… Hill Farm . . . at last!

Remember these?

. . . after a couple of 'hiccups'. . .

. . . I am so happy to announce that the sample fabrics for 'Hill Farm'  have arrived & that the fabric reps (for Lecien, as well as the Checker & E.E. Schenk reps) 

now have the fabric hanger samples & will be showing them to shops.

 (yea!. . . big sigh!)

The catch is that they will only be showing these until the end of September - so if you would like for your local shop to carry 'Hill Farm'. . . make sure you mention it soon!

I've been ironing the sample yardage that I received for the past two days. . . 

(& still have another day of pressing. . .), & I am falling in love with these prints all over again.

 I can't wait to start playing with them! I already know that I will be updating one of my first (& favorite) patterns using them. . . & I can see some cute little pouches, pillows, & shams on the horizon as well. 

What I love most - is that they epitomize the 'farmhouse' look that I love. 

I can't help but think of my grandparents farm, as I've been pressing them all. 

They are all so fresh & comforting. . . & you know me. . . that's what I'm all about when it comes to quilting!

If you check on the sidebar (left side) - you will find a link to the free pattern that I designed for 'Hill Farm'. I made it so that it is what I call 'nap size'. . . perfect for an afternoon nap! (I love taking those. . . although I don't get a chance to very often!)

So, I hope that you to enjoy 'Hill Farm'! . . . (& be sure to mention it to your local quilt shop. . . it will be available to order for a limited time!)

(. . . I do believe that it is scheduled to deliver in November)

♥ Bren

… introducing Hill Farm

My I introduce my next fabric line. . . Hill Farm!

I can't wait to get my hands on these!. . . (from the bottom of my heart!) I have so many ideas & so many things I want to make these fabrics into. . .! But. . . that is still yet to come. It's looking like I won't be getting my sample fabrics until later this month, or the beginning of June. 

So, even though the fabrics will be a little late in arriving. . . Nireko (who I refer to as our Lecien 'angel'!) & I wanted to be sure you got a peek of them. So I took the little bits of strike offs (. . . & some were really little bits!)  that I had on hand & set up a little photo shoot - so that I could share some of the 'Hill Farm' love with you!

Hill Farm was borne out of my love for the fabrics that I remember from the vintage quilts in the linen closet that my Mom had received from my Grandmas. . . so it is a mix of florals, & feedsack, & vintage wallpaper type prints.

The colors (& the name) were inspired by my love of Beatrix Potter & the lovely color palette she would use in her illustrations. If you've visited my blog for any length of time, you've, no doubt, 'heard' me mention that one of my favorite movies is 'Miss Potter', & that I watch it. . . um. . . a lot. (Put it this way. . . I just re-ordered a second 'Miss Potter' dvd. . . as I'm wearing out my current dvd!) So, when it came to the colors - I drew colors from her wonderful watercolor illustrations. The name 'Hill Farm' is in homage to her farm, 'Hill Top' in the Lake District of England.

Here's my little peek for you. . .!

. . . the whites (with a touch of red). . .

. . . the pebble - stones . . .

. . . the pinks & reds . . .

. . . the yellows & greens . . .

. . . the blues . . .

. . . & just for fun. . . the gingham dots all together 

('cause I love 'em so!) . . .

. . . so there you go!

If you are going to International Quilt Market. . . Lecien probably won't have the fabric samples there yet. . . (as I still have to receive a couple of strike offs to give approval for. . .), but. . . you can still ask about them. . . (you never know!). Also, the fabrics are due to arrive late this summer/early autumn - so the Lecien reps will have the fabric samples as soon as they are available. (As well as Checker Distributors & E.E. Schenck. . . so be sure to ask them!). I will certainly let you know as soon as my sample yardage arrives!

Also, . . . look for some of my upcoming 'farmhouse collection' designs to be using 'Hill Farm'. . . (a match made in heaven!) These fabrics are perfect for creating a classic farmhouse style quilt. . .!

Thanks for hanging around for my introduction to 'Hill Farm'.

I hope you will love it as much as I do!

♥ Bren

… Durham Collection Anew 2011

I know that I promised this peek quite a bit ago. . .

I'm hoping that you'll forgive my lateness. I wanted to be sure that is was okay with 'headquarters' (Lecien) to show. . . & since it is up on the Lecien USA website (you can find it here). . . & I just noticed it on the Fat Quarter Shop website (under 'coming soon'), & Fall Quilt Market is this week & everyone there can see it. . .

