How to Make A Fabric Flower

In honor of the Create and Make Class beginning NEXT week, I have a little treat for you! Siri and I made a quick little video showing you how to sew together one of the little flowers from the Little Playdate Outfit and Little Love Nest Ruffle Dress Sewing Patterns. It’s a fun video and I think you’ll love how simple the flowers are to make! Enjoy! Carina

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Remember Pinwheel Tutorial

Pinwheel-Table-Runner-Tutorial-Close-Up-2_webI know you are going to love this little project made with my Remember fabric! Andrea from Knitty Bitties made this lovely pinwheel table runner that I am swooning over. What’s that? You want a tutorial? Luckily for you, Andrea has one on her blog here: knittybitties.blogspot.com.

I love the way this pretty little thing is quilted together and the pinwheels are sweet. I can see making an entire quilt with these babies. But if you are like me and big projects start to wear you down, this is the perfect little project.

Speaking of projects, have you done any this summer? Or have you filled your days with library outings, pool time, and vacation?

I’ve been able to work on a few sewing projects but am now full swing into fall sewing pattern season. And winter scrapbooking designing season. But that’s another story.

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Later this week, I am heading to a retreat with my BYU college roommates. It’s the first time we have had a chance to get together since, well, I’m not sure when. Follow my instagram feed if you want to sneaky-peeky into our doings. I promised to bring up scrapping and fabric supplies for some crafting fun. And while there will be some of that, I suspect there will mostly be a lot of catching up, reminiscing, baking, and then, um, eating.

Happy Sewing!

Carina

 

 

 

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Evening Blooms Fabric Collection

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carinagardner2013_cameraquilt_webI just got back from CHA yesterday and am hoping to have photos up of all the scrapbooking goodness up sometime next week. In the meantime, I am so excited to announce that Evening Blooms™ has now hit quilt shops! This is my first black and white line. I also threw in a fun gray and yellow colorway to mix it up a little.

To top it off, I have a free quilt pattern for you! I was inspired by the colorways to create a vintage camera quilt pattern. You can grab the instructions, yardage information, and pattern from the shop here. This pattern is for intermediate quilters (there are a lot of tiny pieces).

I should have more projects to show you with this fabric line because I am making many of the patterns for Fabric Fest (sneaking up on me!). Below you can see my Siri-girl dressed up in the Love Nest Ruffle Dress with her look-alike doll in the Little Love Nest Ruffle Dress. It’s always refreshing to see the patterns in new fabric!

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As always, I have a lookbook for you for this fabric line. Check it out here: https://carinagardner.com/fabric/evening-blooms-fabric/

Carina

 

 

 

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Remember Cuteness

Creamie wearing remember dress 1This happens every summer for me. I blink, and suddenly the summer is half-way over with. Does that happen to you too?

Summer is also a funny time in our studio because that is generally when we are making samples for Halloween, Christmas, and generally getting ready for winter. The office mates are probably tired of the off-season Christmas music. Sigh.

I know I haven’t shown you a lot of projects with my Remember fabric so today I have some lovely eye candy for you! Erika from pinksuedeshoe sent me over these darling photos that she made with the Remember Words in Cream fabric.

She says that she made this dress using the Simplicity 5695 Pattern but added an inset waistband and changed the skirt to be a lot twirlier (my kind of girl!). She said that it’s about 90 inches along the hem. This dress also has a 4 inch deep hem so that she can let it out as her daughter grows. Hello, practical!

The pink polka dot fabric she used to contrast this Remember fabric is used in the bow and the waistband. You don’t need very much. I personally adore the little pink bow on this blondie’s bun. Sew sweet!

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I also have to hand it to Erika’s imagination. I haven’t used this fabric yet for a child’s outfit. When I designed it, I was really catering to quilters. The ease and freshness of this is lovely.

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A big thank you to Erika for the photos (and for sharing with us her cute model)!

