Strike Offs from Etno are finally here!

Hello Lovelies, 

I am super, super happy! I want to formally welcome my Etno strike offs :) Really? Pinch me!! It seemed ages since I wasn't having the excitement of introducing a fabric collection! Believe it or not, and after having designed more than 30 lines for AGF, I still feel these butterflies in my stomach when I'm about to share with you my new work! 

I am so thrilled to finally see my designs come to life --even if they only are little pieces for now... This last step marks the long wait until January 2015, when Etno finally is going to hit stores. 

Talking design, this is a bit of a departure from my floral lines --even though it has many beautiful flowers!! You may find it a bit different from my former collections; I think that as a designer, I need to evolve and bring new designs and color stories that make me fall in love when seeing new trends.

Even though they are just a sample of what’s to come, I am completely satisfied with the results. They colors are so vivid, just how I imagined it, and I didn't even start on the knits! Just stunning.

I'm in love with the ethnic vibe right now. It's very versatile, perfect for quilting but many of the prints are great for garments too! 

The 2 new color stories I've worked with are to die for! I can't wait to start sewing with these beauties!

Hope you can welcome Etno to your stash! 

And... stay tuned for many projects and tutorials I'll be sharing with you here. I'll also talk more in detail about details in color and designs :) Can it be January already??

xo, Pat

Sewing Summit Recap

Hello lovelies!

I'm back from Sewing Summit and all I can say is that I miss it already! It was truly one of the most memorable experiences I have ever had, having taken part in this wonderful gathering of sewers and quilters alike. I had the pleasure of meeting some wonderful people and getting to know them was definitely the highlight of this event!

Here's a little recap of all the special moments I shared.

I was so honored to teach my class on fabric design named "Designing Fabrics from the Heart." I had 80 students attend! Can you believe it? I was so thrilled that they all came to see me, I could not hold back how happy I was.

Photos from: @anotheryarn @everydayfray @char_53 @sewfearless @jodie_girl @featherflights

I was beyond ecstatic to find out that many of my students were inspired and enjoyed at all the information I had to give, that they even shared their moments in my class with the rest of the world! Many people took away my quote, "To be creative is to let little pieces of your heart go and place them into each project you make."

Photos from: @chrissyccameron @amatricis @sapphirememories @sukie80 @pinkbunnysuit @vintagefern

I was also happy to see that everyone enjoyed their handouts and fabric samples. Great pics everyone! Can't wait to see what you all do with those goodies.

Photos from: @janabanna25 @wendyd23 @sticherydickory

It was also great to see old faces and finally meet online friends in person! It's events like these that truly let you connect with all the great friends you have around the world!

And finally, the BERNINA sewing room was AMAZING! It was open until 1 a.m. every night with two rooms that had the 780s (the same baby I have at home) and the 350s! Sewing at night with such wonderful and creative people was a great experience, one that I will truly treasure.

And not only did I teach a class, but I was able to take some as well. English Paper Piecing taught by Kaye Prince (Miss Print) was a fun and easy class that taught you the basics on how to get started. I learned a lot of interesting things with Ellen March's (Sew It All TV) Getting Published in a Magazine. And Jeni Baker's (In Color Order) HTML Basics for Bloggers was definitely chockfull of information on how to code and design your heart away on your very own blog.

Now, for a little tidbit of what I taught, I'll leave you with a few rules that I feel are important when it comes to fabric design!

1. You have to design following your heart!
2. You have to love the colors you work with!
3. You have to deliver each & every time!
4. It takes time, so be patient!
5. Always know the audience you are designing for!

I hope you all enjoyed my Sewing Summit recap and that you all had a great weekend! Tomorrow I'll have a special BERNINA sewing machine tip. And on Thursday, I will be sharing some more What I'm Loving Right Now, so stay tuned for that. :)

XO,

I'm Speaking at Sewing Summit 2013

Tomorrow I'm heading to Salt Lake City for a modern blogging and sewing conference called Sewing Summit! It's a cross between a traditional sewing retreat and a social media or blogging conference and it's been sold out for weeks! This will be my very first time attending and speaking! I'm so excited!

My class will be a fabric design class called "Designing Fabrics From the Heart." I've put a lot of my heart and soul into this class! I want the Sewing Summit audience to learn the basics on how to get started designing a fabric collection. I know how hard it is to be a textile designer. In the beginning no one wanted to give me a chance. I'm grateful to be where I am today and I want to be able to share and give back.

I want everyone to discover the designer within them by learning how to gather inspiration from the world around them, and learn how to put together the things they love to create a story board for a fabric collection.

I love color! So I'll be teaching how to cultivate color stories and how to relate them to a concept for a fabric collection. I'll also be teaching how to analyze designs to make a balanced fabric collection. Furthermore, I'll be sharing all the software necessary to make stunning designs and the  basics of different pattern repeat modes as well as recoloring methods!

Here is a sneak peak of my presentation! The audience's mind is going to be blown away with all of the images and information that I have to share!

WOW, that's not even the whole presentation! I really hope that I can fit everything into my 75 minute class. My message to every aspiring designer is:

I'll be away from the blog for the rest of the week. So be sure that you follow me on my Instagram for all of the Sewing Summit action. I'll be back later next week with a recap!

Are you a blogger attending Sewing Summit this weekend? If so, give me a shout. I’d love to meet you!

Later Loves, xoxo,

Designing Fabrics from the Heart

Hello everyone! Hope you had a great Cinco de Mayo weekend!

I've been preparing my Carnaby Street booth for Quilt Market. It's turning out to be a 60s mod blast to the past! And... I've been working on my speech for Schoolhouse!

I'll be speaking on Designing Fabrics from the Heart. I'm so passionate about fabric and color. I can't wait to share my affair with color and creative process on how I design my fabrics!


I'll see you there :)
Pat