Meet Miss Mustard Seed; mom, accidental entrepreneur, textile and paint expert and now a FreeSpirit!

Miss Mustard Seed, Marian Parsons, joins the ranks
of FreeSpirit Designers!

Her story is like yours or mine.  Young mom, looking to supplement her families income to help cover the cost of diapers and groceries; $200 a month would suffice. What started out as a one-woman-show decorative painting and mural business, evolved into an antiques business that tripped into a blog and blossomed into a entire brand.   Now, you can find Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint Line in over 300 retail locations in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia. Plus, her followers, over 150,000+ in all Social Media channels, love absorbing her talent, inspiration and joy as she guides you to making your home beautiful all on a DIY budget!

To add to her DIY and maker reproitoire, you can now partner all this love of love antiques, decorating on a budget, and giving old pieces of furniture new life with beautiful FreeSpirit Fabrics.  Introducing FreeSpirit Bunnies, Birds and Blooms! 

FreeSpirit Bunnies, Birds & Blooms by Miss Mustard Seed in the
Mustard Seed (top) and Enamel colorways. Each features
Solids which mimic her Milk Paint line, a perfect combo for your
DIY pleasures.

To welcome her in true FreeSpirit style, we have called upon a few friends who love fabric and more importantly are loving the designs from Miss Mustard Seed. Please plan to follow our Instagram Tour where some of your favorite "experts" will give you plenty of reason to want to touch, feel, sew and create along with Miss Mustard Seed!  Here is the schedule:

Miss Mustard Seed, April 5

Material Girl Quilts, April 12 

My Bear Paw, April 19

Kitchen Table Quilting, April 26 

Fat Quarter Shop, May 3

Lish Dorset, May 10

I'm A Ginger Monkey, May 17 

Daisy and Jack, May 24

She Quilts A Lot, May 31

Along the journey, please share the work of these instagrammers using #MissMustardSeedinstagramtour and perhaps you may be chosen to win some of your own Bunnies, Birds and Blooms!!!!!!

Enjoy!

THE AUTHENTIC STYLE OF WILLIAM MORRIS: Access to the unrivaled archives of The Original Morris & Co.
brings to quilters true William Morris artistry

In case you have not heard, FreeSpirit has some very exciting news!  We are collaborating with  The Original Morris & Co., based in Denham, England.  This unique partnership gives the FreeSpirit brand exclusive access to fascinating original works and colorations dating back to the establishment of Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co in 1861.

Known as the father of the Arts and Crafts Movement, William Morris longed for the simple beauty of artisans working alongside one another in collaboration using the best of natural materials. Much like quilters, he enjoyed the pure essence of artistic crafts, and then sharing that enjoyment with all. FreeSpirit is pleased to share the true aesthetics and authenticity of his art with quilters who are as passionate, using their talents to create their own masterpieces.

Two iconic collections are playing upon the true aesthetics of William Morris. Kelmscott, inspired by the picturesque Cotswold retreat of William Morris, celebrates the extraordinary patterns and detail within Morris’ work. Featuring iconic designs such as Strawberry Thief and Bachelors Button in a colorful palette, these classic designs beautifully complement a selection of smaller scale co-ordinates in light and fresh colorways.  This collection of 29 enduring designs will be available in now.

Named after Merton Abbey Mills, Merton, available in March, is where much of William Morris’ design work and production took place. The collection of 21 timeless fabrics features well-loved Morris designs such as Snakeshead, Chrysanthemum and Willow Boughs recreated in new, contemporary color palettes, perfect for quilters to infuse their creativity with re-imagined, heritage rich designs.

Want to learn more? Here are some fun things to watch for to inspire your quilting and your love for these beautiful Fabrics.

Host Susan Brubaker Knapp (left) and guest Luana Rubin (right) talk about
the influences of William Morris on modern textiles on Quilting Arts airing now on PBS.  

Watch your local PBS station for Quilting Arts TV Show featuring a show staring equilter.com owner and textile expert Luana Rubin. She talks about William Morris and his influence in textiles and today’s quilting cottons.

Stars & Pinwheels designed by Sally Ablett,
in Today's Quilter, issue 32, on sale now. 

·      Today’s Quilter magazine issue 32 is now in stores. The magazine comes complete with a supplemental issue about William Morris including the free Stars & Pinwheels quilt pattern designed by Sally Ablett.

Star Nouveau quilt designed by Carolyn Beam
in the March/April issue of McCall's Quilting on sale now!