—Carina

 

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Create and Make Class in the Carina Gardner Shop!

createandmakeclassicons_shop_all It’s up! My new Create & Make Class! This is a Self-Paced class that will be available on August 4, 2013. It is currently on pre-sale.

I’ve been thinking about doing a class like this some time now. It’s hands on, for everyone, and includes your kids. For me, when I can include my kids in my creative process, it feels so much more fulfilling. I loved the quality time I was able to spend with Siri just making these videos! Create and Make: Creating with Kids is exactly what it sounds like—an opportunity to sit down and do. We had a great time filming this class and made sure to make it user-friendly. That means step-by-step instructions, materials lists, and kid-friendly. Watch it with your kids and pause at each step as you work on projects with me!

There are Early Bird (before July 5th — $24.50) and Before the Bell (before August 4—$29.75)  prices for this class. The normal price for this class is just $35. This is the first time we have offered Early Bird and Before the Bell pricing on a class because it is also the first time we have a coordinating kit available.

Kits include $120 worth of crafting supplies including scrapbooking kits, fabric, twine, lace and more! Kits are normally $84 but there is also Early Bird ($69.60) and Before the Bell ($74.40) pricing available too. There are a limited number of kits and

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they will be mailed on  a first-come, first-serve basis. We only ship these kits to the continential USA, but feel free to email us at customerservice@carinagardner.com, and we would love to get you a quote on an international shipping address.

You can also purchase each of the classes separately in the shop (check that out here). We also have extra sets of containers available for purchase outside of the kit. We have limited quantities on these as well. My favorite is the little set of containers we use for the Halloween Advent. We sell it in sets of 31 so you can use it for any month (think Christmas, Easter, or spring). They can be used for any “count-down” craft. We also wanted them to be available in case you wanted an extra set for a gift or for multiple projects.

Want to see more of what we are doing?

Watch the intro video:

 

 

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Introducing the new Spring 2013 Sewing Patterns

It’s here! I get to introduce you to our brand new line of Spring 2013 Sewing Patterns! To top it off we are GIVING AWAY one of our Little Playdate Outfit (for the 18 inch doll) Samples for your 18 inch doll! Details after I introduce the new patterns (below).

I’m happy to introduce our very first 18 inch doll sewing patterns! They are so incredibly fun! Our final two patterns are part of my brand new BEGINNER series. All of these sewing patterns are available NOW in the shop. Kits for certain outfits will follow this week!

So without further ado:

CG011_LPDOoutsidecover_front Little Playdate Outfit

The outfit comes with the blouse, dress, capri, and shorts options that are also available in the little girl version. These dolls are dressed in the Dainty Blossoms™ and Remember™ fabrics.

It’s cute as a button and ready for some fun! This 18 inch doll pattern is based on the Playdate Outfit Sewing Pattern (sizes 2T-8 | pattern sold seperately).

A LITTLE PLAYDATE OUTFIT KIT will be available in the shop sometime this week and will include the materials needed to complete an outfit.

 

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CG010_LERDoutsidecover_front_webLittle Love Nest™ Ruffle Dress

This ruffled confection is a modern take on a sophisticated doll dress. Simply sweet, it is the perfect accessory to your little girl’s Love Nest™ Ruffle Dress (pattern sold separately). Dress fits an 18 inch doll.

This doll is dressed in the Remember™ fabrics.

A LITTLE LOVE NEST RUFFLE DRESS KIT will be available in the shop sometime this week and will include the materials needed to complete an outfit.

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CG012_LMNoutsidecover_front_webLittle Meadowlark Nightgown

My first nightgown pattern! This little nighty is sophisticated and sweet all at once. A little elastic in the elbow and wrist makes the sleeve puffy. The perfect traditional piece made modern by fabulous fabrics.

Give this traditional nightgown a modern twist with fabulous patterned fabrics!

These dolls are dressed in the Remember™ fabrics.

A LITTLE MEADOWLARK NIGHTGOWN KIT will be available in the shop sometime this week and will include the materials needed to complete an outfit.

