"Swoon" + Moda's Daydream = Dwoon!

What comes first when you start a new project: the pattern or the fabric?

I've fallen deeply and hopelessly in love with Swoon by Thimble Blossoms, a quilt with a modern take on the classic Carpenter's Star/Dutch Rose quilt block. (UPDATE: It's now available here!) Though I often fall in love with quilts that are a little above my skill level, Swoon is deceptively easy—the hardest parts are half-square triangles and flying geese which I'll be making with Creative Grid's two-in-one half-square/quarter-square triangle ruler to save fabric and take away any sewing "guesswork". (Learn how to make more accurate HSTs and QSTs here!)

Coincidentally, around the same time I started following the Swoon-along's hashtag on Instagram, #swoonalong, one of our new arrivals at The Quilt Patch—Moda's fantastical Daydream by Kate Spain—caught my eye.

Spain's trademark palette of rich and vibrant colors brings her fantasy-filled doodles and drawings to life on fabric; playing perfectly with one another in any combination.

So, in a moment of temporary insanity, I offered to make my first-ever shop sample! (You can follow my progress on Instagram.) Since Swoon is fat-quarter friendly, 18-piece FQ bundles of Daydream are available in-shop and will be online soon. As for the pattern, it's on backorder, but will be available by next week.

Now, I'm going to be better at posting more frequently, but blogging seems to be the thing on my ever-growing to-do list that's always pushed back. (._.) However, in between blog posts, you'll find me on Instagram, posting in-progress shots of my projects, photos of new fabric arrivals, and pictures of E. Follow me on Instagram!

After I finish my Daydream-filled Swoon (nicknamed Dwoon since I can't say it aloud without giggling), I'll be starting something called the The Sibling Project. What's that, you ask? For the time being, I'm gonna be mysterious and fill you in on that a little bit later. ;)

Busy, Busier, Busiest

Things got a little hairy at the end of 2013, and I couldn't spare one iota of time for my blog or, really, much else. With E's first birthday came a year's worth of cleaning crammed into three days and the stress of planning our first child's first birthday party. (Tip: Don't give birth to children in late December.) On top of all of that we attended a bunch of holiday gatherings while juggling E's sensitive (read: terrible) and unpredictable (read: super terrible) sleeping schedule.

Alas, we made it through the hurried madness of December and are getting back on track, taking deep breaths of the polar vortex-y air of a new year. I've spent the better part of 2014 busy, adding new inventory to the website, but it's hard to keep up because new Moda collections are (seemingly) delivered every other day! Which is your favorite?

• Giggles by Me and My Sister Designs (yardage only)

• Sweet Serenade by BasicGrey (yardage + pre-cuts)

• Wishes by Sweetwater (yardage + pre-cuts)

• Weave by Moda Fabrics (yardage only)

• SoHo Chic by Sandy Gervais (yardage + pre-cuts)

• Daydream by Kate Spain (pre-cuts only)

• Kansas Troubles Favorites II by Kansas Troubles Quilters (pre-cuts only + a couple bolts)

I'm planning to finish up adding more yardage and two more pre-cuts—Charms and Mini Charms—of SoHo Chic today, and beef up our stock of BasicGrey fabric with our favorite picks from their newest line, Little Black Dress 2 (UPDATE: AVAILABLE NOW!), a really lovely collection of neutrals that reminds me of wallpaper (in a good way). (: If I'm really on it, I'll have layer cakes, jelly rolls, charms, and mini charms of Sweet Pea by Kansas Troubles Quilters added this weekend, too. 

Oh, and I PROMISE photos of Busy Blocks and my Doctor Who quilt are forthcoming. You might even get to see it first if you follow me on Instagram. ;) Speaking of my DW quilt, it needs a really good name since it's an original and will be available as a pattern (in some sense) within the next couple months. I've referred to it as 'TARDIS in Flight' to a few people, but the moniker lacks the nerdy oomph I crave. Suggestions?

Also coming soon to a computer or mobile device near you is an extensive bias binding tutorial to accompany our popular YouTube video on the same subject.