Sunday, April 22, 2012

Sneak Peek!!


 WOW, has it ever been an eventful and busy Spring!!  So many changes have happened here there hasn't been time to THINK, let alone post!!  We've been Spring cleaning..........Out with the old...in with the new!
Lots of patterns are being discontinued.... gone for good in July!  We're going to flag the ones that are going on the website.  I always hate to discontinue things... but there's just not enough room for everything FOREVER!!

Change is an inevitable part of life, I know, but that doesn't mean that it's always easy!!  This winter we lost two employees.......and gained four!  That meant TRAINING!!!!.... and mistakes.... and fixing mistakes... and delays....and finally, "WHEW",  things running more smoothly than ever before!  We also have some new machinery which meant things had to be moved around and built...... I just had to put a lot of things (designing) on hold until we got all of our little ducks in a row!!  Now I can get back up to speed.

and................................................

I thought I'd give you a little peek into some of the new things coming out in May and later this summer.  The quilt above (I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT IT!!) is my first "MAN" quilt.... Let me give you a little back story..............This Spring I was finally able to talk our son Jon into joining us here in "Girly Land"!!  He's come on board as manager of the studio, and BOY!!! has there ever been a shake-up...shake-down.... shake, rattle & roll?????  Within a few days he had us all super re-organized and un-fussied, running smoothly and up to code!  We've even had our first safety meeting!  A man's perspective has done us a lot of good I think.... so..... time for a man's quilt! This is called Vintage Tin.  That means vintage car parts/body parts or something in car nut manly testosterone soaked talk..............Jon collaborated with me on this so I'm pretty sure we can say it has the "Man Stamp of Approval"!   Don't laugh at the way it's set up.  The blocks were just "stuck" in the image to figure out where to put the fabric... it's not the final image.. YIKES!!  I'm planning on having it ready to release in July.  I don't have the fabric to stitch it on yet or I'd be working on it NOW!!!!

The next picture shows the Halloween Thimble Bouquet.  It will be released in May for International Quilt Market.  We're not going to Spring Market, but the patterns will be released as if we were!  I had planned on going but my fabric line is delayed a little... and I wouldn't have had any new samples to put in my booth.... all that way for a bare booth???? No!    I decided to stay home and enjoy my lilacs for once!  We always seem to leave for market just as the lilacs are coming to their peak.  Not this year! YAY!!!!


The next is Janette Needlebook and Pincushion.  It's a tri-fold needlebook with a wool cover and fabric lining.  The elongated strawberry-ish cone pincushions are really fun.  I want to make a bunch of them to hang on one of my Halloween trees!  We made this pattern for one of the retreats....the Thimble bouquet too, for that matter!....... I did the linings in plain linen and everybody stamped them (and the ties) with permanent ink.  REALLY fun!!


I have more... a few Christmas things (tea towels, stitchery, Snow Flurries quilt with tons of snowflakes/beads/crystals) and some Halloween tea towels....OH! And another Halloween quilt ala Calendula Patterdrip's Cottage, with an unrolled scroll with spells on it... and a box of the newest taste treat on the witch's snack food market....Guano Puffs!!  But first I need to take photos of the ones that will be released in May.........I'll show them to you later!  As for some of the other ones...I don't have FABRIC to make them with yet!!!! AAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!  Take a few deep breaths and count to 10......

On another subject COMPLETELY............ I'm having the website re-done. Not just a different "look", but totally re-done.  I'd really like to know if you have any suggestions or observations about the site now or things in other websites that really work well that you'd like to share???  Links to other websites that are easy to use, have all the bells & whistles, look really good.......etc.... would really be appreciated.  I can forward them to my website guy and maybe we can build something that will be GREAT!!  Just email info@crabapplehillstudio.com and put "website" in the subject line so we can sift through them a little more easily.  I really do want your input!!

xo


11 comments:

jackiero said...

Phew :) You have been busy, busy. Love your new designs! Re: your future newly designed website, I hope it still has your "unique look"; and will you be sending out an email to us when your discontinued designs are flagged?

B J Elder said...

Loving the look of the "man" quilt. What fun!
Glad you will be able to enjoy the lilacs -- they are close to the blooming stage here in Yakima. A few more days like today and they'll be out in all their finery.

Sharon S said...

Absolutely fabulous!

DaisyJulz said...

OMG! I want and I need the new Man pattern. I love black and white and share my husbands love of cars. How long do I have to wait for this pattern? After all, I have so many other projects to finish first! Love your work.

Beth said...

Ack!!! I love it all. Just not enough time to do it all. I will buy it all though. LOL

scarlette said...

Love the Man Quilt, those oil cans etc at top are the Best. and love old cars and trucks, racing is our life, besides everything else. and love the new/old halloween stuff. PLEASE PLEASE let us know when discounts are flagged. i just looked and nothing yet. glad you guys are doing fine Scarlette

Anonymous said...

Love your website. Also the new Man Quilt Pattern. Can hardly wait until the pattern is available. When you revamp your website could you put an information site about your retreats? I have tried to find out when they take place, and can't seem to find any info.

ChrisDunne said...

I love the website now, but maybe you could show more than 4 items per page so that you don't have to change pages so often?

Unknown said...

I love the man quilt..so exciting, my hubby,a mechanic,car enthusiast,motorcyclist...need I say more...a must have pattern

She Uses Her Words said...

The man quilt looks awesome Meg! Can't wait till it comes out so Craig can see it.
Take care, Karen

Martha said...

I have to have this "man" pattern...my boss (who is like a father, friend, brother, mentor and hero to me) runs an oil company and I have been looking for the perfect pattern for him. This is it!