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  Today, needlepoint is on my sewing list.  I am working on some bag patterns that will include needlepoint panels in their design which has me incredibly giddy.  If you are familiar with how to sew a needlepoint into a pillow front, then sewing one into any other sewn good is not much different.  And even if you're not quite sure, it really works out in the most logical way, keeping your machine sewing seam line right into the last stitched row around the perimeter of the work.  This is easiest when you have the wrong side of the needlepoint facing you as you sew it to a pillow back, bag back, etc.  Just pretend like you're sewing with really thick fabric, which is really all it is... so use a bigger needle, take your time, and all those things.  I also think that velveteen is the perfect pairing with a needlepoint as a pillow back or otherwise.  The weight and textures are perfect together.     So if you needed any suggestions about...

I am mid-thigh deep in Quilt Market preparation, layered in with book completion, final new pattern tweaking and what feels like everything else. I am only now getting sample yardage of my newest fabric collection, Field Study , which was suppose to be here in its entirety about 3 weeks ago.  So sewing it up in all that we had planned for booth samples has been interesting to say the least, as we have changed plans about 82.3 times now.  With less than half the time to sew that  I normally have, I've pulled in twice the help and every day there is some new plan about what exactly we are sewing depending which of the 36 total quilting fabrics has arrived.  Because there is such a rush, the mill is sending them piece by piece, sometimes 6, sometimes only 3 prints at a time.  It. Is. Kooky.  But somehow, it is keeping all the creating spontaneously chaotic in an entirely good way.  Like this little skirt might not have come together just like this yester...

Where I leave notes for myself on her current hair color(s). A mother has to keep up. xoxoam

Whether or not I had the time to make these bags myself, I knew they needed to be made. I love having pals that will take on some sewing for me when I am struck by such a bug. I did take the great personal pleasure however in picking out the materials for her. Then poof. Done. They are a ribbon -y version of the Art Student Tote , and I daresay lurvely. Here's another had-to-happen-happiness in spite of my current workload. Thank you to Pierrette, my little gif fairy for that one. Happy Spring friends, xo, Anna

Above is a detail (really small in comparison to the whole thing) of one of the wool tapestry blankets that was made by my Yiayia (my Greek grandma). I haven't had enough muscle around here yet to get it up for a full shot, it is incredibly heavy (and of course extremely warm). At the same time mom told me more about Great Grandma's quilt blocks , I asked if dad could tell me what he remembers about his mother working on these blankets. Of course typing that himself would have thrown off his entire equilibrium so my mom typed it for him. In fact if I got an email from my dad which was also typed by my dad it would throw off my whole equilibrium. I would never have an equilibrium again. If I ever even started with an equilibrium. Ahem. Here's what she errh he errrh she says: "As for Yiayia's loomed blankets: You may remember seeing the loom in that back storage building behind the original house. Dad says that in the years she was using it that it pretty mu...

So they brought me a car load of family handworks to photograph. The best gift. One favorite and very rare example of quilt making in my family is this beauty that my mom put together from her own grandmother's blocks. I asked her to tell me more about, so the following is her description: "My grandmother Hooton made the blocks; they are hand pieced. (She died in 1948, so they were made some time before that.) I found them in the cedar chest in {my mother's} attic when we were cleaning out for the "sale" before she moved to assisted living. I didn't want them to go to waste, so I put them together to use as a baby blanket. I found the "tea colored" flannel that I thought would look more vintage. Unfortunately at the time I didn't know about quality quilter's flannel, so it's the cheap stuff. I did use it for some of the grandchildren when they visited, but after a few washings, I decided I wanted to keep it as more of an heirloom...

I realized recently that there is something about a quilt, that is entirely different from everything else that I sew, and not just how its made. But I regard a quilt as such a different event, it occupies my mind in a completely different way. I never know what I might be about to sew next, whether a skirt, or a bag, or a pillow, or fixing Nicolas's backpack as I did yesterday with seconds to spare for him to catch the bus. But with a quilt, I seem to hover on it mentally for a while before I begin. I compose internally for a good while before setting out to make. I always know which one is next. It is an event- making one- isn't it? Small or large its a save the date taped to the wall in your mental creative space. Flipping back through my iphoto events this morning I came across this little one Eleni started early last summer. I realize only now where my triangular love of late began. With my genius little pumpkin. I have the girls' quilts almost all planned no...

