A Preview of Things to Come

Please join me on my main blog, www.lidaenche.com to read all about my newest fabric collection with In The Beginning Fabrics titled "A Garden for Olivia". I am so excited about this new collection and can't wait to see what fabulous projects get made out of it. Peace and love to you, Lida.

Painted Summer Fabric is Here!

Hi! Long time no write. Well, boy do I have something to write about now - and I had to really think about which blog to post it on. Since this is about my art on fabric and not solely about fabric, I put it on www.lidaenche.com, which you can get to by clicking "Back to my blog about art". 

So, click on that tab and come join me on my other blog to see some photos of the fabric that I have waited so long to hold in my hands. Here is a sneak peek. :)

Show and Tell

I like to think of my fabric, patiently sitting on a store shelf, just waiting to be discovered by a creative soul who I hope will enjoy and lovingly transform it into a thing of their own. Since my first fabric collection, September Light, has been out in stores, I have been surprised and delighted to have seen so many very different examples of what can be done with it. It is truly amazing that every person has their own take on what to do and that has been such an exciting surprise! I though I would share with you a few "show and tells" -

To my delight, I got an email from a woman named Kim McBirnie all the way from England saying that she had made a quilt with my fabric. I just loooove when this happens - and am so curious to see what has been made. Kim has great quilting blog with a funny name that I love - "Never Teach a Chicken to Quilt" - she even has pet chickens that she includes in some of her posts! From what I can tell, Kim started quilting at the beginning of the year and has made two quilts using September Light. Here they are!

 I love how she used white to frame the rich colors of the fabric, and the large flower print on the border and then dark purple really frames it so nicely.

Below is the first one she made - this was as a birthday present - and has a quote from Peter Pan - "Second star to the right - and straight on till morning". Nice present!

My second show and tell comes from Lindsey Murray at the Interweave blog, Quilting Daily. She posted on covering tea tins with fabric. Thought it was a cute, fast and easy project - and could be applied not just to tea tins, but other storage containers as well.

 I also love the idea of "repurposing"perfectly good things that might otherwise end up in recycling or at the dump.

And, last but not at all least, Paula, who is the Wholesale Manager at In the Beginning made what's called an "origami" purse - check it out on their blog~ She was clever to make it double the size of the pattern, so it's the perfect size to carry almost anything, and what you don't see are the multitude of pockets and alternating fabric on the inside.

I am continually pleasantly surprised to see all of the different ways that people use the same fabric. Now, with my second fabric collection, "Painted Summer" being printed at the mill as I write this, the cycle will start over. The difference is that now I have one extra thing to look forward to! Happy sewing/quilting/whatever makes you happy!
XO - Lida

"September Light" in American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine

 A friend called me yesterday and said "Do you know that September Light is in American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine"? I had no idea! So here it is. The pattern is using four "pineapple" blocks and was made by quilt tester, Laura Boehnke. The instructions are at allpeoplequilt.com/623. The quilt was inspired by Pineapple Rings from designer Lynn Schmitt-Cibulka of a Different Box of Crayons. So interesting how everyone has their own take on what do do with the fabric!

"From Paintings to Fabric" Art Show

"Mango Tango" quilt made with
"September Light" fabric by Laurie Shifrin.

Daydreaming of Summer? Come to Island Quilter's new location on Vashon Island this until January 31st to see the original paintings that two quilting fabric collections have been made from. And, get a sneak peek of the art and color ways created for Painted Summer, my newest collection with In The Beginning Fabrics. It's filled with warm, sunshiny images of Summer in full swing and is a good reminder of what's to come.
Also, on display are quilts and samples sewn using my fabric by wonderful local pattern designers and quilters.
Please visit www.islandquilter.com for hours and ferry schedule. Thank you!

"Painted Summer" in the Works!

Now that the dust has settled from the International Quilt Market and Festival in Houston, I have been excitedly finishing up my second fabric collection, named "Painted Summer", which is due in stores in the Summer of 2012.

 

 The digital files of my scanned paintings are currently at In The Beginning Fabrics and are being put into repeat and modified to work for quilters. This next collection is filled with warm, sunshiny joyful images of summer in full swing. A little disclaimer - the color you see in these two "sneak peeks" will likely change.

I look forward to soon posting the link to In The Beginning Fabric's website up so you can see the official collection! Peace, Happiness and Creativity.  Lida

The International Quit Market and Festival is coming up and that means samples! Here are just a few photos of samples that I will have with me or will be at In the Beginning Fabric's booth (Booth/s 2200, 02, 2301). Extra thanks go to Paradiso Designs, Favorite Things Patterns and Anka at West Seattle Fabric Company for sewing some GREAT samples! I will have even more photos soon.

This is a brand new maxi-skirt pattern from Paradiso Designs.
I will list a link to their website once it is online.

I love skirts with pretty pockets. These are scalloped.

Another fun and brand-new pattern from Paradiso Designs. I especially like the removable shoulder strap.

Can you believe this is the back!?

So you can get an idea of size...

Why is this here? Because it's easily 15 feet tall, it's pretty and it's in my back yard - had to share. :)

I sewed this super comfy dress. It is pattern #3856 by Kwik Sew. No zippers. No buttons. Awesome.

This great shopping bag was made by Anka at West Seattle Fabrics. She used a pattern from the book, "One Yard Wonders" - but she doubled it.

It's all in the details. Love the button so the straps stay together.