More inspiration can be found in the March/April issue of McCall’s Quilting magazine.  Look at Star Nouveau by Carolyn Beam. This medallion quilt pattern combines the FreeSpirit prints in the prettiest way.

There is more to come!  We are thrilled to bring to life the principles that drove William Morris through creative collaboration with its own artistic talents. Together, this unique relationship will bring to life the artistry, vision and authentic style of William Morris. Click here to find your nearest shop carrying these iconic fabrics. 

The Artist UnSEWn Featuring English Garden by Snow Leopard Designs

"The English Garden Collection" from Snow Leopard designs is inspired by my deep love for English gardens and English garden plants. For the inspiration for the collection I drew on a number of sources including 19th century botanical illustrations from my archive, as well as antique seed packets and catalogues and antique floral fabrics also from my archives.

The design: "Vegetable Garden" was directly inspired by antique and vintage seed packets. I have always found the style of these designs so visually pleasing and I wanted to try to convey this rich fullness of form, texture and colour directly to fabric.

"Strawberry Fields" was inspired by an illustration of strawberries in an antique volume in my collection called "The Floral World". I had bought a whole set of these books in the late 1980s and had often thought how wonderfully the strawberry print would transfer to fabric to make a simple and striking design.

"Begonias" was developed from an antique English textile document in my archive that was first printed in the 1890s. I loved the crisp sharpness of the drawing and the outline so reminiscent of late Victorian England.

 

Pelargonium was also developed from a late 19th century textile document in my archive. I have always had a passion for Pelargoniums and geraniums with their amazingly patterned leaves and jump at any chance to include them in my designs. I also developed an all over pelargonium leaf pattern to lie under the different blooms as a background texture. This pattern was then also produced as a separate semi plain fabric: "Pelargonium Leaves" where it works as solid colour to co-ordinate with the other designs in the collection.

"Garden Peonies" was inspired by a selection of antique woodblock prints in my archive that I put together to create a dense and lush all over texture of exuberance. I just love painting up this type of design and the satisfaction I get as each new colour is added from my paintbrush to the paper is hard to describe.

"Rose Bower" is a lovely little classic English rose print that I found in the late 1980s in a large old leather bound volume of English fabrics from the 1850s. It`s the sort of "filler" design that works so well with the larger patterns in quilts and on it`s own for multiple other uses such as bags and clothing etc.

Finally to round the collection off I included "Cherry Tomatoes". It is based on a lovely little woodblock print from the 1920s that I found recently. I thought that it would work so well in quilts as another texture to both frame and complement the larger prints.

For the colourways. I wanted fresh and vibrant colours that were also naturalistic and where every design and colour would work well with every pattern in the collection. I see the collection being used for a number of craft and furnishing projects including full blown flamboyant quilts that are literally full of the perfume of English gardens, to clothing, bags and all manner of household furnishings including curtains, cushions and bedding. I just hope that you have as much fun working with them as I did painting them.

Long Arm Quilting Workbook by Teresa Silva

Achievable and Encouraging – Long Arm Quilting Workbook by Teresa Silva
Photos courtesy of F+W Media

My job as the Inspiration Manager for FreeSpirit is to take our beautiful fabric collections and create quilts to inspire shop owners and quilters to fall in love with our fabrics.  Teresa has quilted for me, always with stunning machine quilting which I, as a quilter, aspire to and admire.  So when asked to review her new Long Arm Quilting Workbook, I jumped at the chance.

I have long considered purchasing a long arm machine but always ask, “Can I do this?” “Would I be able to learn how to create the beautiful stitches that make a quilt a work of art – stitches that turns quilt tops into quilts?”

For anyone who shares my thoughts when considering a long arm machine, this book is for you! It is chalk full of everything you need to consider from batting to marking pens and needles to rulers. She delves into thread and endorses polyester and poly-wrapped thread which many have considered taboo. Most importantly, from my perspective, she confirms that your quilts deserve premium, high quality fabrics.

The book is full of techniques including practical considerations in selecting the right machine, whether a mid-arm or a long arm.  Teresa encourages you to shop for a reliable local independent retailer who will teach you how to use your machine and be there to assist with questions and repairs.

Best part, the variety of techniques presented in such detail allows a complete novice to open the book and start playing.  Teresa tells you to practice the techniques on your home sewing machine before you even consider buying a long arm. From whole cloth to pieced quilts, she openly shares what she has learned along the way, encouraging your confidence and making the techniques achievable. 

