Thank you  everyone for coming along to my blog, for reading and commenting. Thank you for all the compliments on the new line Figures and the BIG PLUS pattern. I enjoyed every post here on the blog and on my facebook fanpage.
I can't wait to see some of your projects finished! I’m always glad if you send me pictures of what you have made out of my fabrics and will happily share it. I love FB’s possibility to just type in a quick note or just click on “like”, to let you know I got your line and to keep up with each other in an informal way!
May I share some more ideas for using the FIGURES line?
We have a great range of new patterns released accompanying these maritime prints. And as a special precut Moda made Honey combs for this line. So of course I created a Honey comb pattern:

This is an easy to sew pattern, since it allows you to join the hexagon shapes by your sewing machine. For those of you who love hand sewing you can of course use the English Paper Piecing method and piece by hand in a cozy chair watching your favorite TV show.
I mentioned that I’ll become a granny, but even before I got to know these wonderful news, I already had designed two baby-projects for young mums. Is that a coincidence???

Little toys for little fingers and a baby blanket.
I have also some patterns for the FIGURES precuts:
Modern Retro uses a Layer Cake and has this really soft tone-in-tone numbers print as a background

as well does the pattern Playing with balls (do you remember my circle piecing method from the Moda Lab video?)

and SYNCHRO.   Since Synchro needs only a half of a Layer Cake for the front, I created a reversible quilt, using the other half for the backside. So you have even two quits. Well, that’s a good use of one precut!

I love all the colorful tapes which you can use for craft projects, Washi-tapes is the name, isn’t it? And a Jelly Roll is the perfect material for making a kind of Washi-tape-quilt.
Mine is called TAPE IT

So I thought for all of you who participated in this blog hop and cheered my work up with your comments and results I will offer a

SPECIAL SALE

We have a 20% discount on all Zen Chic PDF patterns (the newest ones featuring the FIGURES line aren’t available as PDFs so far, except the Hexagon pattern – but we have lots of beautiful patterns using Jelly Rolls, Layer Cakes and more in the PDF-shop). For this sale use the coupon

MODALOVE

through the end of Monday! This is the first sale we offer, we rarely do, so take advantage while you can!

Click HERE to shop!

So, now to our blog hop winner!

It is Frauke who said:

Congratulation to you becoming a grandma;-)
and thanks for the giveaway!
You still have to bring out a line of fabric I don’t like ;-))
The newest collection is soooo beautiful – again!!

Frauke, please send me your address so I can ship the fabric bundle to you!

Thank you all for participating – if you want me to keep informed about new fabric lines and patterns ( I will have out a new line in October called REEL TIME), please sign up for my NEWSLETTER

Moda fabrics giveaway, Zen Chic

Hello my dear friends! It’s been a while since I posted on my blog and at least each blog hop brings me back to this place. Most of you are connected with me meanwhile at facebook where we meet every single day and exchange ideas and inspiration.
What I have to tell today is way too long for a facebook post. I’m gonna talk about what’s going on right now here at the Zen Chic Studio, chat about some quilt layout ideas and give you all details about how to win a Fat Eighth fabric bundle of my current line FIGURES.

So first let’s talk a bit about quilt layouts. When we, the Moda team, are at Market, we have a kind of presentation there (called Schoolhouse) where we all show the newest fabrics and patterns. And to find a mutual subject, Lissa, our Marketing Director, sends out each time a task to everyone. Actually it is the same task for everyone, but of course we will show our personal twist on it.
In Pittsburgh Schoolhouse our task was to sew a quilt (looks like a mega block) with a layer cake from our fabric line. Each person had that same quilt layout as a starter, but ended up with her personal interpretation on it.
So that was our original layout – the Moda Love Layer Cake Quilt  (which you can download as a free pattern here).

Of course I wanted to interpret this block in a more modern way, so I started to exchange plain squares by simple Lob Cabins to form some Pluses, to turn some blocks around and give them another direction – and to make it even more impressive to arrange the prints in color order.
I eventually ended up with a version, which looks quite modern and definitely needed an own pattern ;-)
I called it BIG PLUS and it’s now available in my pattern series.

