DARLA AND BASKETS OF FLOWERS-ANOTHER BABY QUILT

Okay, another unfinished baby quilt top. I just can't help myself. We are now 80% sure it's a girl after the last sonogram but there is still that pesky 20%. This is a quick little top made from Darla fabric by Tanya Whelan and Baskets of Flowers fabric by Mary Engelbreit. It's all for sale at 44th Street Fabric in the form of a kit we put together for a class. I would use this quilt for a baby regardless of whether it is a boy or girl. I was very surprised that my progressive son, Jason, the baby daddy, was so adamant about it being too "girly" if it's a boy. Thank goodness we have the Lily Pond line and the Chic BeBe line due into the shop any day now. Those lines contain fabrics that could "go either way" for a baby quilt.

I love this fabric combination so much that I might make one for myself. If you would like one in any size, just let me know and I will kit it up for you with the binding and backing.

CHIC BEBE FABRIC COMING NEXT WEEK!

Chic BeBe fabric is coming! Did I mention that I'm going to have another grand baby? Maybe several times? Well, I'm really happy about the Chic BeBe fabric that we've ordered! It will be here next week along with it's companion fabrics. As soon as the Chic BeBe fabric comes into the shop, I'm going to make a couple of receiving blankets that have been huge favorites for baby! It's so hard to find a receiving blanket that is big enough. These are quick and fun and big. Mom and Dad can put this blanket over the carrier, pop the baby in and cover the baby. It's a great size. I'll do a little tutorial for it and post it on the blog.

I don't know about you but I love these sophisticated colors for baby! Check 44th Street Fabric for arrival next week!

LILY POND FABRIC COMING SOON!!

Shown are only a few of the adorable Lily Pond fabrics by one of our favorite designers, Wendy Slotboom for In the Beginning Fabrics! These fabrics and more from the Lily Pond fabric line will be in the 44th Street Fabric shop before June 1st (or so they say). We are so excited to have this line because little (and big) girls and boys love frogs and turtles and this is the first really cute line I've seen that feature these creepy crawlies for girls too! Fun, Fun, Fun!

I'll let you know when they arrive and I'll let you know the special we will have on them! Be thinking of all the things you can make. I have a new grandbaby coming (oh-did I mention that before....) and so I'll be all set to quilt and sew. You will want to be too!

MOTHER'S DAY !! AND A PHOTO OF A WATERCOLOR QUILT BEV MADE!

Jason, April (baby momma), Graig and Megan came to OKC from Dallas for Mother's Day weekend. April is just showing a little bit (she's the one in the gray sweater). Gina and her family and Eric and his family are here in OKC and we had a great time. We missed Arnie and Austin who went to Austin to a rowing competition.

Jason found one of my quilt pictures for a watercolor quilt! Thanks Jaso! This quilt had a watercolor base and lots of applique in the border and over the watercolor squares. Hopefully I will retrieve all the photos of quilts I made that I thought I lost.

We'll know the sex of the baby in a few weeks (hopefully) and I'll go into "baby quilt making mode" in a serious way! Thanks for the great Mother's Day gang!

BEV'S FIRST OPTICAL ILLUSION QUILT

Here's another picture I found when moving--it's not a good photo (big torn place at the top of the photo) but it does show my first attempt at making an optical illusion quilt. It was fun to make and much easier to quilt that some of my later, much smaller attempts at optical illusion quilts! It was sold to a private collector. Thanks for all the fun comments about my quilts--it's been so great to find these photos and look at them again!

FRENCH HATBOX FABRIC FROM TANYA WHELAN COMING SOON!

Tanya Whelan, one of our all-time favorite fabric designers for Westminster/Free Spirit Fabric, has a yummy new line of fabric, French Hatbox, coming out very soon! Check back with us at www.44thstreetfabric.com for this gorgeous line! Shown here are photos of the pink colorway but there is also a yummy muted aqua blue and the odd sort of gray-green-beige (I don't know what this color's official name is) that you see in the leaves on the fabric shown.

LOVE IT!

MAY CUSTOMER CONVERSATION WITH EADY BEADY BAGS!

Edwina, we just love the gorgeous bags you make for your Eady Beady Bags Etsy shop! When did you first start sewing and why?

I am showing my age, but my first sewing project was one of those hats J.J. Walker wore on "Good Time", they were popular back in the day!

What is the inspiration for your designs?

I have a 14 year old son with disabilities and he requires a lot of stuff, so the larger and roomier the better.

Why did you decide to open an Etsy shop?

My first passion is my family, of course, for years I have been creating many things, jewelry, floral design, interior design, sewing, home improvements, yes I can even lay hard wood floors. My nickname is Martha and my real maiden name is "Stewart", I must be related. I started my Etsy shop with Jewelry but found it hard to sell high end pieces in todays economy so I decided to pull the dusty Kenmore out of the closet and start sewing Bags.

What is your favorite thing about Etsy?

Etsy provides me with the opportunity to profit from something I love to do, create.

As a small business owner, what have been your biggest challenges in starting a new business?

I see all businesses are having difficulties right now with the failing economy and from time to time I struggle with should I or shouldn't I raise my prices. I try to keep my prices as competitive without losing money, but with the rising cost of everything how can you not raise them without the risk of putting yourself out of business.

What do you have planned for the future of your shop?

I like providing my customers with a variety of fabric choices for their bags and I will continue to provide them with the latest fabrics available to me.

Tell us one fun thing about you personally.

My close friends call me "Weiner". I acquired that nickname in Middle School, 30 some years ago. My husband affectionately refers to me as "My Weiner" when he introduces me to someone I haven't met.

Thanks Edwina from everyone at 44th Street Fabric for letting us know a little more about you!