Buying Frenzy!

I'm off to Market! Leaving tomorrow to buy fabrics for "Fabrics at The Grove" and for my judipatuti Beadmat production. Once a year I travel to Houston for the largest tradeshow of fabric vendors in one place, at one time that specialize in cottons.

I've been to the textile shows in Los Angeles for apparel manufacturers and they're great shows but don't compare to the Houston Quilt Market for highlighting 100% cotton fabrics!

Last year I met Amy Butler and Anna Maria Horner - both very personable, warm and amazingly talented textile designers. I expect to meet more emerging talent this year and buy their fabrics. I have also met some pretty talented pattern designers and will keep my eye out for new pattern lines to sew!

Yes, I'll take lots of pictures to blog about what's coming!

I also plan on scoping out unusual and colorful fabric combination's for my next Beadmat production. Will be setting the production schedule once I settle on the fabrics and their ship dates!

While I planned on wearing Winter clothes - you know - wools that I never get to wear in San Diego, I just found out they're having 80-85 degree weather! Guess I'll be leaving my warmies in the closet and my coat and umbrella hanging on their hooks!

The Return of the Beadmat!

My next shipment of Beadmats are here...I know...this makes two posts in one day - but just couldn't resist showing them off!

Tool boxes come with each one, in an array of colors from Juicy Lime to Sweet Summer Strawberry!


Divine Damask is for the sophisticated beader that loves patterns in palettes of greys and blacks.

SOLD OUT!

Big Plain Jane I just love for its simplicity and retro 60's feeling!

SOLD OUT

Freebird is a play on "tweeting", flowers and rich color combos!
SOLD OUT!

While Vera's Garden walks us through multiple shades of green on a rich chocolate background!

Love the name of this one....Exuberant! Doesn't that start the creative brain cells snapping?
SOLD OUT!

And then there's Carnival Blooms! Can you smell the popcorn and
taste the luscious pink cotton candy!

SOLD OUT

Trumpet Flowers is a favorite...so-o-o-o grand!

SOLD OUT!

And last...Oh so Sweet Sandalwood!

Each flap hides pockets for seed bead tubes, and other all the things you need to create your
next,and of course favorite, adornment! The short ribbons let you tie on your Fireline and the entire beadmat wraps with the long ribbons and is ready for traveling or moving from the studio to the living room -wherever your creative mood strikes!

Let me know which one you want...each style comes in different ribbon, piping and tool box combination's!

Too see them in use, go to Marcia DeCoster's Blog!

Delicates!

You guessed it....its those lacey, feminine items of lingerie we buy from Victoria Secrets, Nordies or Intimacy that we usually spend more than we want to....that's what I'm writing about today. Yes, they usually have a price tag that we definitely remove before our better half sees them....but after all aren't we worth it?

Now you're probably wondering why my "judipatuti fabrics" blog is talking about lingerie, especially when I specialize in contemporary cotton prints. Well, I found this darling little pattern for a fun hamper, that's just the perfect size for our delicates, a place they deserve! And I couldn't resist.

Not only would it be great hamper for us, but those of you with new little ones, it would be a great addition for the nursery. And those of you starting your college "dorm" experience...what a fab colorful addition to your side of the room!



The pattern is from Vanilla House and I chose 4 colorful (of course) fabrics to make each piece. The bottom fabric is from Moda: "Spirit Panache", the next tier up is an Amy Butler fabric: "Star Paisley". The next one up is a great fabric call "Boutique Flower Pin" by Moda (looks more like Pomegranates to me)! And the last fabric is also from Moda, part of the Wonderland Collection called "Tweedle Dee".




To combine fabrics easily.... first look for similar color palettes and be mindful of the print sizes. In my selection I put the largest print on the bottom to balance the large size of the bottom tier and put the smallest print on the top layer. I've found this to work well. Once you get more "daring" you can easily mix color palettes by remembering to pick up at least one color in the print and repeat it.

Have fun! It's only fabric!

The flower was also super easy! I used batting to back the fabric. Instead of cutting out the fabric I drew the pattern (on the right side of the fabric), put the batting behind it and satin stitched on my drawn line. Last I cut out the flower. It's really fool proof this way! PS: the satin stitch is just the zig zag stitch adjusted so the stitches are all snuggled next to each other.

Don't you love the buttons? The small button is a new one I just brought into The Grove. Thought it would jazz the hamper up a bit when sewed on top of the colorful abstract button!

I'll be teaching this class at The Grove on Sat, Oct 23rd! If you're in the area...be sure and pre-register, as seating is limited! If you're not in the area...pick up the pattern, have fun shopping colorful fabrics and rev up the sewing machine!

Back to the Gym!

A few weeks ago Bridget and Jenny decided to make a back-pack in one of my classes at The Grove. Although the pattern was called "Gym Junk" from Vanilla House, they decided to use their packs for lots of other things and create something that was uniquely theirs!

The pattern was supper easy, including the grommet setting technique used to run the shoulder cords through. Jenny chose a great fabric combination from Robert Kaufman called Mingle Espresso and Mingle Cocoa (don't you just love these names?). Very contemporary styling!

While Bridget used one of my newest fabrics celebrating the "Day of the Dead" (very timely), with fabric from Alexander Henry called Calaveras and a pocket of pretty pink leaves from Heather Bailey's Nicey Jane collection called Lindy Leaf.

Congrats!
on a job well done
in
barely a blink of the eye!