Erin McMorris, a lover of design, fashion and textiles

Erin McMorris says “If it has a surface, I’ll put a pattern on it.” This is a testament to how much Erin loves design, textiles and fashion and a reflection of her style for FreeSpirit Fabrics. When asked what inspires the whimsy behind her designs, she quips. “I’m a fun, whimsical person so it comes out of me naturally.”

Spoken with pure moxie, a confidence she carries into her most current FreeSpirit Fabric collection. Aptly named Moxie, her newest collection is made up of 24 SKUs of 100% cotton fabric available now at your local quilt shop.

Word bubble trends and a visit to a Lichtenstein Retrospect in Chicago captured Erin’s imagination and helped bring Moxie to life. The graphic shape of the word bubbles and the look of printed comic books translated into three color ways of fun retro-looking graphic flowers, text message word bubbles and emoticons – so today. Black is Erin’s favorite color way.

It’s no wonder the graphic design of word bubbles captured her attention. Erin is a student of textile design who attributes her own “moxie” to the fashion houses and textile studio’s she worked for upon graduating from the University of Cincinnati and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. While over the years her style has changed with her designs, more oriented for surface design she still enjoys fashion work. Her fashion work gives her anonymity and the opportunity to try different styles and categories.

The big question is did her love for designing for textiles and fashions begin with her own sewing prowess? “Not likely,” says Erin. Using her grandmother’s old sewing machine, Erin began her crafty career sewing items for her dolls, graduating to a wrap skirt for Girl Scouts. She confesses she was desperate to finish and wear the skirt. “I’m pretty sure that even though it was brown floral that I looked like a rock star. But I’m thankful there are no pictures to confirm or deny.”

Erin’s sewing is not her primary strength however she likes to make thing for friends who are astounded by the idea of doing something by hand. While she will always point out a flaw in her sewing, most people are thrilled and amazed to receive something made by hand. So, with her new fabric and her sewing skills revealed, what does Erin hope consumer’s will see when they touch and see Moxie? “I hope they have the moxie to make everything that can possibly be made in fabric and then remake it again in another color way!”

To learn more about Erin, visit her at www.erinmc.com. View her new collection Moxie in the Preview Gallery at www.freespiritfabric.com.

10 & 10 Continues on Sew4Home; Make this closet hanger safe!

Is this the prettiest closet hanger safe you have ever seen?  Of coure it is because it is made with FreeSpirit Petal Home fabric by Tanya Whelan.  For step-by-step, color illustrated directions, visit Sew4Home and out 10 & 10 Series;10 Designers and 10 Collections to create several how-to tutorials plus an awesome Great Giveaway in the end. See the entire Petal collection here. Make a new years resolution today to expand your sewing creativity and try something new for yourself.

10 & 10 Series Starts Today on Sew4Home

Our friends at Sew4Home bring you truly creative ideas for using fabrics as well as very helpful and educational sewing tips.  Last year we had a lot of fun with Sew4Home producing our Romantic Bedroom Retreat in which we showed you how to mix and match different designer's fabrics and different types of fabrics like voiles and cotton sateens, etc.  We also ended the year with a Holiday Home series offering some fun gift and home decorating ideas.

Now, we are kicking off the  New Year with a brand new series. We've selected 10 Designers and 10 Collections to create several how-to tutorials plus an awesome Great Giveaway,in the end. So get ready to mix it up for the new year, and make a resolution to try something new for yourself. We start with a bold clutch with a beautiful big ball clasp. Dress it up or dress it down. We made three, using six beautiful fabrics from Joel Dewberry's Notting Hill collection for FreeSpirit Fabrics.

We love our blog followers. Tell us a bit about yourself. Take our quick survey between now and January 2, 2013 and we will select one random survey participant to win a 30 pc. FreeSpirit Fat quarter bundle!
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3KBQF96

Our friends over at Generation Q Magazine have asked for a favor and we are happy to pass it on. Oh, and there’s a bribe in it as well.


GenQ last poked and probed into your fabricky lives in late 2011, with their GenQ Modern Quilters Survey. Now it’s time to do it again with the GenQ 2012 Addicted Stitcher Survey. (New name, same mission.) We as well as GenQ like to count noses, pins, rotary cutters, whatever it takes to grab a detailed snapshot of this niche in the sewing and crafting world.

Some of you have pained expressions, and you’re probably sighing with annoyance at yet another attempt for the corporate q-niverse to stick its demographic-hungry noses into stuff that just isn’t its business. The truth is that all of us stitchy types thrive when our industry answers our needs. And that’s what this survey does. It helps to provide information to the industry so your needs, and wants, can be better met.

Please take a few minutes to whip through the survey and tell GenQ all about you -- there could be swag in it for you. The survey will be live until the end of the December 2012, and on Jan. 1, 2013, we’ll choose FIVE lucky survey-takers who will each receive a box of fabric, books and small stitchy goodies valued at $50 each.

Just use this link to find your way to the 2012 Addicted Stitcher Survey. And please freely post it far and wide, encouraging your friends and sew-pals to also participate! Thank you so much for being a part of this second annual survey! And if you want to know more about what we do, check us out at GenerationQMagazine.com.

Stand up and be counted!