Amy Butler Sew-It Kit and Sew Subversive in stock!

Sew-It Kit

I just got three of these awesome sew-it kits in stock today. They are perfect for a beginner. I have to say I've made several items from Amy Butler's patterns and her patterns are really well written and perfect for a beginning sewist(a). The kit is actually a little box that comes with some fabric, thread, 15 project cards with illustrations, and a pattern to make a super easy and pretty reversible tissue box holder! Check out the listing here for more information and to snatch one up. This would be a great stocking stuffer or birthday gift idea for a budding sewista. Shipping on ths item is a little high, but remember that we combine shipping so fill up your cart and we'll fill up the box and you'll save money in the end!

Check out this awesome book I just got in today! It's from the incredibly talented ladies at Stitch Lounge in San Fransisco which is a hip and fun sewing lounge where you can go in and rent a sewing machine and make all sorts of fun projects! (Someday I'm going to have a place like that here in San Antonio, I think). These ladies crammed soo much great stuff into this book! I just scanned through the projects and they describe tons of awesome ways to take items you find at THRIFT stores and turn them into trendy boutique style clothing! You can take an old prom dress or bride's maids dress and turn it into a halter top! Or even take a funky buckle from an ugly purse and use it for a cool bracelet! There are soo many ideas and along the way you'll learn the greatest techniques for dressmaking (or garment making). I mean, you'll learn how to measure, fit, gather, ruffle, stitch, rouche, buttonhole, darn, zigzag, and the list goes on. Even if you make some of the projects and decide not to wear them, you'll still be more experienced in the end. And the first project? Making a Ms. Double Trouble Dressform out of Duct Tape!! This book is a veritable SEWING COURSE in just one book. Plus, it fits in flat rate envelope so you get it for less than retail even after shipping! But if you want us to slip some fabric into a slightly bigger box, we're OK with that too. We will combine shipping so if what we charged you is over what we paid, you get that money back! I think this book will shine an entirely new light on the thrift store up the street. I will never look at a man's button down shirt the same way again! I hope you'll stop by the shop and check out this awesome book.

Happy Stitches,

Anna

PDF Patterns are Here!

Crafty Girls Workshop is teaming up with the extremely talented Denise from Whimsy Couture to bring you a super duper collection of PDF patterns! This means that you can stop by the shop, visit the NEW section under Patterns called Electronic Patterns and see lots of new items! PLUS, when you purchase an ePattern, you will get it in your e-mail within 12 hours of payment! Easy as pie and NO shipping charge! Check out these adorable outfits that Denise has come up with:

The A-line Tunic

The Knotted Overalls

The Shirred Top or Dress AND the Double Layer Ruffle Skirt

And that is just a sampling of the patterns I have available, there are 11 in total (for the moment, she's always coming up with something new). So I hope you'll hop over and take a look. I also have THREE coordinating bolts of Make Life from Moda in the shop, and it's marked down to $7.99 a yard as well!

Happy Stitches,

Anna

P.S. Did you notice I added a NEW tab to the top of my blog? It's called Fun Project Links and it's where I'm going to keep a running list of links to great projects around blogland. I hope it will be a good resource for you and for myself. Stay tuned for an interview with Denise coming soon!

FUN Stuff Around Blogland: Tutorials, Giveaways, and More!

I've really been meaning to post some of the CA-UTE stuff I've found around blogland, because sometimes its just easier to live vicariously through others, don't ya think? Especially when life is especially crazy and you just want to see what other people are doing in hopes of becoming inspired!? Well, today is the day I'm finally going to share what I've been gathering. I hope the power stays on long enough to share!





I know I posted about Fat Quarterly before, but TODAY is the day that issue #2 of their e-zine comes out!! It's available RIGHT NOW!!  They've been sooo clever to show sneak previews of the different patterns from within the issue and now I can get my own! So I'm going to get one and then I hope you will too. And nope, I don't get a free issue if I send 10 people over to buy one now, but I wish! I just love their blog and read the blogs of most of the people that write patterns for the e-zine so hey, it has to be good!