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Our two other patterns are the debut of a new pattern series for beginners. We tested these on beginners and perfected them for easy construction! We have two levels: Beginner and Beginner Plus. We put a chart (below) on patterns that are included in the series.

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Bella Stash Bag-Beginner Pattern

This little beauty is the perfect on-the-go carry case. From ballet shoes, books, or electronics, this stash bag is a sweet treat for mom, tween, or little one. The bag pattern and instructions are easy to put together for beginning sewers. With help from a grown-up, this bag is the perfect project for tweens and teens too!

 

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Tulip Park Pinafore-Beginner Plus Pattern

It’s time to tromp through the flower garden, paint, or bake in this pretty little pinafore! This perfect apron dresses up an outfit and works hard at the same time. This pinafore fits sizes 4-10 and is one size fits all. This is a beginner plus pattern meaning that it is a fast project for intermediates and an easy-to-sew project for beginners.

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IMG_0276_1_web_1To top it off, we are giving away one of the samples we have of the Little Playdate Outfit with the pink top and gray bottom. That’s right! This little outfit could be yours! All you have to do is tell me what sewing pattern you like the best in the comments of this blog post, and you will be entered. The giveaway ends on May 10th at 5pm MST. Winner will be announced on May 12th here on the blog!

I’ve also linked this giveaway at the Sew Mama Sew site where there are A LOT of amazing giveaways going on right now. Make sure and go check it out!

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Nesting

I begrudgingly decided it was time to get a new computer. Besides running really slow, it turns out my love for the 17″ MacBook Pro is outdated. So I settled on a 15″ that I was assured will make me faster. With baby boy on the way, I knew all the “down time” I currently spend just letting things “run” needed to end. So my “old” Mac and “new” Mac both went to the doctor for a data transfer this weekend.

It’s been a long time since I didn’t have access to a computer. Maybe too long…because I managed to do some much needed nesting over the weekend. I have a major list of things that will absolutely NOT happen before this child arrives in a couple of weeks, but I also have a minor list that (hopefully!), I will on get done.

One of these “to dos” was to get curtains up in my kitchen. I made these ruffle curtains out of the Paris and Company fabric that I designed for Riley Blake (released out this last April (2012)). They are fun and pretty girly (Josh is dealing pretty well with this), and match the light blue chairs I painted for the breakfast nook.

I also managed to spend a good deal of my time catching up with the Olympics and Pinterest. My obsession for white colonial-style houses and lots of bright colors is evident.

In the coming weeks, I may be a little busy with our new adventure which may result in fewer blog posts. But my obsession with Instagram (follow carinagardner) should keep those of you who want to see the Carta Bella-Riley Blake-Jessica Sprague.com-Sewing Pattern-More Licensing(Yikes!)-Gardner Family-adventures in the loop.

XOXO- Carina

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Uncrated

I am finally getting around to putting away boxes and furniture from my crates from Quilt Market. As promised, my girls got their first pick of the Rini Dolls from the show. Then Josh was lovely enough to bring in all the heavy boxes. I’ve been pulling out stuff and replacing it in my studio so that we can get around to photoshooting it for the newsletter this coming week.

My camera has been out a lot this last week as I have been prepping marketing materials for Carta Bella. We’ll be revealing two more lines on Wednesday. I’m excited about both! Be sure and check those out along with the facebook page where Lindsay and I seem to constantly be giving away stuff.

Speaking of giveaways, it’s looking like I will have some extra goodies from Songbird™ for giveaways. There’s only so much my tiny studio can hold soooooo be on the look out for a giveaway soon.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

Carina

 

 

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New Mini Sewing Pattern—Kimono Skirt

At Quilt Market, I introduced my new mini pattern—the Kimono Skirt. I’m excited about these mini patterns because we’ll be able to release them more often than the large patterns throughout the year.

This little mini pattern includes sizes XS-XXL (2T-10) and includes a knee-length and maxi version of the skirt. It’s fairly quick to make and the different versions  make this skirt really versatile (especially as you start combining different fabrics).

