Painted Heart Bag by Vanessa Christenson of V and Co.

 I Heart February Reader Project Linky - share the love!

pink chalk fabrics ~*~ new arrivals ~*~ free patterns ~*~ on sale

Heart Shaped Pot Holders from MarthaStewart.com

 I Heart February Reader Project Linky - share the love!

pink chalk fabrics ~*~ new arrivals ~*~ free patterns ~*~ on sale

The Pantone Color Institute selected Tangerine Tango as their color of the year for 2012. Tango. Tango. I’m in love with Tangerine Tango. It’s happy, playful and fun. Pantone describes Tangerine Tango as vivacious, optimistic, enticing, exotic and hopeful. An “adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow” packaged in a sophisticated friendly non-threatening reddish orange.

The color of the year is chosen by analyzing color trends all over the world. The experts at the Pantone Color Institute follow trends in the entertainment industry, film, hot new artists, popular travel destinations, technology, and even sporting events. The experts at Pantone comb the world looking at the newest, latest and greatest.

Is Tangerine Tango a new color? Not really. Look around. It’s all over the web, in the mall, and most likely in your own closet. The trend has been building for quite some time. Colors evolve in an organic progression with one color coming to the forefront in the design world. Pantone pulled Tangerine Tango to the top and gave it a bit of a push. Last summer I bought a top from Eddie Bauer in Tangerine Tango. Cutting edge, that’s me. Ahead of the curve? No, just lucky. The color is so happy and fresh. It drew me in. I couldn’t resist.

Pantone also selects 10 Fashion Colors each Spring and Fall. The full line-up for Spring 2012:

• Tangerine Tango -  enticing juicy orange, is a vivacious and appealing
• Solar Power – radiates warmth and cheer
• Bellflower – distinct ornamental purple, exudes uniqueness and creativity
• Cabaret – sensual and intense rosy-red
• Sodalite Blue – classic maritime hue, brings order and calmness to mind
• Cockatoo – tactile blue-green adds a whimsical touch
• Sweet Lilac – delicate pinkish lilac adds a touch of romance
• Margarita – piquant yellow-green, lifts spirits with its refreshing and stimulating glow
• Driftwood – adaptable blend of beige and gray with a slightly weathered feel
• Starfish – perfect warm summer neutral

The Spring 2012 colors spoke to me in such a compelling way.  Soon I had a stack of quilting cottons on the work table. I arranged and rearranged them in stacks. Which colors go together? I could have played all day with my stack of colors without actually creating a single thing other than stacks of color! Fortunately, one of my favorite jobs here at Pink Chalk is designing FQ Color Stacks. I’m excited to introduce two new Pink Chalk Color Stacks: Spring 2012 Solids and Tango Tango. What will they inspire you to create?

Do the Tango! ~Diana

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We got our annual blast of snow here in the Northwest and it made for a glorious day of falling flakes and beautifully blanketed trees. Due to the infrequency of a big storm, there’s little effort put into clearing roads. It generally melts away in a day or two. Schools close and most people hole up and enjoy the weather mandated downtime.

Early this morning I sent an e-mail letting the team know the shop would be closed, I got back a flurry of e-mails excitedly sharing what sewing was planned for the day.

Here’s mini roll call from the team:

Alicia: hemmed a pair of pants for hubby using this tutorial and knit away on a skirt (goodness she’s talented with the needles!)

Diana: finished the back for her Pips quilt, wished she had batting, and is planning a bias binding with the Sherbet Pips scarf fabric.

Cindy: working on fabric placement for a Curlicue Crush quilt.

What she’s doing on the design wall: “I have a bunch of Art Gallery fabrics that I want to use in big enough chunks so I can see ‘em. This pattern seemed like just the ticket for that. Plus I get to work with curves again. Since each block flows into the next you have have to decide ahead of time where each will go. This was the only way I could think of to accomplish that.   I know I could have cut every last piece out and put it up on the wall but since I won’t need it all cut out (the sides are only partial blocks) I decided to do it with just some squares of fabric.”

Carrie: working on her Radio Way quilt from Jaybird Quilts – all cut out using her Sherbet Pips jelly roll. (Jaybird Quilt patterns re-stock arrives Friday)

First round of finished blocks!

