Just a Few Updates

Hello Everyone!

Wishing you the most merry of Christmas holidays!

I really hope that as the holiday stress rises and you feel more and more like you are not ready, or the presents are not ready, or your house is not ready, that you are just able to take a minute and breathe....

And then breathe again... and then make yourself a cup of tea and sit down next to the Christmas tree or the mantel or any other place that makes you feel "in the spirit" and take a moment to take it all in. Whatever "it" might be.

Even for those of us who might be experiencing difficult situations, mourning, loss... there is still usually something that we can "take in". Something that can make us smile regardless of what is happening around us. I just wish and pray peace for all of us during this season especially. It makes me sad that this seems too often be the season that makes everyone more nuts and more stressed out than usual instead of the oppositie. Myself included....

Wishing you true peace this season. Even if for just a moment here or there.

Around here we are celebrating Christmas in 4 different celebrations in several different locations and are trying to find moments of peace in the midst of it all. I hope to share more soon but wanted to at least send out some updates about Fig Tree stuff in the midst of everything else. Celebrating with fabric and thread are one of the ways that I personally find peace in my days and figure that you do too!

 

MODERN BLOCK OF THE MONTH

The MODERN BLOCK OF THE MONTH shipments went out early last week and should be to everyone by now. Sorry for the slight delay on those. We really tried to get all of the 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS boxes out to everyone before we starting processing these. We hope that you are enjoying them now or that you will get a moment to yourself to work on them after the Christmas festivities have subsided.

They range in size from 18" to 6" this time around and introduce our lovely red tone on tone red from Somerset along with the soft grey floral. Two lovely additions to all those solids and other prints! We love the combos on these! We are absolutely loving seeing all of your blocks all over so please keep those block pics coming!

 

FIG TREE MYSTERY BLOCK OF THE MONTH SAMPLER

We are working diligently to get this one finished before we take a little holiday break. It will be going out after Christmas in order to avoid the Postal Service insanity that goes on last week and this week. In an effort to maintain some sanity around here and in the hopes that we would lessen the chances of your packages getting lost or misrouted in the holiday rush, look for your goodies right after Christmas. 

Some of the fabrics we are working with this month...

Oh my gosh... we are loving the blocks for this quilt so far!

 

AMERICAN PATCHWORK & QUILTING

The current issue of APQ has a wonderful new little feature that we will be doing monthly. It is called MAKE IT MINI. Each issue, we will choose one of the quilts already in the magazine and work up a miniature version of that quilt. So far we have worked on a couple of these and they are really fun! The first one is up here in this issue...

We do have a few kits for them available. You will need to purchase the magazine seperately and... THE KITS WILL NOT SHIP UNTIL THE END OF MARCH WHEN THE ALOHA GIRL FABRIC ARRIVES FROM MODA.

We will show more photos on this one soon after Christmas too!

 

SINGLE NAVAJO STAR

Many of you who have emailed and contacted us about the blog directions for how to create the single star version of our popular Navajo Stars pattern. The instructions were up on the sidebar of the blog for quite a while and then thanks to the wonders of the internet, they dissapeared! So we are in the process of getting them back up but meanwhile here is the info for those of you who are anxiously awaiting!

The star block is made exactly as the one in the pattern. Trim it up reguarly just like you would for the quilt [so we are assuming a 23 1/2" trimmed up star]. Then add the following borders:

1st inner border [Somerset red]: (1) 1 1/2" x 23 1/2" and (2) 1 1/2"  25 1/2" strips.

2nd middle border [ivory solid]: (2) 1 1/2" x 25 1/2" and (2) 1 1/2" x 27 1/2" strips.

3rd outer border [green floral]: (2) 2 1//2" x 27 1/2" and (2) 2 1/2" x 31 1/2" strips.

Bind with (3) 2 1/4" binding strips [aqua solid].

Here is a a little Christmas version of the same star. Perfect for any bundle of red, green and cream fabrics!

 

Talk soon,

Joanna

 

 

 

 

 

QUILTS & MORE... Meet in the Middle

I love it when I do a project and then completely forget about it until it arrives in the mail or I suddenly see it online! Its like a surprise and a memory all at once. I know it sounds a bit silly, since I did make the project, but it happens to me all the time!

In this season's QUILTS & MORE magazine [American Patchwork & Quilting, Winter Issue], we have a few fun pillows featured.