Oh and guess what!? On top of the new issue, there is a GIVEAWAY of MODA stuff!! Sadly, we don't have any more Moda in stock at the moment, but you can enter the giveaway at Fat Quarterly and get some of BRAND NEW fabrics that are coming out soon.


 

Check out Jen over at Tatertots and Jello! Her blog is sooo cute! I just saw her post with an amazing TUTORIAL to make an awesome giant flower for the front of a tote bag! I almost fell off my chair because I went gaga over a very similar style bag the other day that was at least $50 and now I can make my own! And not only that, but with the sale on Michael Miller fabrics over at the shop, I have a lot of cute polka dots and even some cute florals to use for this flower! Yipee!! Thanks Jen! (sorry for all the exclamation points) I think this is a definate yes for adding to your blog reader!

 

OK, the storm is closing in so I think I need to get off the computer now. But don't forget about the SALE in the shop! Michael Miller fabric (which is ALL our fabric) is on sale for only $7.99 a yard!!

 Happy Stitches and Happy Blog Hopping!

Anna

Michael Miller Markdown Madness!

Please stop by the shop and check out the great deals on Michael Miller fabrics! All sales of this will go toward purchasing more fabric and patterns to build up our inventory again (see previous post). Oh and please tell your friends, blog, tweet and facebook about this! Thanks!

                                                     All yardage was $8.99 NOW $7.99!

Happy Stitches,
Anna

Some Sad News

Unfortunately, Regina will no longer be with Crafty Girls Workshop. This is due to some personal issues that have arisen. This also means that a lot of the shop inventory has been removed, but don't panic. It will be building up slowly and surely. I will be marking down the Michael Miller fabrics that I have in order to raise a little money to go toward new inventory! So I hope you'll help me out with the Super Michael Miller mark down! Thanks for sticking with me though and we'll get through this, I'm sure. I'm a believer in the saying, "every cloud has a silver lining" and think this will be a catalyst for new and exciting things in the shop, including downloadable PDF patterns! More to come soon...

Happy Stitches,
Anna

Super Summer Sale on Patterns, Fabrics, Ribbon

If you are looking for some HOT summer deals, stop by our shop and check out the patterns, fabrics, magazines, and RIBBON that we have marked down to MOVE! Be sure to click on the Last Chance Deals section and have fun browsing and shopping! And stay cool!

Happy Stitches,
Anna

City Quilts by Cherri House

Check out the awesome interview with Author Cherri House over at Fat Quarterly and leave a comment over there for a chance to win a copy of the book AND a FQ bundle of Robert Kaufman solids! We have some black bella solid on order and it should arrive any day now. I'm definitely getting inspired by solids with this book!

Happy Stitches,

Anna

Weekend Project Plans?

Anyone out there making plans to work on their projects this weekend or are you just planning to spend some time in the sunshine and not think about all those UFOs you have on your to do list? You know, I love this hobby of mine of making quilts and working on projects because it's not timeline based. If there is a deadline then it feels too much like work. I get to it when I can, and if I can't that's OK because it will still be there when I have the time. A lot of people in blogland have been commenting on that recently and I'm starting to jump in that bandwagon a little. It's slightly different when you have a business and want to make samples and display new fabrics and generate some buzz and enthusiasm but you know, even in the business world sometimes it's worth it to take a step back and re-evaluate if it's "fun" anymore. OK, that sounds sort of ominous. I have lots of plans for this weekend, I have to go to my house and work on finishing up painting the laundry room, the bathroom, maybe the loft, and allll the baseboards and mouldings around doors and windows. Yep, we're going to try to sell our house and these last three weeks have been a whirlwind of painting, carpet ripping, moving, packing, and commuting (I'm staying with family until things get settled). So, in the midst of all that, there hasn't been a lot of time for quilting, except I did work on the Oh How Charming quilt, and I'm working on a second one (Oh I think I mentioned that already). I'd really LOVE to go and get a pedicure or a massage or go shopping, but duty beckons and the house needs work. At least it makes the time I do get to sit and sew even more valuable and more relaxing because it's doing something I really really enjoy. So, tell me, what are YOUR plans for the weekend?

