Today, we’re welcoming blogger/designer/author Jessica Levitt as our special guest. She’s the brilliant brain behind the very new Modern Mix-16 Sewing Projects that Combine Designer Prints & Solid Fabrics just out from Stash Books.
Modern Mix is quilty/stitchy fun mixed with useful facts about managing and matching color and prints to get that clean, fresh look that’s so appealing to us mod-ophiles. Jessica’s array of projects—including 7 quilts, pillows, accessories and fun gifts—really shows off the love affair that can bloom between creatively mixed large-scale prints and vivid solids.
(And believe us, this gal has her design chops. She’s been quilting for more than 20 years, blogs at Juicy Bits and designs fabric for Windham Fabrics. She knows how to make fabric talk.)
We especially like that her projects are so usable and distinctive. And those pillows! Stitch up a few of those, toss them around, and people will think you are a brilliant decorator. You won’t even have to put the laundry away.
Now, we wanted to get to know the inner Jessica, so we lobbed a few questions at her:
You design for a fine fabric house, but one that is more conservative and traditional. What’s it like being the break-out mod girl at a company where repro rules?
“Good question. When I signed on with Windham, it was because I really liked the supportive family vibe and they seemed to be headed in a more modern direction. Still repros are their bread and butter and I’m not sure if it’s an advantage for me being one of a few modern designers they have or not. Sometimes I’m not sure all the salespeople really get the modern thing, but the company as a whole is pretty supportive of me staying true to my artistic vision. And coming this fall, they’ve got an awesome new collection called Echo by Lotta Jansdotter that’s super-mod. I guess I like standing out as long as I’m not all alone. :)”
Some of us GenQers were recently trading e-mails with you at 2 a.m., and we know you’ve got children. How do you manage the days with little or no sleep?
“I’m one of those people that really needs a lot of sleep to function (like 8-10 hours min). And combine that with doing my best work at 2 a.m. and that makes for a bit of a ridiculous schedule. First off, I have help with the kids. My mother lives near-by, we have a part-time nanny, and my husband sometimes works flexible hours. So luckily, sometimes I can either sleep in or go back to sleep when the kids are at school. When I’m really busy with a deadline or something, I tend to rely on that help more and still don’t get nearly enough sleep. If only I drank coffee… But at other times, I make sure I’m around a lot, and working from home means I get to be involved every step of the way. It always seems like a juggling act, but I’ll never give up my late nights…I LOVE being a night owl.”
When did you know in your soul that you were a quilter, irrevocably and forever? What project were you working on at the time?
“Hmmm…I’m going to say it was in college. I had sewn several quilts before and loved them, but one summer I pieced a star quilt in turquoises, blues, and purples that was more ‘me’ than anything I had sewn before. They were lopsided stars and I pieced them all with templates and cut with scissors. It was before I knew of paper-piecing. It was a labor of love that took most of the summer and I think knowing that’s how I spent my free time for a college summer pretty much shows I was hooked. Today the quilt is totally worn and battered (I used it on my bed for the rest of college) but it’s still well loved and my son uses it on his bed.”
Were you the kid who wore mismatched prints and weird clothes to school, as you developed your design sense? What was your fave thing to wear as a kid?
“Nah. I tried to dress pretty together. I loved fashion but I wouldn’t say my taste was particularly well-developed. As a kid I was pretty much a sweatshirt and jeans kinda girl. As I got older I tried to express myself more, but it resulted in things like the yellow jeans I wore to the first day of 6th grade.”
Okay, so our curiousity is partially satisfied. But here at GenQ, we like to watch designers flex their creative muscles. Our cabana boy, Scott Hansen (also of Blue Nickel Studios), produced a starter squiggle for Jessica, and we asked her to have a go at making a whole block. Here’s what we sent her:
Here’s what she sent back. (Overachiever that she is, she created two colorways and gave us full quilt designs, as well. Dang, that girl is good!)
BTW, in addition to spreading the word about Modern Mix, Jessica has another project these days. And we’d like to give her a little boost. She’s been commuting to Philadelphia for her Modern Quilt Guild fix, but now she’s starting up a MQG chapter on her home turf in Pennington, New Jersey, at Pennington Quilt Works. The first organizational meeting will be the evening of Oct. 25. If you’re interested in being a part of the new chapter, give her a shout.
Thanks for tuning in!
