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*Giveaway closed, Random Number Generator chose 3 winners, (53, 3, 39)* Thanks for participating!

Do you know Carrie?

I met her a few years ago at the Long Beach Quilt Show, while walking around, shopping, with my friends, Jules and Tess.  Carrie is AWESOME (and so is her mother). We were drawn into the SUCH Designs booth, and gabbed for hours, and felt like we’d known each other for years. She’s so warm and friendly and wonderful, she probably makes everyone feel as welcomed and loved as we felt, but we certainly left feeling special.  We STILL feel special to be friends with *SUCH* an amazing woman. (see how I did that? )

She’s written fantastic patterns, and gotten lots of press for them, and now she has a fabric line that’s being released by Windham.  She wrote to me a few weeks ago, asking if I would like to sew some samples….

One of the things I like best about people like Carrie is that she’s honest. So here’s my real truth: I was completely overwhelmed and crazed with work and parenting, and I had NO creative energy left.  But Carrie is so wonderful that I said that I was super busy, but wanted to help, so to just send me the fabric and pin on notes saying what to make with what, and I would get it done.

A few days later, I received a box o goodies from her; that night, I whipped out a pair o pants (self-drafted to fit my boy), and a dress (the new Oliver + S Rollerskate Dress to fit my girl), snapped some quick shots in the morning, and mailed them back to her.

Luckily for  Carrie, she was able to find some cute kids locally to model the clothes I made,

they seem just as goofy as mine…

(these two pretty pictures are OBVIOUSLY not mine. Photo Credit belongs to Jill McNamera

I’m totally proud of my workmanship on the clothing, but I have to give credit where it’s due, fabric choices and creative decisions on these garments were entirely hers.

So there I was, with her scraps, my deadlines over for a few days, and time to finally soak it all in.  As I admired Carrie’s beautiful and thoughtful work, inspiration struck.  (Scraps can be so liberating, as there’s no pressure). I had been playing around with an idea in my head, and I used the purple polkadot scraps to test out my idea for a bag to hold yarn for knitting socks 2-at-a-time.

and then I was on a roll. I made a few others to try different dimensions or variations in assembly, and then, yesterday, I bravely cut into some gorgeous bits, and made this version:

I even started a new pair of 2-at-a-time socks to match the bag!

I love that the fabrics in COLLAGE are playful without being novelty. The polka dots are my fave, maybe? but I also love the letters. This line has some FANTASTIC low-volume prints, and text, very on-trend.  I can have a vibrant bag that’s mature and thoughtful. Thoughtful is probably the word I think of most when I think of the whole line of COLLAGE.

If you’ve managed to read all the way down to here, you deserve a prize, so…

comment on this post, and I’ll pick 3 lucky winners

1 winner will get a layer cake of COLLAGE, courtesy of Carrie and Windham

1 winner will get their choice of the bags I made with COLLAGE (purple or red)

and 1 winner will get a free copy of my new SockSack pattern 

Be sure to check out the rest of the COLLAGE blog party for more chances to win this beautiful fabric!

April 15 – Sally Keller
April 16 – Angela Walters
April 17 – Shea Henderson (Empty Bobbin)
April 18 – Anna Graham (Noodlehead)
April 19 – Jenny Kelly
April 20 – Sam Hunter (Hunter’s Design Studio)
April 21 – Rachael Gander (Imagine Gnats)
April 22 –Karen Le Page (One Girl Circus)
Congratulations again, SWEET SWEET Carrie! I’m so happy for you, and so in awe of your wonderful talent, and so thankful for your friendship!

52 Responses

  1. You are a triple threat – you quilt, knit, AND sew garments. Seriously you blow me away. I love seeing (ugggg typed that four times on my phone and it kept autocorrecting to ‘sewing’) anyway, love seeing people using your sock bag, AND this fabric line is seriously beautiful. I’ll be buying it when it comes out in stores!!

  2. Love that you are on this blog tour! I actually stumbled upon it yesterday nd saw your name.Yay! Love the fabric. That dress is on my must do list now. Pick me!!xoxo

  3. No need to pick me since I have a socksack already, but I wanted to pipe in and say that the pattern for the bag is really good. I love the way it works practically (no tangled yarns! Ball stays in the bag!) and that new fabric line? Heck yeah, count me in. I’ve always loved text and low volume stuff so I can’t wait to scoop up some Collage when I get the chance.

  4. You know I love those bags! And Carrie’s fabric is so awesome, I can’t wait to get some myself! So fun!

  5. What great garments!! I need a little girl to sew for… Thanks for sharing and for the great giveaway chance!

  6. Cute dress and shorts. I’m amazed that you find the time to do all of the things you do while homeschooling your children. My husband and I homeschooled our three children and although I sewed some for the girls, it was probably a good thing that I was not quilting at that time. 🙂 Thank you for the chance to win one of your great bags and the layer cake. I don’t knit so I will have to pass on your sock sack pattern.

  7. Love the clothes, could have used the socks today! I’m a quilter so a layer cake would be a great prize for me. LOL

  8. Oh, I can only imagine how multi-talented Carrie is, and how wonderful that fabric is. Windham doesn’t play around! :). Congrats on the sock sack pattern. It’s fun to be innovative and help people out, isn’t it?! 🙂

  9. I am crazy in love with that purple dress! Would my daughters disown me if I made outfits for all of us from that fabric…?

  10. I don’t think that I can wait for your splendid fabric to hit the stores!!! I am quilting away in my mind and sewing garments …. soooo much gorgeous-ness!

  11. LOVE this line of fabrics! Can’t wait to see the whole line. I would love to win this giveaway:) Your children are darling and so are the clothes you made 🙂

  12. Cute fabric and I am fascinated by the technique of knitting 2 socks on one circular needle. BThanks for the great giveaway.

  13. Somebody has been busy, hehe. Cute shorts and dress. Love your bags, everybody needs more bags, I love having one for each of my projects. I have not heard of knitting two socks at once but what a clever idea! I knit alittle, I wonder if I could make socks? I’ll have to give it a try.
    Thank you for an awesome and generous giveaway and the chance to win. Three winners! Woot! Woot! You guys Rock!

    usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com

  14. These fabrics are great. I love the border print used for the dress. Just found your blog through this blog party and will be adding it to my list of regular reads.

  15. Oh I love this fabric. It’s so colourful and playful as you say. I love the bold colours and the useful textures. Better make room on the special shelf 🙂

  16. The clothes are so cute! I’m tempted to sew for my little girl now. Collage looks wonderful too, you’re so lucky to get to work with it 🙂

  17. I am so loving this fabric line..my brain is spinning with ideas….and your bag would be great fun–thanks for the giveaway!

  18. Great job on the pants-fabric was inspirating.Will be looking to get some for a grandaughter
    project! Thanks.

  19. And I love that you are so honest, admitting when you are overcommitted – it is hard to admit that for me – and giving credit where credit is due. Great stuff here!

  20. Cute cute! love that little dress! (is she sending them back to you as they fit your littles?)

  21. What a kind and fancy way to celebrate your friendship! I’ve just discovered your blog and I’m super excited! Thanks so much for the chance and Happy Monday! Hugs, Jessica

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