Check out the back, because it makes me really happy! (see below!)

The fabrics shown here are all in Songbird™. Songbird™ should be hitting stores sometime this month and if you are a retailer, I still have a few samples left for shops to borrow. Feel free to email me at carina@carinagardner.com if you would like to find out which samples (in all the sewing patterns) are left.

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Hope you get a chance to grab this sewing pattern in your local quilt shop! It’s the perfect, “quick, little project” for your little girl.

Sew Happy,

Carina

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SongBird Fabric Line—Quilt Market 2012

Quilt Market is a week away and I’m finally getting around to showing you my next line—SongBird™. My booth at Quilt Market will be featuring this line. Most of the sewing is done, and I even have a new pattern I’ll be introducing at Market (Don’t worry, I’ll show it here soon as well!).

Never heard of Quilt Market? It’s a tradeshow for distributors, retailers, manufacturers, and designers to show off what is new in the fabric world. I’ve blogged about the Minneapolis Show 2010 here and the Salt Lake Show 2011 here.

This is my first ever Quilt Market where I’ll have my own booth. I started thinking about it last September and started actual work on it this February. What started out as one crate became two + lots of loading issues. To get the crates from my house to Riley Blake we had two freight trucks arrive (one that was tall enough and one with a liftgate) to get them out to Riley Blake’s warehouse.

The actual loading of the crates wasn’t a picnic either. Poor Josh had to reorganize twice. We packed them pretty full.

Josh is coming with me to Kansas City QM to do the heavy lifting and to help me out in general.

If you are coming to the show, please come visit me in Booth # 1529. If you aren’t coming to the show, send your quilt show owners my way! They (or you) can also visit me in a Schoolhouse presentation at 10:40am in Room 2505A on the new line and how to make the new sewing pattern.

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You can check out all the fabrics in Songbird by clicking on one of the photos in this post. It is all summery-goodness! It hits quilt shops in June (2012).

Happy sewing!

Carina

 

 

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Double Ringed Pincushion Tutorial and Free Download

If you head over to Riley Blake’s Cutting Corners today, you will find my brand-new Double Ringed Pincushion Tutorial.

All of my pincushions are made using my Dainty Blossom’s line for Riley Blake. I now have these pincushions scattered all over my studio 1. because they are useful, but also 2. because my kids like to play with the “donuts.” It works for me.

The actual pincushion is relatively fast to make. The stand is made from wood supplies found at my local craft store (spools, doll heads/spheres, and a flat circle for the base).

Head over the Riley Blake here to download the pdf instructions, pattern, and for a quick look at the instructions in the blog post. You can also download the instructions here.

Happy sewing!

Carina

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Paris and Company and the Sling Sewing Pattern

I was able to get my hands on the first samples of Paris and Company last week, but didn’t have a chance to let the sewing machine whirl until yesterday. I knew the line was going to be awesome for the Sling Pattern, but I was elated with how it turned out!

There are enough simple patterns (like the dots and the damask shown here in the flowers) to help the more complicated patterns (the flowers and written fabrics) pop. I have more material for a Chic Mademoiselle outfit (in the ice cream fabric!) but we’ll see how soon I can get to making that. Paris and Company shops to retail shops in April. Be sure and check it out if you get a chance!

Happy sewing! Carina

 

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Newsletter Issue No. 6—Free Quilt Pattern, Tutorials and All That Jazz

You’ve waited patiently for it and now it’s done! Our sixth issue of the newsletter has really become a digital magazine with all the stuff we try to pack into it!

This issue includes a new quilt pattern using Dress Up™, the inside scoop on Designer Workshop, tutorials from the Creative Team, a fabric tutorial on making a camera strap and so much more!

Visit the Carina Gardner Newsletter Issue No. 6 here.

Many of you have requested that we make the newsletter downloadable (which makes sense for those of you needing to print the patterns!). I made sure that this issue and all the previous issues now include the download button for your convenience. I also plan on getting smaller bite-sized downloads of the Dress Up™ Quilt, the Pinfeathers™ Quilt, and the new Dainty Blossoms™ Camera Strap Tutorials available soon.

