Leaving on a Jet Plane...

By the time you read this, I will most likely be deep in the throws of booth setup! I am on my way to Houston Quilt Market and I just wanted to pop in really quick and give you a quick sneak peek....

 

 

Introducing ALOHA GIRL.....

 

 

We will be posting on INSTAGRAM throughout the show so if you want to see all the happenings, follow us! We are figtreeandco on INSTAGRAM. We will also try to post some facebook or blog updates while we are there but sometimes that doesn't always happen until we get back!

 

Also ALL THE BRAND NEW PATTERNS THAT ARE READY SO FAR ARE UP IN THE SHOP TODAY! Click HERE to see them!!

 

 

Also if you haven't already heard about our fabulous new Fig Tree Sampler BOM, you might want to click HERE. We are almost completely out of spots!

 

Talk to you soon!

Joanna

We interrupt this program...

We are working on more PATTERN SHOWCASES for you but thought we would let you know that today....

TAPESTRY IS SHIPPING TO STORES AS WE SPEAK!

 YEAH! It is the perfect harvest collection so don't miss out!

 

So if you have the time this next week, be sure to go to your local quilt shop and check it out in person or let your fingers to do the walking and visit your favorite online shop or come and see what kits we still have AVAILABLE from this collection.

 

 

 

A little Sneak & a Peek

 

You know when you see fabric that just makes your heart skip a beat?  

That is what this is doing for me right now. I know, I know... part of me feels like I can't say that about my own work and I should wait for someone else to say it. But I can't!

I also have to admit that this is not always true of every collection or design I do. Sometimes I really like them and think they are good. Sometimes I love them. Sometimes I wish I could have added something more or expressed my vision a bit differently. Sometimes its a combo of all of the above.

But sometimes, I dream about them before they get here.  This is one of those times.

I have so many more pics to show you but I think it might be best to wait just a bit. It's called TAPESTRY. Hope it adds some loveliness to your day.

 

Stay tuned for another big reveal this week. We are just full of surprises around here.

 

B&R has hit the streets!

Hope you're not already tired of me talking about this collection but.... BUTTERSCOTCH & ROSE HAS SHIPPED and is arriving in stores as we speak.

The timing for this quintessential, classic autumn collection couldn't be better we think. We can imagine a whole slew of projects out of it. What might you make?

And even better, we have a kit available for our most popular pattern from this collection, My Log Cabins.

 

Kit contains all you will need for any of the 3 variations in the pattern.

The Barn Raising version.

 

The Birds in Flight version.

 

The Sparkling Diamonds version.

Click here for more info.

I will be back tomorrow morning with some last minute sneak peeks of what is right around the corner. I know you have all been so patient so I want to make sure I get them out to you before I leave for Houston. Don't forget to check back!

xoxo

Joanna

Summer's End

I can't even believe that our summer is not so slowly coming to a close. I know its kind of an artificial end and that we could all stay in summer mode for a bit longer but I guess we have to listen to the calendar! And so our SCHEDULED summer is almost over and I don't think I am quite ready.

My tomatoes aren't quite ready yet, either!

 

In the Kitchen...

This morning our FARM FRESH TO YOU box of goodies arrived as it does every week. Its a wonderful thing and even though we are growing some of our own veggies this summer, the weekly box keeps us stocked with everything we might need. This week the box came at 11:00 and by noon I had sauteed up a few things for a quick staff snack. We all took a break from designing, shipping and cutting to eat some sauteed pattypan squash with onions, garlic and herbs. Yum!

 

On vacation...

Last weekend we were also able to squeeze in one more long weekend vaca to Monterey. What a beautiful and restful place!

Vacationing with 3 munchkins ages 6 to 13 in one car and one room is not always what its cracked up to be but with some good "divide and conquer parenting" all the interested parties were able to: go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, go window shopping in Carmel, return to the laser and mirror maze place 4 times, eat ALOT of shrimp at Bubba Gump's, do a little back to school shopping for kids and mommy too, eat some yummy French food which included some amazing Sonoma coast wine and a giant bowl of mussels and clams in a garlic and herb wine sauce, watching a couple of in room movies, having French Crepes with strawberries and Nutella, kicking my son's butt at pool, eating Lasagna for the first time in 10 years because we were trying to be like Garfield the cat [that last one will only make sense to you if you read the Garfield comics like my boys do], stopping at the best roadside veggie stand in Castroville, CA [home of the artichoke] I had seen in ages and buying 20 baby artichokes and 10 baby avocados that we are still eating, walking through the Strawberry Festival in Watsonville, CA.... okay I think I will stop for fear of boring you with more food stories. It does sound like we did nothing but eat all day long, doesn't it?

