A Quick Q&A on CLARET, with Paula Barnes

claretcompWe caught up with Paula to chat about her new CLARET collection. Here’s what she shared with us:

Q. The line is inspired by quilts of the 1800s.  What made Claret such a popular color during that time??

A. Claret became popular in the 1800’s to some extent because the synthetic dye used to produce the color was a stable dye.  This made the color more available, and more affordable, which of course, contributed to its wide appeal.

Q.  And how was it commonly used at the time?PaulaBarnes-SP15

A.  You’d often find the Claret color paired with shirting in quilts. Many quilts were made with Claret, Indigo and Cadet blue (blues included in my INDIGO line).  Red and Grey were popular for the time period.

Q.  The depth of the color is striking, definitely a stashworthy choice for all red lovers.

A.  Yes, it is definitely a darker red color, similar to the French red wine from the Bordeaux region thus giving it is name.

We can only imagine the joys of stitching a Claret quilt while sipping a fine Claret wine!  Paula introduced her INDIGO line a few months ago, then followed up with CLARET.  You’ll find that they work beautifully together now, just as they did in the 1800s. Look for the collection in your favorite quilt shops beginning February 2017!

Red Crinoline Adds Some “Wow” to Your Wednesdays!

Check out the Red Crinoline Quilts blog every Wednesday for their “WOW Wednesday” features, like the gorgeous quilt they shared just last week…it shows off Red Crinoline’s “Gettysburg” quilt pattern, done in Paula Barnes’ LATIMER FARMS collection.

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Latimer’s warm browns and blues make it the perfect collection for quilts you’ll enjoy year-round, and the color combination is especially nice for “guy gifts”.  Be sure to subscribe to the Red Crinoline Quilts blog for their weekly sneak peeks, tips and inspiration!

Announcing our “Plum Perfection” Winner…

plumperfectiongiveawayAnd the winner of this lovely little grouping of Marcus PLUM solids, prints and flannels is…

Linda Douglas of Livingston, MT, who shared: “Hi, love purples of all shades! I’m thinking of dark purple eggplant.This collection is gorgeous! Thanks for introducing this collection+sharing some too!”

Thank you to all of you who join us in celebrating this wonderful color  ; )

On Trend: PLUM Perfection

Colornistas are surely enjoying the influx of PLUM in the market, and like you, we couldn’t be happier about it! Check out today’s featured email from Joss & Main:

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Photos: JossAndMain.com

Plum can be cool, tinged with blue, or lean toward magenta with a slightly red tone.  It’s the color of fantasy, royalty, relaxation and more.  Our own Plum Story for 2016/17 begins with ANTIQUE COTTON CALICOS: Old Plum Calicos by Pam Buda of Heartspun Quilts.  Pam covers a perfect assortment of values from deep to pale.  Her inspiration comes from the prairie life of the past, and the colors remain just as relevant today.

plumflannelsPlum also lends itself to a more casual mood, with new PRIMO PLAID FLANNELS: Plum, perfect for loungewear, shirts, fashion accessories, plush toys, sofa throws and more, for guys and girls alike…

Try blending Pam’s gorgeous prints with the Primo flannels for a unique take on the trend. Or create a contemporary look with the subtle tones of Nancy Rink’s ON PLUMBERRY LANE, mixing plums with neutrals.  View the Lookbook.

plumb-lane-rinkFinally, if you like your Plum uninterrupted, remember the various solids available all year ’round in our WOOL COLLECTION and CENTENNIAL SOLIDS!

What’s your favorite Plum?  What colors do you mix it with, and in what types of projects?  Subscribe to our blog (at right) and share your thoughts below — comment by Tuesday, October 4, 2016 for a chance to win our Plum Surprise Pack!!

The International Appeal of Elizabeth’s Dowry

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Don’t you love a great fabric sneak-peek?  We’re pleased to share this special preview of our upcoming ELIZABETH’S DOWRY collection!  It’s the first project of a new joint venture with The Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles.  The line is inspired by the historic Mariner’s Compass Coverlet (1820-1829) from The Quilters’ Guild Collection.  This coverlet is exquisitely constructed, and was made by Mary Dennis as part of her dowry:

QrigQUILTIt’s always exciting to see a fabric line come together, especially when it combines traditional inspiration with the latest digital printing technologies.  Below, these gorgeous prints come under final pre-production reviews by Pati Violick, director of advertising & marketing, and Ancil Wilson, studio manager for Marcus.  Look for the entire collection — as well as the history behind the inspiration quilt, and the quilt project designed by Karen Styles of Australia-based Somerset Patckwork & Quilting —  to be unveiled online in August!