P.S. Hey, if you love to catch the action at all the stops on a blog tour, here’s the full sched for Modern Mix. Check out these other great blogs and what they reveal about the Modern Mixster (hint–they’re all running book giveaways, too!):
October 6, 2011—Sew Mama Sew
October 7, 2011—Jaybird Quilts
October 8, 2011—Blue Nickel Studios
October 9, 2011—Handmade by Alissa
October 10, 2011–Stop Staring and…Start Sewing
October 11, 2011–Quilting is my Therapy
October 12, 2011–Stitch Magazine
October 13, 2011–Oh Fransson
——-
October 15, 2011—Quilt Dad
October 16, 2011—Confessions of a Craft Addict
October 17, 2011—Amy’s Creative Side
October 18, 2011—Pink Chalk Studio
October 19, 2011—Connecting Threads Blog
October 20, 2011—Keepsake Quilting blog
October 21, 2011—Juicy Bits
COMMENT #1
I use to love “swirly” skirts with sweaters – Just liking the way they swished about. Thank you for the opportunity to win a wonderful book. I have loved all the questions and reviews. Judy C
COMMENT #2
Oh I had the worst taste in clothes ever when I was a kid! We had to wear school uniforms, so that saved the world from too much exposure to my dress sense (or lack thereof) I explored quite a lot in 6th form, where we got to wear our own clothes, except we weren’t allowed to wear blue jeans, any other colour we liked except blue (some archaic school rule that came about before there was any other colour of jeans I imagine!). I had long flowy dresses (which did not particularly suit me) and green jeans coupled with Winnie the Pooh button up shirts… oh dear lol Come to think of it, I doubt I’d be mistaken for a runway model these days with my fashion sense, but at least I like to wear inoffensive things now ;o)
COMMENT #3
I can’t believe I’m the first person to respond! Pick me, pick me for this giveaway! I love that cover quilt and what she did with your starter block. I always felt slightly off, fashion-wise as a kid. One memorable oops was a blue top that dipped down at the back and showed my bra strap paired with a white see though skirt for my first day in grade seven at a new school. Thankfully the kids were kind at that school. 🙂
COMMENT #4
I am SUCH a rule follower that I kept to the fashion rules of the time……..never wore blue and green together, for instance. I don’t remember when that combo started to look so great to me. Always tucked my blouses in, wore the “right shoes” like everyone else. Was a really boring kid.
COMMENT #5
When did I know I was a quilter forever more? About 5 years ago my youngest sister suggested that we 4 sisters do a round robin. Only 2 of us were quilters at the time – I wasn’t one of the 2 quilters & in fact I hadn’t done any sewing in a loooong time. So I struggled with making my center block & adding rounds to theirs. But inspite of the frustration I enjoyed it. The next year we made a memory quilt for my Dad and then I was hooked. I should add that we live in 4 different states – CO, NC, PA & TN – and have been doing block exchanges each year since & another round robin this year. Would love to win a copy of this great new book. Thanks for the giveaway.
COMMENT #6
I had no fashion sense when I was a kid, but I thought I did. I stuck with the trends if I could get my parents to buy them. I pegged my jeans, wore silk shirts, hypercolor tshirts, hammer pants…all the great 80s and 90s fashion trends. Typically it was jeans and tshirts or sweatshirts (hoodies)….which is ironically what I still wear today, but I swear I don’t peg them still! Although maybe I should….ha!
COMMENT #7
Ooh! I love those two quilts in this post. Very pretty! I’d love to win a copy of this book.
When did you know in your soul that you were a quilter, irrevocably and forever? What project were you working on at the time?
Gosh, I would say that it was late last year when I “discovered” thread. This was 1-1/2 years after my first quilt. When I discovered all the different weights, types, and colors of thread AND all the things you can do with thread, a machine, and fabric, I declared myself a lifer!
Thanks to the publisher (and y’all) for offering this giveaway.
COMMENT #8
I was a kid who was ‘too’ matchy-matchy. And I confess, I loooved my knee-high socks!
COMMENT #9
I probably knew I was a quilter more than 30 years ago but, could only quilt sporadically.
my first quilt was for my first cousin’s new baby, my grandmother’s first great grandchild. she is 32 and carried her quilt around until it was in tatters. then I finished college, grad school, post grad training (twice) and entered my profession. now I am backing down from 80 work weeks and starting to quilt again. this year I have just made quilts for each of my nieces and nephew from hearts to diamonds to skulls.
COMMENT #10
When did you know in your soul that you were a quilter, irrevocably and forever? It was 10 years ago. I tagged along with my mother (a quilter) to a fabric store and I didn’t want to leave. I went back the very next day, bought a quilt pattern and all kinds of beautiful fabric, went home and made a quilt. I was hooked!
COMMENT #11
Were you the kid who wore mismatched prints and weird clothes to school, as you developed your design sense? What was your fave thing to wear as a kid?
Yes, I was always one of those awkward kids that thought that pattern leggings went with patterned shirts. I was never trendy at all. But i think that i was just kind of myself.. i have slowly transitioned into a more modern style of clothing now.. but I still like to add a pop of pattern, usually that doesnt match, time to time. Just to keep things interesting.
