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...

DIY V-Day Fortunes



Valentines Day is such a sweet holiday and my girls get so excited about passing out their valentines at their class parties. Since I'm not a huge fan of those store-bought, generic Valentines with the licensed characters, I always try to come up with a cute idea that we can make at home together with not a lot of time or money involved.

Last year I shared with you my Valentine Favor Box template, which was a huge success among my kids' friends and teachers, but this year I wanted to do something a bit different since they are not allowed to bring in chocolates due to peanut allergies. So, after a little trial and error, I came up with a new fun little project to do with them. This is certainly not a new idea... I've seen these "fortune cookies" done before several times, sometimes out of fabric, like in Kate's blog and sometimes out of felt, like in Martha's blog. In order to share a template online, I made mine out of card stock using some very sweet and girly designs from all my fabric collections, and they turned out oh so cute!!

The first thing you need to do is download my high-res template. Click on the image below, which will take you straight to Flickr. Download the largest file size (original file), which will be 8.5" x 11" at 300 d.p.i.


Print the file to your color printer at 100% on thick paper. I used 90lb. Index Card Stock from Office Max. NOTE: Your printer may tell you that the file is too big for your paper. That is OK! Do NOT "reduce" or "fit to page". There is a sizable white edge around the image, so your circles will not get cut off, I promise. I also printed the back side of my pages with a hot pink solid, so the insides of my fortunes would be colorful.



For the fortunes, I just typed a cute message and "signed" it from each of the girls so they would be personalized. The fortune papers are approximately 3" wide x 1/2" high. I was able to print both of my girls' entire class, including teachers, in 1 letter sized sheet! If you need a template to go by, you can use this one, then just change the names before you print!



After you have all your circles printed, proceed to cut them out around the edge. Your circles should be 4" wide.



Then, insert a fortune in the center of your circle and fold the circle in half, with the printed design on the outside.



Be careful not to crease that fold, just softly hold the edges of the circle together with your fingers.



Next, hold the edges of your circle using your thumb and middle finger, as shown below, so that you can push the center with your index finger.



Push the folded center on the circle in while bringing the two outer edges together until you form that fortune cookie shape.



Lastly, dab a dot of hot glue to hold those sides together. Otherwise, the paper will come undone right away and your fortune will fall out. Kate used twisty ties and Martha used floral wire, to help the fortune cookies hold their shape, but I didn't have either of those items on hand, so I found the hot glue works pretty well.



And VOILA! This is what they will look like when finished.



I have the first batch done now and I only spent a few minutes. Now, I'll wait for the girls to come home from school so they can help me assemble the rest. Sophie can cut, Sydney can fold and I'll be in charge of the glue gun. I predict we'll have them all done within a half an hour! :)



Enjoy!

WINNERS and another announcement

First of all I want to thank each and every one of you for the lovely comments regarding LUSH and our newest sewing patterns. Between our blog and Making It Fun, we received 685 comments and I read and enjoyed each and every one of them. Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart.

Without much further ado, I present you the three lucky winners, randomly chosen this morning from both blogs...

WINNER #1, who will receive 16 yards of fabric in the Sweet palette, is....

#127

Laura Ann Myers Jan 29, 2012 04:10 PM

I just love the Stargazers on the pink! WOW! I had those flowers at our wedding and they just make me weak in the knees! Simply amazing, job well done!

*****

WINNER #2, who will receive 19 yards of fabric from the Sunny palette, is...

#164

Shonda Jan 29, 2012 07:21 PM

These are beautiful prints, love them. My very favorite collection would have to be the Sunny Palette. LOVE LOVE LOVE those colors!!!

*****

WINNER #3, who will receive our four new MODKID sewing patterns, is...

#281 from Making it Fun

Kim Nugent said...

I love the new fabrics and the raincoat pattern! So perfect to brighten up rainy spring days.

February 3, 2012 8:36 PM

Congratulations to all!!! Please email egrambo@modkidboutique.com at your earliest convenience with your mailing address and Emalee will get your prize packages out to you a.s.a.p.

