Baby Steps

Hello all, my name is Outlaw, Debbie Outlaw that is. I am the book and pattern buyer for United Notions. I am jumping feet first into this blog world to keep you up to date with books and patterns from all across the globe and all available through United Notions. Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what kinds of features you would like for me to cover in my future posts.

I thought I would start across the Pond with Quiltmania.
If you aren't familiar with Quiltmania & the beautiful books they print, then you might want to peruse this post and have a look. Each of the books are printed in French & English within the same book. Beautiful images, great instructions & a great value for the amount of projects in each title.

A Bag...Mania
We have collected about 20 bag projects in very different styles. Those fashionistas are going to turn green with envy…  Take a peek.2001 Nouveaux Blocs de Patchwork by Chuck Nohara

234 pages
Peruse some of the pages from the book.

Country Quilts for Your Soul by Jan Patek to see a preview click here.

Bonnie's Garden by Bonnie Sullivan preview can be seen here.

Textile Pictures by Janet Bolton

Welcome to the extraordinary garden imagined by Bonnie Sullivan! Come and discover all her small friends living here! Cats play with birds among fl owers on quilts, appliqué pictures, cushions, table runners, hooked rugs, punch needle projects and other ideas, putting woollen and brushed cotton fabrics to good use. This book is as sweet and enchanting as its author and it features twenty projects to die for!
136 pages

Jan has chosen Quiltmania for this book gathering all the quilts which have been significant in her life. She is recognised as the pioneer of the Folk Art style which she has been practising for 30 years. Through her appliqué works, she likes to tell stories, a little something about her life, her surroundings and people around her. She creates quilts to warm her soul. Twenty of her most beautiful projects are featured here, complete with instructions and full size templates.

224 pages

Chuck was the first master to introduce and teach quilting in Japan. Her colleagues, editors and fans all agree to say that she simply is a genius! We have had the great privilege of once again publishing this bible of 2001 blocks which has been sold out in Japan for years. It is a monument of talent, fantasy and creativity where you will fi nd ‘standard’ patterns redesigned and reinterpreted by Chuck. Simply exceptional! This book is going to help you create gorgeous quilts that do not have to be complicated.

On the Road...with Moda

This months great display picutres come to you from Anderson Fabrics in Blackduck, MN. A special thanks to Ruby, Karen, and their staff for making the Lily & Will fabrics even more adorable!

Merchandising Tip: Adding texture to quilts is so easy with all the options available now: Rick Rack, covered buttons, Chenille It…the list could go on and on. When you have a quilt in your store that uses a texture item be sure to place all the texture products close at hand. When customers can look at the product in its original packaging and then see how you’ve used it they have more confidence to use it in other projects. Photos: Courtesy of Quilter's Corner Faulkton, SD

Display Idea: Creating a great display that includes projects of all sizes and varied prices is a great idea. Not only does this appeal to customers by giving them options it also shows them the visual appeal of decorating a room or area using those fabrics. Photo: Courtesy of Dakota Cabin Quilts Hettinger, ND http://www.dakotacabinquilts.com/

Class Option: Double Diamond Rulers add dimensions to your projects. Double Diamond Rulers are sold in one package that contains the rulers to make 1 ½” and 3 ½” diamonds. Complete illustrated instructions are included with each ruler. There are currently 6 patterns available that utilize the Double Diamond Rulers. They are: Veggie Runner, Diamond Wine, Desert Diamonds, December Diamonds, Double Diamond Vest, and Glowtar Wall Hanging. Photo: Courtesy of Quilter's Cottage Fergus Falls, MN

Let's GO! Fly a Kite

Hide & Seek is Not a Game for Quilts!

"Remembering our past and days of old gives us the purpose and reason to create beautiful projects for our loved ones. All to often these projects are not admired for their quality and workmanship because they lay hidden from sight. Display those projects proudly and with the dignity they deserve."

-From the folks at Ackfeld

This is so true my friends. Do you really think your sweet grandma wanted her quilt folded up in a closet somewhere for safe keeping? No way jose! I will say, with a family full of children I understand not wanting to leave Granny's quilt out on the couch. That is why I love Ackfeld for creating this unique way of showcasing your beautiful quilts. You and Granny both put alot of time and love into those quilts and there is something so special about seeing them around each corner of your home.

 We, along with most quilters, are huge fans of Art to Heart! With the addition of her new book, Jingle all the Way, we also get new quilt hangers to coordinate! Are these ornament wall hangings not the cutest?

 And here are a few more new hangers just for your everyday use!

How do you display your quilts?

Do you use Ackfeld hangers or do you prefer an alternate hanging method?

super exciting news

I thought this was worth a quick post. You can read all about it HERE.

All I have to say is WELCOME to the team, Malka.

Stop by her blog and welcome her as well.

Web Tips: Fabric Collections

You may have noticed some new features appear recently on the Moda website.  One of these new features is our fabric collections page.  To get here, simply go to http://www.unitednotions.com/ > click on Fabrics > click on fabric collections > then click on the little green tab labeled collections.

This page has several features that you may not be aware of and can be very beneficial when searching for a collection and images.

1. Keyword Search: a Designer name, collection name, and even the type of group may be searched here. Simply type in part or all the words in the designer or collection name and the results will automatically pull up by the words you type in. For the type of group, you can type in Basics, Metro, Classic, or Style to pull up the various collections contained within that particular type of group.
2. Table Sorting: Click on a title header, Fabric Collections, Designer, or In Stores to re-sort the table in A-Z or Z-A order by the column you wish to sort by.
3. The colored dots in the left hand column represent the following types of groups:
• Cream = Basic
• Brown = Classic (traditional, timeless)
• Green = Metro (retro, funky, modern)
• Teal = Style (trendy, in style)
4. The colored scissors in the right hand columns represent the different actions you can do for each group.  Refer to the key code at the top of the page to determine which colored scissor to click on for each item.  View swatch pages, download JPG images, marketing tools and more.
5. The arrows at the bottom of the page allow you to go to the next or previous pages.  You can also change the number of items you can view on a single page by changing the entries per page.

It's your one stop directory for everything Moda Fabrics.

Glubers! Your friend for Fabric Flowers

Yesterday you were introduced to our new fabric designer, Cosmo Cricket! This hubby & wife team not only have adorable fabric but they are also the innovaters of one of our favorite new notions...GLUBERS!

Glubers are clear adhesive dots that are the foundation for the Perfect Fabric Flower!

Check out their video tutorial to see how easy these Fabric Flowers are to make...