COMMENT #12
When did you know in your soul that you were a quilter, irrevocably and forever? What project were you working on at the time?
I don’t know that I had a bolt of lightning from the sky moment. It was just a natural fit to me and didn’t really realize It’s Who I Am (caps intended) until I’d been back at it for a year. People were enjoying my designs, I was enjoying their enjoyment, and I decided to challenge myself to do more. It’s still a learning process, but I’ve finally reached a place where I proudly call myself a quilter (as in artist of a practical art form), not just an amateur (in the very root sense of the word – someone who loves the art).
COMMENT #13
I had my own kid style as I did sew a lot of my clothes in high school. Still remember these rad corduroy pants that were striped black, turquoise, maroon. Don’t have them but do still have a few things other things I sewed back then in my closet 20 years later. Wore a lot of thrift shop men’s shirts untucked under sweaters as my trademark look.
COMMENT #14
I can remember as a kid wearing a Coca Cola t-shirt with capri pants and white hightop tennis shoes with Coca Cola laces in them. I really didn’t drink it. I just thought it matched and went well together. Silly Girl!!!
COMMENT #15
I was the daughter who matched her clothes. My sister however, was the plaids with stripes and florals all in one outfit and it drove my mom crazy! My oldest daughter is like that now :p
ourbusylittlebunch(at)hotmail(dot)com
COMMENT #16
I’m with Jessica on the sleep question! I need my sleep and I’m grouchy if I don’t get it!!
COMMENT #17
Ok, here goes: my fav outfit in gr.6 was my hand-me-down Fonzie t-shirt (white with black trim, the Fonz on the front with his trademark “Ehhhhh” thumbs up). This rockin’ shirt was paired with hand-me-down brown cords, with the cord totally worn down to the cotton on the thighs. God knows how I ever got asked to dance. I’m loving this book more and more at every stop on the tour!
COMMENT #18
About weird clothes
I can’t remember about when I was à KID, but sure did when I was a teenager!
I wore à dress my mother had knitted for me to à dance night in secondary school, i was about 12 , I loved it, but I sure got weird looks from everybody.
Then I started to sew my own clothes, I used old curtains and embroidered ( discarded by my grandma ) for practice, they turned out well, so I never made them in plain cloth.
COMMENT #19
I had made my folks a plain basic square patchwork quilt about 25 years ago. not a quilter, just did a lot of sewing. And over hte years I’ve done various crafts…woodwork, knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, etc. About 8 or 9 years ago, my neighbor lady invited me to a monthly quilt class at her church…she hated it…and I am hooked!!!
COMMENT #20
I can’t remember what project I was working on when I became a dedicated quilter, but I do recall having a massive stash clearing and getting rid of anything that wasn’t 100% cotton. That must have been when I turned from seamstress to quilter. :o)
COMMENT #21
I knew I was a quilter from the very first quilt I started. It took me 6 years from start to finish my first quilt which was queen sized and that I hand quilted. I made bunches of baby quilt also during that time. The more I learned about quilts the more I had to make and that was way over 20 years ago. Now when a someone in my family needs a baby gift they alway come to me to make a special quilt.
COMMENT #22
I’ve always loved sewing, starting with cross-stitch when I was little, moving on to making some clothes with the help of my mom and then on my own. One summer I was home from college, my then-boyfriend (now husband) was graduating from college and I wanted to make him something nice for a present, and I thought a quilt was a good, useful, yet personal gift, along with a pillow. My mom and I pretty much started together, in a very traditional way, learning from books and the internet. I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t until we started finding “modern” quilts that I knew I was really hooked. Thanks for yet another great interview! I may try using her block/quilt design!
COMMENT #23
Were you the kid who wore mismatched prints and weird clothes to school, as you developed your design sense? What was your fave thing to wear as a kid? I never wore weird clothes because mom thought it was cute, and I did too, to dress my sister and me like twins even though we were 18 months apart. In high school I made all my clothes, well, if it could be made from a yard of fabric that is. I wore a lot of skirts with darts.
COMMENT #24
My mom picked out my clothes until I went to high School. Then I got asked “what happened Debi, you use to dress so nice” lol
COMMENT #25
I wore uniforms for school, but liked full skirts and sweaters for my free dress days. This was back in the day that one did not wear jeans unless one was a farmer or camping-it was even hard to find a pair of jeans!
COMMENT #26
“When did you know in your soul that you were a quilter, irrevocably and forever? What project were you working on at the time? ”
I’m not sure it will be irrevocably and forever but, I realized I wanted to become a quilter after doing machine embroidery ever since getting my Viking machine in late 2003 and started getting burned out. I love working with my hands and always have loved creating things; although most of the time my creations came from the kitchen where I am known as a very good cool. But, doing machine embroidery you’re working with digitzed designs created by someone else. You load them into your machine and basically you then become the audience for your machine. I mean, yea, you create things with those designs but most of the time I did Free Standing Lace so it was completely relying on the digitized design, wash the stabilizer out, watch it dry (oh yea THAT is such a creative outlet eh? LOL), and then give it away. People loved getting those items but really, what DID *I* do?
