Last October 2009 I worked very closely with the LA agency David and Goliath, who was developing the 2010 Kia ad campaign. The concept involved sock monkeys - well, at least one very big sock monkey. This 5 foot monkey was going to be up to all kinds of shenanigans - jet skiing, tattooing, bull riding, and bowling to name a few.

So the commercial would have a sock monkey star, and they had a special effects company in place to make the costume, but they weren't too sure how to come up with the sock monkey "skin" (as it's not really fur). This is where I came in.

They had seen some of my knitted monkey work, such as the sock monkey dress and sock monkey bikini, and knew I was just the woman for the job.

Working on a tight deadline, and very closely with the special effects company, I spent days and hours knitting multiple panels of sock monkey fabric (a panel for each limb, torso, head, tail, etc.). Enough in fact to create two 5 foot sock monkeys. I shipped it all off to LA, and have been eagerly awaiting release. Earlier this week, I discovered it will actually be a Super Bowl commercial. Here's the teaser:

Well, Yo Gabba Gabba released the monkeys a few days early - ENJOY!

On Monday, November 9, MNfashion Holiday will open its second annual boutique at Gaviidae Common in downtown Minneapolis.

There will be an opening reception next Thursday, November 12 from 4 to 7 p.m. Look for work by local designers, including me, George Moskal, FOAT Design, Calpurnia Peach, Post-, A03 Designs, Liebling Designs, and Ruby3 to name a few. This year proves to be better than ever with 2x the square footage!

Photo by Stephen Stephens • Digital Crush; Headband by Peas and Beans; scarf by Rebecca Yaker; shirt by Rectangle Designs; skirt by George Moskal, clutch by Post-, and flower clip by Ruby3.

Now, I need to get back to work making holiday treasures for you!

MNfashion Holiday
651 Nicollet Mall, first level, near Saks

It was an early morning for Trish Hoskins and myself, but well worth it! Up at 5:45 (finally, after hitting that snooze button a couple times), showered, dressed, and at Crafty Planet by 6:30 to start our morning news debut to promote One-Yard Wonders.

We had the privilege of being interviewed by the always entertaining MA Rosko of Minneapolis' Fox 9 News. Throughout the course of the morning, we filmed 4 live segments which appeared on Channel 9, all about One-Yard Wonders. We also completed a project from the book - a dog coat - which Munter Rosko was so gracious to model.

What a great start to the day!

This past Wednesday, October 28th marked the release of One-Yard Wonders, my new book co-authored with Patricia Hoskins!

The funny thing is, the book isn't exactly on the shelves yet, but will be within a few days, so stop fretting! Being new to the book world, it turns out "release" might have a couple of meanings...the book was released from the warehouse this past Wednesday, and will be in stores any time now. Thanks for being so patient.

One-Yard Wonders features 101 sewing designs, each using only one yard of fabric. It's really the first sewing book of its kind - never before has there been a sewing book with so many projects!

One-Yard Wonders will delight anyone who has ever fallen for fabric - from the novice sewing enthusiast to the lifelong seamstress. The book presents a delightful array of simple, stylish projects - from apparel to accessories, from plush toys to pet beds, from baby items to bags, and from home decor to party banners. Projects have a hip, contemporary flair, and most can be completed in a few hours. For each project, the book provides a full-color photograph, easy step-by-step instructions, and simple illustrations. Templates and pattern pieces are also included wherever needed, making this collection of 101 projects the best sewing deal ever.

At last, it's time to stop storing and start sewing - enjoy One-Yard Wonders!

One Yard Wonders on Facebook

Kim originally contacted me in early August to inquire about custom crib bedding. Understandably, she was having a bit of a time deciding on the perfect fabrics - certainly it was the abundance of choices that made this a challenge.

In the end, it was the Heather Bailey Pop Garden collection which won her over. Clean and fresh, featuring both floral and geos, and in aquas and red to boot - what could be better?

In terms of individual pieces, Kim chose the crib bumper in the Cream Pop Daisy pattern with Blue Tiled Primrose Blue bumper ties, two coordinating fitted crib sheets in the Blue Mod Bead Ice pattern and a 12" tailored crib skirt in the Blue Zag Stripe to round out the look.

