HELLOmynameisHeather

Clickety-Clack

Remember the birthday card and what I said about knitting myself a scarf? Well, you won’t believe what I stumbled across (press 'play' below) …and the deep self-analysis it’s caused me! I swear, it’s an allegory about calmly-crazed me. Perhaps I should get a haircut (figuratively, at least).

Just kidding. It’s all good. If it’s not the knitting needles, then it’s the scissors – or the sketchbook, or the sewing machine, or the computer. There’s always something else to fidget with. Clickety-clack, clickety-clack, clickety-clack… the soundtrack of my life.

I thought you might relate ☺

Freshcut™

At last, my friends, here is Freshcut. My debut collection of fabric for Free Spirit is all stacked and pretty before the flurry of sample-sewing begins. What a relief and a thrill to get my hands on these fabrics after babying each design to completion.

Each pattern began as a rough pencil sketch. Then, through a series of refinements, including re-draws, transfer paper, paint and a scanner, the designs were entered into my computer where I perfected the repeat and tinkered with the colors.

Though there were certainly a couple of steps in the process that will be eliminated the next time around (now that I know better what I’m doing), I’m grateful for the things I’ve learned along the way.  I’m even more grateful for the help and patience I’ve received from my family and friends to see me through this new adventure.   

So, without further ado, I’ll attempt to explain my intentions with Freshcut…

Hmmm. Where to start? Well, I love fabric. Love it. In fact, I have a towering collection of fabric. When I first started to sew, as a young girl, my mother would take me to the fabric store to pick out the exact fabrics for my quilt or project and I would carefully choose fabrics that coordinated ‘just so.’  Later, as a college student studying fashion design, I had projects due too frequently to take a trip to the store for each assignment.

I began to stash fabrics that I found unique or that spoke to me on a deeper level. It was back then that I learned to appreciate the unique flavor of a design that’s been assembled from a treasured collection.  Having an assortment of fabrics on hand freed me to be more experimental with color and print combinations and my aesthetic grew both more sophisticated and more playful.

With Freshcut, I wanted to capture a bit of the charm and energy found in a treasured fabric stash, by offering an unexpected assortment of prints and colors that somehow ‘work’ with each other.  Several of the designs have a romantic and vintage flavor, while others lend a quirky and modern touch.  Each palette offers colors that resonate with each other rather than ‘match.’ And, the colorways are meant to 'cross-pollinate' for a greater variety of combinations.

I feel honored to be working with Free Spirit, a fun-loving company with a reputation for excellence, where I have been kindly supported and encouraged. The quality of the fabric Free Spirit produces is impeccable and it’s a real treat to see my designs executed with such care.

When I get my website together, I’ll be sure to include slides of each fabric, so the designs are easier to see.  Until then, here is the full stack – all 40 fabrics.

I’ve also had a number of people email me to ask more about my design process. So, in the coming weeks, I’ll be spotlighting a few of these designs, juxtaposing my original sketches with the resulting fabric.   

For now, you can read more about Freshcut, my studio, and my take on the online craft community at Quilter's Buzz. There’s also a little bit about Freshcut in this month’s Country Living Magazine.  Exciting times!

Anyhow, thanks for your interest and support and for taking part in my big debut!

Love,
Heather

   

Out of the Bag

Can you believe I made this on a home sewing machine!?!  I guess stubborness can be the mother of ingenuity.  What a brain-bender!  I figured it out though and the resulting design is completely repeatable – hence, another forth-coming pattern.  I can’t wait to get this one to print and show you how it goes together – I couldn’t be more pleased with the result.  It's still going to be a couple of months before I print any patterns, though -- one woman show, you know. But, I'm too excited to keep the cat in the bag, so enjoy the early screening. Hmmm? – to carry or to hang on the wall? (Oh, and this purse has special powers… but, more on that later)

The fabrics are vintage feedsacks. I had meant to make Christmas decorations with them;  check out these and these.  But, when I pulled them for a baby dress (forthcoming) to go with these, I got caught up in their fabulousness and got to work on a purse pattern.

Smart Cookie

On Saturday night, Elijah and I got take-out -- dee-licious -- and here’s what my fortune cookie said:

Then, yesterday I received two incredible packages.  What a smart cookie!  First to arrive (at left) were these potholders, frog towels, and vintage fabric scraps from Elinor. I especially love the odd little Scotty dog potholder.  Thanks Elinor, you send the best presents!

Later, when I returned from picking Elijah up at school, I was met by another box of happiness. Mo (a.k.a. lemongardenia) sent me some vintage hangars for my collection, some incredible “Heather” cards she designed, and wooden cutouts for my kids to paint (at right).  The mustard hangar is killing me – what a fantastic color!  And I’m in awe of Mo’s incredible line of custom stationery: oOoOo, aAaAah!  Thanks Mo -- I'm wafting good vibes your way -- what a generous soul!

To see these mail goodies close-up, click here.

Sew, Heather, Sew!

Let the deluge begin… For that “Come hither, while I bake us some cookies” look, how about a sexy halter apron?  Here’s a pattern I have in the works. And, remarkably, it looks fantastic on a variety of body types, so I won't have to grade the pattern -- yay!