More and more I kept seeing gorgeous quilts and other projects that gave someone something to do with their hands instead of babysitting their machine watching IT do all the work. About 1 1/2 to 2 yrs ago I started studying all I could about quilting. I wasn’t able to take any classes locally because no one offered any accommodations for someone who is legally disabled and cannot navigate stairs very well much less with a heavy machine going up or down the stairs to their classes so I turned to all of the awesome bloggers and books to learn. Now I have created my first table runner in a class I finally found at another local quilt shop who offered classes on the steet level although I need to finish the very last part and finish the binding on the back. I love what I’ve done so far and am loving it.
I sure give a huge thank you to all the wonderful bloggers who have been so sharing with thier own knowledge. Without that I’d still be trying to figure stuff out by reading books.
Ummmmmmm ok maybe I should have answered the question about my favorite thing to wear as a child. I never played favorites with my clothing. LOL
Thank you for the chance to win such a great looking book. I’m sure it would be even more help in my quest to learn more with the knowledge she’s learned over that many years.
COMMENT #27
I was pretty matchy matchy. If I wore a colored shirt I had to repeat the color somewhere else like matching socks or earrings. Still struggle with the matchy matchy thing in my quilts, but Im getting braver.
COMMENT #28
I didn’t dress weird, but I was ahead of my time with modern ideas. I remember going to a college conference while in high school and thought I looked fabulous (brown leather jumper, w/green shirt and green tights, ahem 1969), only to find a auditoreum full of preppy dressed conservatives! I wore my outfit proudly!
COMMENT #29
As a kid, I loved to scour thrift stores looking for clothing that didn’t look anything like what most people were wearing. I loved interesting prints, delicate or bold, and tried to put things together in a way that most people wouldn’t think of….maybe that’s why it used to take me hours to put together an outfit back then…LOL! 🙂
COMMENT #30
My wardrobe was pretty conventional and matchy-matchy – for the 1970s, that is. I recall a pantsuit that had a green, orange and black plaid on a white background. Another pantsuit was brown corduroy with suede pockets and trim. But it was all quite coordinated!
COMMENT #31
i was a plain old sewer [sewist?] until i was carrying my first child … then i met a group of old [i was very young then] ladies through an elderly neighbor who met to quilt, sitting around a frame hung fromthe ceiling, stitching, as they sat around the frame, on a gorgeous quilt. these kind ladies, at the next session, presented me with all the things neccessary to make a sunbonnet sue baby quilt. i did, working each stitch by hand with their help. then i started a granmother’s flower garden, piecing at odd times for the next two years it took me to finish just the top. but i carried it around with me, never getting around to finishing it, never quilting again, although i still sewed for children, hearth and home. almost 50 years had past since that first baby quilt until i picked up my needle and thread and a brand new sewing machine and made a batch of quilts — quilting musta been in my soul all that time, waiting to come out again!
COMMENT #32
I definitely wore crazy clothes. When my mom would get upset, my dad would tell her, “at least she’s covered!”
COMMENT #33
i was totally the wierd art kid in high school! i’d do theme days when i’d go to school dressed up in a 40s suit with matching gloves, boots and hat, or i’d wear tutus over my jeans, or layers of slips. i did a lot of theatre costuming, and i loved vintage, and would wear pretty much anything that occurred to me.
i miss dressing up like that, actually, but it’s a lot easier to dress oddly when you’re 15 than when you’re 30!
COMMENT #34
My fave early 80’s outfit when I was about 13 was my lemon coloured denim jeans, pink t-shirt and then lemon net tank over the top, and my hair in french braids.
COMMENT #35
I knew I was a quilter from the first moment of my very first class (Beginner’s Sampler). It took me a while (and my husband’s encouragement) to take the class, but as soon as I was there, I had that “aha!” moment. I was where I was meant to be. Thanks for the giveaway, the fun interview and an overall awesome blog!
COMMENT #36
I choose to answer the question about how I dressed as a kid.
I was one of those kids that wore all the bright not really matching colors because they were so fun to look at and different than everyone else. lol When I look back now I can’t do anything but laugh at myself and question why my parents ever let me out of the house looking like that..
Thanks for the giveaway oppertunity!
COMMENT #37
I never could be bothered about clothes – I wore whatever my mom put out when I was in elementary school. Some of the outfits make me shudder to remember!
COMMENT #38
I was pretty much conservative in my clothes. I liked nice styles and simple lines. My mum did not. We did not agree on what I should be wearing. Of course in later school there were also uniforms so not much style going on.
