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A Walk Through the Park

If you've already joined the Drawing Board mailing list and currently receive our newsletter, thank you! You might remember going on this "walk" together last month...but since there are so many new people joining us, i thought it would be nice to show them around

Central Park a bit...

How about we take a more complete look at the color range for the collection? There is quite a spectrum of possibilities for color combinations and prints that lend themselves to everything from children's clothes and quilts to pillows, throws and all sorts of accessories. There are nine prints that also come in laminates that are perfect for reusable grocery store totes or summer beach bags. I'm sure you'll have so many other great ideas, so please be sure to share them in the Central Park flickr group. Looking forward to seeing what you make!

Since we're all eager for spring and warmer days ahead, let's dream of a sunny day in the Park that begins by taking a peek at the "Metro" and "Sunshine" colorways. Both are bright and saturated with a mix of florals and stylized prints that just make me so happy! Pick a linden tree to sit under and enjoy the flowers in the North Meadow:

"The Great Lawn" is the name of the sprawling field in the middle of the Park — a perfect spot for an afternoon picnic. The sun is shining brightly on the yellow-greens of the "Lawn" colorway, and there are cobblestone paths that meander along for a leisurely stroll...

or a visit to the Zoo!

If you've ever been to Central Park in NY, you may have walked around the enormous reservoir and perhaps been passed by horses on the bridle paths. Hard to imagine in the middle of a city, but it's a past-time that harkens back to the park's earliest days. This blue colorway is for all the glorious fountains, lakes and ponds that are a haven for the Park's wildlife:

The setting sun brings the day to a close and a purple cast overtakes the shadows in the "Plaza" colorway. I love the transition from day to evening in NY; when all the lights of the city define its landscape. There is still time for one more ride on the Carousel, though! Did you know there have been 4 carousels built in Central Park since 1871?

All in the same location.

Here's a little more trivia (and maybe you know this already): In 1890, there was an eccentric New Yorker and Shakespeare buff named Eugene Schiffelin who decided he wanted to introduce all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare's writing to the United States. He brought 60 starlings over from Europe and let them go in Central Park. One of the first nests was spotted under the eaves of the Museum of Natural History. The birds took so well to North America, that their population today is somewhere around 200 million!!

Finally, i wanted to congratulate Claudia for being last month's winner of the first-ever newsletter-subscriber-only giveaway! She won a jelly roll of Central Park. You might just want to subscribe too. The March newsletter is in-the-works.

(if you know what i'm saying *wink, wink*)

sending you some...

happy valentine's day!

xox,

kate

Giveaway Winner(s)

Before we toss the confetti for the jelly roll winner,

i just want to say a giant

to everyone for participating. I loved reading each and every one of your comments, suggestions, wonderful ideas and all your colorful requests. In fact, i was so surprised at how many of you are on the same colorwavelength i am...eh hem...and might be tickled by what's ahead (well at least i hope you are). Can't wait to share with you soon!

I would also like to say

if you're a new reader here. I'm excited to visit your blogs to see what you're up to! Also please feel free to take a peek at the flickr groups on the right sidebar. There are some amazing projects in there if you're looking for inspiration, and it's a great way to connect with other quilters and crafters. I certainly hope you'll consider joining and sharing anything you make too!

Ok, time to announce the Central Park jelly roll winner now...

***confetti toss***

Yay, Celeste! Please email me your mailing address and i'll send your prize off to you!

You might remember that i said there would be some additional surprises, too? Well, there are actually 10. Surprise! So if you're name appears here, please send me your mailing list and i'll send a little something your way.

I hope you've continued to follow along the blog hop. Lots more laughs and giveaways going on that you won't want to miss. Here's the list again...with two new additions!

Happy hopping!

February 1st … Aneela Hoey

February 2nd … Blackbird Designs

February 3rd … Brannock and Patek

February 4th … Bunny Hill

February 5th … Cotton Way

February 6th … Fig Tree

February 7th … Kansas Troubles

February 8th … Kate Spain

February 9th … Kathy Schmitz Studios

February 10th … Thimbleblossoms

February 11th … Me and My Sister Designs

February 12th … Minick & Simpson

February 13th … Oliver + S

February 14th … Pieces From My Heart

February 15th … Laurie & Jessi Jung

February 16th … Sweetwater

February 18th … Deb Strain

February 19th … American Jane

February 20th … Primitive Gatherings

February 21st … Laundry Basket Quilts

February 22nd … Moda Lissa

Pillow Talk Day 8

Welcome to our Moda Pillow Talk Day 8! Have you been reading all these wonderful posts? I sure have. It's so much fun to learn (more) about these talented women through questions that uh, would not come up in a regular conversation...like ever. Not to mention that Sandy is doing a painting-a-day to go along with the hop! You have to go see how cute they are. Joanna is practically giving away the farm in her giveaway, and i think tomorrow is the last day to win a designer iron over at Anne's! **oops, nope. she picked a winner today. maybe it was you?

