Yes, believe it or not, a new year is upon us once again–where did the old one go?  When I was in my immortal  phase, my dad  warned me that time seems to move faster and faster as you add more and more years to your existence.  In my wild and reckless youth, I could not possibily imagine this happening but I have come to understand it as the decades have rolled past.  My projects seem to have become smaller as the time and energy available to undertake and complete them has been shrinking at an astounding rate. 

I imagine many of you have already made new year’s resolutions about your quilting life.  One year two friends and I made a pact not to purchase any new fabric, as we all had massive stashes, and to my absolute surprise, I ended up being the last hold out.  I am not one who can easily say no to new, fabulous fabrics beckoning from the shelves to be sampled, taken home, and dreamed upon.   Withdrawl from acquiring new  fabrics is like a lot like resisting your favorite chocolate dessert.  It can result in total binging!!!  (Remember:  Daily fiber therapy is a good thing, to borrow a phrase from Martha Stewart.)

Now that I work for a company that designs and sells fabric, I see the flip side of the process.  Our staff seeks out inspiration from myriad sources to create that very temptation that quilters cannot possibly resist.  We look for that ever-so-irresistable pattern and color that will have you reaching for that bolt, and the one next to it, and the coordinating one on the other side, and ….  I’m sure you’re nodding at your monitor as you recognize yourself.  Seek out some of our debut collections from your local quilt shop and see if a little Studioe is just the remedy for a post-holiday project slump!   Don’t completely deny yourself the pleasure of adding a few new fat quarters or a little yardage to your collection, they might be the perfect creative spark your newest quilt design needs. 

Speaking of new designs,  we are currently working on some wonderful interim lines that feature holiday themes and our collective fingers are itching to start working on projects to feature these wonderful  prints.  Additionally, there are more new fabric lines in the wings for the spring market coming up in May–some of our initial introductions with a brand new twist as well as some terrific new offerings from some of our licensed designers. 

Well, I’ve kept you away from your quilting long enough, so I’ll sign off for now and wish you all a very productive 2009 creating warmth, joy, and love in your own personal and unique way. 

Stitchingly yours,

Debbie Graves

Hello from Studioe!

I have been super busy working on a  major project for Studioe and my co-worker and sister product developer, Laura,  was kind enough to pen a few words for your reading pleasure.  I’ll be back soon with more from Studio e

Laura Jones writes: 

Having just returned from Quilt Market less than a month ago makes it even harder to comprehend that the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are almost upon us.  I hope you are looking forward to a wonderful Thanksgiving meal and times of relaxation visiting with family and friends this coming week.  After that, the full impact of the Christmas holiday season will move into full swing, and I’m sure we’ll all be making, baking, shopping and partying with abandon!  As you are thinking “Christmas,” the staff at Studio e Fabrics is already thinking “Spring Quilt Market,” and we are in full swing designing and creating wonderful new fabric collections to show. 

Keeping checking back with  us!  More exciting updates to come….

Sew hooked on quilting,

Debbie Graves

Hello, again!

Please excuse the lengthy delay in posting another entry here.  The weeks leading up to the launch of StudioeFabrics at the International Quilt Market in Houston, TX (October 25-27) were slam-packed with frenetic activity: mocking up the booth, getting our website up and running,  stitching projects, taking pictures, writing instructions, designing packaging and labels, gnawing nails while awaiting the arrival of  sample yardages, packing and shipping crates, hiring sales reps, preparing paperwork, finishing last minute projects on the flight…. Anyway,  I’m sure you get the picture!  Phew!  I feel exhausted just recounting all of this!  But it was truly worth every single second spent to share our new products at Market.

Setting up our first booth took several intense days as we transformed the empty space into a StudioeFabrics showcase. At Quilters’ Schoolhouse on Friday morning we began with a brief bio to introduce ourselves to shop owners–with standing room only, I might add–then displayed several of our projects made from kits and highlighted a new rectangular pre-cut shape with a handout. 

Saturday morning we donned aprons created from our black and white Essentials collection and we were open for business!  And the response was tremendous !  Several of our designers, Lisa Schiller, BJ Lantz, Robin Roderick, and Alicia Place Frost, made appearances in our booth.  It was terrific meeting so many merchants/fellow (or is that sister?) fabriholics and acquainting them with Studioe. Thankfully everything went smoothly and we were satisfied with our initial offerings in booth design and projects–and received many wonderful compliments from customers and fellow vendors alike about our fresh look.  

At the close of market on Monday at 4 p.m. we were weary but thrilled with the response we had received.  As we bade our crates adieu, we toasted our successful launch and basked in the afterglow of the “buzz” we had created as the new kids on the block.  Upon arriving home, we have already eagerly launched into a  frenzied new round of product development on our next lines designed to stimulate the creativity of stitchers everywhere.

Have you already been to our website and designed a project with our materials in mind?  Be on the lookout for our products in your favorite shops, on line, and in catalogs.   FYI, not only will our fabrics be gracing the shelves of domestic quilt shops, but will also be stocked in shops abroad!  Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, and the UK are some of the first international customers to carry our products.  We thank all the merchants for their confidence in our lines and we are looking forward to seeing quilts and projects made from our fabrics cropping up everywhere!

In closing, I want y’all (just a little taste of Southern flavor to reflect our SC roots) to know that I will diligently attempt to be a better correspondent.  (As a newbie blogger, could you give me some slack and be gentle, okay?) More from StudioeFabrics intergalactic (who knows? there may be quilters on Mars, right?) headquarters soon…but in the meantime, keep stitching!

Piecefully yours,

Debbie Graves

If you’re anything like me, you don’t think we can ever have too many fabrics, colors, and prints to consider when plying our craft.  I feel like one of the luckiest people on earth because I work for a company that has decided to give quilters even more options!  I am talking about StudioeFabrics, the brand, spanking new division of Fabric Editions, LLC.  The Fabric Editions name may not be familiar to many of you, but our company has been out there creating pre-cuts (fat quarters, bundles, and the like) and kits for major retailers for over 12 years.  We are now branching out and have developed distinctive collections for independent quilt shops exclusively.

So-o-o, ta-da!  It is with great pleasure that we introduce our new “baby,” StudioeFabrics–eleven colorful, creative, and eye-catching fabric lines as well as pre-cuts, patterns, and kits!  As proud, “parents,” we are tickled pink (and blue, and yellow, and…) to offer you a wide variety of themes, prints, and colors.  Licensed designers and talented in-house staffers have combined their skills to create these wonderful new fabric collections and projects to entice you to add StudioeFabrics to your quilts—and stashes, too!

Please take time to look over our website and check out our free projects.  We have tried to include something for everyone—quilts, home dec, clothing, and more.  Also, we hope that many of you will stitch up our beautiful Block of the Month quilt, Rosetree Cottage.  Created by nationally-recognized quilter, Lisa DeBee Schiller, it blends piecing and appliqué in a lovely updated traditional design.  (Can’t you see a ribbon winner in your future with this beauty?)

I’d better sign off so this can get out to all of you.  We are already hard at work on our next collections for your future projects.  If you fall in love with our designs, please ask your local quilt shop to order your favorites and spread the word that there’s a new fabric company out there and we really want to help your quilting dreams come true!!!

Piecefully yours,

Debbie Graves