10th Anniversary Giveaway

The Modkid 10th Anniversary Celebration is here, and it is huge!!!

In October of 2008 I released my very first fabric collection at the International Quilt Market in Houston, TX. The collection was Andalucia for Michael Miller Fabrics. I had a small booth and had brought with me a few dresses sewn in the fabric to display alongside sample quilts that other people had graciously made for me (since I'm not a quilter). Those dresses were my own designs, self drafted in my kids' sizes so they could wear them after I returned. Well, little did I know that not only were attendees going to love my fabric designs, but they were going to literally beg for sewing patterns based on those self-drafted garments they saw. MODKID was born that weekend, ten years ago! I came home after the show with a true purpose. I began drafting my first four sewing patterns: Lil Chef, Frida, Emma and Kyoko. They were truly a labor of love. The following Spring, I debuted those 4 patterns at the Spring Quilt Market and the company as it is today, grew from that point on.

Fast forward 10 years, and I now have 20+ fabric collections, 150+ sewing patterns (in paper and PDF formats), 5 books, and several designer notions. I am also incredibly lucky to have aligned myself with some pretty amazing companies to work with. I truly could not be happier! I am currently a Licensed Fabric Designer for Riley Blake Designs, an author for C&T Publishing, a Contributing Artist for Silhouette of America, a Creator with OLFA and a Brand Ambassador for Baby Lock Sewing Machines.  I couldn't have done it all without the love and support from my family, my sponsoring companies, and most importantly ALL OF YOU! 

So I would like to show my appreciation to you and celebrate this momentous occasion by holding a HUGE GIVEAWAY with amazing prizes from yours truly and our sponsors. Check out the three grand prize packages below and find out how to enter this giveaway at the end of this post. The first prize even includes a Baby Lock Zeal Sewing Machine!!

In addition to the giveaway, we are having a celebration SALE. Coupon code MODKIDTURNS10 gets you 40% off your entire purchase through the month of October. Code expires October 31st, 2018 at Midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You must be a legal resident of one of the United States and at least 18 years of age.  NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.  VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook or Instagram. The giveaway will run from October 15th until October 21st. The three winners with be selected at random.

12 Garments in 12 Days

Patty has organized a fun little challenge that started yesterday, but there is still time to join! Her family is going to Punta Cana at the end of this month, so she challenged herself to sew 12 garments in 12 days. She would love for you to join in. She posted this challenge on Instagram and Facebook. Two winners will be selected (one on IG and one on FB). Here's what you need to do to participate:

1. Sew 12 garments before July 6th which is when she returns from her trip and will choose the winner. They can be super easy garments like yoga skirts, swim cover ups or PJ shorts!

2. Post photos of your completed garments daily or every other day, whatever your speed might be, and tag the photos with ‪#‎12garments‬‪ #‎pattyyoung‬

3. Share this challenge with friends and family so they too can participate! Follow @pattyyoung on Instagram for extra entries.

On July 6th, she will scour the internet for your 12 garments and choose 2 winners... one on IG and one on FB. Each winner will receive a box full of Acorn Valley Fabric... her newest line for Riley Blake! Happy Sewing!!!

To sweeten the deal, there is a coupon code on our Etsy store (a lot of the patterns there are simple enough to sew in a couple hours). Coupon code 12GARMENTS gets you 25% off your entire purchase.

Here are a few FAQ's. Let us know in the Fan Group if you have any other questions.

1. Does everything sewn need to be a garment? No!!
2. Do they all have to be MODKID patterns? NO. It can be anything. We just want to get people excited about sewing! But we would absolutely LOVE to see at least one or two MODKID patterns thrown in the mix or anything sewn with Patty Young fabric.
3. Can we post them once we are done, or one at a time? We would prefer that you post them one at a time, so we see all of the garments that were made on that day. The more times we see those hashtags, the better!!!
4. Does it matter when we start? Start whenever, as long as you sew and post 12 different projects!
5. Do the post need to occur on 12 consecutive days? No. Skip days and work at your own schedule, but post and tag 12 different posts.
6. Can we post on Instagram and Facebook? Yes!

Hailey Misses and BundleUp!

"Ask and you shall receive" has always been our motto here at MODKID! So many times we have designed specific patterns based on customer feedback and popular demand, and this is no exception. When we released our Hailey Girls pattern a few months back, a little girls' version of our already popular Hailey pattern for tweens/teens, it immediately became one of our top sellers and its popularity was followed by countless requests for a women's version.