She sprinkles wonderful tips throughout the book such as doodling in a journal thus teaching yourself to draw and hanging your quilts with hand sewing needles so as not to disrupt the beauty of your work of art.  Her gallery of quilts speaks to her outstanding work and expertise, making this truly a coffee table worthy book. 

FreeSpirit is stop one on this blog tour.  Follow along and hear what others have to say as well.  I am certain they will find this book equally as inspirational. In the meantime, comment on our blog and tell us your long arm aspirations.  We will select one commentator to win a copy of Teresa Silva’s Long Arm Quilting Workbook . . . your long arm quilt dreams will come true with this book!

-Sharon Thornton

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

50 sq ft Studios

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Moda Fabrics

Friday, October 6, 2017

Quilter’s Dream Batting

Monday, October 9, 2017

Stashquilts 

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

3 Dog Design

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Helen Ernst Longarm Quilting

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Jaybird Quilts

Friday, October 13, 2017

Redbird Quilt Co.

Monday, October 16, 2017

Colourwerx

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Quilting is My Bliss

A few quils from Teresa's Longarm Quilting Workbook

 

Blog Tour-Grand Prize 1

Blog Tour-Grand Prize 2

National Sewing Month Featuring Amy Butler

Amy Butler shares her sewing story for National Sewing Month!

My first sewing project was more of a gluing project, and so began the early makings of me as a sewist. My grandma would let me paw through her beautiful scrap bags of fabric for hours in her cozy attic sewing room. I loved being in that space. G’s house was older with charming dormers that let in just the right amount of warm light. Every summer I would get time with her just the two of us, for a whole week. She’d go out of her way to make me feel special; cutting my toast into triangles, giving me my own little pots of tea and letting me explore her craft room, art supplies and fabrics. When I turned 7, G taught me how to sew on one of her rougher machines. I’ll never forget that first time she let me play in her material. I spent hours making a full collection of summer clothes for my neighborhood friends by cutting, gluing and taping together some pretty stylish halter tops. Their clothes fell apart immediately but they appreciated my efforts, and I’ll always remember that outpouring of creativity and how good it felt. I created a photo collage here with 7 year old me and a pretty accurate photo of G from that era. The fabric scraps in the background are from my Grandfather’s silk ties. G made them into a gorgeous flying geese quilt after he passed and I’m lucky enough to be the keeper of that quilt.

Make sure to sign up for a chance to win fabric from Verna Mosquera along with our Coats Quilt+ thread! You will also be entered for a chance to win our Grand Prize giveaway featuring SEW many goodies including a Janome AMH-100 Machine!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!

National Sewing Month Featuring Verna Mosquera

Verna Mosquera shares her sewing story for National Sewing Month!

When I was a little girl my grandmother would come from Guatemala and spend about 6 months out of every year with my family. She was always sewing and doing handwork. She let me use her sewing machine a little. My mom realized I had a true interest in learning so one summer at the age of 9 she signed me up for a 6 week class at the Singer store in the local mall. 

I really loved the class and remember our summer project was to make a vest. At the end of the class there was a fashion show in the mall in which you would get to wear (show off) your creation. Well, even as a young girl I was a bit of an over achiever. I didn’t just make a vest I made a 3 piece suit! A jacket, pants, vest and a collared shirt. It was just lovely made of tan polyester and calico flowers. I mean it doesn’t get better than that. 

This past winter my mom passed away. As I was looking through some of her items I found the plaque from the trophy I had won. First place, no doubt. So funny because I had no recollection of winning any prize just the memory of proudly wearing that stunning 70’s creation. Thought it was pretty sweet of my mom to save it. That class changed my life and I thank my mom Vicky for recognizing my passions before I was able to. 

Make sure to sign up for a chance to win fabric from Verna Mosquera along with our Coats Quilt+ thread! You will also be entered for a chance to win our Grand Prize giveaway featuring SEW many goodies including a Janome AMH-100 Machine!


ENTER TO WIN HERE!

National Sewing Month Featuring Amy Reber

Amy Reber shares her sewing story for National Sewing Month!

I'm going back in time about seven years....as the wife of a United States Marine and mother to three young children, I found myself craving a creative - almost therapeutic - outlet to help get me through deployments, moves and just the day-to-day roller coaster of being a stay-at-home mom. Despite what might be going on during a particular day, I challenged myself to pick up a sketch pad daily and so my rhythm as an artist was born; I still strive to sketch at least ten minutes each day.....I tell people it's free therapy!