 

And since I knew you might want to whip up some for your summer or fall decorating, we have some kits!

 

 

 

 

Kits include enough fabric to make (4) of these yummy little projects, including fabric and buttons kits for all 4. You will need to purchase the QUILTS & MORE magazine for the instructions.

Click HERE for more info on the kits.

Have a great day!

Joanna

Quilts & More: Scrap Lab

I'm sure you have noticed that every 3 months or so another little QUILTS & MORE: SCRAP LAB project shows up the doorstep of our blog. Well, its that time again.

It seems that each time we wrap it all up and think that we are done, its time to work on another scrappy goody for the folks at SCRAP LAB. Who knew, but apparently you guys are a little crazy about the SCRAP LAB feature and keep asking for more stuff. Thanks guys! I sure hope Camille and I [and all our guest friends] don't run out of ideas!

As usual I am not quite "on top of it all" enough to know [or if I did know, then remember] when the magazine hits the newsstands and when I am supposed to talk about it, but when QUILTS & MORE starts tweeting about the issue and I see it for sale online, I guess its safe to assume that I can blog about it. So here goes...

This time around we got to use a bit of my latest collection, California Girl, [you never know what they're going to throw at us, those crazy Quilts & More ladies] so it was super fun for me to whip up a little scrappy project for you out of my own creations! Our challenge this time around was to use a charm pack and a 1/2 yd. ivory solid fabric. Even the binding had to be from the charm pack. I have to tell you that even though you might not know it in the midst of the design process, I am really loving the challenge of using only what I have in front of me. Its kinda liberating in a funny kind of way.

 

So anyway, this is my contribution to this SCRAP LAB feature. As soon as I see any blogs or posts about the other projects [they are super-duper cute btw], I will add them here..... or at least tell you about them. I think you will love our guest this time around. We always love our guests... but kinda especially love this one. She is fabulous.

 

 

 

 

 

So... its super simple and a great beginner project or something that you can literally whip up in an afternoon. Small enough for you to easily practice your quilting on. Bound with scraps of the charm squares.

 

FAQ's:

The instructions & pattern are all in the latest SUMMER ISSUE '12 of QUILTS & MORE.

The magazine is available now. It is sold at many grocery stores, chain fabric stores and of course most of your local quilt shops. It is also available on-line.

We do not sell the magazine here at Fig Tree.

We do sell the kit for the project here at Fig Tree. If you are interested, CLICK here. The kits contains all the fabric you need for the top including the binding. The backing is not included. We used plain cream solid from our stash.

Have a great day! 

Quilts & More Time

BTW, OUR SITE IS BACK UP & RUNNING SMOOTHLY!

 

Yes! Its that time again. Time again for our quarterly editorial with Quilts & More. Can I just tell you how much I love this gig?!

This time Camille and I were joined by Jo Morton and her earthy, reproduction style fabrics. Such perfect quilting fabrics for the traditionalist!

The challenge this time around was to use 6 out of 7 fat quarters provided. So I chose our favorite 6 and got to cutting. After a bit of playing with fabric and working with ideas, this is what I came up with. 

 

 

 

Go here to see Jo's simple, graphic project for her version of the challenge.

Camille also did something lovely but I will have to wait until she posts about it to steal borrrow an image to show!

I have to share that these are the kinds of fabrics I started working with 10 years ago when I worked on my very first quilt. Can you believe it? It was fun to think back over the progression of my design aesthetic! 

I have changed a lot over the years but I know that this is the palette that still appeals to so many of you quilters out there and it was fun to think of you all as I sewed.

As soon as we were done with the challenge, however, we felt the need to make another version, with our upcoming California Girl collection, to see how the design would translate. And translate it did... I think! One of my favorite things ever, is seeing one of my patterns or designs worked out in a completely different color palette and style.

This bag has gotten a lot of use lately as it has become my daughter's favorite school bag. I could barely convince her to go to school without it today so I could snap a few shots. But, you know, we moms have our ways!

 

 

 

 

For those of you who want to make your own, be sure to go find yourself the latest issue of Quilts & More, gather up 6 fat quarters of your own and get started! 

 If you are particularly interested in these fabrics [California Girl], the precuts are starting to be available now and the yardage will be out in stores shortly, in March 2012.

Happy Sewing,

Joanna

Quilts and More

Been MIA. I still have stuff to show you from Market! And so many new pattern debuts! Been working on a few new things in the works and I am finishing up my book project.

