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Testimonial
of the Month
"Thank you for a wonderful Newsletter and all of the ideas. After seeing some of the last Quattro Bags I definitely have to tackle MY pattern which I purchased a couple of years ago!"  
Ethel Gerwien from Italy
 
Here's January's most popular FaceBook posts!
From 1/2/15--
A Creative Window Dressing
From 1/19/15--
A Butterfly Quilt
From 1/25/15--
And this classic shawl
Click HERE for more info
To check out our FaceBook page- 
 
 
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ARCHIVE!
Issue #115-----February 2015

So... Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Do you have something special planned for someone you love? Yeah, I know it's all a carefully planned commercial bonanza for big business, but you can't tell someone you love them TOO many times, can you? But first grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the stories, websites and cartoons I scrounged up for you this month, and know that's it's my gift of love to YOU!   :)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Can't see the pictures?-- Click HERE
 
 
 "Handbag of the Month" Gallery-
Congratulations to Pauline Kitchen of Norton, MA. She is the winner of our January 2015 contest! Pauline wins a $25.00 SKD gift certificate and a permanent place of honor in our Handbag Gallery. You can click here to see her beautiful Quattro! 
So...are you ready to see this month's entries?
We've got TEN more terrific entries to share with you, so without further delay, check out this month's nominees, then cast a vote for your favorite.
And don't forget!
(For BIGGER images: Click on each individual pic)

 
Here's an exquisite Cordicella created by the youngest sewist EVER to enter our contest! Kaitlyn Johnson of Tasmania, Australia is only eleven years old and chose all the fabrics herself for this beauty! I think she may have a career in design someday, no?
 
 
This African print Lollapalooza is one of the many unique bags made by Georgia Segura of Webster, TX. I had the pleasure of meeting Georgia at the International Quilt Festival in Houston last Fall, and was thrilled to see that she was carrying one of our designs on the floor that day! I STILL get a real kick out of seeing people carrying our designs.
 
 
 
This DittyRoo is by Gretchen McClain of Pittsfield, PA. Gretchen said she used 3 fabrics from Laundry Basket Quilts by Edyta Sitar. And as you can see from this inside shot, she's organizing her bag and keeping it that way with 2 parts of a Porta-PocketsPLUS Purse insert!
 
 
I find this Lollapalooza totally fascinating! It was created by Penny Oosterman of N. Ferrisburgh, VT. She used our free piecing technique, Free Form Embellishing. I'm especially taken with the additional piecing in the center panel! So cool!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
And if you like birds, then you're sure to enjoy this gorgeous Gadabout by Tracy Prima Williams of Sequim, WA. Tracy said she had fun fussy cutting these focal prints! She got the fabric at her local JoAnn's.
 
 
 
And isn't this Wrapsody breathtaking? It was created by Lies Bos-Varkevisser of the Netherlands. All in all, I'd say these were excellent fabric choices and very meticulous sewing! Great Job! :)
 
 
 
 
And if you're dreaming of Springtime, then this Quattro by Melissa Mizell of Franklinton, LA is just what the doctor ordered! Melissa says she's fairly new to sewing but really enjoyed making her bag! Her plans were to gift this bag to a very dear friend for Christmas!
 
 
 
And Georgia Segura of Webster, TX is back with a very pretty Harmony Handbag. The fabric is fun and the button Georgia chose to embellish the front is exceptional indeed! Click on the picture to see a larger view and you'll see what I mean!
 
 
 
 
And this dramatic Wrapsody was submitted by Gail, one of our FaceBook followers. I'm a big fan of the brave fabrications Gail chose and the fun way the polka-dot zippers play off the polka-dotted trim!
 
 
This flower-flapped Wrapsody by Diane Rhodes of Monroeville, PA. And what a beautiful departure from the usual pieced exteriors she fashions! I especially love the surprise flower bud one finds once the flap is opened!
OK, ready to vote now?
 Only one vote per MONTH, per email address.
    
 
Blog with us!-  A Work in Progress
We're in the midst of the TENTH cycle of one of our most popular blog series, Purse Pattern Chronicles. All posts in this series are all preceded with a PPC10 notation. And if you're new here, and you want to catch up or if you missed any of the posts from last month, don't worry, they're all listed below.
 
 
 
Bobbin Around the Web- Kim Korringa Designs
 
I met Kim at the Road to California Quilters Showcase last month and was SO impressed with her work! So impressed in fact that I bought the pin at left. (You know I couldn't resist it, seeing how it featured a handsome tuxedo guy, right?
Her polymer claywork is VERY unique in that a lot of it features adorable animals like this pin, and this barrette, and this badge holder, and these earrings!
 
