Daisy Janie

Daisy Janie is sponsoring Talkin' Tuesdays tomorrow #talknt

Tomorrow evening, Daisy Janie will be sponsoring the Talkin' Tuesdays twitter chat! I have fabric to giveaway (see below) and a few patterns, too. Fun, fun!

Tuesday, January 31st, 9-11pm EST. Twitter hashtag #talknt.

To find out how to participate in the chat, check out the Talkin' Tuesdays blog.

Talkin' Tuesdays is a weekly gathering of folks who like to talk about all-things fabric, quilting and sewing, moderated by Cara Wilson of Cara Quilts. I follow the chat most Tuesdays b/c I ALWAYS learn something - I am such a newbie when it comes to quilting. It's great for getting real-time, useful feedback from sewers at all levels - beginners and aficionados alike! Kinda like being on a "live help desk"! And it's another way to meet others who share your passion! 

We'll be chatting about organics, scale, value, directionality & anything else that comes up. The conversation kinda takes on a life of its own - so you can ask questions, too!

Hope to see you there! #talknt

A CraftyPod Podcast with Sister Diane and *me*!

If you can't tell by the picture, I'm very excited to share with you the podcast I recorded last month with Sister Diane of CraftyPod. She and I were formally introduced to one another by Rachel (Craft and Average Jane Crafter) at the Quilt Market Fabric 2.0 gathering this past Fall. As soon as we all got chatting, Diane and I were in disbelief that our paths hadn't crossed previously. I had been reading CraftyPod for some time, but never commented to say hello - bad blog manners!!

Diane does a spectacularly professional job producing relevant and inspiring podcasts with equally relevant and inspiring guests. I always find myself nodding along in a "Yep, that makes complete sense" kind of way. In my humble opinion, they're worth much more than 99 cents apiece! I was more than flattered to be invited to participate.

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The podcast we recorded is entitled "A Pioneering Craft Business, with Jan DiCintio." As the name suggests, Diane's questions are geared toward how I run a business where there are few, if any, roadmaps; where there is virtutally no direct support network; where there is a heavy burden of financial risk; and where there are potentially steep learning curves all over the place.

My responses relate to ANY business owner, particularly those who are taking unique ideas into unchartered territory and who will be spending a lot of money to do it. It's not a how-to guide for fabric design or fabric production - we talked more generally so that artists or crafters who are considering taking their businesses to the next level will have some additional things to think about. I think it provides valuable food for thought, and it has a very motivational feel to it!

At this stage in my artsy business story, I have a lot of experiences and knowledge worth sharing. But, I'm not an open book where the specifics are concerned b/c everything I have in Daisy Janie is hard-fought and hard-won. In this podcast, I definitely let listeners into my world a bit more.... how I got here, how I find my passion everyday, what takes up the most time, the biggest challenge I faced, what I would suggest for someone considering a similar path - good stuff!!

You can order the podcast here via iamplify.

Preview below - click thru to the post if you can't see the preview pane.

press | Simple Quilts and Quilt Magazine.

Daisy Janie fabrics and projects were recently featured in Simple Quilts & Sewing magazine and Quilt magazine. It's incredibly gratifying to receive press like this - flipping through the comp copies to see the final layout is like waking-up as a little kid on Christmas morning!

Both magazines feature a ginormous amount of sewing projects! Always inspiring to see what others can do with fabric.

Above:
Simple Quilts & Sewing magazine shared my fabric produce bag tutorial. On newstands until January 16th.

Below:
Quilt magazine featured my shirred pillow in Tilly (Trellis Dawn) in a round-up of ruffly, gathered items. On newstands until February 6th.

seeing | crunchy flowers.

My lovebird left these for me upon my return from Quilt Market - and, although they're growing more crunchy by the moment, I'm not ready to toss them yet b/c I still see so much beauty in their wilting and drying. Plus, I'm still enjoying the gesture and sentiment...

Other action-filled love in our home recently - 
+ sweet notes
+ deep conversations
+ waiting hot tea
+ folded laundry
+ random hugs
+ warm meals together
+ hysterical laughter
+ dancing tails & paws
+ spoken appreciation
+ unsolicited help

Would love to hear something about love in action in your home, if you feel like sharing!

