Quilt Market, but first, I need to announce the winner of the Sewing MODKID Style book copy. Thank you all for your lovely comments and for following along with the tour. Random.org chose comment #15, which is.... drum roll please...

VickiT 4:14 PM, who said:

I cannot wait to see Heaven & Helsinki Patty. Of course, I'm still in LOVE with Lush. I am still hoping to buy some of that gorgeousness this month.

Anyway the first thing I would love to try making from your book when I get my copy (hopefully one I will win) would be the Yoga Pants and also the Bloom dress. I might even attempt making a shortened version of the Bloom dress as a shirt to go with the Yoga Pants.

Congrats, Vicki!!! Please email your address to info@modkidboutique.com and Wiley will send you a copy of my book right away!

So, who is this Lars character, you ask? Well, he's nothing less than our Heaven & Helsinki booth mascot! We are so in love with him... we've even joked about buying a crate for him to travel down to Kansas City and putting a leash on him, water bowl, treats, etc.

He started out when I spotted him at our local Neighborhood Thrift while Jon, Emalee and I were shopping for Mid-Century Modern furniture for our booth.

He was made of resin or something, not quite sure, but we all knew he'd be perfect (with a few minor alterations)!

We spray-painted his antlers, hooves and nose.

Then we spray-painted it again and again and again until he had full coverage (boy, that hot pink color is hard to cover!)

Next, the girls took our hundreds of Heaven & Helsinki scraps and Mod Podged him. Oh, the fun they had! I did learn a valuable lesson that day: always put my hair up in a bun when working with Mod Podge! My hair is so long now that even with a ponytail on, I couldn't keep it from dipping into the glue pan and splattering everywhere.... niiiice!

Anyway, after he was completely covered in scraps, we let him dry overnight. The following day, I blinged his eyes... each eye has about 25 rhinestones! Yes, Lars is quite in touch with his feminine side, wouldn't you say?

A couple coats of Polyurethane Spray to make him nice and shiny, and VOILA!

If you'll be at Quilt Market this week, come meet Lars at our booth (Booth #3024-26) and take away one of our catalogs ... you can't miss it!

17 Chances to win My Book
... and much more!

I'm sitting here tying all loose ends before we take off on our Spring Break vacation (in just a couple of hours....eeeee!) and as I was answering emails and packing up last minute things, I thought, "GAH, I forgot to tell everyone about the Virtual Book Tour! And by the time I get back it'll have started already!"

So, without much further ado, Sewing MODKID Style will be making its rounds the week after next and stopping at the following awesome blogs in crafty blogland. Each blogger will review the book and give away a copy to a lucky reader (courtesy of Wiley). So here is the list:

Sewing MODKID Style Blog Tour

Monday, April 2nd, 2012: Wiley Craft Blog

Wed., April 4th, 2012: A Sewing Journal

Friday, April 6th, 2012: Pink Chalk Studio

Monday, April 9th, 2012: Melanie Dramatic

Wed., April 11th, 2012: Stop Staring and Start Sewing

Friday, April 13th, 2012: Generation Q

Monday, April 16th, 2012: Lil Blue Boo

Wed., April 18th, 2012: True Up

Friday, April 20th, 2012: Paige Hill

Monday, April 23rd, 2012: Boutique Café

Wed., April 25th, 2012: The Long Thread

Friday, April 27th, 2012: Sew Pretty Dresses

Monday, April 30th, 2012: Prudent Baby

Wed., May 2nd, 2012: Our Busy Little Bunch

Friday, May 4th, 2012: Fat Quarterly

Monday, May 7th, 2012: Making It Fun

Wed., May 9th, 2012: MODKID blog

Don't forget to check it out and leave your comments at every stop for 17 chances to win your own copy!