'HOT'Links-of-the-Month'- GREAT offers from our sponsors
Immedia Print- We print patterns and MUCH MORE! Click here to see our various services
Material Girl Quilts- I love this beautiful art fabric by Stephanie Brandenburg
Figure Flattering Quiltwear-Use code studiokat to get 20% off your sitewide purchase
 
New from SKD- TWO new patterns in March
So... in just a few short weeks we'll be releasing not one but TWO new patterns!
First, our HipBag Hybrid, (at right) which is our interpretation of the old classic "fanny pack" but with a VERY big difference, which is that it can ALSO be carried as a Shoulder/Cross Body bag. And that's not all! It can ALSO be clipped to many types of mobile devices such as a bike, stroller, scooter or walker to provide a totally handsfree lifestyle! It boasts THREE storage areas, including one that's hidden in the middle!
 
 
The 2nd pattern we'll be releasing this Spring is a credit card "wallet" (at left)! We're calling it The Card Cozy and there'll be 2 sizes included, a small unit that hold 8 cards (front and back) and a larger unit that holds 12. And guess what else? We've included the instructions you need to provide additional RFID-blocking protection within every single card slot! How cool is that?
 
Right now I can tell you for sure that BOTh of these patterns will be released when the march issue of "Kat Bytes" is published, which normally would be March 10th, BUT...
On the 10th of March we'll be celebrating my grandson's birthday at DisneyWorld in Orlando FL... a wonderful place to be, but not the best place to be when two new patterns drop, right? SO... we're going to do something we've never EVER done before!
 
We're going to publish BOTH patterns AND the
March edition of "Kat Bytes" on March 13th!
It's going to be a BIG day, and I don't know about you, but I can't wait!  :)
 
Website Spotlite-  Jaime Christina patterns
 
Have you been looking for everyday looks for the modern women? It's hard to find fun patterns with a little bit of edge isn't it? I suggest you check out the pattern by Jaime Christina. You'll find interesting silhouettes without that too young "junior look".
I liked this swingy coat, this hooded scarf, and these half-gloves. And while you're there, you might want to check out Jaime's FaceBook page.
 
 
SmileGram-
 
 
Click on image for a larger view.
 
TWO For Your Viewing Pleasure-
 
What can you do with a gaggle of vintage sewing machines that date back to the 1950s if you don't know how to sew? We'll defer to artist Martin Messier, who transformed the machines into musical instruments.
Click HERE to check out his music!
 
 
 
 
 
Have you ever wondered how cats see the world around them? … Sure they can make anything into a "bed" … boxes, laundry baskets, sinks, drawers, but what about everything else…?  Click HERE to start the video.
 
 
Quote of the Month- 
 
 
 
Click image for a larger view.
 
A Beginner Project- A Hanging PotHolder
 
This hanging potholder looks like a fun little project for the beginning sewist in your life, courtesy of Jennifer Jangles. (The fabric's pretty awesome too, no?)
I chose this project because it involves the use of bias tape binding which will be a good skill to practice in advance of our two new patterns releasing next month, both of which employ the use of bias tape binding! 
 
 
As 'Funnie' as Real Life-
 
 
Click image  to see a larger view.
 
 
If you asked me what webtool has helped me the MOST and saved me the MOST TIME in the past 6 months, I wouln't even have to thnk about it. WordmarkIt.com allows you to preview ALL your fonts with ONE click! So now... it I want to know what Font will look best for the title of our new handbag pattern, The HipBag Hybrid, all I need do is type the title in, hit return, and I can literally SEE how that title looks in each and every one of the fonts iin my Font File! How cool is that?
So try it... and don'f forget to bookmark it!  :)
 
 
New Word of the Month- Ussie
(noun) : a group photo taken by a member of the group
            (as opposed to a selfie, which is a photo of oneself, taken by oneself!)
 
A baby boy not older than 12 weeks was found in a box on a staircase in an apartment block in the Russian town of Obninsk. The box was meant for a neighborhood cat, who – after having found a new soul in misery, warmed up the baby and was worried to let him go.
The baby in the cat box was discovered by one of the neighbors, who had heard what she thought to be loud meowing and rushed to rescue the favored cat from possible offenders. (Click HERE to continue reading)
 
 
Cat Picture of the Month-
 
 
Click image  to see a larger view.
 
(LA Times, 1/24/2015): An exhibit of quilt made exclusively by men just opened in LA in an attempt to "prove that testosterone and needlework aren't mutually exclusive. It's called, "Man-Made: Contemporary Male Quilters," and it opened Jan. 25 at the Craft & Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles....
It's a fascinating article and you can read more by clicking HERE.
 
 
Monthly Trivia-
Today is Tuesday, the 10th day of February 2015 and you know what else? Today is also a very special day for two legends of American music. Scottish-born singer/songwriter Donovan (a former favorite of mine) was born on this day in 1946 and he just might be sharing a slice of birthday cake with jazz and R&B singer Roberta Flack. And if today is also YOUR birthday, then here's a great, big "Happy Birthday to YOU" from StudioKat Designs, and if today is NOT your birthday, then you can celebrate the day anyway by enjoying this video by Roberta Flack, or this one by Donovan, both among my favorites.  :)
 
Well, that's it for now, so until next month, remember!
It's a GREAT day to be sewing!

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StudioKat Designs, www.studiokatdesigns.com
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Advance, NC 27006
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