And then we do also more fun stuff at Markets, this year for example we were all sewing scientists (at least pretending scientists) working in the Moda Laboratory. We wore a Lab Coat and taught our audience about our tips and tricks. Would you like to get to know Prof. Dr. Dr. Zen Chic from the Institute for Sophisticated Quilting? Voilà.
My new line Figures has a maritime color way with a nautical blue, aqua, salmon, linen and saffron in it and the patterns in the line are as always graphic and fresh. I was playing around a bit with sorting the fabrics by colors and figuring out how different a quilt would look if I just scale the complete range of fabrics down to certain color stories. I was surprised by the many variations I got:
I could have a serious and way of masculine look with the saffron/nautical combination

or a very feminine look by choosing the salmons and linens

but it could also be jus a youthful combination for a teenager with the aquas and reds.

or it would look lovely for a boys nursery… (BTW: I will become grandma of a little boy for the first time. Next January, so happy!!!)

I could play for hours to find new combinations… But I’m sure you have your own ideas and imagination and you will come up with projects that surprise me and make me oohing and aahing. (I love when you send me some pictures, which I can show).
So – you will need fabric! Of course! Time to talk about our giveaway. Here is a darn yummy bundle of Fat Eighths waiting for you!

For your chance to win: please hop over to my Zen Chic facebook page, like it (so you are a follower, you will get the news and inspiration and we can meet there) and leave a comment on my facebook’s post about this blog hop. That’s all!

HERE IS AN UPDATE: Since some of you said they are not at FB and wouldn't have a chance to win:
Your comment on my blog will also go in the drawings. So if you are not a FB user, you will have a chance to win if you comment on my blog also.

Today my Moda colleagues Kathy Schmitz and Edyta Sitar are also posting their giveaways. Don’t miss to stop by and take your chance to win.
The winners of this blog hop will be announced at the 13th of September.
Brigitte

Let’s start the fun again

Hello my dear friends. Great news! For the next 11 days you can not only dream of your favorite fabric, you will have even the chance to win one for free. And since many people will take this chance, there won’t be only one prize, no – three prizes per day!

So there are lot’s of opportunities to take part in the fun of the new Moda Blog Hop tour.

Today you can start the hopping and follow through the next couple of days these blog-links

SEPTEMBER 2, 2014

Janet Clare Designs – http://janetclare.co.uk/blog/

Kate Spain – http://katespaindesigns.blogspot.com/

Thimbleblossoms – http://www.camilleroskelley.typepad.com/

SEPTEMBER 3, 2014

Amy Ellis – http://amyscreativeside.com/

Eric +Julie Comstock- http://cosmocricket.typepad.com/

Stephanie Ryan Design Studio – http://www.stephanieryan.com/blog/

SEPTEMBER 4, 2014

Malka Dubrawski – http://stitchindye.blogspot.com/

Blackbird Designs – http://blackbird-designs.blogspot.com/

Lauren + Jessi Jung – http://laurenandjessiblog.com/

Lella Boutique – http://lellaboutique.blogspot.com/

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014

Basic Grey – http://blog.basicgrey.com/

Fig Tree and Co. – http://figtreequilts.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Pat Sloan – http://blog.patsloan.com/

SEPTEMBER 8, 2014

April Rosenthal – http://www.aprilrosenthal.com/

French General – http://frenchgeneral.blogspot.com/

Minick and Simpson – http://minickandsimpson.blogspot.com/

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

Cotton Way – http://cottonway.blogspot.com/

Sandy Gervais – http://piecesfrommyheart-sgervais.blogspot.com/

Primitive Gatherings – http://lisabongean.wordpress.com/

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Bunny Hill – http://bunnyhillblog.com/

Deb Strain -  http://debstrain.blogspot.com/

Kansas Troubles – http://kansastroublesquilters-lynne.blogspot.com/

SEPTEMBER 11, 2014

Kathy Schmitz – http://kathyschmitzstudio.blogspot.com/

Laundry Basket Quilts – http://www.laundrybasketquilts.com/blog/index.php

Zen Chic – http://www.farbstoff-bridge.blogspot.com

SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

Me and My Sister Designs – http://meandmysisterdesigns.com/blog/

Jan Patek – http://janpatek.blogspot.com/

Sweetwater – http://sweetwater.typepad.com/makelifesweet/

 

So stay tuned – and join the fun

Aurifil Giveaway und Zen Chic in Deutschland

Ein Gastbeitrag von Barbara Borchert vom Blog DAS MACH ICH NACHTS

Barbara verlost auf ihrem Blog regelmäßig hübsche Dinge, und momentan sind es zwei Garnsortimente von Aurifil (übrigens mein Lieblingsgarn, und ich hab auch schon meine Quiltfreundinnen damit angefixt)

 

Neben der aktuellen Verlosung auf dem Blog zeigt Barbara wunderschöne Bilder von Stoffzusammenstellungen; aber seht selbst: besucht einfach Ihren Giveaway und macht mit, diese Garne sind echt unwiderstehlich!

