It’s as close as I’ll ever get to winning the lottery.

Our craft room turns into a wonderland laden with hundreds of ribbons in silks, velvets, taffetas, chenille, etc., in colors that rival a Pantone swatch book—all of it ready to be tied, strung, and looped.

Forget sugar and spice. Here are just a couple of samples of what dreams are made of.

From Midori:

www.midoriribbon.com

From Mokuba:

www.mokubany.com

From Hannah Silks:

www.artemisinc.com

 

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But some of them, like the Quilt Show and the Craft and Hobby Show coming up in February, make you want to sing and dance and make things! So many creative people, and all of them are passionate about what they do. It's really inspiring.

I recently introduced my new line of fabric with Moda (that’s Moda’s Holly Hickman in the photo below, who helped us design our line). I hope everyone has as much fun creating things with it as I had designing it. And speaking of Moda, before the Quilt Show opened I went to Dallas to see Moda's offices and meet with their sales reps. Talk about inspiring. The offices are big and boxy, kind of nondescript buildings in an office-y looking complex, but then you walk through the doors and...magic! Wonderful products, displayed so beautifully, gorgeous bolts of fabric and designs for new fabrics everywhere. I actually came home and embroidered a denim jacket for my granddaughter, something I haven't done for years. The creative energy at Moda is palpable and contagious, and it’s immediately apparent that everyone there loves their job and appreciates all the fantastic benefits, tangible and intangible, that owner Mark Dunn provides. I’m really thrilled, in case you couldn't tell, to be associated with Moda and especially all the other artists there.

On another note, I'm starting my tour to support my new line of baby clothes at Dillards. To see if I'll be anywhere near you, please check out my schedule on my website. Come on out and visit!

But first, I’m going to take a day or two to enjoy Thanksgiving with my family and count my blessings. And you better believe that among the things I’m most grateful for is that readers like you appreciate the work I love doing.

Links:
www.maryengelbreit.com
www.moda

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Body parts wear out under repeated stress. In search of help, Polly and I signed up for a yoga lesson, but it was a little too New Age-y for us. “When the body and soul are yoked in balance and peace, the awakened way of life results,” the blissed-out teacher, an ethereal sprite in expensive pastel yoga togs, assured us.

“Can we get an order of fries with that?” Polly whispered. We quit after one class, and decided to teach ourselves.
 
I bought an easy, non-threatening little book called Yoga in Bed: 20 Asanas to do in Pajamas, by Edward Vilga . You’ll find no Sting-and-Trudy contortions here, just basic poses illustrated by photos of a young woman who looks like she’s having fun (unlike the snooty suburban yoginis in our yoga class). Each clearly explained exercise includes a list of variations you can try after you’ve limbered up some.
 
A couple of caveats: I do very few of these exercises in bed, preferring the additional support offered by a double-folded quilt on the floor. Also, the model in the book demonstrates many of the poses with a pile of pillows beneath her head. Other yoga books I’ve consulted advise keeping the head and neck in line for most poses.

          

Take your time, and don’t even think about attempting complicated poses like headstands and spinal twists without help from a trained yoga teacher. Yoga is not a competitive sport. Don’t push or strain. 
 
Once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll be ready for Thirty Essential Yoga Poses, by Judith Hanson Lasater.
For more information and inspiration, you might also want to visit www.yogabasics.com and www.yogajournal.com.

Polly and I have been stretching and breathing for several months now. My posture and range of motion are improving steadily, and the demons have removed their flaming pickaxes from Polly’s back. Maybe it’s not “the awakened way of life,” but it’s definitely the non-aching way. And that’s close enough.


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When I come back from a shoot or show, it’s always fun to tell everyone about “my new best friends.” The quilt market in Houston last month was no exception. It was great to meet the wonderful and talented artists of fabrics, the marketing teams that I’ve been working with for many years but never met in person, and to reacquaint myself with old friends. 

This time around, Mary launched two new collections with Moda. Friends and Flowers is a collection of fabrics in all-over prints and a quilt kit in all of our favorite Mary designs and colors. Mary’s second collection, Maison Rouge, consists of finished linen goods for the kitchen, including a very, very c-u-t-e tablecloth, potholder, and towels. Both collections will be available in February through independent stores nationwide and Mary’s website, maryengelbreit.com. 

Amy Butler’s award-winning booth was truly a showstopper. Amy launched four new sewing patterns and four new free patterns, available on her website (see below).  Lucky marketers grabbed a signed copy of her new book, Midwest Modern.

The green market is taking a stand in the fabric industry. Andover introduced the use of hand blocks with vegetable dyes to print one of Kathy Hall’s new collections. And the Organics collection from Michael Miller is 100 percent organic cotton, available in many weights (from felt to sheeting), textures (including terry and sherpa), and trims (in gingham bias and ruffle rickrack).

Echino fabrics by Etsuko Furuya fabrics have wonderful, whimsical patterns that lend themselves to great projects in pillows, curtains, and clothing. The depth and combination of colors are amazing and the weight of the fabric allows for great draping and durability. 

We met Phillip De Leon of Alexander Henry Fabrics and learned of his love for mid-century art and how he, his sister and their father all work together to incorporate that love into their fabrics. Mixed throughout the booth were Ikea chairs upholstered in Alexander Henry Fabrics. They were spectacular and looked like a million dollars.

WEBSITES:

Maryengelbreit.com

Modafabrics.com

Amybutlerdesign.com

Michaelmillerfabrics.com

Echino fabrics available through www.purlsoho.com

www.ahfabrics.com

 

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The leaves have already started changing to vibrant oranges and reds, and yet there is no better time to go green. In fact, it’s not just the leaves that are changing; people are starting to wise up when it comes to the environment. It seems that now— more than ever—there are eco-friendly options for just about every consumer product imaginable, including plastic grocery bags.

San Francisco became the first US city to officially ban the use of plastic bags, and with good reason: they’re an environmental nightmare. Each bag can take up to 1,000 years to decompose, and every year 500 billion to one trillion bags are produced worldwide. It takes 430,000 gallons of oil to make 100 million bags—not the best use of a dwindling resource. Many bags end up in landfills; others pollute oceans and suffocate animals that mistake them for food. So what can you do to reduce the impact? Start carrying reusable ones! Better yet, make one of your own.

There are tons of free tutorials all over the internet, if you need help getting started. You can pop over to Craftster to see the entries from their recent grocery bag craft challenge and check out their tutorials. If you’re community-minded, check out Morsbags.com, where you can meet other crafters from your area who share an environmental interest. Participants get together, share refreshments, stitch up a bunch of bags from recycled materials, and hand them out for free in front of grocery stores. I made my bag with the Morsbags tutorial, using scraps of Moda fabric.

              

If you don’t have time to spare for sewing projects, don’t fret. There are plenty of green companies, such as Reusable Bags, that carry a wide selection of products. The point is, by not accepting “free” plastic bags, you’re greatly reducing your environmental footprint with minimal effort. Even better, many grocery stores (Wild Oats & Trader Joe’s, to name a couple) offer discounts when you BYOB. It’s win-win! And it’s an easy way to help the environment—without camping out in a sequoia.

For more information visit:

www.stopglobalwarming.org

www.noimpactman.typepad.com

www.epa.gov

 

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