Melissa was going to attempt a bobby pillow cover and then onto one of the 100 other projects she has on her list for the nursery. I’m working on a new block of the month – feels good to open the envelopes and get started!

Schools and the shop will be closed again tomorrow. I’m certain we’ll all squeeze every last bit of enjoyment from it!

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Project: Thimble Blossoms Little Ones Quilt Pattern

Dimensions: 36″ x 48″ for the pattern – Diana’s measures 41″ x 60″

Sewist: Diana

When Diana discovered Little Ones she imagined beach balls, summer, sun and sandcastles. She’d been on the lookout for a quilt to make with the Sea Gem Studio solids color stack and found it in this pattern by Thimble Blossoms. Diana’s sea glass jewelry was the inspiration behind the June 2011 Solids Club stack and we named it in celebration of her Etsy Shop Sea Gem Studio.

Working with triangles can be very intimidating. All those points needing to line up and edges to keep straight! Diana discovered it was not as hard as anticipated. Clear picture instructions give the details needed to successfully make the blocks.

The triangles are pieced together in groups of 3. The quilt top is then sewn together in strips. A clear guide is provided for placement of the strips to offset the beach balls. Diana selected a favorite fabric as an accent pattern to add a pop of design texture to just 2 beach balls.

Wider border pieces were added at each end and on the sides to create a lap sized quilt. The accent fabric in the border really brings it all together.

The back of the quilt is just as playful as the front with color coordinating prints and left over triangles.

Diana machine quilted this project on her regular sewing machine. We were all impressed with the swirly flower design on the beach balls. She claims to still be learning how to free motion quilt!

The straight line quilting on the end cap borders (done with a walking foot) reinforces the shapes beautifully.

The binding used is Moda Bella Solids Robins Egg Bias Quilt Binding. Finishing doesn’t come any easier. Stitch it on, tack it down and it’s done. The Robins Egg coordinates perfectly. Easy peasy.

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I’m feeling especially retrospective this new year. Changing seasons, holidays, new years, anything with even a hint of renewal gets my creative juices flowing and kicks my optimistic view of the future into high gear. I’m also turning 50 in 2012. Something I haven’t thought too much about until the calendar flipped and now it’s right there in front of me (September folks, so this nostalgia thing may get worse before it gets better, just warning you!)

As I peek through the 2011 archives I’m like ‘WOW’, we did all that!? Time to celebrate a bit by looking back. I have about a million ideas of what to highlight so I’ll just begin and share until one of us can’t take it anymore!

First up, downloadable patterns! Pink Chalk Fabrics first launched the Sew Now tagline in September of 2009. I thought the idea would really take off and boy, guess that was the biggest understatement ever!  I wrote personal notes to designers I respected and was so grateful they allowed me to sell their patterns in the shop. 10 talented designers said yes and we were in the game! We now have over 50 downloadable pattern designers represented in the shop.

Pink Chalk Fabrics Top Ten Bestselling Downloadable Patterns of 2011

#1 - Michelle Lizcano Metro Link Quilt

#2 - I Think Sew Kimono Shoes

#3 - Michelle Lizcano Nikki Tote

#4 - Elizabeth Hartman Perfect Zip Bags

#5 - Noodlehead Runaround Bag

#6 - Noodlehead 241 Tote

#7 - Sis Boom Jamie Dress

#8 - I Think Sew Charming Tote Bag

#9 - I Think Sew Zipper Pouch With Pleats

#10 - Sis Boom Meghan Peasant Dress + Top

# 11 - Chasing Cottons Curlicue Crush Quilt

Congratulations to these designers on a fabulous year of pattern making!

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Project: Noodlehead 241 Tote – Downloadable Pattern

Dimensions: 15″ wide, 10″ tall, 24″ including the handle, 5″ across the base

Sewist: Diana

The Noodlehead 241 bag appealed to Diana as a gift for a teenage friend of her daughter’s. Any teen girl would love this bag. With many pockets there is a place for everything and everything in its place. Ashley likes foxes and hedgehogs which made the choice of fabric easy, Lizzy House Outfoxed in purple with orange accents.