As my collection of sketches grew, I started to wonder what my work would look like on “product” and realized that I needed to teach myself some graphic design skills on the computer. I opened up Adobe Illustrator one day during summer vacation. I made my first "repeat” that day using one of my sketches and immediately I knew I had found what my gift of art was meant to be used for. Though fabric was not on my radar at that moment, my art organically involved into designs that work beautifully on fabric and that sewers and quilters are drawn to.

Every time I see a creation made with my FreeSpirit fabrics, I get a similar adrenaline rush from when I made my first repeat! To look at a particular fabric and reflect upon when I drew the flower or shape is truly satisfying, and then to share this with others is the cherry on top! When I saw the quilt that I commissioned to be made using my first FreeSpirit Fabrics line POSY for my daughter, it was such a beautiful moment because not only did I get to give the quilt to her, but I got to show her what her mom could do outside of “mom/wife duties.” It was a powerful moment I will never forget! And now, I get to see how sewers and quilters use my designs to create their own beautiful works of art using thread and needle. I am honored and humbled to play a role in their passion and and I love seeing how others interpret my designs, and that with their creations they breathe new life into the art I originally brought to life with my sketchpad!

Make sure to sign up for a chance to win fabric from Amy Reber along with our Coats Quilt+ thread! You will also be entered for a chance to win our Grand Prize giveaway featuring SEW many goodies including a Janome AMH-100 Machine!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!

National Sewing Month Featuring Anna Maria Horner

Anna Maria Horner shares her earliest sewing memory for National Sewing Month!

I was so lucky that my mother let me at the sewing machine at the very young age of 7.  This was after standing next to her and watching her sew my clothes for as far back as I can remember.  I found the sewing machine to be a miracle and a bit dangerous, so I pleaded until she finally gave in.  Prior to that I was hand sewing dresses for my Barbie Doll, and I've since heard from so many others that they began the same way.  Perhaps Barbie's biggest contribution to future quilters is it got us thinking in scraps from day one!  So a big thanks to my mom for believing I was capable.  I haven't stopped trying to prove I can do it!

Make sure to sign up for a chance to win fabric from Anna Maria Horner along with our Coats Quilt+ thread! You will also be entered for a chance to win our Grand Prize giveaway featuring SEW many goodies including a Janome AMH-100 Machine!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!

National Sewing Month Featuring Kathy Doughty

Kathy Doughty shares her earliest sewing memory for National Sewing Month!

I was a Girl Scout sewing badge flunky!  I hated the sewing machine as a young girl and never dreamed I’d ever sew anything.  My life shifted dramatically when I moved to Australia and left behind all of the defining people, places and things in my life.  I met a few friends at my first son’s playgroup.  One of them, Bronwyn and her daughter Lucy, made me a quilt for my second baby Noah.  I remember quite clearly on that day, standing in the sun in my front yard as she handed me a quilt made with scraps in a quarter square pattern and tied with a ribbon. 

I looked at it and gasped at the full realization of the sharing that had gone into making it.  I could see the decisions made as they considered together what fabrics went where.  Visions of possibilities swarmed through my mind, I looked up at Bronwyn and said, “Teach me how to do this right now!”

I did not know a thing about sewing but I have spent the last 24 years learning by doing.  Don’t let anyone fool you, patience has nothing to do with making a quilt!  It’s all about learning in the moment, experimenting with color, design and pattern.  The best part is the community of willing quilters that will happily share what they know.  My quilting friends quickly became family.  Opening Material Obsession was an exciting opportunity that simply allowed me to learn faster from my customers and teachers as well as the groups and guilds I have encountered along the way.  It has become my voice and the place where I am most me.

Make sure to sign up for a chance to win fabric from the Kathy Doughty along with our Coats Quilt+ thread! You will also be entered for a chance to win our Grand Prize giveaway featuring SEW many goodies including a Janome AMH-100 Machine!

National Sewing Month Featuring Kaffe Fassett, Brandon Mably, & Liza Lucy

Kaffe Fassett, Brandon Mably, and Liza Lucy share their sewing story for National Sewing Month!

‘When I first started stitching needlepoint, I had the cheek to send an early tapestry to the Embroiderers Guild for a show they were mounting. It was sent back to me the next day as they were horrified that it had stitches running in two different directions and I thought a good colour arrangement was what was important – a good lesson – I’ve not done it again!’ Kaffe Fassett

‘If in a rush, use your sewing machine but stitching by hand is so much more of a meditative motion. The thrill of cutting up a piece of patterned fabric, mixing it with other colours and standing back to observe your progress is like the opening of a theatrical production and it’s your own creation.’  Brandon Mably

The year is 1972. I am in college. My boyfriend has a king size waterbed. And that bed needed a cover.

