Freddy Moran is unforgettable. She's funny, talented, colorful, witty, frank, charming, wicked stylish and some one I am lucky enough to call my friend. I met Freddy when I began designing fabrics for P&B Textiles 30 years ago and Irwin Bear, the owner knew it was imperative that I meet all the local movers and shakers of the quilt scene in the San Francisco Bay Area. Of course she was one of them even though she was just coming into the quilt scene and lamenting the fussy piecing and perfect matched seams of shaker blue and tea dyed calicos that has previously defined many American quilts. We actually had a class together at the Cotton Patch and both of us fled class, feeling completely subpar at our inability to stitch a straight line and press open a seam..because we were off 1/32 of an inch...Seriously...she brought out her ruler to measure our work....Wrong teacher for us! We have laughed at that early story ever since. She has become a local icon and inspiration to us all with her renegade "red is a neutral" quote and encouraging quilters to just jump in, not be afraid of putting fabric down, and to just get in the studio and do the work.  She loves color. She uses all kinds of hues and patterns. She liberates everyone who has ever taken a class from her to just keep adding more color, and not worry about your technique. Grab so glue! Go ahead, no judgement here!  JUST HAVE FUN. And if it's not fun, why are you doing it? Did I mention she is mother to 5 grown men, 12 grandchildren ( I think) and family is paramount to her...Which is another reason I love her so. 

Making Faces is her latest collection that was shown here in Berkeley at Hello Stitch and the other half of her collection hung at Bay Quilts this past month. Seeing them all together lined up along a massive white wall with sun streaming in from large skylights just made me smile. She is uninhibited, a natural born creative and I was thrilled that she was feeling up to the outing. Freddy has had a very difficult year and gave all those who love her a real scare. She came through the other side and is back at it in her studio with a little help from maker friends and shines brightly when she meets a new quilter. It's one of my favorite things when we have been out and about together. People are drawn to her and she lights up a room and really engages with each and every person she talks quilts with. I just love witnessing these interactions. Her years of teaching have influenced multiple generations of makers and we are so lucky she has embraced her style, strong voice and shared her stories and visual delights with us. 

This picture below was taken three years ago when Anthropologie opened up in Walnut Creek. We were so excited and made a special trip to see all the delicious design, color in home decor and fashion. What a fun day, one I will always cherish. We shopped till we dropped then headed to lunch across the street at Neiman Marcus for a little bubbly....and some small bites...Please leave any comments you might have for Freddy.  I will pass them along to her. I know she'd love to hear from you and is always amazed that she has influenced so many makers in the world of color and fabric. 

Keep Making,
Stay Creative,
​xx

It's my day on the {Amazing} Adventures in Paper Piecing & Design Book Tour!! Guess what pattern we're  highlighting from the book??? Sarah's VooDoo Feathers in my new Winter Shimmer Fabric !!

I fell in love with Sarah Elisabeth Sharp's work and her when she first burst onto the quilting scene. I met her at a Meet and Greet during Quilt Market*...instantaneously charmed. She's bubbly, enormous smile, sparkling eyes and a passion for paper piecing. Her colorful, witty and vibrant work surfaces after she lawyers all day and in the midst of raising two children...actually now it's three! (I can totally relate except she has daughters, I have three sons) Unstoppable expression of creativity...Yup. She just glows and with her energy, it was clear to me, that in addition to making patterns, She had to write a book for C&T Publishing. So there you have it. We became friends and she has worked her magic as I have watched her grow. I have been lucky enough to have her work with many of my fabric lines through Robert Kaufman too. She has been delighting makers everywhere with her patterns and images and now we are so lucky to have a 144 pages of her colorful paper piecing genius of HOW TO in our hot little hands. Better get a copy to add to your quilting library. 

* she informed me it was actually Quilt Con- Pasadena, three years ago and I was doing pushups after a cocktail (or two?).....Hmmm. My birthday challenge.... and no, above feathers are not life size body pillows...That illusion may tempt the nappers out there... it's kinda a cool idea.....anyone gonna accept the challenge? LMK.

We are giving away some Winter Shimmer too! Details below for entering. But thats what they look like above. Plus you can see more here on my page

Closeup of feather made in Stormy Sky Charm Pack of Konas and two prints from Winter Shimmer. So elegant! Her book is filled with how to make your own designs so you learn the method, approach to design, using prompts and how to choose color and fabric. If you want to  learn how to do the process with a less challenging pattern, I think this VOODOO FEATHER Is a great jumping off point. She has 7 projects from which you can choose to replicate (patterns back of book) and use your own fabric choices. 

EDIT 01/22/19 CONGRATULATIONS TO LAURA TAWNEY! SHE WON!! Thank you all for commenting. I read and appreciate each and every one. For a chance to win a copy Sarah’s book and a bundle of my WINTER SHIMMER  you must comment below. We will randomly pick winner. Over on Instagram, We are also doing give aways as I know some of you who follow my blog don't necessarily do Instagram.  On Instagram, tag as many friends as you’d like for additional chances to win plus you have to follow Sarah too @nohatsquilts!! This giveaway is open until January 28, Monday morning. International comments welcome and due to postage pricing, if you are overseas, and you win, I will CRAM as much fabric I can into a  small flat rate box....SO you might have to do a little ironing...but that's no biggie, right? 