If you're a new reader here and are just beginning your hopping...welcome to our happy little Moda family!

You probably want to know what this is all about, right? Well, last fall at Quilt Market, Moda held a Schoolhouse called "Pillow Talk". Our fun-loving, brilliant marketing director (and maker-of-mischief), Lissa Alexander, asked each of us to make a pillow that told about us and our journey as a designer. It was the first market where i had a booth and when Lissa's email came in, i was in a sewing frenzy (understatement).

Did you ever watch Project Runway? Remember when contestants were in the final stretch of making something and then Tim Gunn waltzes into the studio and announces that they'll have to add another garment to their "look" without getting any extra time? That's sort of what it felt like! But challenges like this only make things more interesting because the less time you have to over think it, the easier it is to make decisions. At least sometimes. So let's send my pillow down the runway...
Before designing fabric with Moda, I really didn't sew. But i love to learn new things. I had learned about nine-patch quilts and thought that would be the perfect place to start: a simple grid. Nine squares. I can do this. My biggest hurdle is always where to start telling the "story". The beginning seemed good. So, i was born in New York City. See that square in the upper left corner? Yes, the city skyline..
The next significant step along my path was when i went to art school. At RISD, we were challenged to think creatively with playful freedom and to explore possibilities, but in a very deliberate way. Does that make sense? So if you go back to the first pillow picture, and look at the square in the upper right corner, i tried to embrace that same idea by sewing with reckless abandon! No plan other than color and of course, block size.

(Some of this might be broken record-ish to you...if so, just look at the pictures, skim through "The Questions" and get right to the giveaway!)

After art school, i worked at Simon and Schuster publishing in the children's division. I was a book designer for many of the media tie-in books for Nickelodeon. Which meant i knew more about Spongebob Squarepants, Rugrats and Blue's Clues than any 7 year old. I even designed the first set of Dora the Explorer books to ever hit the stores! Needless to say, there was always a stack of books on my desk. And when i found a traditional quilt block called "stack of books"...ding! (idea lightbulb) It became my center block:I made a bit of a transition from book publishing— where i designed things to print on paper — to children's accessories — where i designed things to be printed on fabric and other products. Again, i worked in the licensed character world and got to design watches, backpacks, flip flops, socks, slippers, umbrellas and so much more. The character property i worked on the most was my all time favorite:

Hello Kitty. I still love her...

...but eventually i had to say "Goodbye Kitty" when i hit another career path fork-in-the-road. This was really when i decided i needed to be making my own art. I had a booth at Surtex (an industry trade show) in NY which is where manufacturers go to find original art to put on their products, and met an agent who i began working with. Around this time, i had shown some of my designs to family members, one of whom is an avid quilter.

You know where this is headed, right? She thought my designs would be great on fabric and said, "You should try to work with Moda." I didn't know who Moda was (i can hear the gasps), but asked my agent to try to get in touch with them and to send along a giant pile of designs. You know the rest! Every day i thank my lucky "star of Texas" (bottom left corner block even though i think this traditional block is called "ohio star". just bear with me for the story we're almost finished)...

(aka: Moda) for allowing me to do something which brings me a joy i had not known.

And now there are spools of thread (lower right corner traditional block called "spool") all around my studio and thread on the floor, and stuck to my socks, and stuck to my sweaters and in the dryer and the refrigerator!
I included the flowers because i love to garden :)
Right now, my pillow is on vacation in France (wish i were there with it!), but that news will have to wait just a little bit longer...

Poke, poke. You still awake?

Now for "The Questions":

What is a little known fact about yourself?
I’m pretty handy with a plumbing wrench (you can stop laughing now). I didn’t know this until we bought our house and certain things needed fixing and upgrading. The sink in our bathroom was so tacky (i’m being nice here) and from the day we moved in, we wanted to replace it. Right around that time, my sister-in-law and her husband were renovating and about to toss their 1940s porcelain-covered cast iron bathroom sink into the dumpster, but asked if we had any use for it. I happen to love those old sinks, so we snatched it up.