Now, I know a lot of you commented about wanting to see new laminates so you could sew our new Paige pattern as a raincoat, so here's our new announcement...



Yes, the new LUSH Laminates are now in stock at Michael Miller, so retailers, you can order those now. That is our Sun & Surf Tote there on the left, which we are currently using as a swim bag... how perfect it is to hold all those wet items! And of course, our Paige pattern looks adorable as a reversible rain coat... we are so ready for the rainy season!

And since we also heard from lots of you that you are dying to get the new MODKID patterns, I am thrilled to announce that all the patterns arrived at our warehouse last Thursday and pre-orders began shipping right away. They should be arriving at your favorite retailer this week, so go ahead and ask them if they have the new patterns coming. :)

Have a great week everyone!

The BIGGEST giveaway we've ever hosted!

Hello, friends! If you're coming over here from Making It Fun (The Michael Miller Fabrics blog) then welcome! If this is your first stop, then I ask you to please go over there and read part 1 first.

Yes, you read right... this is the BIGGEST giveaway we've ever hosted! We are just head over heals in love with our newest fabric collection, Lush, and the new MODKID Spring 2012 Sewing Patterns to go with it, so we've prepared an awesome contest for you all.

The folks at Michael Miller Fabrics have graciously donated 1-yard cuts (yes, that's right!) of EVERY print in the collection! WOW, are you sure you have enough space in your sewing room for this? This is a HUGE bundle! And to top it off, we will send another lucky winner our entire Spring 2012 Sewing Pattern collection... that is 4 brand new patterns, hot off the press!

Here's what to do:

• If you haven't gone over to Making It Fun, please do that now and check out my Designer Spotlight.
• Come back and let us know what your favorite print in the Lush collection is and/or your favorite new MODKID pattern.
• For an extra chance to win, leave a comment at Making It Fun. We will be picking a winner from there too!

Winner #1 will receive 1-yard cuts of the entire SWEET colorway... that's 16 yards of fabric!!



Winner #2 will receive 1-yard cuts of the entire SUNNY colorway... that's 19 yards of fabric!!



Winner #3 will receive all 4 of MODKID's Spring 2012 Patterns!



All winners will be randomly chosen next Sunday, February 5th, 2012. Don't forget to leave us a way to contact you if you are one of the lucky winners!

So, there ya have it... what will you do with all this if you win? WOW! Best of luck to you all!!!

***UPDATE! This contest is now CLOSED! Thank you all. You can see the winners HERE.***

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!!

On being a hypocrite...



If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook or even here on ye olde blog, you've probably noticed that I've been really absent on the social media front lately. I hate to use this as an excuse because really, it's all work-related, but I have just been swamped with work. All the new patterns go to print tomorrow so we are knee deep in editing and proofing this week. The book comes out in just 8 short weeks so we are finishing up the promotions and marketing plan which includes blog tours, parties and a very special schoolhouse session at the Spring Quilt Market. Throw on top of that my busiest fabric season EVER -- two lines and three different substrates! More on all of that soon.

But, as the last of the patterns are being proofed by Emalee I found myself with a few minutes to spare this morning, so I thought I'd update the blog, but with what? My brain is mush right now because of being torn in a million different directions, lack of sleep and what not, so I can't do a serious work-related post at the moment.

Been thinking a lot about parenthood and about how it changes you... one might even venture to say it makes you somewhat of a hypocrite at times. The things I used to roll my eyes at and even mock out loud when I was young and single, are the things I find myself doing (and proudly) now.

Case in point, before kids came around, I used to think New Years Eve was not New Years Eve without a rocking party and a killer hangover the next day. Now, I find nothing wrong with staying home with the family, letting the kids stay up till midnight for once (even if one of them doesn't quite make it) and hugging and kissing at the stroke of midnight. The 20-year-old me would've thought the 40-year-old me was uncool, sad and utterly boring.

But more recently, the topic of music came up. I admit that I'm definitely not a prude when it comes to music or TV. As a kid and young teen it was all about Madonna and George Michael and we all know what some of their lyrics were like! Then later on, it was darker genres of music... I was all about alternative and industrial bands. The lyrics of some of these songs are utterly disturbing... but I loved them! And somehow I turned out alright (or so I hope).