Before I go, I also wanted to share a couple of entries in the "Show me your book" FaceBook contest. If you'd still like to enter, just head on over to our FB Fan Page and share a picture of yourself, your kid, your pet or your favorite inanimate object with a copy of Sewing MODKID Style. You may shoot it at home, at a bookstore or on vacation. Get creative! I will be giving away a sweet prize (could be a bundle of knits, or a gift certificate to our website... or maybe both?!?) so, go on... show us your book!

Here is Laurie Folino of Gabby and Zack doing a brave balancing act...

Here are Shirleanne Sander's adorable girls showing us some love...


Here is Joey G., better known as Mr. Jona (Stop Staring and Start Sewing!):


The picture that started it all (my awesome sister):


And since I would never ask you to do something I wouldn't do myself, well, here ya go (stalking the Crafts sections at Barnes & Noble)...
xoxo

Winner!
(and a fun idea I just had)

Thank you all for the wonderful comments on my new laminates, the umbrella tutorial and the new Andalucia re-release (more on that tomorrow, if I get all my pictures done!).

The winner of the Umbrella contest is comment #40:

JustPam Mar 8, 2012 03:38 PM

I haven't checked out the instructions yet, but I would love to have one of these for my little one. Love the dress too!

Congratulations, Pam! Please email Emalee at egrambo@modkidboutique.com at your earliest convenience to claim your new Lush umbrella! Make sure to send her your mailing address so we can get it out to you right away!

Now, I was messing around on Facebook today (because I don't have anything better to do, apparently) and I came across a fun picture my sister had posted of her coming across my new book at her local Barnes & Noble store. So, I came up with a super fun idea that will require all of you out there. If you are curious, go to our Facebook Fan Page and read the most recent post. Would love for as many of you as possible to participate. I am brainstorming a cool giveaway as I type this.


Also, if you haven't heard, it's time for MODERN MADNESS again at the FatQuarterly blog! If you didn't play last year, it's just like March Madness (with brackets and everything) but with modern fabrics instead of ... uhm... basketball? haha This year both Grand Bazaar and Lush are nominated and we are so proud. Grand Bazaar is up today, so please go VOTE VOTE VOTE!! Lush will be up next week.

Sewing MODKID Style is in da house!!!

I seriously can't believe it!! I keep staring at this happy little stack with perma-grin on my face. For a limited time you can get your own signed copy of my book on our website. And if you would like a special dedication in the autograph -- maybe you are getting this as a gift for your mom, sister or sewing BFF -- just let us know in the notes section at check out and I will gladly oblige. :)



Is one of these beauties yours?



Get them here while they're hot! And please come back and tell us what you think of it.

P.S. we've had a lot of requests about shipping these internationally and I promise, we tried, but the book is too large to fit in a Priority Mail envelope and if we have to ship it in a PM box, the shipping cost will be as high, if not higher than, the price of the book. Booohoo! But I do know there are a few retailers in Canada and the UK that are carrying this book. If interested in this info, please email us at info@modkidboutique.com

Sewing MODKID Style, Sneak Peek #3
A peek inside the book...

Friends, I was way overdue for another book sneak peek and with the book release date being only 4 short weeks away (eeek!) I knew I couldn't wait any longer. But then... an advance copy of the actual book showed up on my doorstep the other day so, after I squealed, hugged it, danced with it and ran around showing everyone I knew (or didn't know), I decided that this next sneak peek should be a look inside the actual book, instead of just showing still shots like I've been doing all along.

So, without much further ado, I present you, Sewing MODKID Style:



It is hard-cover, spiral bound, 160 pages and includes 20 projects for girls 2T -10, with full-size pattern sheets, detailed instructions, how-to diagrams and lots and LOTS of gorgeous full-color photos!

The first thing you'll see when you open the book is an envelope on the inside front cover which includes 9 full-size patterns sheets inside...