COMMENT #39
I tried very much to blend in with the crowd in school, so I didn’t have my own “style”.
COMMENT #40
Have never been too much into fashion except for most of high school and my early 20’s and I usually played it safe but have alwyas loved bright and bold prints and dark colors because they’re slimming ha! Thanks for the chance to win
COMMENT #41
Oh dear. I thought I was quite stylish, but looking at pictures, I can see I really looked best when my mom was sewing for me and had some control over my bohemian sense of style. Even in Southern California, where casual was cool, I think I was more hippie than hipster.
Thanks so much for this giveaway; I am longing for this book.
COMMENT #42
What gorgeous colors she uses! Great inspiration!
COMMENT #43
When did you know in your soul that you were a quilter, irrevocably and forever? What project were you working on at the time? It was probably my very first quilt. I really knew that was what I wanted to be. Thanks for being a part of the tour.
COMMENT #44
I wore what i was told to wear which was usually pretty cute or fashionable. I trusted my mother’s taste — until highschool of course.
COMMENT #45
I used to mismatch my earrings. One long and dangly, the other a short stud. My seventh grade teacher used to ask em what was wrong with my mirror.
COMMENT #46
I have been quilting since I was nine years old, when I begged my way into an after Sunday School quilt class for the ten and up group! Some years I quilt more than others but I always quilt. When I gave that very first quilt away to my sister for her first baby and she had tears in her eyes because the fabrics in it were from our childhood (like Mom’s apron, Dad’s work shirt, our camping pillowcases and her pony skirt!) I knew I was a lifer! Thanks for the offer, this book sounds great.
COMMENT #47
I didn’t know I was a quilter till after my mom passed away. She was a quilter, but when she was alive I always resisted her efforts to get me into quilting. Then when she passed I inherited her sewing room contents by default since neither of my sisters had a clue what to do with a sewing machine. Soon after her death her quilting stash started calling to me. I started playing with her fabric stash and her tools as a way to be close to her. Then before I knew what hit me I was hooked. I guess you could say my mom found a way to get me into quilting after all.
COMMENT #48
What a great looking book! I was a jeans and sweatshirt gal…blue jeans, blue sweatshirt with a hood and an Eddie Bauer jacket (blue of course) with a jazzy red plaid lining. Oh and waffle stompers on my feet. Can you GUESS I was from the NW? All color sense came from nature and the first 10 years of quilting was geared towards trees and leaves and houses…finally I veered into ‘wonkiness’ and then color!!! Now I’m all over the map. Somedays are super bright and sometimes garish and some days are the calming greens and auburns of nature.
COMMENT #49
“How do you manage the days with little or no sleep?” I used to get less sleep then I needed, and then I would crash and go to bed at the same time as my kids and sleep in. That was my attempt to catch up. The past few weeks I have been going to bed earlier and also waking up early. Our schedule this school year is crazy busy and so far this is working great for me. I don’t have time to sew at night, so I’ve been sewing in the mornings.
COMMENT #50
Definitely a jeans and t-shirt girl and mostly still am.
COMMENT #51
Well I think I knew I was a quilter when making my first quilt. I had a co-worker that quilted and once I saw her quilts I wanted to try. Katie helped me design it, went with me to buy the fabric and got me started. I already knew I was going to love it but while in the process of hand appliquing about 50 blocks, I really knew I loved it. Adding the sashing and border I just couldn’t believe how beautiful it was and how I just loved feeling the fabric. It made me happy! I had never hand quilted but I had no fear (naive ?). So my first quilt I did applique, machined pieced and hand quilted. I knew how to knit, crochet, cross stitch, beading even and had also sewn some clothes, but I never felt the same way while making or after those projects like quilting made me feel. I look at the quilt today and I know I have improved but I loved that quilt from day one, conception all the way to finish. Wow..Thanks for bringing back a great memory. Modern Mix looks like a great book with lots of eye candy and inspiration. I’d love to win.
Thank you for the giveaway and a chance to win.
usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com
COMMENT #52
I only recently discovered I’m a quilter (as well as knitter, spinner and dressmaker). I discovered Jelly Rolls, used up one full one and had to get 3 more in the same range for a King size quilt. It’ s not done yet, but it’s 1/3 of the way there and I’ve done a quilted circular needle holder since which I love!
COMMENT #53
I went to school in the 60’s and we could only wear dresses. My mom made all our clothes. The shift dress became hot while I was in 5th grade. I still remember the great green polka dot print I picked for my favorite shift. I still love green and polka dots!
COMMENT #54
I knew I was a quilter forever when I walked in to my LQS for the first time and saw all that fabric arranged by colors. I don’t remember what I was working on at the time, but I fell in love and that was 18 years ago.