Below is the schedule and books are being donated at every stop plus many of the contributors are also giving free swag away so please follow along to be inspired and learn more. Some real talented folks are showing their skills. 

#adventuresbooktour
Adventures in Paper Piecing & Design
January 7 – 26, 2019
Monday January 7 – Plant Lady
Heather Givans (@crimsontate | crimsontate.com)
Featured Quilter: Marion McClellan (@myquiltdiet)
Tuesday January 8 – Graffiti FPP
Sarah Sharp (@nohatsquilts | nohatsinthehouse.com)
Wednesday January 9 – Design Prompt No. 1 – Learning by the Letter
Giuseppe Ribaudo (aka Giucy Giuce) (@giucy_giuce)
Thursday January 10 – Snooze
Amanda Castor (@materialgirlquilts | materialgirlquilts.com)
Featured Quilter: Karlee Porter (@karleeporterdesign)
Friday January 11 – Design Prompt No. 2 – Traditional with a Twist
Katy Cameron (@the_littlest_thistle | the-littlest-thistle.com)
Saturday January 12 – Prickly Path
Anneliese Johnson (@eyecandyquilts | eyecandyquilts.com)
Featured Quilter: Angela Walters (@angelafmq)
Featured Fabric Designer: Alison Glass (@alisonglass)
Monday January 14 – Design Prompt No. 3 – Objects
Alison Robins (@littleislandquilting)
Tuesday January 15 – Voodoo Feathers
Jennifer Sampou (@jennifersampou | jennifersampou.com)
Wednesday January 16 – Design Prompt No. 4 – Creatures
Anne Sullivan (@playcrafts | play-crafts.com)
Thursday January 17 – Folksy Friends
Sarah Sharp (@nohatsquilts | nohatsinthehouse.com)
Featured Quilter: Kathleen Riggins (@kathleenquilts)
Friday January 18 – Design Prompt No. 5 – Think Outside the (Square) Block
Cath Hall (@wombatquilts | wombatquilts.com)
Saturday January 19 – Fireflies
Sarah Lauzon (@cera.bee | sarahjlauzon.com)
Featured Quilter: Rachael Dorr (@rachaeldorr)
Sunday January 20 – Sunday Book Review!
Sarah Ashford (@sarahashfordstudio)
Tuesday January 22 – Design Prompt No. 6 – Repeat Designs
Allison Dutton (@allisonsews | allison-sews.blogspot.com)
Wednesday January 23 – Jungleview
Merran Fryer (@123bluejumper)
Thursday January 24 – Design Prompt No. 7 – Single Foundation Paper Piecing
Jamie Swanson (@jamiemswansonquilts)
Friday January 25 – Double Diamond Wedding Ring
Elisabeth Hardy (@elisabew | elisabewquilts.com)
Featured Quilter: Andrea Munro (@practicaldazzle)
Saturday January 26 – Recap and Photography
Sarah Sharp (@nohatsquilts | nohatsinthehouse.com)
Eric Lubrick (@ericlubrick | ericlubrick.com)

Wrapping this up, I would like to wish you a Happy New Year and share that 2019 is a big year for me - I started designing fabric for P&B Textiles 1989- Yup that was 30 years ago. I am so thankful to be in this industry and more fired up than ever....So, naturally I have a few things up my sleeve and with the help of Robert Kaufman and C&T Publishing and many quilting friends, I will be unfolding some pretty fun stuff this year.  Stay tuned and keep those rotary cutters sharp, needles pointy and maker head, heart and hands ready!  


Creatively yours,

Hey Beautiful Makers out there!!
Thrilled to show you my lastest collection, Chalk and Charcoal (for sale) made up in my Polygon Quilt Pattern with a little twist. Yes, I have made a few of these quilts from my latest pattern (C&T Publishing) and part of the pleasure of repeating a theme/pattern is to delve deeper and discover more about a set of shapes and how they relate when different guidelines are applied. 

Instead of doing a solid, one piece background on which to appliqué my wonkie hexies, I cut bands of 4" wide strips (10 strips to be exact, by width of fabric) choosing all Kona neutrals that coordinate with my new Chalk and Charcoal Collection. The only strip that isn't 4" wide is the very bottom, steel essex which is 9 1/2" wide by width of fabric. I also oriented the polygons in a landscape format which I really enjoy. It gives the pattern a whole different feel.  