A ready made strapping in coordinating brown was used for the handle.

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Diana made an Anna Maria Horner Art Student Tote for her daughter Lexi. I absolutely LOVE the way she fussy cut the owl print and used such a small piece of a precious fabric in such a fabulous way.

I realize it’s been quiet here on the blog – I took all the days off I possibly could over the holidays to spend time sewing and hanging out with my family. The break combined with flipping over the calendar year has me feeling rejuvenated and full of creative ideas.

Carrie will be back on Friday with a new pattern review, I’m giving myself permission to skip this week’s giveaway. Like many of you, I’m prone to putting enormous mounds of expectation on myself. Sometimes something needs to give in order for balance to return.

One of my goals in 2012 is to give myself a break now and then! Focus on what’s important, appreciate and value the time I spend with the amazing people that surround me everyday at work and at home, and let the journey navigate itself on its own schedule. I’m kinda bossy that way and I’ve learned that’s not really needed, things play out how they’re going to play out regardless of my thoughts on the matter. Time to enjoy the ride!

Wishing everyone a joyful, prosperous and creatively inspired 2012. I love each of you and thank you for making my life rich in ways I never could have imagined when I first began writing in this little corner of the world. I feel the kindred, creative and kind spirits of everyone that visits. Thank you my friends! xoxo Kathy

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Project: Anna Maria Horner Art Student Tote - Printed Pattern

Dimensions: options A & B – 20″w x 17.5″h x 4″d, C is 13.5″w x 17″h (excluding straps)

Sewist: Kathy

Kathy made the Option C slim tote with divider for her daughter Leil for Christmas. She used Etsuko Furuya’s Echino fabrics on the exterior with a mix of Heather Mulder Peterson Deck the Halls Dots and an Alexander Henry print from her stash for the divider and lining. The small tote measures 13.5″ wide x 17″ tall. The extra tall height accommodates a sketch pad with lots of room to spare.

The front features 2 zipper pockets. The clever construction assembly utilizes self-made fabric strips that overlay the raw edges of the pockets. A nice contrast while the topstitching seams it all together.  The zippers are a breeze to put in.

The divider cleverly creates two separate spaces inside the tote each with their own storage pockets. The pocket slots are designed to store a variety of tools whether they be sewing, art or technology related.

Several tips and thoughts:

- The lining fabric:  the layout instructions show cutting three 14.5″ panels side by side. That adds up to a useable width of fabric of 43.5″. Kathy’s choice of lining fabric was only 41.5″. She opted to cut the two center panels from the Alexander Henry Yui Kokeshi fabric, one of her daughter’s favorites.

- The center divider is designed to be a bit shorter than the exterior sides. When Kathy makes this again she’ll make the center divider at least 3/4 inch shorter than the exterior sides to make topstitching around the exterior top edge easier (the divider was too close at the side edges).

The back of the tote really shows off the beauty of the Echino print. Kathy made a template on graph paper that measured 14.5″ x 18″ (the cut size of the back panel). The template was placed on the fabric to position the designs just the way she wanted.

After making this as a gift, Kathy discovered her 10″ x 15″ laptop fit perfectly inside! The beefy, well attached straps easily support the weight of a computer. She’s planning one for herself soon!

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Project: Stitched in Color Makeup Roll – Downloadable Pattern

Dimensions: 13.5″ wide and 13″ tall with flap open. 8.5″ long when rolled.

Sewist: Melissa

Melissa used Amy Butler Lark – Quilting Cotton and Robert Kaufman Essex Linen Natural

Melissa loved the options for customizing this pattern – a blank space to get creative. The pattern provides pocket options to fit a variety of needs. She personalized the Makeup Roll by piecing both the back and pockets. She suggests applique as another way to show your style.

The pieced pockets look darling but Melissa found it added too much bulk when trying to make pleats. She also plans to line the pockets in the future, a method she likes in place of 1/4 inch seams.

Once the pockets were complete the project came together quickly.

Ready to wrap and put under the tree, Melissa’s Makeup Roll is a wonderful gift.

After the Holidays Melissa plans to make a Makeup Roll for herself. Perfect for storage and travel!

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