HAVE  A   HAPPY

HAPPY

HAPPY

CHRISTMAS!

Day of the Dead Fabric is In!

Calaveras From Alexander Henry

 They've been on order for months, and finally, have arrived!  The most popular fabric in my collection at The Grove every October....Calaveras!  This time it's sprinkled with a little (just a touch) of gold bling and the skulls are striking against a midnight black background.  Great for draping over your table for October Parties or creating a cool shirt or gypsy skirt to welcome the one night each year that the dead "officially" visit our planet!

Indigo Skulls is a new design this year I just couldn't resist!  Navy blues and reds outline the laughing skulls on a warm cream background!  A friend saw it last week and is already measuring windows in her new apartment for this edgy fabric.  

Indigo Skull by Alexander Henry

 

Don't know how to sew?  Try "Steam a Seam" for hems...all you have to have is an iron and you ready to make curtains, napkins, placemats, table runners...I could go on and on.  

But maybe you would rather do a little hand stitching?

Then try your hand at embroidery transfers and tattoo Skulls and Zombies or Monster designs on your towels, arm bands, head bands, shirts....

All you need is a little fabric, some embroidery floss, hoop and a needle  -

all available at

judipatuti fabrics at The Grove.

They're Here!

My next, long awaited for, new collection of beadmats has hit the website! I have to say, there are some real favorites here. But I'll let you decide....here's a tickle of what you'll find at www.judipatuti.com.



Emergence...great color palette!




Rolling Hills....reminiscent of growing corn
visited by bees and butterflies!


and...Sweet Nothings! The name says it all!


Be sure and visit the
website to see all the rest!

Leo Has Friends!

A few weeks ago three brave sewers ventured into the land of sewing curves and creating manes to make Leo the Lion a few new friends at The Grove! Although they didn't quite have their "stuffing" yet, the fabrics and color choices made Leo "Roar with Pleasure"!

Kendal, Michelle and Olivia promised to bring Leo's friends back to play once their button eyes are sewn on and their tails have just the right amount of yarn for "swishing"!

Kendal's Lion - love the split colored mane!



Michelle's son hand picked his lion's "coat" and will soon be hugging and loving him!

Pink mane with teal blue eye's were
Olivia's pick for her lion!

In no time at all the three will have "custom" Lions
Purrfect for Purring!

It's All About the Timing!

When I'm not sewing or doing a jillion other things I knit...I really don't make a conscious choice whether it's cold weather, sizziling hot weather or perfect weather...there's almost always something on my needles.

The problem with not paying attention to the season (if you can say San Diego has seasons) is that I usually finish something and then can't wear it or my giftee has to put it away for a while cuz it's just too warm or too cold.

Such is the case with my most recent "FO" finished object! Friend Marcia deCoster turned me on to an adorable swing coat/jacket by Lisa Chemery. It's a great pattern, knitted top down and can be finished in a short period of time. I used Spud & Cloe's beautiful pure white yarn and made it for my newest granddaughter, Braelyn.



Of course, it's now 80-90 degrees and this isn't really what she wanted to wear...but was a real trooper for her Moma and I as we got her to pose (rather quickly) for a picture.

Actually it's really good the weather is warm, by the time it cools off it may actually fit!

He's a Pussycat!

Pattern designer Valori Wells calls this sewing card pattern "Leonardo the Lion"...but he's really a sweet, lovable pussycat! Here he's sewn in Alice Kennedy's "Sunny Daze" fabric with yarns from my personal collection from The Grove.

He was easy as pie to make and quick too! While the pattern calls for stitched eyes, I decided this would be for an older child and used button's as eyes instead.

After he was done....I carried him around to show him off and flashed back to Jr. High when we all (or your Mom, Grandma) had fabric "wiener" dogs that our friends wrote on. A predecessor to the High School and College Annuals and now to Facebook's Wall. I guess sending messages to friends never ends...so here's my message to you.

If you're in San Diego, join me at The Grove in July when I teach how to sew
your own little pussycat!

It's Paper!

On my trek through the Mall the other day, I was stopped short by the display in Papyrus's window. The dress was entirely made from invitations and other printed stationary!

My college, Fashion Careers College, does the same thing for the draping class, using trashbags, magazine pages, newspapers, tissue paper and Trader Joe's paper bags among other things. The results are always inventive and amazing!

To do the same thing, the only thing you need is a pinable dress form and fabric to end up with your own "wearable" original!

Classes! Classes!

The last two classes I had at The Grove set the record for starting and completing a project in 2 hours! Hard to believe, but the Maggie Purse (sized for a cell phone) was done in record time. Fabrics, ribbon and buttons were chosen, pattern cut out and it was sewn and ready for use! The fabrics, the girls decided on was "June Bug", a great colorful choice for spring! And June is almost here!