Below: 2 movie clips showing (can see on website blog only) up close and personal video of new collection: Take a nice long cleansing breath. These vids are slow and easy....just how I like my fabric petting time :)

I built my quilt as I stitched the background strips together starting with the three center strips. That way I could layout two columns of polygons on top of the three sewn background strips and machine appliqué with MonoPoly as I went along. I used two charm packs to make Polygons: One of Chalk&Charcoal and the other of my Chalk and Charcoal Coordinate pack. Background stripes used 1/8 yd of Kona Khaki, Natural, Silver, Haze, Snow. 1/4 yard of Essex Steel, Kona White, Oyster and Doeskin. These notes in my blog today will offer extended benefit and more ideas to the pattern for those of you who have purchased it and making your own Polygon Play Quilt. The options are many!!

By having these 4" strips which finish at 3 1/2" you have built in lines to follow with your polygon center seams and no need for marking pencil or tailors chalk. I like the ease of this approach too. For the fun of all you makers out there, once again I have chosen twenty coordinating fabrics to go with Chalk and Charcoal prints out of Robert Kaufman's Essex, Essex Metallic and Essex Homespun. You can see all the fabulous, yummy texture that happens between my prints and the various wovens. I also had fun with transparent effects (notice the white band on left give the feeling it's a translucent strip shrouding polygons)

Note the November 10, 2017 date up above. This is the final stage of putting together a collection. I work a year in advance to bring you new fabrics!

Hello Stitch, one of my favorite local sewing studios in Berkeley California, did the wonderful quilting on this piece and they always help me out in a pinch. And I usually am in a pinch as promotion for release and marketing is always a very real deadline! 

The back of the quilt highlights two of my favorite prints from Chalk and Charcoal, Marble and Lyrical with the selvage as the dividing dark line. I use my custom labels I made for all my quilts now. Yes, I have grown up in that regard and very much enjoy the lovely finish of taking the extra time to execute these details with patience and pride. The facing instead of traditional binding is also a nice, modern touch.   

Chalk and Charcoal  Designed in my California studio, 26 fabrics printed in Japan, are shipping to your favorite stores  May 2018. (I HOPE they have ordered it for you!!)  If not, I am also taking preorders in my shop for 1/2 cuts and FQ bundles. There are also Rollups, Ten Squares 10" and Charm Packs 5" squares sold as precuts. I love what I do and feel so fortunate to be able to share my passion of design and textiles with you. Let me know if you have any questions. Hearing from you brightens up my day!

Now GO CREATE and HAVE FUN!
Xx
​

My new Polygon Quilts pattern is a riff on hexie quilts and pushes the concept of polygons by taking them toward an improvisational bent. It came about as a mistake, a roadblock due to lack of supplies. And that can be pretty exciting. Who needs a perfect little template anyway???

I'll tell you the story:
A while back on a Friday afternoon just as the kids were getting off the bus, Todd and I were packing up "the brick" (our old red, beater SUV), to head up to the mountains. Rushing to get the dogs in... Is there enough room? The duffle just fell on Indie and Luna! (they're such a putter uppers- love my dogs) Don't forget the kibble... William did you feed the chickens? Marky lock the back doors...Is Tommy even coming? Todd scrambling to get the last bike on the rack and I was sweeping through my studio full force gathering up my hexie weekend project stuffing my supplies into my tote. Let's go! We'll Beat the traffic!

The next morning, waking up in the fresh mountain air, eating a big breakfast and after a hike in the woods I was ready to settle into my sewing project with my new fabric Studio Stash (2015) while the boys went fishing. Peace and quiet at last. Ahhhh.

Within minutes of unpacking my supplies, I realized I had forgotten my hexie templates on my studio table.%$#%#()& !!!! I was frustrated that of all the stuff I packed into that car, I had forgotten that little stack of perfect paper pieces I hoped would bring joy to my afternoon. 

Now what should I do? Too lazy to drive into Truckee... as well as too cheap/irritated to buy another pack of hexies (these qualities drive creativity indeed!) I decided to mess around with my new 5" charm packs. O'well. Let's see what comes of it. So I chain pieced a few HST, cut them and pressed. Felt pretty good. I love the repetitive process of sewing, cutting, pressing, fooling around with turning over and basting the imperfect edges. Within a few hours, I had amassed a pile of wonky hexies. It was a super fun and forgiving process, plus each shape was slightly different than the one before. They each had little personalities...! The creative juices were flowing and I was in the zone. 

 Techniques: Sew baste vs glue. Both work. Polygon layout took more studying, measuring and figuring. Puzzle pieces. 

Machine and hand appliqué are both rewarding ways to secure the polygons to background fabric. 

So there you have it. Thats how this quilt and pattern came to be. Making these wonkie shapes became a little addiction and I had made multiple pieces by the time we were ready to offer the pattern. Endless ideas for Layout of Polygons: Spiral, Wave, Rain etc (images in pattern booklet) and varying scale of polygons is also a fun study. We are tickled at the potential of this concept and can't wait to see what you all do! Make sure to hashtag on Instagram #jennifersampou #polygonplayquilt #polygonquilts so I can see your creativity at work! And hey! I would love to see you in NAPA!! 

Pillows, table runners, bags are all options for projects with Polygon Play Quilts

Polygon Toile. Shows off the main toile fabric while center panel dances with colors and shapes. 

Be well. Make well.
​