Holiday Hop Guest Star: Amy Bradley

We are so lucky to have so many guest stars for our Holiday Hop! On Saturday November 3rd, Bernina Sewing Center will be hosting quilt designer Amy Bradley from 10-12:00.

Artist's Statement:
One would not recognize the metal building behind my house as a quilt design studio, business office, and warehouse. I feel so blessed to be working with my two children, and in my own backyard. My oldest daughter, Ashley, works with me full-time. My youngest, Adam, worked part-time while attending the University of Kansas. My mother, Dorothy, is also a wonderful help with sewing and designing. She has been to every quilt market with me. My husband, John, is a veterinarian in Lawrence, Kansas. 

We live in the country and raise Hereford cattle. I have lived my entire life in Kansas. I was born in Medicine Lodge, where my parents still reside. I graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in fine arts/ graphic design. I started quilting in the 80s. My inspiration for my first quilt design, Dazzling Dogs, was to create a gift for John's veterinary clinic. I started my business with that quilt and it has only hung in the clinic for about one week in the past four years. When I told my husband about my plan to turn Dazzling Dogs into quilt patterns his now famous line was "Do people buy those?". Now his new famous line is "When can I retire?" I am always looking for my next comical character such as Quilt Diva, Super Quilter, Seasoned Quilter, and Bountiful Beauties. I know quilters have just as much fun making my patterns as I have designing them, I've seen the photos!

Weekend Inspiration

So, I realize that it was kind of a slow week here blog-wise. Truth is, after 3 weekends of quilt-showing (with the last being in St. Louis) I was burnt out and fell into my new book. I managed to finish it on Wednesday and felt like I could finally surface yesterday.

Then, last night I went to the see Denyse Schmidt give her lecture for the Modern Quilt Guild, and it was really good. For some reason I found it very soothing for my overworked brain this week, and thought I would share some quilts here today. Although you have probably seen them before, I"m sure. I also added in a little extra surprise for you. See if you can spot it!

J and I are off to Tulsa this weekend to see Neil Young and Crazy Horse. Anybody know anything about Tulsa? Where we should go? What we should eat?

Holiday Hop Guest Star: Kelly Fricker

During the Holiday Hop, Urban Arts and Crafts will be hosting Kelly Fricker on Friday November 2nd from 1-4. Kelly Fricker is the owner of KellyGirl Studio.  She has been sewing since she was a girl.  Her passion for collecting vintage fabrics led her into garment design.  She couldn't bear to see all of those fabulous fabrics just sitting on the shelf.  Skirts have always been the centerpiece of her collections.  Designing and producing one-of-a-kind clothing led her to open KellyGirl Studio in downtown Parkville, MO, in 2008.  In addition to designing and constructing garments, she also began teaching others to sew.      

KellyGirl creates funky, functional clothing for women who have a unique style.  Her customer is one who doesn't want to look like all the others.  A KellyGirl has a story to tell....and her style is one way to tell it.  Many of the KellyGirl designs repurpose other clothing items.  Her most poplular item is the "t-shirt skirt", a flattering 6-panel skirt made from used cotton t-shirts.   The t-shirt skirt is a great way to get those big, boxy t-shirts out of your drawers and actually wear them, in a different way!  All skirts are a one-of-a-kind custom design.  

Today, Kelly operatees KellyGirl Studio out of her home and teaches sewing classes at Urban Arts and Crafts.  You can find her clothing for sale at Aura Hair Studio and Boutique in downtown Parkville, MO.  To find out more about custom t-shirt skirts, visit her blog: www.kellygirlstudio.blogspot.com.

Loose Threads Quilt Show

Just a head's up that the store will be a wee bit depleted again this weekend, as we journey to our last quilt show of the season, Loose Thread's in St. Louis! Don't worry, we've left you plenty of lovely goods to choose from, and today we even have a special guest store babysitter, Lauren from My Aunt June!

You know Lauren of course, she is the talented designer of many things including rainbow alphabets, sign language alphabets and the ever popular I love my freaking cat poster (all available in the store!) Stop by and see her today and pick up some of her own designs!

Holiday Hop Guest Star: Renay Martin from Purse strings Patterns

During the Holiday Hop on Friday November 2nd from 10-12 you can see Renay Martin at Harper's Fabric and Quilt Co. Renay owns a company called Purse Strings Patterns.  After teaching for several years using different purse patterns, Renay realized that they were just too frustrating to use—let alone teach! They just didn't have clear enough instructions or details to make them easy and fun to use. 
 
So, after being challenged by a friend, Renay created a pattern using one of her own purse designs...and the "Annabelle" was born. Twenty-two purse patterns later, the design ideas keep coming. 

Renay has been sewing since she made her first Barbie doll dress on Good Friday in third grade. It was a huge (actually a small) success! 
 
She credits her mother, Mary Ann, for her passion for sewing. "Mother always encouraged us to create in the sewing room with only two rules: we had to get an "ok" from her before we used any fabric from the sewing room drawers and we had to clean up our projects afterward." 
 
As the years passed, her passion led to designing and sewing her own clothes... who knew that regular sized clothes were way easier to make than Barbie clothes? 
 
After marrying and having children, Renay opened a custom clothing business in her home. Too many prom and wedding dresses later, she needed a change. With the children tucked into college, she accepted a job offer from a good friend and now works and teaches in a great quilt shop called Harper's Fabric and Quilt Co. The creative opportunities there are endless. She is able to dabble in all forms of sewing, but soon discovered the intrigue of sewing purses. 

Wayne White: Beauty is embarrassing

September was a busy month for us. There were quilt shows and events almost every weekend and after all that I normally go home and crash. Hence, the lack of finished projects around here (blush) (I'm coming for you soon almost finished corduroy dress!) So, J and I turn to our Apple TV and it's movie selection. Or at least the trailers. We seem to spend an inordinate amount of time just watching trailers to upcoming movies. It's great because you come across titles that you would otherwise never have heard of, like Beauty is Embarrassing.

If we hadn't been so tired, how would we ever have known that there is a movie about Wayne White, the artist who (among many other things) built the puppets and sets for Pee-Wee's Playhouse? I wouldn't otherwise have known who to thank for all of those happy Playhouse years. I can't tell you how much time I spent watching that show... in fact I need to get that on dvd so I can relive it. At last glance the movie hadn't been released on Apple TV yet, but it's on our Wish List. I hope you add it to yours too!


Also, because I know you want to see it..The opening segment to Pee-Wee's Playhouse:

Bill Cunningham New York

On Saturday night J and I watched the cutest movie ever, Bill Cunningham New York. It's a documentary on photographer Bill Cunningham who has been recording street style in New York for decades. There are many (many) a blogger who owe what they do to this man. The movie came out a while ago, but I never got around to seeing it, but I'm so glad we came across it Saturday night! Bill himself is a total sweetheart. He is so lovely, and it does your heart good to see a man who enjoys his life and work so much! And you will be totally inspired to go a little further getting dressed in the morning.

Anyway, if you have any interest in fashion or photography you should see this. Or, if you, like me, are just a total sucker for a documentary, this one will totally grab you.