I’m amassing a number of designs before hunting out a printer.  However, I’m not up to waiting until they’re printed before sharing.  All I do these days is eat, sleep, sew and change diapers.  Throw in a number of trips around the world to Elijah’s school and a bit of blogging and you’ve got a pretty accurate view of my life, at least for the next few weeks (prepping for Quilt Market). 

You see, my fabric is in.  My fabric is in!  I’ll post the whole stack this week. Meanwhile, cheer me on, “Sew, Heather, sew!”

Oodles of...

I have several sewing projects in the works right now, but nothing is to a photographable state:  apron, purse, baby dress, etc.  Expect a ‘flashflood’ in the next week or so. 

For now, I offer this silly vintage book for smiles, and the vintage barrette I found on my ebay hunt.  We had a couple of pet poodles when I was a kid.  Summer was first, short for ‘Hideaway’s Indian Summer."  She was super smart and very sweet.  Summer was given away when we moved to California because she didn’t respect the carpet in our new home. 

Years later, when my older brother went off to college and my younger brother was lonesome for a roommate, Buddy came into our lives, along with Midnight Jazz.  In the next few years, they had 3 different litters – imagine little black poofs running all over the place – such sweet childhood memories.  I took responsibility for keeping them groomed.  At times, this would involve six poodle haircuts in one day.  It was exhausting.  But, several doggy mohawks and beards got me through the long, hot days on the back steps with the clippers. 

Our toy poodles were hardly lap dogs, mainly hanging out atop our hill, chasing skunks, eating mice and basking in the sun.  At times matted and filthy, and at times fluffy and trimmed, we called them “Poodles of the Serengeti” and enjoyed their many quirks.

So, this book makes me laugh.  In fact, most illustrations of poofy, prissy poodles bring on a smirk.  My experience was so different. 

Hang-Ups

I adore vintage children’s hangers.  The wooden ones, like those above, are my favorites.  It’s not often that I find one at an agreeable price though, so my collection isn’t very big… yet.  The plastic ones, with the cut-out shapes, are pretty fabulous as well, and they’re not quite as pricey (check out these lambs close-up -- they have creepy human faces).  When I’m able to make a new dress or shirt for Charlotte, it undoubtedly ascends to its throne on one of my cherished baby hangers.

Occasionally I daydream of merry hanger-making -- visions of Scotty-dogs and jump-roping girls on custom-cut hangers.  Soon, I drift and imagine the childhood symbols of our times -- how satirical to make a vintage-y hanger with a Gameboy painted on its throat or junk food?  My brand of humor, I guess.  But, then I find a happy medium, imagining a spooky teddy bear or a redhead with knotted braids.  These are happy daydreams.

Anyway, why hangers? 

Ah yes, I just unearthed these striped baby tights I bought when I was pregnant with Charlotte.  I purchased them at a used kids store for 50¢.  She’s finally big enough to wear them -- yay -- but, of course, she has nothing to wear them with.  With fall fast-approaching, I realize that it is now or never.  It’s time my girl had just the right sort of thing to wear with such fabulous tights as these – a fun little number to hang on a silly little hanger -- inevitable happiness.  So, stay tuned -- I’ve already made the pattern!

...oh, and I’ve won the Plummy -- what a hoot!  "Best Newcomer" it is (ah, man, now I have a reputation to uphold).  But truly, thanks for the votes, I’m honored.

A 3-Hour Tour

Well, I’m back.  It was a beautiful wedding and a delightful visit with Isaac’s family.  In between the wedding and the reception, I snuck off with my aunt for a family history tour (what a good sport – I hadn’t spoken with her for years and years, then she got a call from my dad that I was nearby and would like to spend the afternoon with her). 

I never knew any of my grandparents and I can barely connect names with faces when it comes to extended family, but oh how I’ve longed for those relationships!  In three-hours’ time, my aunt was able to show me the home or business of two sets of great grandparents and one set of great great grandparents.  We popped in for visits with 3 of my dad’s cousins (two of which are his ‘double cousins’ – his mom’s older sister married his dad’s older brother!).  Oh how I wanted to latch onto their legs and beg to be their granddaughter!  We only visited for a few minutes, but I was choked up at parting. 

The most emotional part of the day was meeting my grandmother’s sister, Joyce.  Currently 96, she was only one year older than my grandmother  -- they were very close.  I learned that they shared a room in the attic of their home and were the same grade in school -- their grandfather had donated the land for the one-room schoolhouse they attended.  My grandparents met in school, and before they married, Joyce and my great uncle double-dated with them.

What a wealth -- my goodness, where has she been all of my life?  How come I never realized that she existed?  Here was this woman before me who held so much of my family history in her heart – so many of the stories and memories I’ve longed for from a grandparent.  I wish we’d met two decades ago and I had grabbed onto her leg back then -- I’m sure she would have said, “Yes, I’ll be your grandmother!”  Now, at her age, she’s fading, as are the memories of her time.  I’m grateful to have met her and for that momentary glimpse of what my grandmother might have been like if she hadn’t passed four decades too early.

(Click here to read more about each photo -- including one very sheepish memory)