Figures featuring the new patterns of Zen Chic

 

I’m really happy to have the support of my quilt guild, the MQG Bielefeld and friends who helped me to get my quilts sewn for the Market.

My newest collection for the upcoming quilt patterns is FIGURES. Precuts are available in a couple of days and the bolts are planned to be shipped to stores by the end of summer.

It’s a maritime collection based on different blues, accompanied by saffron and salmon. Big stamped figures are the theme and there are all kind of coordinating prints like graphic flowers, dots, and basic stash builders.

These are the newest patterns featuring the group and the quilts are presented by my quilting angels, the helping hands that make all the quilts possible in time.
THANK YOU DEAR FRIENDS!

HEXAGON BRILLIANCE

Ulrike has sewn the Hexagon quilt for me

MODERN RETRO

was sewn by another Ulrike from our group

SYNCHRO

was made by Christa. Christa is not always doing well and made these tops in between two chemos of her cancer therapy.

She actually did two quilt tops since this is a reversible quilt with front and back both to display. Thank you so much Christa for all the effort!

The other projects were done by me while I had still help with the hand sewing of the bindings

PLAYING WITH BALLS

the backside displays the theme of the quilt

BTW: the light grey background fabric is from my last collection SPHERE and matches the colors of the new one perfectly.

TAPE IT

BIG PLUS

the front of the quilt is grouped by four colors, so I transferred the idea to the back and did it with the same for colors accordingly.

this time I created also two patterns for young mothers or grannies with little kids or babies

DREAM BIG

the backside has a little plane for flying to heaven where all the dreams live

 

and I made some toys for little fingers

WATER WORLD FRIENDS

        

Finally: my sewing marathon is done, everything packed into my suitcase and tomorrow I’m heading off to Pittsburgh quilt market.

If you have a chance to be there: Please step by at my booth 447 and say hi, I would love to chat with you for a while.

Quilt Collection M.: Ein Kurs bei Brigitte Heitland - Ein Traum wird wahr

Quilt Collection M.: Ein Kurs bei Brigitte Heitland - Ein Traum wird wahr.: Jeder hat doch Träume und manchmal gehen sie in Erfüllung. Mein Traum ist in Erfüllung gegangen: Ich habe einen Kurs bei Brigitte Heitland …
Read more...

And the winner is...

…my randomly drawn winner is Jan, living in the Hills of Kentucky. Jan - please read this post and send me your email so I can send you your prize. I could figure out on your Blogger profile that you are a grandma with three daughters and seven granddaughters, and you are quilting together with your teenage grand girls. So I think in this household a fatquarterbundle of the modern Sphere prints will be used up at once :-)

To all the other lovely participants: Thank you so much for being my guests, reading my blog and taking your time to comment! I hope you enjoyed this blog hop and the inspiration from the different designers! I appreciate your encouraging words for my work always!

Spell it with fabric – Moda Designer blog hop

Welcome to the SPELL IT WITH FABRIC Blog Hop! Have you followed all letters so far? If not then you really should go back to check out the ones you’ve missed. Today's posts will be the lasts but not the leasts: X & Z and “special characters”.

Barbara Brackman - http://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/
Zen Chic - http://www.farbstoff-bridge.blogspot.com
Gina Martin - http://www.patternandhue.com

During this entire hop you not only have learned some fun things about all of us designers but you are also provided with all the letters of the alphabet as you go and enter to win some amazing giveaways in the process.

I wished my letter would have been B for Brigitte or just H for Heitland. But one had to find someone for Z I assume and seems I had to sacrifice with my ZEN brand ;-)
So my letter is....  Z. I guess it cannot get more challenging than that! There are so few words in the English language which begin Z, let alone words which would allow me to introduce you a little bit to my world. Luckily, my native German offers slightly more options, so I am going to treat you to a quick German lesson.

What are your initials? B. H.

My favorite quilt block- is of course now the Z-block from the Moda Alphabet, no question on this!


My favorite memory about school.... “Zehnerpause”, the recess which occurs around 10:00 a.m. in most elementary and secondary schools.

My favorite book, movie or television show starting with your letter… “Zufällig verheiratet” – “The Accidental Husband”, a romantic comedy. What’s not to love about a romantic comedy.