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Grumpy Cat is Coming …

GrumpuCU2…to a quilt shop near you, beginning October 2016!!  That’s right — Grumpy Cat, everyone’s favorite feline internet celebrity, has been immortalized on COTTON PRINTS and FLANNELS for Studio 37 Fabrics, and we can’t wait for you to see them! Luckily, you won’t have to wait until October — you’ll be able to view the entire collection online in July so you can plan your best Grumpy Cat projects and get right to the fun part when the fabric hits the shelves  ; )
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Pick your favorite colorway — pink with grey, or red with turq — for fun quilts, PJs and loungewear, cat beds, pillows and more.  We’d love to see what you come up with.  And if you already know what Grumpy gear you wanna create, tell us in the Comments below…

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UPDATE – #QuiltsForPulse FQs & More

LOVEprintHello Everyone –  Thank you sew much for your enthusiastic, loving and heartfelt response to our offer of free FQs for the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild’s project, #QuiltsforPulse.  At this time, we’ve exceeded the 100 FQs, and we’re happy to honor all 140+ email requests received as of midnight last night.  PLEASE NOTE:  Our FQ giveaway offer has expired  –  Only requests already received at this point can be fulfilled!  

SusanCousineauWe also want to let you know about a FQ bundle giveaway by Susan Cousineau, designer of the SO SWEET LOVE collection, in conjunction with Craft Ideas magazine!  Like all of us, they want to share their love with the people of Orlando, FL at this difficult time.  You can enter here now through July 1, 2016.

Thanks again for all that you do…

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Did You Catch Sarah on the McCall’s Quilting Blog?

With all of the pre-Quilt Market craze here in the office last week, this one got past me, and maybe you missed it too, so I figured it presented a great excuse for a second REVVED UP RETRO giveaway (as if we need an excuse)! Enjoy… —  lisa

Last week our friends at McCall’s Quilting interviewed Sarah Maxwell about her queen size quilt pattern, Cross It Out, is featured in the June/July 2016 issue of McCall’s Quick Quilts. 

Comment below now through Tuesday, May 31 for your chance to win this REVVED UP RETRO 5″ charm pack!

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Gorgeous Quilt, Gorgeous Quilting

SturbXmasQuiltNancyWe got up-close & personal with Nancy Rink’s new holiday quilt design, featuring the OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE COLLECTION by Judie Rothermel. As you can see, the colors and motifs lend themselves to Christmas projects wtih the rich, traditional feel of Sturbridge.  Nancy’s knack for machine quilting artistry completes the masterpiece, with accents of red and green thread on the back.  Visit Nancy online for “Mill Girls Holiday” pattern information.

Victoria’s Fabric Sneak-Peek!

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We’re thrilled to have Victoria Findlay Wolfe as a part of our designer community, especially with the upcoming release of her second collection for Studio 37 Fabrics.  It’s called  MEADOW STORM.  Look for it online May 1, and in quilt shops in August…for now, here’s a quick sneak-peek:

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She says, “For MEADOW STORM, I included my typical mix of interesting modern and eclectic prints…fabrics that can do some of the work for you.  I love the large stripes that can be fussy cut for dramatic modern looks.  Sun Shower polka dots in four colors, because I can’t make a quilt without a dot!  I added in the bold black and white Manor Stripe, after many requests from my last line, MOSTLY MANOR.  I look forward to using it with the more saturated color prints, like Misty and the main floral, Perennial, to add instant movement to even simple blocks.”     — Victoria

ALSO, In Case You Missed It: Here’s the link to Victoria Findlay Wolfe’s recent chat with Pat Sloan on American Patchwork & Quilting Radio!  She discusses a bit of her quilt design process, her fabric design inspiration, and that great article in APQ’s April issue!

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