Happy Stitches,
Anna

A Donation Quilt: Oh How Charming!

Here, it is, FINALLY finished! Actually, it's been done for a little while, I just haven't had a moment to take a picture! Well, today there was some beautiful weather (even if it is around 90 degrees, actually, that's low for this time of year in Texas) and I decided to just snap the picture! A little tweaking in Picnik and here you go! What do you think? I was calling this the Luv U Charm quilt, but I'm making another one with Freebird and it's going to be AWESOME, I can already tell. Plus, look how I did the back!

Is it me or is that just super cute? I had some of the border fabric left over and loved the look of the blue Essentials dots and just decided to put them together to make the back. Easy peasy and fun! Now, ready for the bestest part? I'm going to donate this quilt to a children's hospital or shelter so it can keep a little boy (or girl) warm this winter. I've also been using this pattern, that I sort of created myself (i.e. made up as I went along) as a sort of quilt along class at my local Crafty Girls Workshop meeting that I have every month. Two lovely ladies in the group, Pam and Marcie, are making the same quilt but with their own charm pack choices (I think I mentioned those in a previous post). If you happen to live in or around San Antonio, TX and would like to come and learn how to make one of these quilts to donate to a local hospital or shelter, please come and join us! The next meet up will be on July 25 (a Sunday) please join the Meet Up group for more updates. So, I hope you can join us if you're local and if not, well, I might just be able to write this up as a tutorial and post it, some day. I hope. Life is busy, you know? Oh, and let me mention the way that I quilted this. I just stitched in the ditch on the front and it created a really need grid pattern on the back. Plus I used the same Essential dot for the binding and it contrasted nicely on the front and blended in perfectly on the back! It feels sooo good to get something finished! So, anyone working on anything fun this weekend? Please tell!

Happy Stitches,
Anna

Moda Bake Shop Random Reflections Tutorial

I'm sooo excited to announce that there is a new pattern designer on Moda Bake Shop! Her name is Karrie Lyne and she's fun and fresh and has the cutest blog ever! How could anyone resist a blog called Freckled Whimsy!? Check out this adorable and fun, modern, fresh quilt she has a tutorial for on Moda Bake Shop:

She used the highly anticipated Fandango line (a jelly roll) PLUS one of those AWESOME solid jelly rolls of Bella Solid Snow (we have those too!) Very very soon, when we get these precuts in, we will have a KIT of the supplies for this AWESOME quilt available in our shop! But if you can't wait, check out the tutorial now and remember that these quilts are SO incredibly versatile because they can be made with ANY jelly roll and coordinating yardage. That's the best part about Moda Bake Shop! I know, we LOVE the Fandango line (thanks Kate Spain!) but it's not ready to come out of the oven, so to speak, so we have to be patient. But while you wait for Fandango why not visit our shop and gather some other precuts or coordinating yardage and whip one of these babies up in the mean time? Maybe it could be a practice quilt. Think about making it out of a 12 Days of Christmas Jelly roll plus some of that Bella White Bleached yardage we have, we also have three bolts of coordinating yardage for 12 Days! OR, if you'd like to PRE ORDER the supplies for the FANDANGO Random Reflections Kit, please just drop me a line, you can click the Contact Us link on the webstore or e-mail me to let me know. I'll send you a pay pal invoice for a deposit on the supplies and when they arrive we'll bill you the rest and send them out. We have a seriously limited number of Jelly Rolls from Fandango on order (about 4 actually) so if you want them, you might want to reserve your kit ASAP.