COMMENT #55
I was totally a weird clothes kid! I remember that for the first day of senior year, I wanted to wear my blue and yellow batik ankle-length wrap skirt… with a black T shirt and steel toed boots. My mother pitched a fit and forced me to change into “normal” shoes. But while I was driving to school, my dad called my cell phone to tell me to check the trunk. The boots were hidden inside.
COMMENT #56
I have no design sense, I wore jeans whenever I was able. I was tall and mini skirts were really mini on me-disasters. I didn’t do much sewing then. That is one thing I would change if I had to do it over again.
COMMENT #57
Were you the kid who wore mismatched prints and weird clothes to school, as you developed your design sense? What was your fave thing to wear as a kid?
We were required to wear skirts and dresses to school when I was a kid. There was a reversible wrap skirt that my grandmother made for me and my sister. Loved it. We wore those skirts until they were ready for the scrap bag.
Thanks for the giveaway.
COMMENT #58
My favorite was hot pink pants – the 80s were great!
COMMENT #59
My favorite was my “Whip and Chill” dress because of the feel of the fabric. It was blue and made of crepe. I named some of my clothes and this was my all-time favorite!
COMMENT #60
I always wore whatever I wanted. Never was really part of a crowd!
COMMENT #61
(Hides under a paper bag) Jeans, tee-shirts and flannel shirts.
COMMENT #62
I wore whatever my mom bought me pretty much. I always wanted to look nice but wasn’t into fashion, so jeans and tshirts were my thing. thanks for sharing!
COMMENT #63
I wasn’t very artsy while in school. I was more of a jock than anything. And I wore boys clothes for a few years too… oddly enough. Now I adore ballet flats, swing jackets, handmade headbands, and lip gloss 😉
Thanks for such a great giveaway! Very cool book!
COMMENT #64
I am a jeans and sweatshirt kind of girl, always have been and always will be!!! I did try to stick with the trends in high school. I always matched my socks to my shirts and never pulled my hair up. Crazy- it took me 45 min. every morning to curl my hair. So not like that anymore. The faster the better, probably wear a ponytail more than my hair is down. Gotta love the 80’s.
COMMENT #65
I never wore anything that didn’t match. One of my favorite outfits in middle school was a pink stripped mid-drife top and hip-hugger pink bell bottom pants. Pretty racey.
COMMENT #66
I didn’t have much say in what I wore to school–we had a uniform. In high school, however, even though we had a uniform skirt, we could wear any color on top. Let me tell you, I would go out of my way to wear tops that clashed horribly with the skirt. But my socks always matched my top. 🙂
COMMENT #67
I’ve only been quilting for 2 years, so my interest only peaked when my Aunt offered to help me make a lap quilt. I then took classes, and have been hooked ever since! Thanks for the opportunity to win this marvelous book.
COMMENT #68
no I wasn’t the mis-matched kid, but neither was I into fashion. Most of what I wore to school were homemade dresses.
COMMENT #69
I was kind of a dorky kid. My very British mother dressed me in kilts and wool sweaters and I didn’t own a pair of jeans until I was in grade 6. Not kidding. I like to think my style has improved, but I think I owe it to my husband and daughter who help me dress myself 😉
What a great book. That circle quilt just kills me. Every time I see the picture, I get a little pitter patter in my heart!
COMMENT #70
This is high on my wishlist for Christmas!! or maybe I might get it before them hmmmmmm?
COMMENT #71
Were you the kid who wore mismatched prints and weird clothes to school, as you developed your design sense? What was your fave thing to wear as a kid?
My Kindergarten birthday, I wore a rust green and ivory wool plaid jumper with magenta tights. In Junior High, I was ridiculed for wearing white and ivory together. In High School, I had a very preppy wardrobe.
My fave thing to wear was my button-fly Levis.
COMMENT #72
I made my first quilt when I was in Grade 5 at my mum’s encouragement, and my form of rebellion was not sewing for many, many years (thus leaving my beautiful new Elna to collect dust for near a decade…). One of my after-school chores was to bind Mum’s quilts when she had some on the go.
One day, once I’d moved out, I decided that I needed to sew. I had to. It was essential. And I wanted to sew a corset. I taught myself most of it off of youtube videos, but when it came time for me to finish the edges I was stumped. So, I bound the edges of my corset like a quilt. As I was sitting putting the final hand stitches on the binding of my corset, I realized how much I missed the quilting process. Even though I’d only made one quilt, but bound many others, the satisfaction of finishing something so beautiful has me hooked. I’m working on my fifth quilt for this past year, and I’m plotting so many more!
COMMENT #73
I was so lucky that grunge was just taking off when I was in high school. I got to look pretty fashionable when actually I was just my normal clueless sloppy self!