Well, your wait is finally over! And as if this release wasn't exciting enough, we have added it to the current BUNDLE UP collection, so you can get not only this awesome pattern, but 11 other patterns for women, designed by the industry's top PDF pattern designers!! (NOTE: If you are interested in Hailey Misses alone, the pattern will be listed on our Etsy and Craftsy stores on July 10th.)

Let's talk about Hailey Misses first and then I'll tell you all about the BundleUp collection.

Hailey is a flirty dress and shirt with several length options designed for women. It is a versatile pattern sewn with either wovens or knits, and with no zippers, buttons, or snaps, it sews up in a flash. A comfy and stretchy shirred section below the bust creates a feminine silhouette while making this garment versatile for women of all shapes and sizes.

Never sewn with knits before? No worries! Sewing with knits is easy and fun with this step-by-step guide which includes lots of tips, photos and diagrams to guide you along.

Our tester, Kara Orr of www.leighleecollection.blogspot.com sewed up View B (Tunic) in a woven cotton fabric.

Our pattern tester, Courtney Davis (www.sweeterthancupcakes.blogspot.com) sewed up View A (Top) in a soft jersey fabric.

Our pattern tester, Crystal Dekker (www.thatswhatshecrafted.blogspot.com), made View A (Top) in chiffon with the idea of wearing it with a little cami underneath.

And last, but certainly not least, our tester, Jenny Fish, at www.sewprettydresses.blogspot.com, sewed up View C (Dress with no ruffle) of Hailey Misses and she used Zig Zag Dot (jersey) from Heaven & Helsinki by Patty Young. Read Jenny's review here.

We've also found two additional non-tester pattern reviews here and here.

Now, for information about BundleUp:

Bundle UP is a collective of your favorite established PDF sewing pattern designers coming together to offer you a sweet deal on both hot new patterns and your favorite closet staples from past releases. We’ve selected the perfect patterns with YOU in mind- mix and match styles, and patterns with multiple views and lots of options. No matter the occasion, we’ve got you covered.

Soooo... Who is part of the new BundleUp, you ask?

Anddddd... What sort of patterns will I find in the new BundleUp? Well, I'm glad you asked, because we happen to think you can create an entire Summer wardrobe with just the patterns in this bundle. Check it out: (And, yes! The coloring book is a FREE download included with the purchase of your bundle!! Yippee!)

Ok!!! Anything else I should know?

As a matter of fact, yes!  There is a HUGE giveaway associated with the new BundleUp. If you sew up a pattern from the bundle and share it here, you can be entered to win this amazing prize package!

So, what are you waiting for?? Get the Bundle, start sewing and enter the giveaway!!! It's what all the cool kids are doing these days! :)

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!***

RED CARPET AWARDS
(HUGE GIVEAWAY and a SALE!!)

Do you like PDF sewing patterns? If you answered yes, then this is the contest for you!! And if you've never tried a PDF pattern, well, this is your chance to win a bunch for FREE! Not just from MODKID but from dozens of other leading sewing pattern designers in the industry.

Welcome to the RED CARPET AWARDS! MODKID is thrilled to have been nominated for not one but TWO AWARDS in this contest! Our Melanie pattern was nominated for Documentary of a Shortie (Playwear for Kids) and our Keagan pattern was nominated for Leading Mini Man (Tops for Boys).

Please vote for MODKID below and show your support! There will be 3 winners for each rafflecopter - so a total of NINE winners, each winner will receive an assortment of over $100 worth of PDF patterns!

CLICK HERE FOR THE BALLOT!

And if you haven't had a chance to check out these patterns, here is your chance to get them at 20% off! From now until the end of this contest (3/8 at midnight) take 20% off your entire purchase on our Etsy store when you use coupon code REDCARPET2014.

Some mote information about this contest...

The academy has been hard at work behind the scenes rounding up some of the awesome designs that were released by Dec 2013.  They have come up with a long list of nominations in 13 fun categories.  And now they want to know what you think - you get to share your opinion by Voting.