I tend to always come home from anywhere with a pile or ten of new fabric. I often get asked whether I buy fabric since I have so much of my own. Funny. Of course. Lots. I also get asked what I like to buy. I enjoy sewing with my fabric, naturally- it really helps me design actually- but anyone wants to sew with more than one designer. I seem to almost exclusively buy Denyse , Heather , Liberty , and several Japanese prints-usually Kokka . They all tend to be so different from anything that I make that I am quite certain that is what draws me in. There is a smaller scale to most all of them, but also a similar color sensibility to my own fabrics. So both of those aspects typically means they pair really well with my own prints. Plus, I can't help but love the work of dear friends who I admire for so many reasons to begin with. (It's extra fun when you can just trade stacks, as Denyse and I did in Palm Springs). The above curation has been gathered for quilts for th...

I've been writing this blog post in my mind for a few months now. This fall will see the publication of my 3rd book title, Anna Maria's Needleworks Notebook . I've casually mentioned it here and there, mostly in other interviews, in some talks I've given, in some conversations and so forth, but its time to talk about it a bit more officially, I imagine,- especially in the string of what I'm looking forward to this year. Because I am really, really, really thrilled with this upcoming book. It is so different than the other two, I think entirely in a good way. Just like hand work is different than sewing machine work- that sort of difference. This book has come about very slowly, I sort of had half the projects designed before I even knew how I wanted to present them. The idea of a book about 18 months ago, just made me sleepy. Not bored, I was just all too aware of that process and how you live it eat it breathe it until its complete. And I guess I just didn...

Next on my list of what I am looking forward to this year, is a personal project. Well as personal as sharing ideas with thousands of pals could be. If you're reading this blog, you know I have a blog. Right. You may not know that I have a mailing list as well. I do. Now you know at least two things about me. Also, I've mentioned this before I think, but in general my mailing list is to let folks know about sales, new releases, more business-y. The blog, as you know, is.... uhhh, I don't know, but not especially business-y. But even with the few number of mailing mailers that I send out, I am always like, oohhhh, I don't want to bother anyone, is 5 times a year to many mailings....ohhh I don't know.... Anyhooers, I've decided to be a little more regularlike with my emailings and hopefully make them more inspirational and fun too. Today I sent my mailing list a fun "palette play" layout where I have chosen some beautiful Behr paint shades to ...

Suffice it to say I am thrilled . Ranking quite high on the list of things that I am excited about for 2012 are these Needlepoint kits that I developed together with Anchor, UK. For now I am putting them in the "looking forward to" category because I don't have a final final final answer yet as to when they should be shipping- though I believe it to be within the next month or so. We will carry them in the shop , and I am sure that other shops will be picking them up as well, though perhaps not so wide spread as my fabrics. (And woops it appears as though a few prints from my next collection are showing themselves in the top photo (places hand over "o" shaped mouth, eyes widen).) These kits seem so much more available in Europe in general (where they are referred to more as "tapestry" than needlepoint). I am hoping to help turn that tide a bit, that these types of goods, and in fresh design offerings, will become more available here for us. The ...

If I were to only ever go on about love of family, or admiration for the act of pulling needle and thread through fabric I might misrepresent myself. There are actual things, you know as in they don't speak or hug .... (or do they?)... but things , that make me happy. Anyway, this week feels like a bonus week. Like another MrsPacman appeared on the screen and told me to keep playing (did you know I held the high score at the local roller skating rink in the 6th grade for like 3 weeks? Why do I put such information in question form, as though there is a chance you would know?) Back to my bonus round. Juliana was meant to be boarding her flight back to school right about this very minute. But a few days ago she decided ohhhh, let's just switch it to Thursday. So we did, and that was great, though it cost me a little to switch it (I would spend an embarrassingly dumb amount to have her for an extra hour.) Yesterday when all the other kids were off to their schools and Ju...

It is likely just me, but today I feel like anything is a better thing with some hand stitching. I have been cross stitching for days now on a very exciting design, but all on black Aida cloth, which is a challenge on the peepers. I've spent a lot of time on my flickr groups the past few days looking through everything that was made over the past year with my fabrics. So. Much. Beauty. You guys are amazing. I looked through, too, lots of shots of things that I made- searching for my favorites- from market and then some. I just keep going back to this one. Its just a detail of my velveteen Bonne Nuit quilt, but I love it so very much. I really didn't have time to stop to notice it, hurried as I was before market preparations to get it done. I knew I enjoyed it but it was hardly a relaxed, easy going creation, it was all on fast forward, and lovely, but fast. Now, though, those earnest blue stitches, working their way around anything in their path, activating the space ...