I guess its time for back to school haircuts too, huh? I'm keeping that lazy summer look going as long as I can on them. Unfortunately Ben's school has a haircut code. Bummer.

 

In the office...

For those of you who have fallen in love with some of our newest bundles, you might want to go take a look here for some new fun ones.

 

And just because we thought they were irresistible, we added some of these to the site. Isn't that just the cutest twine you have ever seen? 

More soon.

xoxoxo Joanna

Market Fabric Snapshots

Fig Tree went traditional this time around. Classic and traditional with some of our most popular colors from best selling lines. Do you recognize any of them?

Introducing Butterscotch & Rose....

For a dash of classic elegance for Fall 2011. I hope it conjurs [sp?] up visions of fall and winter projects and even a bit of home redecorating. I created it for autumn, but some of my customers have shown me that it is certainly perfect for the holidays as well! Pull out the rich reds and classic greens paired with the cream and Christmas is just around the corner. I wonder what you might create?

Tune in tomorrow for a chance to get some in person.... soon!  A giant box of MODA goodness just arrived and I am itching to do something with some of it!

 

Here are my favorite shots of the colorways.

... Ruby.

 

... Butterscotch & Buttercream.

 

... Sky.

 

... Fresh Tarragon, Frosting Rose, Chocolate Tart.

 

Here is the inspiration story:

"Inspired by the sights and smells of a recent autumn getaway in the little wine country town of Sonoma, California, Butterscotch & Rose is my interpretation of my favorite season! The collection flowed directly from the mix of harvest leaves, gourmet bistros, walks in the woods, gorgeous tones of roses still blooming [after all this is California] and the scents of the beginnings of the wine harvest. I hope that I was able to capture all that this region brought to me as its September gift."

xoxox

 

Poking my head out... or in....

Yes, its that time of the year again. The time when all us designer type folks seem to disappear into our caves and come out only for food and water!, or maybe coffee or soda! I realized the other day that I hadn't been on twitter or the web, a place that is sometimes my only interaction with the outside world other than my family, for 5 days! Not a good sign for keeping up with the world, good sign for getting work done and meeting all my deadlines.

We are almost done designing over here in this particular Northern California cave although we are still waiting for our advance yardage to arrive so the sewing insanity is yet to start! We are hoping for sometime next week. As usual, we're cutting it pretty close but that's just how we roll around here!

BTW, Total Tangent....

Speaking of how we roll, that is a phrase our kids like to use with their friends on a regular basis. When I walked into Old Navy the other day and saw this t-shirt,

I thought I was going to die laughing! Our middle son.... well, let's just say that he really enjoys his bathroom time with his latest copy of Ranger Rick magazine and leave it at that. There was no way I could pass up on the shirt and got 2 just in case! Couldn't help but share that with you all. Hope its not TMI!!

 

Anyway..... since we don't have our new yardage yet, we decided that some of the projects would just have to be made with what we had. Really that is my favorite way to go anyway- working with as many different colors from different collections. It reminds me how much I like to mix and match fabrics! For me it is so much more fun than working with just one.

When we laid out the fabrics for one scrappy project on the floor.... it just looked too yummy not to photo. So here's the little rainbow of Fig Tree yummies going into one of the new quilts for Market.

 

 

 

Now if that doesn't make you want to sew... I don't know what will! 

 

On other fronts:

Strawberry Fields

For all those of you who have been patiently waiting for the Strawberry Fields fabrics to arrive, precuts are in stores now and yardage is coming soon in May! So you don't have too much longer to wait! We will have a limited quantity of several of the items so let us know if you can't find something in all those great stores out there.

Unfortunately, our red and white "Kiss Me" kits sold out in one day! We figured with the amount that we made it would have lasted at least a couple of weeks but we clearly underestimated you guys!

We will also have a very small kit quantity available for both the multicolored jelly roll version of "Kiss Me" and the "Chintz" quilt. We have already started a pre order list for both of those those so email us if you are interested.