Rules:

• You must be 18 to enter
• You must fill out the voting ballot to enter (link below)
• You can gain extra entries by entering the prompts in the rafflecopter bellow
• Giveaway ends 3/8 at midnight EST
• Because of the number of Sponsors who wanted to say THANK YOU to all of their fans and members who make up this group, we have split the sweepstakes into 3 entry forms.  This way we stay compliant with rules of online giveaways.  By filling out the Voting Ballot, you can enter all three rafflecopter forms.  You can gain additional entries for each by following the prompts.  There will be 3 winners for each rafflecopter - so a total of NINE winners.

So jump in - vote for your favorites, like some new Designers on FaceBook, and Enter to win some fabulous prizes! Below is the link again... in case you missed it before!

CLICK HERE FOR THE BALLOT!

Then, enter this Rafflecopter to be entered to win:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more information on this contest please go to: http://patternrevolution.com/blog/2014/2/25/the-red-carpet-awards-celebrating-10000-members-in-the-pdf-sales-group


GOOD LUCK, EVERYONE! And thank you so much for your support!!

Come see me TOMORROW!

If you are local to the Central Illinois area and are into sewing, crafting or fabric in general, you need to stop by the Bloomington/Normal Jo-Ann Fabrics tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 28th from 1 - 3 p.m. I will be there to give a short lecture about my newest line, Rendezvous, plus a little background info on myself and how I got into the industry. There will be tons of giveaways too!

The first 17 people there will receive a FREE copy of Generation Q magazine featuring my home and studio. Plus, the folks at Jo-Ann corporate have sent over some gift baskets and a few other goodies... not to be missed!

I will also be doing a book signing for Sewing MODKID Style. If you have a copy already, go ahead and bring it and I'd be happy to autograph it for you. Otherwise, there will be plenty of copies available for sale tomorrow, so grab one for you and one for your sewing BFF... they make great gifts! :)

Lastly, you will be among the first to see our new quilt design created for Rendezvous (below) in person, and receive a free copy of the pattern!!

Hope to see you all there!!

2013 Scrap Lab #1

Who doesn't like playing with scraps and seeing what awesome creation they can come up with? Last year I was honored to be asked to be a lead designer in a feature column called SCRAP LAB, in the magazine Quilts and More (a Better Homes and Gardens publication). For the next four issues of Quilts and More, I will be working closely with the amazing Carrie Nelson, of Miss Rosie's Quilts, and choosing a guest star each time to create fun projects using different scraps of fabric.

In the first installment of Scrap Lab, we chose to work with the awesome Julie Herman, of Jaybird Quilts, and my newest fabric collection, Textured Basics. I was thrilled to see the super cool projects those two designers came up with... and even more thrilled when I saw the cover featuring our pillow design in the top right corner!! Wooohooo!

The Summer 2013 issue of Quilts and More is available NOW in news stands and features adorable projects by Carrie, Julie and yours truly. You can even find Julie's table setting pattern for free online HERE!

If you would like to try your hand at sewing up one of our Scrap Lab projects, we are offering a FABRIC KIT, so you can make any of the projects featured in the magazine!

The Scrap Lab Kit includes:

• 1/2 yard of Natural Texture
• Fat Eighth of the 6 fabric prints shown from above Textured Basics

It sells for $15.00 including shipping within the US.
(Magazine not included)

Want to win a free copy of this magazine? Leave us a comment below and we will draw a winner this Friday, May 10th. Best of luck!!

HOLLY JUMPER DRESS
MODKID's Newest PDF Sewing Pattern

Well, as you have probably noticed already, we are really embracing the PDF revolution! We started producing these downloadable e-patterns in November of last year, and so far we have 6 already produced with a few more on the way.  So far we are hearing wonderful things about them, but we'd love to hear more. Leave us a comment for your chance to win a free PDF pattern of your choice!

Today, we are thrilled to announce the newest addition to our e-pattern line up. It's called the HOLLY JUMPER DRESS. Holly is an adorable jumper dress that can be worn with or without an undershirt. It features a series of skinny shoulder straps that weave in a beautiful pattern onto a racerback bodice, and two very full gathered skirts for maximum twirl power. A couple of drawstrings at the front give the overskirt a scalloped look, letting the underskirt peek out ever so slightly. It comes in sizes 2T to 10 all in the same pattern, just like our paper patterns do.

Find it on ETSY and CRAFTSY (and coming soon to an e-vendor near you!) :)

My favorite feature in this pattern is the back bodice. Here's a closer look at the way those four straps intertwine in the back. LOVE IT!