I love quilting because...  “Zahlreiche Möglichkeiten” – numerous possibilities. I don’t think I will ever run out of ideas.

What if everyday was a holiday?... “Zeit” – Time. I would have all the time in the world. And that’s a big dream for all quilters.

Is there an object, tool or anything that you cannot work without?…  “Zirkel” – a circle. You know, many of my designs use these curved shapes.

Do you have a quote or motto you live ( or work) by?…  “Ziel” – goal. I love to work towards a goal.

Something I like...“Zitronenlimonade” – lemonade

Somewhere I have been... “Zürich” – Zurich

Somewhere I want to go... “Zypern” – Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean Sea. Sunshine! Water!

Someone I know... “Zollbeamter” – custom official. Actually, I know my local custom official better than I care to. I often have to pick up shipments from America and pay customs duty.
To get the pattern for my favorite Z block, click here.

I made the Z out of the dotted print of my current collection SPHERE, a range of fabrics which has the sense of fresh, blue air, white clouds around a warming sun, whispering of Spring days just around the corner.


To give you the same feeling which inspired me I have a little eye-candy for you – a video. I prepared this video actually for my Quilt Market presentation which ended in a kind of disaster – don’t ask!
I ordered all the audio-video-equipment for a fortune and it wasn’t there in time!!!! Can you imagine! I mean I was refunded in the end, but what a disappointment, when preparing hours for hours and then your audience is eagerly waiting and you have – nothing, but two quilts in your hands and the courage to make the best from that situation.
Well – now you have the opportunity to see my presentation. It had to be scaled about nearly 10 min duration, but I guess most of you like it a little bit shorter. So just skip the intro ( a spectacular sphere metamorphose I borrowed from Ion Lucin) and jump forward to minute 2:40 when the actual fabric video starts.

Back to the essential of this blog post: Our giveaway! (YEAH!)

I hope you have got lots of ideas how to use all these fresh fabrics

and now maybe you would like to have your own FQB???? Do I hear: Yes, give me, pick me, here I am! What do I have to do to win?


To be into the drawings that will be held on the last day of the HOP on February 28 you just follow Zen Chic on facebook by becoming a fan and if you haven’t so far, subscribe to this blog. So I can keep you updated with all new info!

Charm Pack Cherry Fun

at Fatquartershop.com

So many lovely fabric collections at your quilt shop you just can’t resist. And then those appetizing charm packs in the shelves.
A quick and simple idea for a weekend project is always welcome – for a throw, a baby quilt or maybe with a thinner batting for a table cloth…
Voilà – fatquartershop gives you a free downloadable pattern using – as the name reveals – two charm packs and some solid. What I really love about: I can just buy my favorite collection in a bundle, I can even mix two related collections (one Charm Pack of each), I have a precut format which saves me lot of cutting time, the pattern is so easy and quick that I did the entire quilt in one weekend, it looks great although it is simple, all my charms of the bundle are used up, no waste here – this all summed up makes me to want sew another and another and another one: for the couch of my brother, for Mother’s Day, for the birthday of my best friend.

Spend about $30 for the top and a sewing weekend – and a nice quilt is ready – that’s perfect.
A nice group of designers is participating in this “pattern festival” and every designer will show you the quilt in  her current collection. Mine is SPHERE for Moda, a fresh, graphic and modern group with colors ranging from white, grey, blue, turquoise and teal to yellow.

Precuts and yardage from Sphere are already shipped to stores now.
 
So where to get the miraculous pattern? Find the free download right here. Grab your assortment of fabrics, your ruler, rotary cutter and your cutting mat, and off you go.

And tataaa! Here is the Sphere Charm Pack Cherry version!

The backside of the quilt shows you how we used up some of the leftovers and added them to a piece of solid – so we have a kind of reversible quilt. We used an oll over pantho as quilting, a graphic rectangle spiral.

For those of you, who are new to quilting and love to have some guidance – here is a wonderful video showing exactly step by step how simple to sew this quilt is.

You sew together all the squares and get – tataaaa! – your (Sphere) version of the Charm Pack Cherry quilt.

 

There are so many different appealing fabric groups available as Charm Packs – it will be hard to choose. But all make this pattern a success!

  

I guess now your fingers itch just thinking about this – so why not click below to get a super deal? This week (only) Fatquartershop offers a 20% discount on all Charm Pack! (psst – spread this to your best friend)

Happy Quilting and Enjoy!