. . . so. . . I'm guessing that now is a great time to show you. . . !

So, here is my fabric line for fall by Lecien  - Durham Collection Anew.

First, here's the line by designs. . .

main floral -

gingham floral -

paisley - (sigh!. . . they did such a great job with this!)

small flowers -

tonal floral -

dots -

. . . & just for fun. . . here is the line - by colorway. . .!

whites -

pinks -

reds -

yellows -

greens -

blues -

& greys -

I have been having soooo much fun playing with these fabrics. . . getting things ready for my vignette in the Lecien booths for Market. (. . . & I'm thinking that the next few evenings are going to be on the long-ish side!). 

. . . I'll post a couple more photos before I go - of some of the items that I've been 'playing' with!

♥ Bren

… a little waiting. . .

I've been keeping very busy these past 2 weeks. . . so I apologize for the lack of posting. I've had things to post. . . just no real news to post.

It's felt a bit like 'hurry up & wait' for the past 2 weeks.

Firstly, with my little Bailey. . . we got into the vet on Tuesday & we go back tomorrow for the follow up. The vet took a real good look at the black spot on Bailey's leg & we have been treating it with a hopefully less invasive way (& special ointment) to see if it responds. We go back tomorrow for the follow up - to see if the vet thinks things are improving. It doesn't look as 'angry' as it did. . . but it hasn't reduced in size as much as I had hoped. I'm trying not to draw any conclusions & will just keep praying & will wait to see what the vet says tomorrow.

Then there's the fact that my next line with Lecien - Durham Collection Anew (2011) will be arriving tomorrow. . .

(!!!!)

So, I've been working furiously on getting my current new quilt design all completed (& I did . . . this morning!) before the UPS man rings the doorbell tomorrow. . . 

For the fabric for this latest design . . . when Nireko (the 'angel' that works at Lecien USA) showed me the new Mrs. March's Basics. . . I fell in love, & knew I needed to use it! I know that Lecien has been thinking of & working on putting together this line for several years & they honestly hit a home-run with it. It is quite large (80 pieces). . . but honestly, if I owned a quilt shop, I would invest in this line. . . the whole thing.  The pieces, the colors, the look (all small prints) are classic. . .  timeless.

When Nireko sent me a fat quarter bundle to use, I could hardly wait to start. I had the idea for my quilt (which will also be done for embroidery & cross-stitch) already in my sketchbook  - so I jumped into the bundle & had the best time!

The quilt, called 'By My Hand', is going to my quilter's tomorrow. . . but I shot a couple of sneak peeks . . . just for you.

I have always loved stitchery, embroidery, cross stitch & especially samplers. . . they are like a personal handmade snapshot into someone's life. . . So, that's what I chose for this quilt. 

This one will definitely be hanging in my studio when it's completed. . . reminding me of what a blessing it is to get to do what I love. . .

 But for now. . . it goes to the hands of Nubin, my quilter (who is also such a blessing to me). . . where I know it will be loved & cared for until it comes back home. 

I promise that I will update you tomorrow with what happens with Bailey's vet visit. For all of you that have been asking about him & praying for him. . . Bailey wanted me to be sure to include him when I thank you, & let you know it how it means so very much to us!

(. . . & he wanted me to be sure to let you know he sends 'licks'!)

 ♥ Bren

… a bit of a sneak peek

Here they are. . . the little strike-offs for my next line for Lecien. . . Durham Collection - Anew . . .

(click on photo to enlarge)

(The colorways are: white, a warm grey (which I'm crazy about!), pink, red, yellow, green, & a robin's egg blue.)


. . . wait. . . you may say. . .  Wasn't there just a Durham Collection - Anew last year?


Yep. . . there was. . . but this line will always have this name. . . it's a tradition for Lecien - as this originally was one of their in-house lines. 'Lynn S' left a comment on my last post (but is listed as 'noreply-comment' - s0 I couldn't email you directly. . . sorry Lynn!) - asking about the history of the line & how it got it's 'Durham' name. . . & I thought this would be a perfect time to share a bit (what I know - at least!) about that.


The 'Durham Collection' has been a Lecien line for several years now. . . (starting - I think in 2003 -  '04) & was actually the line that I fell in love with & then discovered who Lecien was. . .! It embodies a soft - vintage feel & the company even goes some extra steps at the mill to be sure a wonderful timeworn look is a part of the fabric . . . right off the bolt.