 

Contracts

I have signed a fabulous contract that I am very excited to share with you! As soon as I get the green light to do so, I will. It will mean that I will be in that design cave ALOT more in the upcoming months. But, oh well, its a good thing I like my coffee.

 

Talk to you as soon as I have more to share.

 

 

 

Buttercup, Buttercup!

 
Last time I talked with you it had started shipping but now its officially here, and there and a bit more over there! Buttercup has officially hit store shelves nationwide!!

[If you are international, maybe just a few more days....]

Hope you are able to get your hands on a little bit of this Springtime goodness in the midst of this crazy cold weather and start working on something to bring a little sunshine into your life. Our sources say that the fabric is close to selling out on the wholesale side so get yours while you can.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know we'll be sewing up a storm over here this weekend. Hope you will be too! Now.... what to make first?

Hope your weekend is full of fabric goodness!

Talk to you soon.

 

 

A Little Bit of Strawberries

A little bit of strawberries with your lunch [ or dinner or breakfast depending on where in the world you are!]...

 

... the cream, soft grey and strawberry red color ways. 

 

Just thought I would start giving  you a little something to start saving up for in May :-)....

 

Talk to you soon.

Almost Here

Its been one of those weeks around here, maybe its been one of those months but I am not quite ready to declare that! We have been working on so many things that we just can't share yet that I have been stumped on what to blog about. I guess that is a good problem to have!

So here are a few updates that I can share...

ALMOST HERE...

BUTTERCUP is almost here!

 
Buttercup, our newest fabric collection, is due to release to stores in February so for all those of you who have been patiently waiting for its arrival, only a few more days or weeks depending on where you live! This line has a classic fresh Spring Fig Tree palette with color names like coral rose, sugar snap, lily stone, bluebell, buttercup and primrose. Doesn't that just make you think of meadows or gardens? Okay so maybe it doesn't, but it could LOL!

My favorite print in this line... Sugar Snap, the little vining sweet pea floral. I am just a bit nuts over this print in every single one of the colorways. I know its not nice to choose favorites and I don't mean to hurt your feelings, other prints, but this one is just a perfect combination of sweet and sassy for me! Love it.

   

 

  

  

... yes, I did put the brown in there twice. Feeling a little compulsive to set it up all nice and even. Trust me, you wouldn't want to live in my head! Plus the brown colorway is my favorite.

We made Ella's Party Dress out of this fabric. And boy has it seen its share of parties. It's been traveling around all over the world on trunk shows and in between, my daughter has somehow managed to wear it a couple of times. She is nothing if not persistent :-).

[By the way if you are a store and want to set up a trunk show of Buttercup, let us know as soon as possible. Email me at [email protected]]. 

COMING SOON...

For those of you who follow the newest releases and MODA updates, you may already know that the MODA fabric reps are currently showing a brand new line for release May, 2011. It is a fresh, retro, picnic feeling line that it a bit of a departure for me. It is called Strawberry Fields. Did I mention that I am infatuated with this collection? I absolutely ADORE it. But I wasn't always so sure about it.....

Sometimes as a designer, you are not completely sure of the what the finished product is going to feel like when it is done. You work in your little design cave, come up with something that you think is good, rework it & tweak with if for months, send it on to the company with your fingers crossed and then pray. Literally. I don't know about other designers out there, but for me its that time of waiting for the first set of strike offs that is the hardest. How will the mill interpret my work? How will the art director like it? How will the prints work together once they are on cloth? Will all the colors gel or stand out? Have I forgotten a crucial print to make it all flow and work together?  I start to second guess myself the second I send the package! At that moment it is all about the relief of being finished mixed with the insecurity of sending your latest designs out into the world. It is the moment of no return.

Well, with this line since it is a bit more in the fresh, retro, 50's feel, that feeling of no return was HUGE for me. It felt like forever before the first strike offs returned. But I had never loved a set of strikeoffs more. Did I mention that I am a bit infatuated with this collection? Oh I did already, sorry. Anyway, starting tomorrow, I will be showing you a bit more of that line and the yummy patterns that we are releasing with it.

So stay tuned and if you are not yet signed up for our newsletter, you might wanna. There is a sale email that will be going out tomorrow too. Just saying.

Talk to you soon