And then there were three.

Lemonade Stand from the YELLOW book available in May 

This last week was very eventful (in my private life with my first child needing to be hospitalized for kidney issues again he's doing better now thank you and we are working with great doctors) we also were having spring break, which mother natures settings went bipolar giving us one day at 81 degrees and rounding it out to the 50's and 40's and then yesterday giving us freezing rain and snow. And even though we are still heating up our houses and wearing puffy coats over here in the midwest, my advance copy of Simply Color Book YELLOW arrived at my doorstep (due to arrive on your doorstep in May) and it made for a very warm and happy time. Here is a picture of my YELLOW Book, my YELLOW fabric  (Simply Colorful RED, ORANGE, YELLOW is due out in July 2015 please ask your Moda rep to show it to you!) with Moda and yes even my YELLOW thread found in my first thread box with Aurifil goes quite nicely!

And to answer the some questions about Simply Colorful: Yes, each color comes individually in it's own pre-cut. They are available in fat quarter bundles (of the 10 different SKU's of that color) Mini Jelly Rolls, and Layer Cakes. The charm packs carry all three colors together. YES, some of the fabric used in the book can be found in the new fabric line, BUT it's a new fabric line so it includes many that are not in the book but can be substituted quite nicely! 

Katie's yellow quilt from the Yellow book available in May

Creamsicle from the ORANGE book available now

YES! There are Ombre's that go with this line. As a matter of fact this project in the ORANGE book called Cheese Crackers would look fantabulous in Ombre and I'm planning on making one again using the orange ombre next time! 

Cheese Cracker from the ORANGE book available now

Queen of Hearts from the RED book available now

AND YES! There will be fabric to go with the rest of the books in the series, the next three books are GREEN, BLUE, and PURPLE. And I can't wait to show you those books and fabric! But not yet, right now lets savor these three! 

XOXO from the RED book available now

Purchase your RED book here
Purchase your ORANGE book here
Be alerted when YELLOW book goes on sale here
Be alerted when Simply Colorful RED, ORANGE, YELLOW half yard bundles goes on sale here.

Publisher of the Simply Color Books is Lucky Spool.
Simply Colorful Fabric Lines are By V and Co for Moda Fabrics

Happenings of the last couple of weeks

Ombre wall in the ombre class at Quilt Con

 Hello! Well, I've crawled back out of my hole after Quilt Con. WHAT A BLAST THAT WAS! It was entirely too fast and too quick, but man it totally tired me out! I was there a total 4 days, and I felt that I didn't even have a chance to take a breath. Two of the days were spent all day teaching classes, and interviews, and book signings and conversing with friends in the passing by. Occasionally I would be able to meet up for dinner with friends and we would talk about how fun everything was.

Triangle class at Quilt Con

 My Classes were amazing. So kind and fun. Our triangle class was first and we learned wonky, flying geese, HST, hour glass, just to name a few. It was fun if I do say so myself. I loved talking and joking and teaching and learning from my students. Such a fun give and take group of individuals.

my Ombre Flying Geese was used for both classes :)

Me in front of the Wall of Ombre. We didn't even put up all the projects up! They cranked them out like rockstars

ombre class students totally rocking the ombre fabric

The second day was spent teaching the Ombre gradient class. These ladies knocked out learning tons of techniques using my ombre gradient fabric. WE HAD A FUN TIME. we learned how to piece randomly and how to piece purposely with gradients, how to appliqué, how to pleat, and how to make rosettes jut to name a few. Much thanks to both of my classes it was so much fun getting to know you in our time together.

my favorite quilt please don't ask me who made it because it was a walk by taking picture and I didn't get the maker's name, but it was amazing, the different shades in the circles were made by the color of thread

During my classes and interviews and book signings, there was a common comment I got a lot of: "You're a lot shorter in person." and "You are very animated when you talk."

Case in point here's me at the BERNINA booth signing books. WHAT? This was a freak accident picture taken at just the right time…I don 't know what people are talking about…wait…

Okay fine. I blame the hispanic in me. So I flail my arms and make a lot of facial expressions. Sue me. I make life interesting. ;) (just kidding I know I'm animated, just as my sunday school kids in primary…half the time they just sit there staring at me with wide eyes and open mouths as I teach because I make so many faces and try to take flight half the time…)

Once I got home, I took a break of a day or so because my voice was all but gone and I was delirious from hardly any sleep and stress of the weeks prior. So I took to folding all yardage of all my fabric collections with Moda, it was relaxing for a minute. I still have just gray left to go. But i've made lots of room on my shelves so that's fantastic news. :)

This last Sunday after church I brought out my EPP from last year that I started at Camp Stitch A Lot and worked on it for a little. It was a nice little side distraction from all deadlines.
BUT, I did get one step closer to having our two new patterns for Simply Colorful RED, ORANGE, YELLOW ready for release!