Some of you saw my early picture of the Dress Up™ Quilt on Instagram (check my sidebar). I usually piece together all my quilts, but my mom helped me on this one. Things have been a bit busy and it’s such a blessing to have a quilting mama! She’s also planning on flying out a couple of weeks before Quilt Market to help me out with the tremendous amount of sewing we will be doing for my booth. The pattern instructions for this quilt are included in the 6th issue, and I hope you get a chance to make it! It’s simple and so sweet!

I’ll be back soon with my favorite way to cut bias strips and all those easy downloads!

Enjoy!

Carina

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Dainty Blossoms Fabric at Riley Blake Studios

I spent a little time in Alpine last week with my art directors working on some new concepts for fabric lines. I walked into the office and saw this GORGEOUS quilt Jina Barney had made with the Dainty Blossoms™ line. It totally took me by surprise! And even though I knew the fabric was going to beautiful in a quilt, actually SEEING it in a quilt made me want to make one ASAP.

Seriously, this photo doesn’t do this quilt justice. At. All.

And if you are quilter, you KNOW how difficult it is to photograph a quilt decently (Definitely, not on my list of things that are easy to take pictures of).

I made sure to grab some scraps so that I could put one together over Christmas break with the kids.

I also found out that two more of my lines are on presale so I will be introducing them to you pretty soon here.

Oh ya, and I promise to introduce the final sewing pattern this week (But while you wait you can check out how darling the mermaid doll pattern is with the Dainty Blossoms™ fabric for the tail…Yipp-eek!).

Happy sewing!

Carina

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Chic Mademoiselle Outfit Sewing Pattern

Sorry I’ve been away so long. Last week got away from me and I had so much to post (and will now have to play catch up all week). Among other things, our little family came down with some nasty viruses, which put me in bed all day Saturday and put Josh on sick-kiddie-duty all weekend. But we are mostly recovered now, and I’m back to the computer again.

Among the many things I’ve been needing to do is continue to announce our new sewing patterns. Up on the list is the Chic Mademoiselle Outfit.

This an outfit that I plan on making alot of. Siri  and Flissa loved wearing the samples, and you can bet that the Dainty Blossoms™ fabric will be used for this springtime outfit. The outfit shows yardage for no ruffles, a single neckline ruffle (shown), or three ruffles (across the front of the blouse). The ruffle pants and ruffle barrette are pretty fun as well.

The blouse has an invisible zipper down one of the sides and is fully-lined for a professional finish. I think it is one my easiest patterns to make (even if I do say so myself) and if you don’t like making ruffles, it’s just as cute without a ruffle on the neckline.

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And because I have decided to hijack my own post (don’t mind if I do), here are a list of other things going on right about now:

+ The four new sewing patterns are due out the first week of January 2012 (okay, that wasn’t much of a hijack since I dedicated this post to a sewing pattern).
+ Photos of my finished studio are coming soon…da da dah.
+ Our Dec-Jan newsletter is in the works
+ Two brand new fabric lines for Riley Blake Designs (out March and June of 2012)—announcements to come!
+ Lots and Lots of new digital lines (BTW, have you seen the awesome sale on THESE and THESE over at JessicaSprague.com?)
+ Lots of awesome new projects with Dainty Blossoms™ (due out in less than a month!)
+ Our family has a serious obsession with the Muppets right now.
+ Mah na Mah na
+ Siri played her harp in public for the first time (Silent Night at church…I count that :).
+ I’ve been very good about keeping my December clear and empy-ish of work-ish type things this December.
+ Which means I am thinking about starting a holiday puzzle on my coffee table for kicks.
+ Or doing some much needed sewing.
+ Either way, I’m pretty happy with the pace of things in the studio.
+ Just a reminder you have another week to enter the giveaway here.
+ As well as a reminder to have a happy holiday season!

Cheers, Carina

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