Itsy bitsy sneak peek

If you follow MODKID on Facebook, then you've probably already seen the sneak peeks of our Fall 2012 Pattern collection... back-to-school edition. If you don't, then I invite you to "like" our MODKID page to get the latest and greatest news on all things MODKID.

Here's an itsy bitsy sneak peek... way more photos and info on Facebook. But, if you don't do FB, don't fret, we will do a full reveal next week here on the blog. I am just waiting to shoot a couple of covers and receive some more tester photos before I can do the whole reveal.



Here are a few FAQs we've been receiving on FB:

When will these patterns be ready to order?
These patterns will go to print the week of August 20th, so depending on how quickly we can get them back from the printer, they should be ready to ship by end of August or beginning of September.

Can we pre-order these patterns?
Retailers will be able to pre-order them as soon as we get them up on our site. This should be sometime next week... look for our e-newsletter! To be added to our mailing list, please send a request to jjyoung@modkidboutique.com. Sorry, there is no pre-ordering on consumer orders.

What size does the baby pattern come in?
Our Baby Hannah pattern will come in sizes 6M - 36M.

What sizes does the tween pattern come in?
Our tween/teen pattern, Hailey, will come in sizes 10, 12, 14 and 16 (girls). It can be sewn with knits or wovens.

Will you make a women's version of this tween pattern?
If the tweens/teens version sells well and there is enough demand for a women's version, we will definitely consider it.

Are any online shops carrying the Heaven & Helsinki knits yet?
Last I heard, the new knits would ship in mid-August (just in time for this pattern release!)  but if I get new info, I will update it here too!

Stay tuned for a full reveal next week here on the blog!

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...

True story...

The new sewing patterns went to print today and I can finally breath a huge sigh of relief. I wouldn't be lying if I said this was by far the most time-consuming and stressful of all of our pattern releases. And it's probably in part because I became a little (or a lot) OCD in the last moments before handing over the files. Now that it's all over, I think we made the right decisions, but at the time I was second-guessing myself and probably stressing out everyone around me in the process. haha

Case in point, this past Friday I was about to collect all files and burn the disk when I looked at one of our covers and thought it probably needed another "view" shown so everyone out there could easily see that the dress looks so different if sewn with other options and fabric combos. Keep in mind that we've already told the printing company that the files are on their way and they have scheduled their presses accordingly. I called Emalee and Jon over to my desk and presented my idea to them: re-shooting the cover with two models (two views) instead of one. This meant that Emalee had to drop everything and sew a new dress, Jon had to call the printer and say "Stop the presses!", and I had to call my friend Nikki and ask if we could pretty please borrow her adorable daughter for a quickie photo shoot that evening. Luckily all three of these people didn't look at me like I had three heads (or maybe they did behind my back) but we made it work...

Emalee sewed a new version of this dress in record time (seriously, the girl works magic on that sewing machine... sparks fly all around!). Jon got the printing company to agree to receiving the files today (Monday) instead of Friday as expected. And Nikki, brought cute little Anna, all full of smiles over to MODKID HQ after school.

I always let the girls goof off a bit before the real shoot so they can get comfortable with the camera (plus it's a great way for me to play with the lighting and get it just right) so here are a few of the practice shots we took that evening.



Silly girls...



Cracking up...



Cute daydreamy looks...



Then we got the pose I wanted but lo and behold, they didn't both look "perfect" in it, even though we shot over 50 photos of this pose alone! As you see below, the girls each looked better in a different version of the same shot.



So that's where my other pal, Photoshop, came to the rescue. Take a girl from here and a girl from there, even out the background, sharpen a little over here, brighten a little over there, some creative cropping and VOILA!



Then as I was ready to hit SAVE, my computer crashed and I had to start all over again from scratch. The photos were still there, but I lost all the Photoshop work I did for the past hour+. That's when I said "That's it! I'm done for today!" We ordered Chinese take-out, got a couple of beers, let the kids play in the back with the Wii and had a good laugh. On Saturday, I came in and worked my magic, in the quiet and peaceful studio, and the final picture turned out even better than the first one... so I guess everything happens for a reason. ;)

Retailers: if you have a wholesale account, you can log on to our wholesale site and pre-order all the new patterns. For the rest of you, you'll have to wait a couple of weeks to see them all up there... heehee... but I will sneak peek them all as I usually do here, so stay tuned!!

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.

Introducing... Penelope Plus!

Thank you all for the super positive reception of Naomi and the new Kyoko Tweens' and Misses' patterns. I am giddy with excitement about this new line-up! Last pattern reveal, but certainly not least, is Penelope Plus. We get A TON of requests for Women's Plus-Size patterns and when Kathy Miller did a quilt shop tour back in the Summer, she found out that this was the most requested pattern, so I knew it was a must!