If you have used a MODKID sewing pattern before, you'll be pleased to know that the book uses the same size sheets, paper stock and drawing style of our existing patterns. And... something that will make all sewing enthusiasts happy: the patterns are printed on the front side of the sheets ONLY, and there is no overlapping of pattern pieces, so there is no need to copy or trace. I don't know about you, but that is my one of biggest pet peeves! I hate opening a pattern and finding the pieces all on top of each other or printed front & back. I was very adamant at the beginning of this process that the pattern sheets should be done EXACTLY like ours so our fans would have a sense of familiarity and comfort when working with them.



Another thing I should mention is that before I started doing what I do for a living now, I worked for 10 years at a printing/marketing company. Paper was my life even before fabric was my life. When we set out to produce our line of patterns, I sourced the perfect paper stock. This was very important to me and apparently it is to all of you out there too, because we get tons of compliments on our paper stock. Luckily for me (and for you), Wiley agreed to match our stock and size, so that makes me a happy camper! :)

But enough about the patterns, let's look further inside the book. The book is divided into 5 chapters, the first one being a Guide to Sewing with Knits, then the next 4 chapters being: Accessories, Bottoms, Tops and Dresses & Ensembles, respectively.



In the Guide to Sewing with Knits chapter, I not only give you a comprehensive guide on knit fabrics and show you how to sew with your serger or your sewing machine, but I also talk about all the different types of stretch trims you can use to embellish your garments... there are SO MANY!



And I talk about tools, tools, tools... all of my favorite ones!



The project chapters are written and illustrated just like my patterns, including sizing charts (for US and EURO sizes), how-to diagrams and tips & tricks galore. Even the Potty Girls make an appearance in each project!



Projects range from very easy to more challenging...



And I don't want you to think that I stopped at the simple leggings and t-shirt dresses. I also include projects to make with fabrics that most of you may not have sewn with before, like stretch velour, stretch velvet or stretch fleece...



And, of course, swimsuit lycras and dancewear fabrics, because why not make a complete wardrobe for every need?



I even have an adorable swim suit cover-up made with stretch terry!

At the back of the book, I included a glossary. Again, if you've even sewn with a MODKID pattern, then you know that all of our patterns come with a small glossary of terms in the inside back cover. It includes pretty much all the terms used in the instructions, in case you need to refer to them before sewing. Well, think of this as the MODKID Glossary on steroids! We went through the entire book and highlighted every term that we thought may need further explanation... it's all there!



Anyway... I hope you enjoyed this final sneak peek before the book comes out. I know I tend to get a bit wordy. ;) My next assignment is to shoot a promo video to be shown on Amazon. Wish me luck (I am super nervous about it!). The release date of the book is March 20th but I hear the people who pre-order it often times get it a tad sooner, so there ya go! :) See a list of retailers who have the book up for pre-order here. To see more photos from the book, click here and here.

Now, I'm off to listen to more music tracks for my promo video...

Sewing MODKID Style, Sneak Peek #2

Sorry it has taken me so long to get to this next sneak peek. I know I promised them monthly until release date, but this month has been particularly crazy, with Quilt Market catch up, new fabric & pattern release planning and birthdays/holidays galore. Thank you all for the reminders and your patience.

When I set out to design projects for Sewing MODKID Style, I wanted to create a wide variety of styles that would appeal not only to the girly-girl, like my little Sydney, but also to the young, cool girl (or the 9-going-on-16-year-old) like my Sophie. I know -- from personal experience -- that not all girls love to run around in twirly skirts and cutesy tops, so this book has a selection of projects that are designed for the Sophies of the world. I call it Urban Chic because with the right mix of fabrics and trims you can take these pieces from basic to boutique in a snap!

Here are "big girls" Sophie, Maddie and Emersyn (with Sydney tagging along for good measure) sporting their Not-So-Plain Tees, Leg Warmers and Fingerless Gloves... or as kids like to call them these days... texting gloves, haha.





Above photos by Dawn Bergeron Photography.

The girls had such fun this day playing with skateboards, scooters and cameras...



Sophie is also wearing the Leggings pattern from the book sewn in a denim knit to resemble skinny jeans or jeggings.