Above photos are courtesy of M.A.S. Photography.

I also love the scalloped skirt. Those drawstrings are so sweet! Check out the amazing photos I've received from my testers...

A million thanks to my pattern tester, Elizabeth Shepherd,  for the wonderful test sample and pattern feedback. Above photos courtesy of child photographer, Jessica Castaneda from Jessica Idalia Photography. Our adorable model, Brie, is wearing a Holly dress made with Puffy Bird, from Heaven & Helsinki, and Diamonds, from Textured Basics.

Now, take a look at this adorable version...

 Worn with an undershirt...

A million thanks to my pattern tester, Linda Edson (www.allegrofabrics.com), for the wonderful test sample and pattern feedback. Above photos courtesy of Sofia Laos Photography. Her adorable model, Nicky, is wearing a Holly dress made with Spare a Square, from Heaven & Helsinki, and Shoreline, from Textured Basics.

Here are a couple of other photos of Holly I've received, not sewn in my fabric, but still precious. :)

Above two photos courtesy of Teresa Abel Martin 

Above photo courtesy of Jenny McCourt © 2013 Kim Russell Photography

Hope you enjoyed the photos! Again, you can find HOLLY on our Etsy and Craftsy stores, and soon it will be at a few e-vendors out there too!

Now, I just want to do something fun. Since this whole downloadable pattern thing is still a new venture for us, I would love to hear your feedback. Have your purchased one of our e-patterns before? If so, what did you think of it? If not, are there any specific patterns you are hoping to see from us? Anything new you are excited about getting?

Here's is a quick recap of our current e-pattern offerings. You can see them all here on Etsy:

We also have a few new ones in the works. Here is a sneak peek of a couple currently out in testing:

Please leave us a comment and on Wednesday, we will draw 3 winners who will each get to choose a FREE e-pattern from our Etsy store. Please leave us a way to contact you if you are a lucky winner! GOOD LUCK!!

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!!

Looking ahead to 2013
Also, a coupon code and an awesome giveaway!

Yes, yes, I know it's already mid-January and I should've done this post a couple weeks ago. But with the kids being on Winter break and me trying to catch up on all the work that piled up, I'm just now getting to this. Well, 2012 is over and I find myself reflecting on all that we did last year.

• My first book, Sewing MODKID Style, went on sale in April.
• We launched not one, not two, not three, but FOUR fabric collections! (this is a first). First, we had Andalucia 2012, which was a reprint in different colors of my debut line. Then we had Heaven & Helsinki, which was offered in wovens and knits. And then we had Textured Basics in the Fall. OK, so maybe it was 3.5 lines ;)
• We launched 15 new sewing patterns, including 6 Micro Minis! This puts our grand total at 54! WHOA! (and I still remember when we launched our first four in the Spring of '09... almost 4 years ago! Seems like just yesterday. How time flies. sniff, sniff)
• We offered several free tutorials: Umbrella Redux, V-Day Fortunes, and Elf Stocking.
• We were featured on print, web and TV! And then more print. And even more print. All in all, we were featured in 5 national and international magazines in 2012.
• I started offering my designs as digital cutting files on Silhouette America.

WOW! That was a crazy busy year! And... 2013 is already shaping up to be even busier than last year (based on the amount of contracts I've had to review in the past few days!). But... before we get into the nitty gritty of designing and producing, we would like to hear from you! Yes, YOU!

In the comments section, we would like to hear your ideas:

• Fabric themes (more of something, less of something?)
• Fabric Colors (again... more of something, less of something?)
• Fabric substrates (anything besides quilting cotton? or are you happy with just the cottons?)
• Sewing patterns: any specific requests? (more girls, boys, baby, toddler. women's, plus sizes, home decor items?)
• Tutorials and PDFs. We do have a couple of PDF patterns on YCMT and Craftsy, but would like to do more! Anything in particular you'd like to see in downloadable format?
• Classes, workshops, lectures, events of any kind?
• Other products. What other products out there (does not have to be sewing-related) would you like to see Patty or MODKID lend their signature style to?

Tell us anything... this is your chance to be heard!

For your time, we are offering you:
10% off anything on the MODKID site with the code BLOGSPECIAL.
This coupon code expires 1/15/2013.

But, also, we will review all your suggestions and choose our 3 favorites. Those 3 people will receive a $25.00 gift certificate to our web store, so make them good, people!! You have until this time next week to get your ideas in! GO!

