Bari J.

Yup. You heard me right. It's madness and mayhem here. And the truth is, I'm loving it. I must thrive on chaos, as my mom as always said she does ... because I'm a complete and very happy crazy cake right now.

I'm working on this little piece as a new PDF pattern, and I hope to have it done by time I return from Sisters (see sidebar... I'm teaching there next week). Ironically,  this is a "Sisters" embroidery. I've been trying to come up with a good sisters saying, and since "blood is thicker than water" is out, I'll happily take suggestions. Do you have any? My Sister, My Friend maybe?

Also adding the the crazy cake mood is the fact that I've been getting the We Love French Knots website up and running with tutorials and videos plus special interviews and projects. It's even more fun than I thought it would be. Last night I posted the first video which I hope you'll go check out.

Happily, the Beachside Holiday quilt pattern is almost done. Sadly, the actual quilt is not almost done and I'm thinking of calling in reinforcements to complete it.

In other news, I received my Frixion Pen order for the embroidery supplies section of my website. I love these pens and use them for all of my embroidery. They are heat erasable with your iron. The marks come back in freezing temps, but easily disappear again with a quick puff of the iron. I'm offering a free pen right now when you order a full set of Cosmo floss (9color pack) plus a hoop, if you are interested.

Also, if you've been looking for Paris Apartment, it's starting to arrive in stores! I know for sure Hip Fabric has it and Fat Quarter Shop should have it shortly along with Hawthorne Threads and Sew Mama Sew. Also, my free pattern, Jolie Maison, is on the Lecien website. 

Crazy cakes? It's all good.

 

 

The other day, PKM suggested that a great place to take my girls was the Japanese Book Store in San Jose. She was right again! The girls and I were both thrilled to bits.

They have tons of irresistible magazines:

Sewing books out the ying-yang:

And all the Japanese Cute my two teen daughters could ever want:

I managed to get out with just a bit of loot (rather than the whole darn store worth which is what I wanted). Cotton Time Magazine, Liberty Prints Catalog and a Sanrio notebook (sewing related of course).

You could tell the Liberty Print catalog came with some sort of freebie, but because I don't read Japanese I couldn't tell what it would be. And you couldn't open to look. I thought it was a going to be a pack of charm squares for some reason. But alas it was a little bag. And though you can't beat a bit of fabric, it's not totally disappointing. It will here-to-forth be my new embroidery bag. 

After the bookstore I had promised my girls a trip to Valley Fair mall where we'd never been in our whole 14 years in the bay area. While there, they schwinked me into buying them Tom's shoes which they have sworn to wear into the school year. My bet is on them schwinking me into the new latest trend when the time comes. Ah. Well. At least Toms gives a pair to charity with each pair bought. Sigh. No new shoes for mom.

 

The awesome thing about the internet is that you can take a class like this Wherever You Are In The Entire World.

I'm so thrilled to announce that I'm teaching a class online with Rick Rack: Thread Therapy for Sewers. 

We're making my Patchwork Rose Handbag from my book, Inspired to Sew.

Let me tell you why you need to take this class:

A: If you've ever been afraid of installing zippers, this bag will make that phobia Disappear!

B. I'll teach you how to make those nifty flowers.

C. If you are already a handbag and zipper expert, you like totally need another handbag.

D. I'm very charming and funny "in person" even though my husband says I don't have a funny bone in my body (a fact I have been disputing for 20 years).

 

Plus all this is part of the class!

1 autographed copy of my book, Inspired to Sew (optional if you have it already)

 1 downloadable Inspired to Sew Patchwork Rose Zippered Bag how to sew video demonstration;

1 downloadable project instruction sheet w/step-by-step color photos (PDF);

Supply list; and

1 hour live chat with ME! (Seriously, who could pass THAT up? Giggle. Snort.)

To sign up, click HERE!

Register today through July 20, 2011. Class starts on July 22, 2011.

 

 

This sure has become the land of give-aways lately. It's madness. But I promise you, you are going to want to stick around for this one.

It's time to give away a one of my Paris Apartment design cards for Slice Fabrique!

Of course, you do know that they're available from Strawberry Patches if per chance you don't win. I hear they are really popular at her store. Speaking of which, Susanne, we are passing through in July and I intend to halt the Ackerman-Mobile for a stop there. Hub and the kids will be *thrilled*, I'm sure. But Pam Kitty Morning tells me that it is a must do. And I always listen to Pam. Right, Pam? I always listen.

Wow... I digressed. Where was I?