That [above] is one of my absolute FAVORITE pictures of Sophie I've ever captured, by the way. It totally helps when a kid feels comfortable in what they're wearing and in their environment. I've learned this the hard way, believe me. Oh, and Sophie's rocking skateboard? You can get one just like it here. :)

If you missed my last sneak peek, you can go back and check out the first few projects I revealed (much more girly-girl) and the book's cover too. So much more to come... stay tuned!

Sewing MODKID Style will be in stores in March of 2012 and is currently available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Overstock, Book Depository, Easons, Books-a-Million and Sew Mama Sew. (Retailers: if you have my book on your site, please let me know so we can add you to the list!) A full list of retailers will be available on the WILEY website.

Sewing MODKID Style
Sneak Peek #1

At this time last year, I was getting ready to turn in the first quarter of my book's manuscript, my heart filled to the brim with excitement and trepidation. I knew I loved it, but would my publisher love it? Well, they did! And their words of encouragement fueled me the rest of the way through. The following 6 months we lived and breathed book. And I mean all of us... me, Jon, Emalee, the kids, our friends and our friends' kids. It was definitely a labor of love, with emphasis on the word labor (well, and love too!) :)

The other day, as I lay in bed on a lazy Saturday morning I was awakened by a text from my friend, Mary, telling me that my book was on the Barnes & Noble site (yes, I sleep with my iPhone, don't you?). I couldn't believe it was already up there! I mean, didn't I just start writing this thing? Well, I guess not... it has been a year, actually! I ran downstairs to pull it up on my computer, because my tiny iPhone screen just didn't do it justice and there it was... in all its glory...



WOW! I didn't know whether to laugh or cry or scream, so instead I texted the link to every person I could think of (whether they cared or not!). Then I hopped on Twitter and Facebook and shared the link like one proud mama and her newborn baby.

Then, I waited for the OK from Wiley to blog it because I wanted to tell you all the little details and show you some more images from it. Well, the green light came last Friday and we agreed that I should break up my reveals into 6 installments, because the book will be out in stores exactly 6 months from now.

YAY! So here's the 411:

• The book will be hardcover and spiral-bound (much like the ones you are used to seeing from Anna Maria)
• It will have 160 pages (and yes, I know online it says 144 but we ended up adding an extra 16 pages at the end because I wanted to add a glossary, a resources page and a few more pretty pictures.)
• It will come with full size pattern sheets (no enlarging or taping together!) and detailed instructions for 20 sewing projects that span from accessories, to separates to full ensembles.
• All the illustrations, instructions and patterns were done completely and solely by me, and they are in the exact same style that you are already accustomed to seeing in my sewing patterns.
• The patterns range in sizes from 2T to 10 and styles range from easy and simple (the kind you can do in 1 or 2 hours) to fancy and intricate (in case you want to spend some quality time with your machine).
• The book comes with an in-depth guide on knit fabrics and stretch trims AND it teaches you how to make the projects with your serger or your sewing machine, with loads of tips & tricks along the way.

So, here are a couple of sneak peek photos. Since the book-writing took almost a year and it spanned all seasons of the year, so do the photos, as you'll see. In addition, we were able to take a few family vacations near and far, and used those as an excuse to get some more book photos done (or was it the other way around?!?)







Sewing MODKID Style is currently available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Overstock, Book Depository, Easons, Books-a-Million and Sew Mama Sew. (Retailers: if you have my book on your site, please let me know so we can add you to the list!) A full list of retailers will be available on the WILEY website.

Thanks for taking this little sneak peek tour with me. Stay tuned each month between now and March, 2012, as I will reveal more and more projects from the book. And... thank you all for your support! :)

***UPDATE! A sweet blog reader just informed me that the book is also available in Canada, which reminded me that I had also seen it for sale in Amazon UK. YAY, we're global! :)***

Meeeeeoooooowwwwww!
(that's me letting the cat out of the bag!)