Hullo there. I meant to get photos from quilt market uploaded, edited, flickred and blogged yesterday but the heavens opened, shining rays of unspeakable light on my sewing table and told me I should quilt instead. So I obeyed. (Seriously look! I never get those cool sun flare shots.) For real, I did have the house all to myself for a solid 6 hours so I moved my sewing machine downstairs next to the design wall and patched and patched and patched. And as it happens its a new quilt pattern for my Janome projects called Patchwork Prism. Hmm. hope you're having a sunny weekend, xoxoAM

I sometimes feel that settling back into the routine of the studio after Quilt Market is as taxing if not more than preparing to leave, because attaining that settled state is a more elusive goal than the concrete preparations we make to get there. Jeff and I had such a smooth go of traveling there, most especially when compared with one year ago . I think that trip will forever make all subsequent market experiences seem like a breeze. Though this time we had a unique little emergency that came on slowly, ramped itself into near panic, and then resolved itself quite gracefully. Huh? Yeah. So. After a the smooth beginning to our setup on Day one, I woke up on Day two with a sort of fuzzy spot in my right eye that grew as the day went on. I kept ignoring it as though there must be something in my contact lens and went on about setting up, giving my first school house talk (thank you if you were there!) until soon after in the late afternoon, the fuzzy spot seemed to be growing at...

Letting the photos do most of the talking today pals :) The above patchwork blanket is called "Log Mansion" which I'll have a free pattern out for in a few weeks, though it really is just a gianormous log cabin block. This particular piece has no batting, simply backed with voile and hand quilted for a light weight layer.... like a receiving blanket for adults. Why should babies have all the comforts? have a cozy weekend, xoxoAnna

("sinister swarm" print detail in progress) Hoooa No. Man. Thanks for all the moth info . I think. Ick. No really, I'm glad to take a sampling of all the common denominators in those comments and figure out our plan of attack (defense?). In other maybe not so unrelated-to-icky-moth news, I am here to talk more about boys. The boys I currently have in the house- 39, 13, 11 and 2 - keep me exposed to everything from heart-achingly wonderful to utterly disgusting. You can make your own assumptions about that limited information. I knew enough about boys when I was first pregnant with Roman to know better than to actually want another one. After all I was (and still am) married to one and I was (and still am) raising two others (errhhh- am I raising all of them....?) But I did really, really hope that he was a boy before I knew. I dreamed that he was. I felt like I had figured boys out and was finally over the fact that I can't put dresses on them. It was like...

A few months ago, as I began to assemble inspirations and sketches for my 2012 fabric collections, I decided that moths among other naturalistic thingermaggigins would play a feature role in the line. Not much later we discovered we had a serious moth problem in our kitchen. I don't mean a couple of moths flying around. I mean that I open a brand new box of pasta that has never been opened and a few moths fly out. I then almost hurl, throw away the pasta, grab my purse and holler that we're going out. We cleaned out the pantry entirely. Like, scrubbed. They're back. Moth balls? I thought moths liked wool. Or flames. Ours like carbs. My feelings towards that moth art have changed. I almost decided I couldn't handle making moth art. But this collection is a little bit based on throwing yourself into the midst. Of anything. And studying it. So I decided it should not just be a beautiful print, but a shrine-like offering to the moths, depicting the most beautiful moths our...

There are so many different ways that I want to share how to use the fabrics in this upcoming mini launch that it has nearly rendered me verbally paralyzed (should I just say mute there? speechless? stumped?- see I'm messed up). My heart is beating fast right now, because I am afraid that I'll forget to say something obvious or useful about them and you will be denied the glorious everythingness of this fabric. So lets go through this a little at a time from the beginning. These are what I call Loulouthi Needleworks . They are called Loulouthi because the imagery and the color palettes were derived from my Loulouthi collection. In essence they are no different than any printed cotton that I design, however they are a full 58" wide ( wow Anna that's superwide! I know.) But they are called Needleworks , because the artwork printed on the cloth is comprised of tiny little X's. This print is called Crossing Paths and it is essentially a series of borders stret...

It took me creating a new little embroidery- specifically for a table scarf- to tidy up my dining room, the whole house really, and share some pictures of it with you. I don't remember where I left off in showing the changes that I've made to the mess hall. I know you've likely seen it in its Raindrop blue stages here a few times. I also vaguely recall talking about how I wanted it to be cream colored by thanksgiving one year (didn't happen, it was all I could do to stuff a turkey that year)... and then I still picture these pictures of my boy on crutches sitting against cream walls. Anyway. The curtains are not new, but a patching of two fabrics that I created a few months ago, after deciding that no single fabric was doing the job for me. And I found myself hopping from the one turquoise fabric to another red fabric , deciding on neither, making something out of a whole other piece with some patchwork thingermagiggins across them only to take them down afte...