How about a Slice Fabrique Machine to go with that card? You don't want a card without a machine, do you? That doesn't make much of a giveaway. Luckily, Making Memories has generously offered a machine as well. (No, Mom, Ilisa and Lara, you can not enter this giveaway.)

This little mint green sweetie makes the cutting fast and easy, and of course it is super accurate. As a bonus, I love the sound it makes as it's cutting. It's this low "I'm working and doing my thang" sound. I don't know. It just makes me happy. I also like to look under that clear plastic window and see the mechanism moving. (crazy town? I don't think so. I betcha' you'll do the same thing.)

 

Below are some projects I have already made. I think my next endeavor will be the dress form. I have a slight penchant for them. I should show you my little dress form collection one day.

You'll probably note that though I've machine appliqued each project I can't help myself but add little embroidered details. I think you should too. It seems only right that when machines are doing most of the other work that you should pitch in a teeny little bit.

This pillow was made for my booth at quilt market. I love that it fills up an entire 16" pillow.

Heather from House of A La Mode likes it a lot. I was watching her like a hawk 'cause I thought it might, you know, walk away. Heather loves pillows.

This is another version I did for the card's packaging. As a side note, Making Memories took this photo. I've been wondering whose bed this is because I think it needs a pretty quilt. I'm just saying. It's a nice photo and all, but I'd like to see some Paris Apartment fabric on that bed.

This tea towel comes as free project with full instructions with the card. Indeed, I have been wondering who's kitchen it is in. I'm liking the granite a lot. And I totally want to know what the cups say on the inside. I'll have to ask them about these things, huh?

I'm planning on incorporating this piece into a quilt possibly. You can embroider any message onto the banner that you'd like. This just says, "Paris". Apparently this little birdie has never been and would like to go. (That's a hint, Super Husband... read: I am the little birdie. I want to go to Paris.)

So, have I convinced you yet that this is a little device you simply can't live without? The bottom line is, the thing is too fun to pass up. The possibilities are endless. 

To enter to win... 

Leave a comment saying which applique you'll do first and what you'll put it on.

A winner will be picked on Friday the 24th using random.org.

Please visit the Slice Fabrique Blog

and the Slice Fabrique Facebook page for more information about the products.

 

And the winner is... #166, SoCalGal!

COMMENTS ARE CLOSED, A WINNER HAS BEEN PICKED. Thank you too all who participated for your wonderful comments!!!

 

I'm shaking from the nerves of revealing my "secret plan"... you can check out HERE.

Psst... embroidery fans! Don't walk... run!

(... or is it part of my evil plot to get you stitching this Summer?)

I'm so honored my friend, Natalie, asked me to be part of the blog tour for her first book, Cotton Floss. Natalie is an expert stitcher with such an unmistakeable style. I'm crazy for her work. And I know if you are not already a Cinderberry Stitches fan, you will be momentarily. You'll need to find out her other exciting news over at her blog, but here's a hint... she's has something in common with Monica, Lynette, Denise, Sarah, Meg, Brenda, Rosalie and moi.

But with out further Adieu... here it is! Do you love the owls as much as I do?

The dreamy cover leads to super fun projects that feature simple stitches and great ideas.

I particularly love the way Natalie tells a story with each of her designs. This is Lizzie. She's got a "cheeky" and charming personality like her adorable creator.

I couldn't resist diving right into this book. So I started with one of the blocks above. It is also featured as a cover you can make for your books, which is what I'm planning on doing with my block. I framed it with a little Paris Apartment ("le salle du Soleil" or "sun room" in the coral colorway).

I bet you'd love a copy of this book. Natalie generously sent one for me to give away. AND... I'm also throwing in a Paris Apartment charm pack, which by the by mixes quite nicely with our friend Monica's Happy Mochi Yum Yum. (M gave away a charm pack on her end of the tour... I totally copied her for this give-away. You can't blame me, can you? She's got some rockin' good ideas.)

Here's the dealy if you want to win... leave a comment here swearing on your life that if you don't already embroider, you'll start.

Alright. I'm just kidding. But really. Stitch, K? And leave a comment here to tell Natalie that she is the queen of stitches and you love her dearly and that if you don't win, you'll purchase the book straight away.

That's all. I'll pick a winner on Monday. Deal?

Thank you! 

Oh, and also, go to all these stops on the blog tour if you haven't already. You'll find not just the tour but a slew of incredible talent.