Thanks for giving Jon such a warm welcome on his blog writing debut last week. I'm hoping your words of encouragement will give him the confidence he needs to take over more often when I'm in this state of craziness.

Soooo, I've just been given the green light to make the big announcement so without much further ado: I AM WRITING A BOOK!!! With WILEY!!! WOOOHOOOO!



Sorry, that's about as much as I can say about it at this point. But I can say that I am super excited that the folks at Wiley took such an interest in me and even more excited that they thought my idea for a book (right down to the title, which, again, I can't share at this moment) was as cool as I thought it was. eeeee!

In addition to reading a bazillion contract pages and signing on the dotted line til my hand cramped up, I've also been working on a whole new set of sewing patterns, due out this Fall...



And when Jon said "up to her neck in cut up fabric" he wasn't kidding! Here's a little snapshot of my studio floor right at this moment. I'm somewhere under the pile of ModBlooms, I think.



Oh, and I've also been proofing tons of strike offs for my next fabric collection... also to be released this Fall. Here's a little sneak...



I truly cannot wait to be able to share this collection in its full glory. It is my most sophisticated line to date and showcases some of the best drawing I've ever done... plus it has the widest range of print sizes of any of my existing collections... pattern sizes range from a teeny-tiny 1/2" to a full 24" repeat, and everything in between!

So, now that the cat's finally out of the bag hopefully you'll believe me when I say that things are about to get CRAZY around here. I know I say that every time but this. time. it's. for. reals. YO!

As if book-writing, pattern-making and fabric-designing wasn't enough to fill up my day, I'll also be doing a little bit of traveling, this time around the lovely Midwestern "I" States of Indiana, Iowa and Illinois. Tomorrow I'm headed to the beautiful city of Indianapolis where we'll meet up with the lovely duo of Paula Prass and Jennifer Storey for a little R&R with the fam. On Friday, I am continuing my WDT in the city of Clinton, Iowa where I'll be giving a lecture at Sew Many Things (holler if you're coming!). And finally, on Saturday, we are all headed up to Chicago to spend a little quality time with loved ones before school starts.

OK, OK, since I'm feeling happy and grateful, I'll give you a one more teensy tiny fabric sneak...

Easter and Estampados

First of all, I want to thank you all SO MUCH for all the wonderful comments regarding our big announcement. Your support and encouragement means a TON to us. It's going to be tough for a while but we're up to the challenge. :)

This morning, while Jon attended his fantasy baseball draft, I took the girls to an Easter Egg Hunt at Sydney's school.



The kids got their sugar fix... and I got my photo fix...





They did a little hula-hooping afterward. I opted out. (hey, someone had to hold the camera!)









And when we got home, I saw a little package at my front door. It was way too small to be fabric and I wasn't expecting any packages from anyone, or so I thought. Well, guess what? I had totally forgotten about this adorable little book, Estampados Padroes, published by a company in Barcelona, Spain. It features almost 500 pages of repeated patterns, including a couple by yours truly.



I came into contact with the editor, Macarena, almost two years ago. Yes, I know what you're thinking... every time I received an email from her my hands would swing to my hips and I'd sing, "Eh, Macarena!" :) Just to give you some perspective, I submitted these designs to them before Andalucia (the fabric) came out, so that's how long it's been in production! I am so thrilled to finally have it in my hands. It is gorgeous!!



Page 38 features a 2-page spread of Flora in the Petal palette and on page 375 you'll see a colorway of Flowery Stripe that never made it into fabric!



Sydney has already declared this her book (because, as she explained, it is Sydney-sized), so I may need to pick up another copy for myself. Let me know if you see this book for sale anywhere. In addition to my designs, I see so many familiar names... the fabulous Tula Pink is featured several times (and I see she beat me to blogging about it). And there are some adorable designs by Carol Eldridge and many, many others! Inspiration galore. :)

HAPPY EASTER, everyone!!