Now, when it comes to my kids, it's a totally different story. They were listening to Pandora last night, the Selena Gomez station. I was working on my laptop just a few feet away, thinking it was all cool and fun. Then a Rihanna song came on. It was Rude Boy. Now, I'm not a Pandora expert, but I glanced over and saw that they had the lyrics up on the screen... and Sydney was looking at them! Eeeeek! I jumped out of my chair and skipped the song so fast she didn't know what happened... it was like supersonic speed!

So, I started thinking today and a facebook conversation between family and friends was sparked about this. Ya know, I never intended to be a "freaky mom". I know all too well that kids will be exposed to things worse than this in life (through school, friends, TV, etc.) and I can't shelter them forever. I also know that it's better if they are educated about things and if they feel free -- and comfortable -- to ask us questions if they are ever confused about something. That's why, as they grow older, I hope they see Jon and I as "friends" besides just "mom and dad".

But a little part of me just can't help but be overprotective and want my girls to stay little and innocent for as long as possible. I mean, I just cringe at the thought of my 7 year old singing (even if it's in her head) "Come on rude boy, boy, can you get it up?" or "Sex in the air... I love the smell of it!" Eeeek! Just typing that made me get chills all over. And again... the 20-year-old me would've thought I was ridiculous. But then again, the 20-year-old me would've hated Rihanna for a whole other reason... too mainstream! ;)

All of this talk about kids growing up too fast got me thinking about the little things... the little accomplishments that are bitter-sweet. Like, for example, the first time they are able to take a shower alone. Sydney (7) just started showering unassisted about 6 months ago. Of course, one of us always sits right outside the bathroom door... just in case. I usually just bring my laptop and check email or something. But as much as this alleviates our workload as parents, it's a little sad when they don't need you for everything. Also, I know this is going to seem so trivial and dumb to anyone out there who doesn't have kids but, the first time they understand that they have to hold on to the cuff of their long-sleeved shirts or sweaters before they put their jackets on because otherwise the sleeve will ride all the way up... that day is HUGE! And I mean tear-jerking huge... as in, WOW, she's all grown up! sniff, sniff. Then I remember all the times I whined about why they don't understand that and I have to go and fix the situation. Am I alone?



Mark my words... this little one up there ^^^ is gonna be trouble one day (regardless of what music she listens to!)

Anyway, well... looks like Emalee is done proofing, so I need to go and make some edits now. It's been fun, but that's it for now, folks. Deep thoughts, by Patty Young. ;)

Treat Yourself with a MODKID Discount Code



My latest fabric line, Lush, is finally hitting stores worldwide so we've decided to celebrate with some new treats and a discount. We've created a couple of sampler packs for you to test out our new Lush ribbons and now you can even have a 10% discount on your order! This applies not only to ribbon but to anything on our site, patterns, pin tins, fabric scrap bags and kits! In the coupon code box on the checkout form, please enter the code JAN10, and your order will update the total to reflect this coupon code. Please note, MODKID only sells directly to consumers in the USA. Coupon code expires January 31, 2012.

Lush Ribbon Sampler #5 has all the pink and orange tone ribbons:



And Lush Ribbon Sampler #6 has all the turquoise and green tone ribbons:



Our Woven Fabric Scrap Bags now come with bits & pieces of LUSH among other lines, so this is your chance to test out the new goodies... at a discount!(Limited quantities available).



And what better thing to make with your fabric scraps than these adorable Modern Lotus Pillow Covers? This super easy to make mini-pattern is now in stock and ready to ship!



Like I said above, the JAN10 coupon code will get you 10% your total order on ribbons, patterns, pin tins, kits and fabric scrap bags, and it expires on January 31st, so this is your chance to stock up for the new year!

Happy Shopping!