Most of all, I am waiting for November to slow down a little bit so I can catch my breath. Do you think that might ever happen? I really am counting on it. My youngest turns 7 in a few weeks and I can hardly believe its true.

For today, I thought I would pop in and show you a few goodies that we have been working on for our SCRAP LAB feature for the American Patchwork & Quilting partner magazine, Quilts and More. Do you remember when I featured it last Spring and Summer? Well this Winter we have a few new projects.

The most recent one, that just went live on the APQ website and was featured today in their newsletter, is this perfect little fall project.

... out of all the ones I made, I think this one might be my favorite.

 

... this one just had a bit of black embellishments.

 

 

There was a third one too that you might notice in the photography on the APQ website- and it was cream-but let's just say that due to a little mishap, no photographs were taken of that one in the studio. That one was pretty fun too. All cream with green leaves and a few little orange strips.

On second thought, maybe I don't have a favorite. I think you might need all three!

To top it all off, my friend Camille made the cutest chevron tablerunner with the same fabrics. Cuz you know the challenge--- we both get the same exact pieces of fabric and each have to come up with something without adding anything from our stash other than embellishments! Its always fun and its always a "challenge"... hence the name. Just in case you hadn't caught on.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

And there's more. This was just the "extra: Scrap Lab feature above, the main one in the current Winter issue of Quilts and More features our challenge made from Camille's Ruby collection. Its a lovely group!

... photo shamelessly borrowed from Camille.

 

My project for this issue...

 

 

 

 

Camille's cute project was of course baby related... [many more adorable pictures on her blog at the moment]

... photo shamelessly borrowed from Camille.

 

And Heather who joined us as the third designer this time around made the sweetest pillow that you really will need to check out on the www.allpeoplequilt.com site as soon as their link is fixed.

 

And if that wasn't enough American Patchwork & Quilting for you, we did an interview on their new Radio Show a few weeks back that I haven't even told you about yet! Despite a few technical problems, Pat was a pro and such a doll to talk to as always. If you would like to listen to our show, click here and then scroll down on the Radio Show list to October 24th. I am the second half of the show. Hope you have fun listening to it. You'll have to tell me how it was. I can't bear to go and listen to my own voice. Anyone else have that fear? I just can't do it!

 

xoxo

Joanna

Introducing Scrap Lab

Its so much fun to play with scraps or small pieces of fabric that you aren't quite sure what you want to do with, isn't it? I think we all find ourselves in that spot once in a while and sometimes get stuck as to how to best use those pieces.

It's so much more fun to work on it with friends, or with the inspiration of others don't you think? And its even better when you get to follow along with what others are doing with the same exact scraps. Usually, seeing what others do, sparks your own creative juices, doesn't it?

It really never ceases to amaze me when a couple of designers or quilters come together with the same exact materials and walk away with projects that are so vastly different from one another that you could barely recognize that they all started with the same thing! Its the process of creativity at its best. No two eyes will see those scraps and come up with the exact same thing. For me, its a fabulous thing to watch!

In this new feature column in the Quilts and More publication [Better Homes & Gardens publication] my friend Camille and I will be doing exactly that. We will be playing with scraps, we will be inviting some friends to come to play with us in each issue and we will be sharing it all with you in the hope that you too might come and play. Sound like fun?

Oh, yeah and we'll be doing it in the next 6 issues with every kind and style of fabric you can imagine! Let's just say that it will stretch and challenge not only us but also hopefully you as you play along and create with us. I think you might want to stay tuned as we do some fun contests and giveaways along the way!

First up, a fun little challenge with my Spring collection, Buttercup. For this project, Camille and I invited our friend and designer, Brenda, to see what she might come up with. She went outside the rules just a little by adding a little embellishment but we won't hold that against her! Love ya, Brenda!

So, the projects are....

Camille obviously had a little baby on the brain.

 

Brenda wanted something for her studio...

 

 

As for me, I wanted to use the entire charm pack in a simple way that we could use for the table right away...

 

Now you've seen what we did, I wonder what you might create with the same little bundle of yummies? Thoughts?

For those of you interested in playing, we have little kits of the ingredients we used for this challenge available here. You will also need to purchase the current, Summer 2011 issue of Quilts and More for all the patterns and the article.

 

Talk to you soon.