It sat in our garage for a few months and then I had one of those “how hard can it be to install a sink” moments (could also read: “do we really have to pay someone to do that?”) With some determination, a very handy “Plumbing 1-2-3” book, and many consultations with the guy in the plumbing aisle at Home Depot, I installed the sink in a day. Yes, a very long day, but the sink hasn’t fallen off the wall yet! I also replaced the fixtures on it. Just look at that shiny chrome…

And a little confidence is a dangerous thing — since then, i’ve replaced our kitchen faucet, repaired a leak in our bathtub, installed a new shower head, and fixed a rotary ball faucet. We only had to call Roto-Rooter once to fix something i “fixed”. And in case you're wondering, the answer is "no" i don’t make house calls.

Another little known fact about me: I never leave home without chapstick.

Oh, and last one: I would eat hot dogs every day of the week if they were good for you.

How do you relax?
I cook. There’s something about the repetitive actions of prep-work (like chopping, dicing, slicing, and mincing) that i find very relaxing and meditative. I also like to make bread and anyone who has ever hand-kneaded dough might know what i mean about how relaxing that is. It requires time, patience, and attention, and i enjoy all the care that goes into making a single loaf--even though it's hard to make any less than three at a time. A little melted butter on a slice just fresh out of the oven is a simple joy i will always appreciate. I just learned (through this hop) that Anne and Alma make bread too! Had no idea..

What do you sleep in - PJ's or NightGown?
Just your average t-shirt and shorts. I used to wear a nightgown, but would wake up in the middle of the night twisted up in it like a pretzel, or a cruller.What kind of pillow do you like, Hard or soft, foam or feather? And why?
I prefer a soft, feather cloud that i can sink my head into and barely know it’s there.

When you were young did you sleep with a stuffed animal? If so what?
I had many stuffed animals but none that i remember sleeping with. I do remember sleeping with Mr. Meow, though (but he was real, and for those of you who have asked, yes that's me in the picture):

Do you sew in bed? Read? Watch TV? eat?
I usually do Sudoku puzzles in bed. By that time of the day, that’s all the brain power I have left. If I read in bed, I usually end up re-reading what I had “read” the next day.

How many nights have you or your spouse spent on the couch?
One. Right after we installed our “surround sound” tv speakers, we decided to make it a “movie night”. We have a small couch in our living room that is the best place to get the “full effect” of the stereo. It also happens to be a twin-size pullout couch, so we squished together on it to watch the movie. The surround sound was great. The movie stunk. We fell asleep in the middle of it — on the couch, together. Are we geeks, or what?! (no need to answer that)

Nighttime toddy?
Hot ginger tea with lemon.

Early to bed or all-nighter?
I’m definitely a night person and that causes lots of problems with my morning person. I think Jerry explains it best.

Who would you most like to have a pillow fight with?
My teenage nieces. Even though they’re younger and quicker than i am, they’re sure to stop at some point to text message their friends, at which time i’d make my move. If it were a famous person i’d want to have a pillow fight with? Hands down: Claes Oldenberg with one of his giant french fries:

If you've managed to read all that you deserve something special!! How would you like to win a jelly roll of Central Park?

There will also be some other surprises but i can't tell you what they are otherwise they won't be surprises anymore. So if you'd like to enter, please help me by doing either or both of the following:

1. Please let me know if there is a certain color you are craving to use in your fabric projects, but just can't find enough of out there — or a color you'd like me to consider for a future palette.

2. If you already follow my blog and subscribe to my newsletter, thank you! Please let me know if there's something you're interested in learning more about (other than the ravioli lesson i still owe you!). If you're new here, please sign up to follow my blog and/or newsletter and come back here to let me know. **There's something wrong with the newsletter sign-up form on my blog, so please click here to sign up from my website. Thank you!

Winners for this giveaway will be picked on Sunday the 13th.

And please, if you have a spare moment, try to get involved with the Million Pillowcase Challenge sponsored by American Patchwork and Quilting. It's such a wonderful cause and has helped to form special bonds for some very special people i'm lucky to know.

The hop continues tomorrow over at Kathy's blog. Wait until you see her beautiful pillow. Keep on hopping!

***COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED

AND WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY!***

Don't miss!

Today is the last day to get in on the Central Park fat-eighth bundle giveaway over at Pat's blog. Don't forget to listen to our chat (on the right hand sidebar) then leave her a comment to be entered to win. She'll be drawing the lucky winner tomorrow!

Also, it's Day Three of the Moda blog hop! Don't miss Jan's Pillow Talk over at her blog. Great way to start the day off with a good laugh and a peek at her beautiful pillow. Here's the line-up for the rest of the hop. Now if you'll please excuse me, i have some strike offs to look over...*wink*

Have fun!