COMMENT #74
Were you the kid who wore mismatched prints and weird clothes to school, as you developed your design sense? What was your fave thing to wear as a kid?
I wore mismatched and weird outfits all the time and it definitely didn’t develop any design sense in me! I was just a goofy kid 🙂 But my favorite thing to wear was always the awesome holiday shirts I had! I had a Halloween shirt my mom made me one time. And Christmas sweaters with like reindeer and snow flakes with puffy pain on them 🙂 I hated that you could only wear those things at certain times of the year and not any other time 🙁
COMMENT #75
I had a green silk party dress that I wanted to wear all the time. But of course, Mum wouldn’t let me in case it got spoilt.
Thanks for the opportunity to win this book
COMMENT #76
I definitly had my own style in school. I have always loved obnoxious socks. they were not always visable because I wore them under my combat boots as a teen. (aging myself). I also wore a hideous lepord print coat with handcuffs hung from the belt loops and fishnets stockings. It was a tiem that animal print was not fashionable but instead considered alternative. oh, all the things that made us weird as kids that now seem so norm when we look back.
COMMENT #77
I think I have always wanted to quilt. When I was too busy outfitting my kids, I would save all the scraps for “someday”! Someday has come and now I have my own quilting business!!!
COMMENT #78
Favorite thing to wear as a kid…PF Flyers…I could run like the wind! Lisa in Texas
COMMENT #79
My favorite thing to wear as a kid was a hand knit sweater my Mum made. Can’t really remember caring about clothes at all as a kid though. Thanks for the giveaway.
COMMENT #80
Most of my school years were in the 70’s so I remember lots of awful clothes! But it wasn’t just me, it was the styles. Hip huggers with huge bell bottoms (I had a red and white plaid pair!), gauchos, polyester — what was the fashion industry thinking? Plus, my mom did some sewing which usually involved elastic waists and doubleknit. It’s very entertaining, and a little scary, to look at the old photos.
COMMENT #81
I was and still am not much on fashion. When I was in school, I had to wear skirts or dresses. When that changed, it was jeans, day and night practically. I am a casual dresser and the most important part about wearing clothing for me is comfort. Not into frilly or fancy.
COMMENT #82
Were you the kid who wore mismatched prints and weird clothes to school, as you developed your design sense?
Depends on who was asking. I started sewing clothes when I got my first sewing machine in 6th grade, and Mom and I would make almost-weekly trips to the fabric store (Levitz Fabrics in Langhorne PA, right under the Whale (There was a pool store in the same building). I definately experimented with color, line, fabric, design, and ways to avoid having to put in a zipper (I hate the darn things to this day). I don’t think any of my prints or styles were mismatched or weird, but I’m pretty sure my classmates wouldn’t agree with me…
COMMENT #83
Gah, my fashion was horrible as a kid, but I suppose I was a victim of the times. I will say that I had an interest in mixing colors you wouldn’t necessarily pick together which has stayed with me through all of my crafty endeavors.
COMMENT #84
I knew I was a quilter when I used to tell my boss I was going to an appointment and snuck off to quilt class. I worked a ton of hours so it was not a big deal but I savored that quilt class like no other. Now I am drawn to color and design and know I will be quilting forever! Thanks and have a great day.
COMMENT #85
I was all about dressing preppy like female Michael J Fox on Family Ties. It was all about jeans, striped Oxford shirt, navy pea coat and penny loafers. I was all preppy all the time, which was once a week because I had to wear a uniform everyday.
Thanks for the giveaway!
COMMENT #86
Oh jeez, the navy blue pantsuit with the halter neckline that I made…it was cool way before it’s time, and therefore it was out then. Wish I still had it. It would be cool even now too many years later. Would really really really love this book. It’s a gotta have it…..
COMMENT #87
In grade school, I think I wore fairly normal clothes, but it was the 70’s so matching wasn’t really in. My favorite piece was a pair of purple jeans. In high school, I dressed to not-stand-out, but I really admired the rockabilly set and the punks for their style and dedication to dressing the part.
COMMENT #88
As a kid, once my parents let me wear whatever I wanted, I was a mess! I loved to wear this long dress with old raggedy gym shoes. I also went through an 80’s Madonna phase when I wore as many black plastic bracelets as I could. I had an ok sense of color, but I think I just had too many creative ideas going on at one time. Later when I went to college, I became quite frumpy and wore really baggy clothes, sometime a size or two too large for me. That was my rebellious “I don’t care how I look” phase.
COMMENT #89
I think with the first quilt I made, I knew I was a quilter – forever! Jessica’s book looks awesome!
COMMENT #90
I did not wear mismatched clothes to school. I was always very much matched, probably over matched if that’s possible. And that is still one of my problems with picking colors for my quilts. I am afraid to go wild and throw in a piece of anything that doesn’t match.