I worked all these items together into a virtual illustration for Kim to review before she placed her order.

Kim loved it so much, she added a couple additional pieces to the mix; a nursing pillow cover and a changing pad cover, both in the Blue Tiled Primrose pattern, to bring out the accent of the bumper ties.

I love working with beautiful, fun fabrics, and these are definitely all winners.

Now my fingers are crossed that she sends me a photo of her completed nursery! Kim, ENJOY!!

This past February, Emily from LA contacted me to make some fitted crib sheets. She fell in love with a few different fabrics, and didn't mind the eclectic mix, as she wanted to keep the room interesting every time she changed the bedding. In the end, she selected the following three patterns:

(Left to Right: 2D Zoo Green, Full Moon Dot Cherry, and Parliament of Owls)

Fast forward to June when Emily decided she needed a bumper to coordinate. She was concerned that the sheets she purchased earlier didn't necessarily coordinate, and she'd need to end up with an unbleached cotton, 'natural' white bumper, which she feared would be totally boring.

Never fear!! I work with so many fabrics there is bound to be something I can use to tie everything together, I told Emily. And in the end, this is exactly what happened when we paired the Funky Monkey Dot with Apricot Oxford Stripe!

So this was Emily's response to the final combo: "So has anyone told you that you’re a genius? I would never have chosen that stripe – but it looks great. Not too overpowering. And I like the ties with the dot pattern too."

ENJOY!!

I have been hard at work the last week or so to (finally) bring you some new fitted crib sheets.

I'm very excited about the new patterns - great whimsical looks for both girls and boys - perfect as crib sheets or for your toddler's new "big kid" bed!

Left to Right, Clockwise: Green Mono Bot, Spotted Owl on Blue, Zoology, and Walk in the Woods

These are just a few of my new faves. There are more then 20 options currently in stock, so what are you waiting for? Get shopping!! All fitted sheets fit standard size crib mattresses.

OH! And as always, I'm more than happy to design custom bedding with anything you see on my site.

Cindy from Brooklyn emailed me earlier this year looking for a custom bedding set made from Amy Butler fabrics. I have access to the complete line (well, almost) of Amy Butler fabrics, and I love working with her bold, beautiful patterns.

Ultimately, Cindy decided to go with a tailored, box pleat crib skirt in the Apricot Oxford Stripe with a border in Clay Coriander. The two coordinating sheets were in the Morning Glory and the Full Moon Dot Cherry patterns. Here's a look at the virtual bedding set I put together for her before she placed her order:

Yesterday I received a lovely email from Cindy with a photo of her daughter Alexis's room. It's always such a delight to the my work in it's final setting - I absolutely love the colors she chose for the walls, and the decals give it a great whimsical touch.

Thanks for sharing, Cindy - it looks great!!

Woo hoo! It's time again to head to Chicago for one of the all-time best craft shows - Renegade!

Come see me and my buddy Trish of Crafty Planet in booth 72, near the intersection of Wolcott and Division this weekend, Saturday, September 13 and 14.

Be sure to get first dibs on my delightful line of one-of-a-kind skirts and dresses for the 2-6 range, as well as brand new Mei Tai Baby Carriers in an assortment of dazzling prints and patterns. Oh, and I dare not forget to mention the Lucha Libre Sock Monkeys!

It's hard to imagine that the Minnesota State Fair is less than 2 weeks away. I decided to try my luck this year with the annual juried Fine Art exhibition at the Fair. The registration deadline was July 14 - you may have seen me running down Lombard Street in San Francisco with my entry form in hand, try frantically to make it to the post office in order to get the July 14 postmark before the postal employees went home for the day. Success, and apparently the Frank Sinatra stamp was a hit on the receiving end.

So, I have been patiently awaiting notification of "acceptance" or "non-acceptance" (I think that's polite for rejection?), but today my patience grew thin. Upon telephoning the Competition Office, I learned that my piece was indeed accepted AND (check out these statistics) only 9% of work was even accepted! Now that's beating the odds.

Prepare for Sock Monkeys in a Meat Grinder:

I hope to also enjoy seeing my entries in this year's Creative Activities competition alongside some fellow crafters....but that'll be another story for another day.