A peek inside our living quarters

The newest issue of GenerationQ magazine (Winter 2012) is on its way right now to book stores and quilt shops across the nation and I am excited to announce that it includes an 8-page spread on our home and studio. This is the one that features my buddy, and fellow fabric designer, Thomas Knauer (and his adorable daughter, Bee), on the cover. It's definitely a must get!

I let privacy go out the window and, for the first time ever, take you inside our home to show you where we cook, eat, hang out, and visit with friends. We even show you our daughters' bedrooms (yes, they picked up for a change)! Then, we take a little stroll over to the MODKID studio — which is about 10 minutes from our home — and visit with Emalee while she sews up a quilt that will appear in a future issue. Oh, so much to share! In this issue, you'll learn about my decorating style, my influences and background. Also, I speak about our transition from home-studio to full-fledged studio space... and all the trials and tribulations associated with that.



Psst... I've made this picture small on purpose... because I want you to go get the issue and read the article. In addition, you'll get some amazing projects, product reviews and more cool stories to peruse!

Go get one... NOW! If you can't find it at your local quilt shop or book store, here is a list of online retailers that carry GenerationQ magazine.

But, I do happen to have an extra copy of this issue in my hands and since I'm letting go of my hoarder tendencies, I am giving it away! If you'd like your chance at winning a copy of this issue, please leave a comment below. Don't forget to leave a way for us to contact you if you are the lucky winner. A winner will be randomly chosen next Wednesday, November 14th.

Best of luck!!

One Million Pillowcase Challenge
57 closer to the goal!



I was honored when the team at American Patchwork and Quilting asked me to help promote this amazing event called the One Million Pillowcase Challenge. In case you have never heard of this, APQ is tring to reach their goal of sewing 1 million pillowcases and donating them to charities around the country. I was so touched by this program that I decided that MODKID should become a participating shop... and so we did! Next thing you know we had people coming out of the woodwork to help us help APQ reach their goal.

We had a sew-in last Friday with some local sewing and quilting enthusiasts and check out what we made...



Everyone brought their machines, set up camp at MODKID and sewed up some beauties, using patterns readily available here and fabric donated by us.



Even my girls pitched in...



All in all, we finished 18 pillowcases that day, including a couple sent in by my mom.



If you'd like to see some of these up close and read about what fabrics and patterns we used, click here, here and here.

But that's not all! My former intern, Jessica, organized a sewing group at Illinois State University's Apparel Merchandising and Design Association, and they were able to make 39 more pillowcases! Just look at all these young girls sewing their hearts out at the ISU Sewing Lab! It's so great seeing a whole community come together for a wonderful cause like this one.







Yesterday, Emalee and I collected all the pillowcases, divided them into 3 groups and delivered them to the following charities:

The Crisis Nursery

Children's Home & Aid

1119 E. Taylor, Bloomington, IL 61701 

***

The Clare House

Center for Battered Women
703 E. Washington Street, Bloomington, IL

***

The Child Advocacy Center 

200 W. Front St.,  Suite 500 B
Bloomington, IL  61701

We got to tour their facilities and hear their stories, and just felt so lucky to be able to help out like this. I would like to thank each an every one of you who helped us with this cause... Terri, Pat, Jen, Beth, Carissa, Vicky, Maria (a.k.a "Mami"), Sophie, Sydney, Erin, Emalee, Jessica and all of the AMDA students! Also, a big thanks to APQ for organizing this wonderful event!

Would you like to make your own pillowcase at home? Leave us a comment and on Monday, Sept. 24th we'll randomly draw a winner who will receive enough fabric to make two pillowcases plus a full-color print out of the pattern of your choice from the APQ site. You can keep one and donate the other, or donate both... it's up to you. You can find a charity in your hometown or send the pillowcase(s) back to us and we'll take them to one of the charities above. Please, don't forget to leave a way for us to contact you if you win. GOOD LUCK!!

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:

1. 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!
2. 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. ;)
3. 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

9/25 – Craftiness is not Optional

9/26 – Bari J.

9/27 – Confessions of a Craft Addict

9/28 – SisBoom.com

10/1 – Sew Mama Sew

10/2 – Aesthetic Nest

10/3 – Blue Nickel Studios

10/4 – Betz White

10/8 – YummyGoods.com

10/10-  Wiley Craft