COMMENT #91
I knew I was a quilter when I started a pinwheel baby quilt for a friend. I had never quilted before, and was always scared of it because I thought it was extremely difficult. But after playing around for a couple of days and doing a lot of online researching, I was officially hooked!! 🙂
COMMENT #92
I always wanted to be a bit more Bohemian, but found it difficult to step into that category fearlessly.
COMMENT #93
I knew I was a quilter long before I actually made a quilt. I’ve always been a creative person, very interested in pattern and I finally got the inspiration to use cloth a couple years ago and now I’m hooked. My husband says when I get the far away look I’m dayquilting (instead of daydreaming) He is right and there is no going back.
COMMENT #94
Were you the kid who wore mismatched prints and weird clothes to school, as you developed your design sense? What was your fave thing to wear as a kid?
I loved to wear the clothes that my mother sewed for me to school, running my fingers over the stitched seams was somehow comforting. Later, after taking a Beginning Sewing Class in Junior High, my heart was happy for my mother’s sewing stash of vintage fabrics and I wanted to make modern dresses out of vintage fabric. I always did more than was required on my school projects and got a LOWER MARK for my project for not following directions – LOL! You know – something like be a follower, never a leader . . . LOL! and was the very last sewing class I took. But didn’t stop me from my own creations which I wore almost defiantly to school! I felt almost like I had a sign on that said “Hey Look What I Made By Not Being Sheep”, LOL!
Boy did you open up a whole bottle of worms with THAT question! I think I’m going to stop here . . . Thanks for the opportunity to win!
COMMENT #95
WOW! love Jessica’s book!! I will answer the second question – I did not wear weird combos but I did sew for myself in high school and college – harem pants (think MC hammer) were all the rage in the late 80’s!
COMMENT #96
Were you the kid who wore mismatched prints and weird clothes to school, as you developed your design sense? What was your fave thing to wear as a kid?
I was the kid the kid that experimented with fashion. In high school (early 80’s) I went all out. College was even crazier. Today I like to tell my students that I invented skinny jeans! Ha!
COMMENT #97
I loved new clothes, but didn’t have much fashion sense. I wanted everything to match.
COMMENT #98
I knew in my soul that I was a quilter when I gave up watching some of my favorite TV programs and getting basic things done like laundry and food shopping in order to quilt. At the time I was taking a class and making a quilt that was far too complicated for my skill level but I kept at it and it turned out beautifully!
COMMENT #99
Geeky as it sounds, my favorite thing to wear when I was six was a dress my mom had made for me out of the SAME fabric she had made a dress for herself. I loved being a “twin” with my mom at that age! It made me feel so important…and grown up!!! lol
The projects in this book have really caught my eye! Keeping my fingers crossed! ;^)
COMMENT #100
I used to rock the playground in my lime green, orange & yellow striped mini-dress paired with my favorite white Go-Go boots. I was all into the mod prints of the 70’s. All thanks to mom, who’s great sense of fashion rubbed off hard on me. 😉
COMMENT #101
I was always had coordinated outfits when I went to school… If it was a printed top or bottom, the opposite was a solid. I don’t remember any favorite outfits or items I always wore. But I had a plaid skirt I made & loved to wear that! Thanks for a chance to win! 🙂
COMMENT #102
My mom made most of my school clothes wayyyyy back then & she had exquisite taste! I was always very coordinated, thanks to her. As I grew up, it just came naturally to have a good sense of color & style!
COMMENT #103
I think I’m like Jessica in the way that in high school I was pretty much a sweatshirt and jeans kinda girl. I had my days of dressing up but it wasn’t an everyday kind of thing. I didn’t really pay attention to having a “style” until after I graduated and started working in retail while going to college. I think then I started to pay more attention to how colors and design went together. I’m enjoying the blog hop and learning more about Jessica and her book. Thank you for the giveaway.
missmoozie(at)gmail(dot)com
COMMENT #104
Were you the kid who wore mismatched prints and weird clothes to school, as you developed your design sense?
I was a very picky dresser and very much a tomboy so when my mom sewed me the same dress in 5 different colors I was not a big fan. But I didn’t want to hurt her feelings so I wore it.
What was your fave thing to wear as a kid?
My favorite thing to wear was my green “Born to be Wild” t-shirt of a penguin holding a pair of skis. I felt cool wearing it. I think I would still feel cool wearing it if I still had it:)
COMMENT #105
I was occasionally the one wearing mismatched prints…things that match in a quilt aren’t always great in clothing. Go figure.
COMMENT #106
I think I had it instilled too early in my life that it was better to have “simple” clothes that all coordinated, so definitely no mismatched prints in my lifetime (that I can remember). I do remember a dress my mother made me – it was navy blue with a bicycle print on it. I loved wearing it!