 Although I was in college to study and learn, I admit that I spent quite a lot of time embroidering peace signs on my friends' denim jackets.  It was the first clue that I would not be making my living as a clinical psychologist but as a needlewoman.

I had no idea how to make a quilt but it didn't look hard so, I purchased 25 blue and white bandanas.  I hand sewed them together, 5 across and 5 down to make a large square top.  I knew I needed to get batting and backing and thought the best batting would have to be the fluffiest so I got that and a several of yards of red pinwale corduroy for the backing.   I pinned these layers together (I wouldn't have called it pin basting because I didn't know that term yet) and using  a large circular needle and a skein of Red Heart ecru knitting yarn, tied the layers together.

To finish the edge (I didn't know the term binding), I bought satin edging yardage that is normally used to edge wool blankets and hand sewed it on. 

It was the Age of Aquarius and bell bottoms, and beads and I had made my first quilt.  I thought it was a beautiful quilt and it kept us very warm! Liza Lucy

Make sure to sign up for a chance to win fabric from the Kaffe Fassett Collective along with our Coats Quilt+ thread! You will also be entered for a chance to win our Grand Prize giveaway featuring SEW many goodies including a Janome AMH-100 Machine!
ENTER TO WIN HERE!

National Sewing Month Featuring Tanya Whelan

Tanya shares her earliest sewing memory for National Sewing Month!

I started sewing as a kid, just little craft projects, learning the basics. When I was about 19 and had my first apartment, and very little money, I turned my mattress into a daybed with a proper box pleat slipcover and giant back pillows made from inexpensive muslin. I found this so empowering to be able to shape my world and make it a little bit nicer through sewing. I could not have imagined then that these experiences would eventually lead me to write two sewing books. Paying attention to the small things that bring you, joy, like sewing, can pay off in small and big ways.

Make sure to sign up for a chance to win fabric from Tanya along with our Coats Quilt+ thread! You will also be entered for a chance to win our Grand Prize giveaway featuring SEW many goodies including a Janome AMH-100 Machine! ENTER TO WIN HERE. 

National Sewing Month Featuring Margot Elena

Margot shares her earliest sewing memory for National Sewing Month!

My earliest sewing memory was making clothes for my stuffed animals and discovering that flat paper doll patterns are not at all the same as sewing for three-dimensional critters. Discovering that flat sewing patterns need to accommodate three-dimensional shapes planted the seeds for my love of detail oriented and creative packaging, which inspired me to be the designer I am today.

Make sure to sign up for a chance to win fabric from Margot along with our Coats Quilt+ thread! You will also be entered for a chance to win our Grand Prize giveaway featuring SEW many goodies including a Janome AMH-100 Machine! 

Enter to Win a precut HERE and A Chance at the Grand Prize!

National Sewing Month Featuring Jennifer Paganelli

Jennifer shares her earliest sewing memory in honor of National Sewing Month!

In 1970, at the age of 12, I anxiously awaiting the arrival of my two sisters Shana and Meghan.  I was in 5^th grade at St. Croix Country Day School.  I knew my life as I knew it was going to change dramatically. It was such an exciting and thrilling time in our family.

Mom was committed to bed rest and I remember visiting her in her bedroom. We played games, thought of baby names and guessed the sexes. My twin brother Jimmy (yes, you heard that right, my mom had two sets of twins) threatened to run away if they were both girls. 

My mom had six kids all together with 10 years between the youngest and the oldest, Bridget who was 15, and had a boyfriend.  These babies were going to definitely going to cramp here style. 

I got busy sewing. I made my siblings pajamas and I overheard my brothers and sisters grouching that they didn’t fit and the crouch was down to their knees yada yada. My mother bribed them with candy and Cracker Jacks to wear them just one night without complaining.  I was blissfully unaware and just kept sewing.

My mom saw promise and sent me to the College of the Virgin Islands for extended education classes. We would stop at Woolworths to get the fabrics, thread, etc. – everything I needed. It was the icing on the cake! After the babies were born, I made matching baby outfits in class. My mom, being the wonderful mother she was, put them in the front row of church when they were old enough to wear the dresses and bonnets. I was beaming with pride…soaking up the love that welcomed the babies in their cherished outfits.  

Make sure to sign up for a chance to win fabric from Jennifer along with our Coats Quilt+ thread! You will also be entered for a chance to win our Grand Prize giveaway featuring SEW many goodies including a Janome AMH-100 Machine! ENTER TO WIN HERE!