February 1st … Aneela Hoey

February 2nd … Blackbird Designs

February 3rd … Brannock and Patek

February 4th … Bunny Hill

February 5th … Cotton Way

February 6th … Fig Tree

February 7th … Kansas Troubles

February 8th … Kate Spain

February 9th … Kathy Schmitz Studios

February 10th … Thimbleblossoms

February 11th … Me and My Sister Designs

February 12th … Minick & Simpson

February 13th … Oliver + S

February 14th … Pieces From My Heart

February 15th … Laurie & Jessi Jung

February 16th … Sweetwater

February 18th … Deb Strain

February 19th … American Jane

February 20th … Primitive Gatherings

Brought to You by the Number Two

Today is February 2nd and it's also Day Two of the Moda 'Pillow Talk' Blog Hop!

Alma and Barb are the two fabulous designers behind the beautiful Blackbird Designs. Hop on over to their blog to see what they have in store for you.

The 2nd bit of news today is that Sarah and Joyce, the unstoppable mother and daughter team who continue to amaze and inspire me (and many others), have had quite a significant thing happen. If you've already gotten the April issue of American Patchwork and Quilting, open it to page one. Sarah's smiling face will be right there beaming back at you:

She has been featured for her story about learning to sew through her contributions to the Million Pillowcase Challenge, and how she brightened the hospital room of her dear friend Kristen — a leukemia patient born with Down syndrome. Sadly, Kristen passed away last summer but she is remembered and honored every day at JEllen's where they continue to make and donate pillowcases. Sarah is also making quilts to donate to Reece's Rainbow.

You can read all about how Sarah, Joyce and i met in this post. And you may have heard me talk about them with Pat Sloan the other day. When i was digging back to find that post, i was so surprised to see that it was almost a year ago. You just can't believe what these two have done in that time — it is remarkable.

Speaking of remarkable, there are two other women who have some pretty exciting stuff happening that i've been eager to share with you. Not only because they welcomed me into the quilting world with wide open arms, but also because they're both very talented in their own right.

The first is Rachel Griffith (rachel, hope you didn't just *faint*). You might know her from her lively blog ps: i quilt where she is the non-stop hostess of quilt-a-longs and siggy swaps. Or from her recipes on the Moda Bake Shop. Or from the new book she is included in (and on the cover of). The list goes on. And now her first-ever quilt design and pattern, called "Flipside" is being offerred exclusively on the

Fat Quarter Shop!

Yes, i'm a wee biased because she used Central Park, but it's such great quilt design for the jelly roll lover in you, that i bet it would look good no matter what fabric you use. But you really want to use Central Park, right?? *wink* Congratulations, Rachel!

The second woman is Vanessa Christenson, the creative mind and bubbling spirit behind V and Co. Vanessa has a clean and simple style to her designs that invite even beginners (like me) to take on sewing and craft projects with a certain degree of confidence.

Like Rachel, Vanessa's list of accomplishments has been ever-growing. She's been a chef on the Moda Bake Shop (you can find her recipes here), she's also going to be published in this book, she'll be a guest speaker at the Sewing Summit in October, annnd she emailed me last night to share the fabulous news that three of her projects are in the Spring issue of Quilts and More magazine! Whew! So why did she email me? Well, this cutie quilt she made with Verna (almost a year-and-a-half ago), will be featured in there at last:

Congratulations, Vanessa!

And what do Rachel and Vanessa have in common? They were the first two people i knew of who made the first things i'd ever seen with my very first line of fabric. They're pretty special to me and i'm so very happy to applaud their successes.

Pillow Talkin'

Today begins what is sure to be lots of fun and you're invited to join in! Maybe you've heard about it already? It's the first-ever Moda designer blog hop!

But what do pillows have to do with anything? Well at Quilt Market last October, the brilliant marketing maven at Moda (say that three times fast!), Lissa Alexander had each of us make a pillow that told something about ourselves and our journey as a designer. So we'll be showing the pillows we made and telling you about them. But as with most things "Moda" there's always a twist of silly fun added so Lissa has also asked all of us to answer some verrrry interesting questions...! And there will be prizes all along the way, so you'll want to visit everyone. Have fun and hop on over to Aneela's blog to start things off!

TODAY … Aneela Hoey

February 2nd … Blackbird Designs

February 3rd … Brannock and Patek

February 4th … Bunny Hill

February 5th … Cotton Way

February 6th … Fig Tree

February 7th … Kansas Troubles

February 8th … Kate Spain

February 9th … Kathy Schmitz Studios

February 10th … Thimbleblossoms

February 11th … Me and My Sister Designs

February 12th … Minick & Simpson

February 13th … Oliver + S

February 14th … Pieces From My Heart

February 15th … Laurie & Jessi Jung

February 16th … Sweetwater

February 18th … Deb Strain

February 19th … American Jane

February 20th … Primitive Gatherings