If you would prefer to do a different quilt, and something more mysterious, why not join in with Karrie's Charm Pack Quilt Along? This is how I found her in the first place actually. I saw the adorable badge for the CPQA on another blog, and given my love of charm packs, of course I clicked it. Well, then I realized that we have ALL the supplies for the CPQA in our shop and I offerred Karrie's readers and quilt along-ers a little incentive to order said supplies from the shop. I guess you'll just have to go check out her post to see what it was. You can certainly take advantage of that incentive as well if you wish. I know I just can't wait to see how the quilts turn out!

Well, that's about all I have for today's post. I hope you'll have fun visiting Karrie and tell her I sent ya over. We have some more kits and exciting things planned for the future so this won't be the last time you hear about her on my blog. Until next time.

Happy Stitches,
Anna

Tell Me Tuesday

Beautiful Oz bag by Rayetta Nathe

Today I'd like to introduce you all to a new customer and friend of Crafty Girls Workshop who makes some really beautiful bags! Her name is Rayetta Nathe and she recently purchased some fabric from our shop. I've begun asking new customers (and hopefully soon to be new friends) how they found our shop, out of curiousity and an undying desire to figure out how people are getting to us. Turns out we had the fabric she needed for a custom order and the best price. So I surfed over to her website to see the bags she makes and I thought they were very pretty and fun and when I read about her I wanted to introduce her to all of you! I hope that this will be something I can do on a regular basis, sort of give a shout out to the talented people who find us and buy the fabrics we have in order to turn them into something awesome! I just LOVE the way she used the Oz fabric in the bag pictured above! I asked Rayetta how she started sewing and her business and here is her reply.

Raised in a home with all boys, I reluctantly learned to sew in junior high, back when all of the girls were “forced” to take Home Economics. Most of us saw it as a punishment, pining to play volleyball, or take wood shop instead. Our first project was a multi-pocketed apron, which was confusing and frustrating. I didn’t touch a sewing machine again until many years later. I’d just had our first child, and decided to make baby clothes to save money. I ran to Sears and bought a Kenmore sewing machine, never straying beyond the easy patterns.

In 1992, I wanted to make a quilt for baby #2. I purchased a copy of Singer’s book Machine Quilting, followed the instructions, and made my first quilt. I quickly discovered how much I love quilts -- the spectrum of colors, interesting patterns, fluffy battings, and soft, rich cotton fabrics.

In 2008, I began to consider the looming cost of having both of our girls in college. I decided to attend H & R Block School, hoping to eventually land a part-time job to earn some extra income. Meanwhile, I was receiving very positive feedback from fabric bags that I had made for family and friends. My little brother said something to me that caused me to change course: “Rayetta, you’re an artist, not a number cruncher. The bags are more an expression of who you are.” It wasn’t long before I ditched H & R Block, and began designing and selling rayetta’s button bags.

I’m blessed to be able to do what I love. I am so grateful to my supportive husband Jeff, sweet girls Rachel and Becca, and very patient Home Ec teachers.

Thank you, Crafty Girls Workshop, for your gorgeous fabrics and inspirational ideas!

You can find her beautiful bags and some quilts on her website.

Here's another cute bag made from fabric by Chez Moi, their Posh line. We don't have this exact fabric (of course you can always buy Rayetta's bag) but we have something very similar in our bolts of Boutique.

Thanks Rayetta for letting me feature you today! You are very talented and I look forward to working with you more in the future!

If there is anyone else out there who has purchased fabrics, patterns, kits, or anything from our shop and would like to be featured in my Tell Me Tuesday series, please e-mail me and we can discuss the details!

Happy Stitches everyone,
Anna

Wacky Website Challenge Winner!

Sorry this is a day late, but the winner of the Wacky Website Challenge is Shelley from Free Indeed! She has won a charm pack from Kate Spain's new line called 12 Days of Christmas PLUS a yard of white on white snowflakes. These would be perfect for a table runner, tote bag, small quilt or tons of other stuff! I can't wait to see what she makes out of it! Shelley, I e-mail you but if you see this post, please contact me with your mailing address!

Happy Stitches,
Anna