If you are familiar with quilts that are known as 'Durham' quilts. . . you know that these quilts are known for often being whole-cloth quilts that are exquisitely hand quilted. Durham is a town (& also a county) in Northeastern England, referred to as the North Country region. Professional quilters were employed in Durham and it has long been associated with beautiful quilting. The ladies of the area became known for their beautifully hand-quilted quilts after the 1st World War - during the depression era - when jobs were scarce. They received large orders for quilts (mostly made from solid, sometimes satin, soft colors) from Claridges Hotel in London. . . & the soft colored, beautifully detailed quilts became known as 'Durham' quilts.


Although the Durham Collection fabrics from Lecien are not solids. . . they are known for their soft florals & wonderful attention to detail. . . much like the look & feel of Durham quilts. . . & I imagine that the look & feel of those Durham quilts is what inspired the name for the line.


After the original Lecien in-house designer of the original Durham Collection fabric lines had moved on to other design pursuits, Lecien continued to design the line in-house for a bit. Then, in 2009 - right as my first line for Lecien (Celebration) was going to print - they asked me if I would be interested to continue the Durham Collection & design the next line. After I picked myself off the floor. . . I said "oh, yes!" (. . . trying not to sound too excited!. . . although I was!. . . it was my favorite line!!!) Because of the change of the line going from an in-house design, Lecien wanted to add a distinguishing addition to 'Durham Collection', so we added "Anew" to the name of the line. It's the same line. . . just with a new designer. Me. (!)  


To say I'm thrilled about being involved with this line is such an understatement. . . & for this year's line, I popped some of the colors. . . just a bit. They are still soft. . . but there are also some wonderful accent pieces. Many of the designs are based on vintage fabrics from my collection. . . & they translate so beautifully to this line & this look.


I will be giving some more peeks in the upcoming weeks. . . & for shop owners (because I know I'll be getting emails. . .!)  the fabrics are going to print by the end of the month. . . & they will be presented at Fall Market. . . but might be available for ordering just before then. (. . . at least for the bolts sent out on the first ship!)


I hope that you enjoy these fabrics as much as I have. . . I'm so excited about these fabrics & can't wait for the sample fabrics to arrive so I can 'play'!


♥ Bren

…back from Market... & a new website!

I am back from Market . . . & outside of having to get a new printer (mine decided to quit working the day before I left for Market. . . yikes!) & shipping all orders. . . I've been doing a lot of napping! Not that I have intended to take naps. . . I just kind of can't help myself. . . zzzzz


On the last day of Quilt Market, I took down my booth & high-tailed it to the airport & flew out that night. It took about 5 hours to get home & it was about 2:30 am (for the time-zone my body was still on) by the time I got home - but it was worth getting to sleep in my own bed. (. . . & now nap in it as well!)


I'll be back with some booth photos  - but I wanted to let you know the big news that Lecien USA has a new website - & it's up & running! The announcement was made at our Schoolhouse at Market & I must say that I love it, & can't wait to see the goodies to come! If you'd like to see the latest from Lecien - be sure to check it out!


♥ Bren

… designing fabric (part 3)

. . . Okay, so we left off at strike-offs, right?

. . . Ahhhh, strike offs. . . getting them is  so exciting. . . & I little nerve-wracking as well! Exciting because it's the first peek at how your designs will look on fabric.  Nerve-wracking because the way they look on the paintings & then on fabric always has some changes. . . And, it's the first time you get to see how the colors translate to the fabric 'inks' that are used.


My strike-offs are usually about ¼ yard to ½ yard - depending on the size of the print. And, honestly - for the most part - I have not had a lot of changes that I've had to deal with as the design director at Lecien - in Japan - is very thorough in the process. Usually if they are not positive that it is spot-on, I will get sent pieces so that I can give my input. For my Georgia Lou line - the main (but small) issue we had was that the red (which is a difficult color to work with - as there are so many different hues!) on some of the prints were too deep & a cooler hue than I wanted. If you look at the two reds in the photo above - the red in the plaid was perfect - but the background in the red print above it is the cooler version. Thankfully because I use their Cosmo cotton floss colors as the base for my colors - I could specify that I wanted it to be a warmer red. (By the way "my" red (well I call it that!) from the Cosmo embroidery floss line is #858.) I love that red. . .  I own tons of it in every form (skeins, 2 strand spools. . .) that it's available in. It's a wonderfully soft red that has enough punch to it - but also isn't overwhelming.