Sunday 6/12    Monica 
Monday 6/13    Amanda
Tuesday 6/14    Pam
Wednesday 6/15    Sarah
Thursday 6/16   Krista
Friday 6/17   Yours Truly... you are here already.
Saturday 6/18    Shari 
Sunday 6/19    Paige

 

 UPDATE: JUNE 20, 2011 -- The winner is #114

Indianna, please email me at bari at barijonline dot com to claim your prize!

 

A WINNER HAS BEEN PICKED. NO MORE ENTRIES, PLEASE.

 

 

How long have I been threatening to put embroidery floss on my website? 

Good news for all who have been asking about it... I finally pulled my head outa' you know where and did it!

Cosmo Multiwork will be here tomorrow in my nine favorite colors!

I gotta tell you, this stuff is the bomb. As you can see, it comes on a spool. And it's 2 strands already... no separating! It's the highest quality floss from Japan and sews like butter... butter, I tell you. (Think I'm excited about it?)

You can order them individually for $4.50 each or get 9 for the price of 8 at $36 when you order the all of them together. Make sure you choose the packaged version at the bottom of the page for the discounted price. 

In other news, I thought of a really sweet idea today that I'm not sure I can execute, but I'm gonna try like heck. Can't tell yet... but it will be for all of us who love embroidery. I'll let you know when I pull it off.

Happy Stitching!

A couple weeks ago our friend Pam (ours being yours and mine) came over to play. It was one of those mornings. She had tweeted she was unfocused or something of the sort, and I tweeted back, "come be unfocused with me" or something like that.

I had been contemplating starting a new quilt with my Paris Apartment fabric, but wasn't sure of my direction. But along came Pam and saved my day. With just a few hints and tips I was able to come up with a great new design.

Pam is not just a quilting genius, but she's also a computer whiz!

I've been working with Photoshop forever. Since the first version, I believe. But when Pam showed me how she was using it to design quilts, I wanted to bonk myself over the head! Why didn't I think of that? I've designed all of my quilts on photoshop, but not like this. On top of that, I knew how to do all of this, but never thought of it for quilt making. Seriously. It was Pam Kitty Genius! Create custom shapes and use them over and over for quilt blocks. I don't know what I was doing, but it wasn't easy, like this is. 

 

Above is the quilt I designed. (It will, of course, be a pattern shortly... as soon as I finish sewing it up and it's quilted...

...which is (ahem) what I should be doing now. Instead, I'm writing this post cause it sounded like fun.

Wanna' know how you do it?

You simply use the pen tool to create your shape.

 

The shape is a "path" that you can make a custom shape from.

Choose edit: define custom shape.

Now you have a custom shape you can choose to use however you want! 

When you chose the shape tool, this appears at the top of the screen. Just choose the blobby looking thing on the left, then you can pick your new custom shape from the drop down menu.

And voila!

This is one of my custom shapes!

 

 

 

Summer has started, and I'm happily stitching away here in Bari-land... Last night I made this little cutie. I like little patterns you can do in an evening. Especially when my attention span is grossly compromised, like it has been lately. I also like to stitch in the evenings because otherwise I'd be rifling through the fridge looking for something to chow down on. Busy hands = no time to pop chocolate in my mouth.

This is the second Paris Apartment Stitchery Pattern... Fabric Junkie. It features the dress form from my fabric line. I know some of you were worried about doing some of the stitches. So I stayed away from the more difficult stuff. This one would be considered a beginner pattern. It's stitches are back stitch, French knots (limited doses) and a lazy daisy. 

You can get the pattern on my website (scroll to bottom) or on patternspot.com.

Secretly... ok not so secretly... my goal is to get everyone embroidering this summer. I'm telling you. It's easy. 

I can make it even easier on you: If you'd like to see a demonstration video on the stitches, click here to see my mini-class in C&T publishing's digital lounge.

Grab a hoop, grab some floss and get stitching, people. You're gonna love it. 

 

 

 
It's a hard bit to swallow, being reviewed is. Truth told? I don't have exactly the thickest skin ever so I'd been putting off reading reviews of my book, Inspired to Sew. You know, when you send your baby out into the world, the last thing you want to see is her criticized. 

Admittedly, I'd glanced to make sure nothing totally evil had been said, but today I got brave and ventured over to Amazon to take a deeper look. And turns out I was worried over nothing. Isn't that always the way it is? Nine reviewers said really really nice things and there are even a couple great editorial reviews. 

At any rate, I'm not saying all this to get you all to say "aren't you wonderful" blah blah... But just to say that it's so nice to see my work be appreciated. I'm honored beyond words that you like what I do. To all who have purchased Inspired to Sew and to the sweet people who left reviews of it... Thank you. You make my days.