Thinking back and looking forward

We hosted Christmas at our house this year, which meant that all of my family from Florida came up and all of Jon's family from Chicago-area came down... luckily not all at once, so it wasn't super crazy (just a little). :) This was the first time in years that we had all of my family together under one roof -- well, actually, the first time EVER, if you take into account that our newest member is only 4 months old -- so we took this opportunity to try to get a nice family picture.

We all gathered at MODKID HQ late on December 22nd (after celebrating my sister's birthday), turned on the self-timer, and tried to get serious for a photo. Here's a look behind the scenes at our attempt to get everyone to stand in one spot, look forward, not close their eyes and smile for the camera (easier said that done, when you have 10 people ranging in ages from 4 months to 69 years!)



Of course, the kids behaved properly and did what they were told... can't say the same for the adults.











This one was almost perfect but baby Natalie was looking down and a few of us were looking, hmmmm... not so enthused.



So, with the help of my BFF (Photoshop) I took a face from here and another one from there, put them all together and... voila!



I drove my parents -- the last remaining guests at our house -- to the airport yesterday so now it's eerily quiet and a tad sad, so I'm trying to keep myself occupied with the piles and piles of work that awaits me at the office. Forgive me if you've sent an email that I haven't responded to yet. I promise I will get to it this week... or next!

I am really looking forward to this year. It's going to be a year of firsts in so many ways. This is the year I become a published author... YIPPEE!!! (and speaking of that, I didn't forget that I still owe you guys another book sneak peek... I'm working on it!). This is also the year in which I offer my fabric designs in more than one new exciting substrate... DOUBLE YIPPEE! (more on that soon, soon!) And lastly, we hope this is the year we grow our company beyond our wildest dreams. Ohhhh... we have so many plans and so many aspirations. My imagination goes non-stop!

I thank you all for your support in 2011 and I wish 2012 is the best year EVER for you too! Now, get back to work!! :)

Happy Holidays and a Prosperous New Year!

From the MODKID team to all of you!!

This 'n That

I've been immersed in the studio working non-stop on some pretty exciting new projects that I hope to share with you soon. Was meaning to blog about First Fridays last week, but time got away from me. Funny how that happens around this time of the year. But then a couple more exciting things happened yesterday and today, so now this is going to be one of those hodge-podge kind of posts, like this one from a few months ago.

We were so thrilled to be featured in our local newspaper, The Pantagraph, yesterday. They did a two-page spread on Modkid HQ, myself, Jon and Emalee... pretty much everything you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask about my life, background, how we started the company and how we make things work. If you're not local to Central Illinois, you can catch the article online here.



It was in the MONEY section, so I hope that's a sign of good things to come. ;)



There's Emalee with one of her designs and Jon showing off the ribbons in the warehouse.



Then, this morning, I get a tweet from my good friends Kim and Kris, from The DIY Dish, saying that the segment we taped back in September at The Creative Connection Event is finally up on their site. I share a Holiday craft that has been a tradition in my home for a few years now. I hope you check it out. I am incredibly honored to be in the same segment with the amazingly talented Kim Stoegbauer and Susan Branch. (!!!)

Here's a link to the video on You Tube or you can go directly to The DIY Dish and watch it there.



Finally, I wanted to share some images I captured from our December First Fridays event, because it was beyond my wildest dreams... from the wonderful window display design to the adorable little girls modeling MODKID dresses and accessories to the swarms of visitors -- old friends and new faces -- who stopped by. It really was an awesome evening!



So that the girls wouldn't get bored just standing up there with nothing to do, we gave them some glittery paper, funny-shaped scissors and had them cut snowflakes out. Boy, they LOVED this activity!



Just look at the concentration! Love those faces! :)



The girls waved at the passers-by and made everyone smile.



As more little girls came to the studio, we'd throw a MODKID on them and let them stand up there with the others.



The girls even got a surprise visit from their favorite jolly ol' man.



They told him they were very nice this year. Hmmmm... we'll see if he believes them.



Thank you to my sweet friends, Nikki Barr and Anna Snyder for letting their sweet and beautiful daughters be the MODKID Girls for that evening!

Up next.... book sneak peek #3! Stay tuned...