The girls in the project board class all had a different visions for their boards. From a strong abstract Asian print (made for office use) to a soft floral for a new grand daughter's pictures! And to think Crate and Barrel was selling these for a lot of money, but here each got to choose their own personal color with their individual decor in mind!

Pretty amazing what a little fabric and a little time can do!

Thread/Thread Everywhere!

I love fabrics! Mostly the naturals - cottons, wools, linens, silks, but I specialize in contemporary cotton prints that I offer to customers at The Grove.

On a daily basis, I walk out of the house, since I price my fabrics at home before taking them to the store, picking threads off my clothes as I rush to the car. Since I usually wear black, it's pretty noticeable. Last week I found threads on one of my front yard bushes...had to laugh!

But today...after I had driven to work, driven to lunch and was getting in the car to go home again I saw this bright pink thread, from one of my latest fabrics, stuck to my tire! Now that's one determined piece of thread!

I think I'll get a license plate that says "Fabric Lover"!

All Day Apron!

And who wouldn't want to wear it all day? Lee and Charlene took the All Day Apron class at The Grove and decided on two really different looks, but both in the "now" colors of sky blues and sea greens.

Charlene used "Feeling Groovy" laminate from Michael Miller, which will be perfect when she's washing her dog! While many thicker laminates require a special "teflon" coated presser foot on your machine...this one was a cinch to sew without. She combined it with "Mingle", an abstract little open circle print in aqua and avocado ....

Great combination Charlene!

Lee selected a fabric called Filigree from a new vendor - Art Gallery Fabrics and combined it with lime/aqua dots and gray piping peeking out at the neck and the pocket tops! Very sophisticated pattern combination!

We love the back on this pattern - very flirty!

Great Job you two!

New Laminates!

I guess you know by now, that I love, love, love to buy fabrics! Before I started selling them at The Grove I always bought fabrics for projects. But as my schedule became so packed, I ended up just "collecting" fabric (time for sewing got squeezed out)! And for those of you who do the same....you know space soon becomes an issue! So buying and selling is the Best of Two Worlds!

I've been on a search lately for some fun laminates...something different than the vintage "cherrys" and "cowboys" and just got a shipment of two really cool prints! They're actually called "Coated cotton", but are usually sold much wider than normal fabric, at 54" to 60" wide. Great for covering outdoor furniture, tables, making bibs, changing mats...all kinds of things!

Here's my two latest...



They're both from Michael Miller...the one on the left is "Bicycles" and the other one is "Lil' Plain Jane". You might recognize the last one since I also have it in fabric too- the colorway is gray, citrine and white - a great color palette for interior design.

Stop in and see these great prints!

Scissor Sitter

January was full of buying trips...one to the LA Gift Mart to scan the aisles for any sewing totes or other fun things. Last year, this is where I found Amy Butler's stationary that I brought into The Grove to sell with her fabrics.

I also traveled to TNNA in Long Beach, the knitters and needle work association's trade show. While there I noticed a booth for Puffin and Company. Susan (from The Grove) and I bee-lined it across the aisle and checked out her stuff. I love Puffins! They are one of the most colorful birds!

While at her booth, Diane shared with us that the West Coast Puffin was the prettiest, even though there is an East Coast variety. I told her my Puffin story, that many years ago my husband and I took a trip up the east coast from NY and I insisted on stopping in Kennebunkport to see the migrating Puffins. Unfortunately, we were 2 weeks late....I still haven't seen a "real one". Guess I'll have to visit our famous San Diego Zoo for a live sighting!

But what I did see in her booth were beautifully handmade pieces of art that are so useful for those of us that sew!


The scissor sitters have a strong magnet on the back that holds it "pin free" to your top - hook the scissor on the cord and then the magnet holds the scissor on the "lamb"! So cool! I couldn't resist, so I got the puppies, kitties, dove, heart (great gift for Valentine's Day) and of course the cute little lambie shown here.

Susan brought in the stitch holders for knitters - so much fun! Check out Susan's blog for pictures of the stitch holders - or visit The Grove if you're in San Diego.

Time for Wishes!

Seems like we were seeing Christmas in every store window and ad even before Halloween, and yet it seemed like it would never arrive. Then before I knew it the "Christmas Whirlwind" was in full swing and everything took a back seat to decorating, cooking, baking, shopping and visiting with friends and family.

Here's a few pics of my holiday whirlwind!

Now it's time to look ahead at what 2011 might bring!

To envision doors opening!


A time to make wishes and make those wishes come true!

I wish you all a beautiful, wish fulfilled year!

Judi