Anyway - it makes for a great way to specify color if anything needs adjusting. . . Here we made the 'warmer' choice for the shading for the roses.

. . . Then there are the difficult choices that must be made. . . deciding which fabrics won't make the final cut.

Agh. . .! This part is soooo hard. It's not that I don't like them - but it would mean that they collection is way too big & so I have to stand back & take a look at the collection as a whole. (Secretly I wish that I could keep them & make some little pretties with them anyway - but they too will be sent back to Japan.)

Sigh.

Here's a look at the wonderful 'aged' & 'washed' look that they achieved for some of the fabrics. (We didn't do the 'washed' look on all of the prints - as some of the finer details would have been lost.) I do love the look  though - it makes a newly made quilt look like it's vintage immediately (especially when the quilt gets washed! Swoon!)

After I make all my choices with the strike offs - I give them all a hug & off they go - back to Lecien in Japan.

. . . Then about a month later - I get this little wonderful bundle! It's the final 'strike-off' so to speak. It's about a half-meter or more of each of the fabrics from the sample print that they have the mill run before the main printing begins. This is the final look at the prints & the line as a whole. For me there was nothing to change - so I gave my hearty okay (more like a squeal really) & the yardage printing begins!

Me. . . I tend to simply stare at the sample fabrics for awhile. (I get to keep these!)  I unfold them, & re-arrange them & yep. . . I pet them, & then I re-arrange them some more. That's when the reality that I will have to cut into them hits. I live with that for a bit more. . . but sometimes it's kinda hard to actually start the cutting process. . .

. . . That usually changes pretty darn quick when these arrive. . . 

It's like Christmas morning & I'm a little girl all over again. . .

. . . & the wonderful folks at Lecien are fabric elves. . . ! Even though I know the process - it's feels 'magical'  somehow. . . 

. . . & I'm thinking I'll never tire of it! 

(. . .& yes, that's my treadmill that also lives in my studio. . . hard to ignore it that way!)

Before I close this post about fabric designing - I want to express my thanks & admiration for all the folks at Lecien - they are an amazing company to work with, & I am so impressed with their work ethic & with their kindness & caring that they take with my designs. Thank you for making this so much fun!

Next week, 'Georgia Lou' will officially be presented at the Fall International Quilt Market - so if you would like to see some in your local quilt shop - let your shop owner know! Also - if you don't want to wait,  Shabby Fabrics already has it available!

So that's it for fabric designing. . . I'm currently working on a new Durham line. (. . . excuse me while I pinch myself!) 

♥ Bren

… designing fabric (part 2)

Oops. . . Blogger required me to log-in again. . . (long time - no post!)  So sorry. . . Quilt Market prep has pretty much overtaken all my time. And then, for some reason, I seem to come up with a bunch of ideas for projects - in the weeks just before Market. So, I've had to decide what I really have time to make & what will have to wait until after Market. As of today, I'm in pretty good shape & I've come to terms with the fact that I can't do it all!


I'm really looking forward to Market this time. I will get to see folks that I haven't seen in months, meet the new Lecien designers, & also meet some Australian designers that are coming to visit Market for the first time. (I'm so looking forward to that!)


Also, my fabric line, Georgia Lou, will be presented at this Market. ... But for you shop owners - I do believe that if you have a Lecien rep - they are showing it now & if not - then Checker also is distributing Lecien now! (Also - I do know that Shabby Fabrics already has it available online!)


So. . . back to my fabric designing process. . .  (that is if you can remember back to the beginning post!)


After I have sent in all my ideas, swatches, sketches, . . . & colors it's the beginning of waiting. (You get really good at waiting. . .) While I'm waiting. . . the design department at Lecien is very busy prepping what I have sent - as well as evaluating how well it might do in the fabric markets around the world. (Lecien fabrics are sold  in the US, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, & Europe.) In fact, for my first line, ' Celebration',  even though I hadn't included the color  (for a background) in my presentation,  Lecien asked if I would mind if they added a red colorway - as they knew that red did well in certain markets. I said, "certainly!", & sure enough - now I can't imagine the line without the red colorway!