Penelope Plus comes in sizes 1X (16-18), 2X (20-22) and 3X (24-26) and 6 different versions so you can have a different look for each day of the week. :) See more detailed sizing info and fabric requirements on the site.



Here are a couple of my favorite photos from the cover shoot with my beautiful model, Felicia. She is wearing View C in Aromatherapy Berry with Zen Garden Ocean for the neck band and ruffle.







A million thanks to my pattern testers, Carrie Siegel and Jenni Alexander for the wonderful feedback!

For that perfect “Just Like Me” look, check out our girl’s Penny pattern (sizes 2T - 10 girls) and our Misses’ Penelope pattern (sizes XS - XL), sold separately.

Again, these are just sneak peeks. The patterns will be in stock at the beginning of May. Retailers, you can pre-order all new patterns NOW on our website. Log-in with your user name & password and happy shopping! :)

Let the Sneak Peeks begin!
Introducing.... NAOMI!



Naomi is the quintessential “beach dress”... casual, lightweight, comfortable and oh, so adorable! It features “shabby chic” raw-edge braided straps, a sweet ruffled hem, a cute little patch pocket with ruffled edges and a soft and comfy shirred back. Perfect for a seaside wedding, a family picnic or a casual trip to the farmer’s market, Naomi can be made in dress length or shirt length to suit your child’s needs. Mix and match your favorite fabric prints for a whimsical look.

Naomi comes in sizes 2T - 10 (girls) and is designed to be sewn with woven fabrics 44"/45" wide, like quilting weight cottons, shirtings, voiles, gauzes, lawns, linens and muslins.



You may remember my Hilton Head photos from a couple weeks back... the girls had such a fun time playing at the beach!

Sydney sported the dress version in size 6...



And Sophie wore the shirt version of NAOMI in size 10.


The raw-edge braided straps give this dress that sweet "shabby chic" look. Before we had a name for it, we all called it the "Sun Goddess" dress! haha



Now, how about some gorgeous inspiration images courtesy of my amazing pattern testers, Melissa Baker and Gina Neitzel?













Aren't they adorable?!? I know I always go overboard with pictures here but you guys don't mind, do you?

*** NOTE: This is just a sneak-peek! Naomi (and all the other Spring 2011 sewing patterns) will be available for purchase at the beginning of May. Retailers, you should have already received a pre-order e-newsletter this morning, but if you are not on our mailing list, please email jjyoung@modkidboutique.com to be added right away. ***

Stay tuned as many, many more reveals are on their way!!

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...

Meet & Greet and a Sneak Peek

Today was Sophie's "Meet & Greet" at her Kindergarten. Pretty much we went in for an hour, met the teacher, toured the school, put away all of her supplies, asked questions, met the other students and got familiarized with all the procedures. Sophie was so excited about this day, even though tomorrow is the "official" first day of school.

At Target this past weekend, Sophie announced to me defiantly that she would NOT wear MODKID on her first day. I was heartbroken to say the least but I knew this day would come sooner or later. Well, I always encourage individual thinking in my kids and I applaud their decision-making skills, but I guess somewhere deep inside I was hoping she would "decide" to wear one of my originals.

So, up we went last night to her room where she would pick out her "first day of school outfit" ... NOT A MODKID, she reiterated. I was holding back the chuckles and smirks when she came out of the closet holding this dress. It didn't have a tag on it because I made it as a sample for her to wear so I never put one on... or else she would have recognized it as a MODKID right away. Even though she cannot read yet (because she's only 5), she can recognize my logotype every time.

The meet & greet went great! She was the best dressed kid at her class and a few of the moms commented on her outfit (which of course made me extremely proud). :)

Now we are back home and I am getting ready for and amazing launch that starts tomorrow. You may have seen the teal & tan logo on my sidebar that reads "INDELIBLE". Well, if you haven't heard about it, let me fill you in: I am joining 50 other ebay designers in a launch that showcases the scrumptious fabrics of Joel Dewberry. The man himself has joined us on the board to say hello and chat a bit. It has been an incredible experience to be among such talent and such amazing women. I have seen a lot of sneak peeks and let me tell you, you will be blown away. Eva and Michelle have done an incredible job at leading this group and I just cannot wait until tomorrow when all of our listings will be up.

So, tomorrow, search "Boutique Indelible" on eBay to see all the gorgeous pieces that will be up for auction. Here is a sneak peek of mine. > But I guess if you want to see more, all you have to do is click on my Flickr Badge >>>>>> over there >>>>>> on my side bar. :)

See you all tomorrow!