My beautiful Endless Summer Quilt (pattern coming later this month) came back from being quilted by Melissa Corry. (who also pieced it for me while I was gone at Quilt Con! Thank you!!!)
Now back to reality of deadlines to be met, children to usher to activities, and dirty dishes. Life is a wonderful thing, I love my "crazy normal" and I love being home for a little bit. (HELLO SPRING MARKET COMING IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS!) One thing at a time.

We'll talk soon. 

IT'S QUILTCON TIME

kind of like it's Hammer Time only better

If we don't connect in one of my classes make sure you come and see me in:

 Booth 306 on Thursday the 19th at 5pm, I'll be signing my first book with Martingale "Make It Sew Modern: Gather, Twist, Pleat, Texture

Booth 516 on Friday at 5 pm and get a signed copy of my newest book with Lucky Spool Simply Color: Red: A Crayon Box for Quilters , and get a glimpse of Simply Color: Orange: A Crayon Box for Quilters . :) See you there or be square.

Take 5 Fat Quarters

Little Miss Kathy Brown and I go way back. Well not really we only go about a year back because that's when we met, but we HIT IT OFF like we had known each other for decades. We belly laughed and laughed and laughed in a little town in Indiana when we did the Shipshewana Quilt Festival. So yes I feel that Kathy and I go way back because of who she is a person. I'm pretty darn lucky to know her in real life, but enough kissy-kissy brown nosing Miss Brown(ha did you see what I did there?) …Lets talk about this new book of hers. 

Take 5 Fat Quarters: 15 Easy Quilt Patterns

In this book you will take 5 fat quarters and add background fabric to create some fun quilts. Kathy is the author of many other books as well. She's kind of good at it! And she's the master at showing you how to do it fast and fun and with some great tips along the way.

These two are a couple of my favorite quilts in her book! 

look at these lovely flying geese! :) I want to make this one as soon as I get a moment to breathe (so in like a bazillion years…but maybe this summer) Please go check out Kathy's blog, give her a sweet note of which one of her quilts is your favorite. It'll make her day. Make sure you tell her I sent you. ;)

PS: thank you so much for the lovely response on the new fabric line! :) and the books! :)!! mwua!

Introducing RED, ORANGE, and YELLOW Simply Colorful fabric By V and Co with Moda

Hello! FINALLY I get to show you!!! Introducing Simply Colorful I RED, ORANGE, YELLOW. (Simply Colorful II will be green, blue and purple and debuting at spring Quilt Market ) 

Yes, I've been teasing you with pictures of Simply colorful on Instagram, and on Facebook and even here but now you know that the fabric I keep slipping in pictures are really a new fabric line that will coincide with my Simply Color books. (and go well with my past aurfil thread collections as well!!)

Most of you should've already received your RED book. I've already gotten lovely comments, emails and tags gushing over the book! I'm so happy you're happy with it! I LOVE THEM! :)

When we designed this fabric line we kept the books in mind so that they could go well with the books, but could also be used all on its own as well. 

 Here you see RED(shipped end of January), and the ORANGE book (shipping in march) and the yellow book will be shipping in May. (not shown because I don't have the advance copy yet!) I know what you are thinking: but Vanessa Red has never been in any of your other fabric lines. Yeah, I know but we most definitely slipped some pink in with the Red. (also in the book!) I just can't shake off pink I'm pretty sure its a favorite color of mine. :)

 What I also love so much about this fabric line is that they are individually packaged in color. Have a project that needs orange? BOOM! We have a mini fat quarter bundle or jelly roll you can quickly pick up.
Need more yellow in your fabric stash? BAM! there you go, you are welcome. (shh I won't tell your husband)

and you betcha we have a couple of patterns that will go just with this fabric line to give you even more things to do with this line: (both available in March)

Sunrise, named because these colors just screams "I AM THE COLORS OF THE SUNRISE/SUNSET!!!" Sunrise uses the whole fabric line together by itself and is fat quarter friendly. 

Our second pattern that will be available is Endless Summer. It includes Simply Colorful RED, ORANGE, YELLOW, and bella solids. 

we included these beautiful bella solids of green, blues, purple and gray.

I'll do more pictures of the actual quilts after they are all quilted! So come back in the next few weeks, and I'll give you a heads up on when the patterns will be available. :) 

So there you have it! 

And these guys will be shipping in the middle of summer! PERFECT TIMING on the colors!! :)