Then after about two months - I get this wonderful overseas delivery from my UPS man. . .

Inside are paintings. . . yep, paintings that amazing ladies create of each of my designs.

This is the first step - to see how the design translated & the first color evaluation process.

. . . then sometimes - they offer options for background details &/or  other wonderful little detail options. . . (notice the shiny overlay on the bottom painting?. . . the overlay has options for the tiny flowers. . . See how they are a but different from the top painting?)

These decisions can be so difficult - as I often love both options!. . .

For this little lattice print - we were making changes to the tiny flowers in the secondary lattice intersections. (If you clock on the photo you might be able to see the tiny dots in the background (that I wanted) & also how we took some of the tiniest flowers in the bouquets to use as some of the secondary flowers. . .

Also,  notice the color bar at the bottom?. . . Those are all the colors that they are using for the print. I can check them to the colors that I originally sent them & easily make any adjustments if needed. (These also reflect the colors that you will eventually see on the fabric selvedge!)

Then, after looking over the samples. . . over. . . & over. . . & over again, I take all my notes & go back to the computer & make a list of all the comments & changes & thoughts (as well as many thank yous!) about this first round.

(. . . note my trusty assistant (to the left), exhausted after I went over everything with him & giving me his input. . .)

Then I send the paintings (although it's so hard to part with them!!), along with my notes back to Lecien. . . where they will next put it all together, then engrave the printing plates. . . 

. . .  & next. . . Strike-offs!

Hope you have a great weekend!

♥ Bren

… designing fabric

Gosh. . .  you know it's been a while since you've posted when blogger asks you to sign in again. . .  oops. It has been quite the busy little place around here, with getting ready for Market (in 5 weeks), & also getting ready for a little 'escape' trip to St. Louis & Minneapolis this weekend & next week. (I'm so excited! I promise to take you with me!)


As I've been working on new designs & on new projects with my new fabric line, 'Georgia Lou' - I have been thinking that it would be nice to let you see how this fabric line came about!. . .


'Georgia Lou' is my third line that I have been blessed to create with Lecien. I say blessed because that is truly how I feel about working with them. I have always loved the quality of Lecien's fabrics (& those wonderful Japanese textile mills!) & they are really wonderful to work with. . . I just love them!


Because the design department is located in Japan - I always work a bit more to be sure that I have communicated my ideas. They also have a wonderful lady (& dear friend!), Nireko, that also makes sure that my ideas are communicated (& that the translation of them into Japanese is as clear as possible!).


Often with my fabric lines - the inspiration comes from a vintage textile from my (ever growing) collection. I take my textile piece to an architectural printing company here in town - where they have an extra large scanner & can make a color scan for me of the entire piece (up to 36") - so that I can be sure to include the design's repeat & to really capture the design & it's inspiration. I think that I'm the only one that brings them vintage fabrics. . . but now they look forward to seeing what I bring in next! (I must be the one who gives them a little 'change-up' to their normal routine!) With the fabric scan (digital) - I am then able to 'play' with it in Photoshop - sometimes pulling elements out of the design for coordinating designs. 


Next, I will also put together secondary coordinating fabric ideas (checks, stripes, tonals. . .) that I would like to have to compliment the main & coordinating prints.


I also include photos of inspiration pieces. . . for the look & feeling I'd like the fabric line to also have.

One of the things I love with working with Lecien - is the fact that I can communicate the colors I am thinking of with their own floss colors - that incredible Cosmo embroidery floss that you have probably been hearing about. (. . . at least I hope you have!) As you can see from the photo of the flosses above & in the floral in my blog header (the main floral from 'Georgia Lou') - the colors in the fabric are reflected in the floss colors. This way I know that I can clearly communicate the colors & know that they are attainable in cotton. I actually specify what colors (with Cosmo embroidery floss numbers) I want for each colorway & design. Thankfully, it has worked beautifully!

Here's the color ideas (using the flosses) that I sent with the presentation for 'Georgia Lou'. We didn't use all the colors . . . but it gives a great starting point & provides a wonderful palette to work from. There's also one incredible perk (that I never thought of at first. . . ) with specifying the colors with the flosses.  I end up with a set of  embroidery flosses that perfectly coordinated with my fabric line! 

How great is that?!!!

Next post, I'll take you on the journey of the amazing process that I have with Lecien's incredible designers & artists. . .!

♥ Bren