Shades of Grey Scrap Challenge at Fat Quarterly.

scrap packs for the Shades of Grey Scrap Challenge at Fat Quarterly

Earlier this summer, I brainstormed with Fat Quarterly [specifically John (Quilt Dad) and Katy (I’m a Ginger Monkey)] for a few unique projects featuring Daisy Janie’s Shades of Grey organic fabrics. THIS ~ the Scrap Challenge ~ is the project for which I've been anxiously awaiting! Finally!! 

Fat Quarterly Shades of Grey Scrap Challenge
In early August, I put together a bunch of scrap packs of the Shades of Grey organic fabrics and some organic solids. Rules were open-ended: Make something. The making portion is complete, and projects are now being posted on the Fat Quarterly blog. I cannot wait to see what everyone made!

Here’s the line-up of posts at Fat Quarterly:
(I will update this post with project links as they’re published.)

• Tues, Sept 13  -  Thomas @ Thomas Knauer Sews  |  project post
• Thurs, Sept 15  -  Paloma @ 3 Kitchen Fairies  |  project post
• Fri, Sept 16  -  Nicole @ Follow the White Bunny  |  project post
• Sun, Sept 18  -  Cara @ Cara Quilts  |  project post
• Mon, Sept 19  -  Michelle @ Kinetic Quilts  |  project post
• Wed, Sept 21  -  Lu @ Summersville  |  project post
• Thurs, Sept 22  -  Rachel @ SweetteaMom Designs 
• Sat, Sept 24  -  Candi @ Raccoon Creek Quilts  |  project post 
• Sun, Sept 25  -  Melanie @ A Sewing Journal  |  project post

Thank you!
When I say it was a distinct privilege to partner with Fat Quarterly/John/Katy, I truly mean it. They are generous with the FQ blog space and time, full of incredible ideas and beyond enthusiastic about fabric and its potential. I walked away from each & every email with them more motivated & with a fresher perspective on my own fabrics! Thank you John & Katy!

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In case you missed the previous features, here are some quick links for you:

• Introduction & brief overview of organic fabrics
• In-depth Q & A about my designs, inspirations and fabrics
• The masthead take-over (which is up again now…)
• Basic Grey Sampler Designers Challenge

Lastly ...
I tweeted last month about a bloody thumb and ceiling fan incident ('cuz twitter is all about garnering sympathy over fabric-related accidents). The pic above is the shot I was attempting, tiptoeing on a chair and holding the camera out in front of me over my head.

Cheers: The camera was fine b/c my thumb buffered a direct hit (ouch)!
Tears: I broke my lens last week when the dangling strap got stuck when I opened a file drawer, and BAM, that lens HIT the ground. Only 2-feet - but I paid the price for not finding a safer spot in the first place! Frickenfrack.

i've been doodled!

The effervescent Aimee at artsyville doodled me up in her new Tuesday feature, "In the Drawing Room." Go see!

For this feature, she took random snippets of info as if we were chatting in her drawing room like proper ladies, and she created a hand-drawn, hand-lettered patchwork of all the juicy nuggets. Things like: what I do when I'm mad (which I've done way too much in 2011), on what fare I judge the quality of a restaurant, where I'd like to live for a year, etc.

What Aimee couldnt' fit into her crazy doodle quilt is something I think I've hidden from you for far too long, and I think it's time I let the cat out of the bag. There's no easy way to tell you this: I was voted funniest girl of my 9th grade class. Yes, yes, it's true - they passed me over for most likely to succeed, smartest, most athletic, best musician - all the real ones. (I wonder where all those winners are now.) For this official award, I was granted the privilege of having my picture taken with the funniest boy for our school newsletter, wherein we gave each other rabbit ears for the illustrious image. Because that's what funny people do when they're on the spot. Remember that.

I must warn you, Aimee's doodles and lettering will draw you in (pun intended) in a big way! Her perspective and witty repartee add such a refreshing dimension to her work and to the creative blog-o-sphere in general. I have some of her artwork hanging around our house - the print below hangs in my studio above my sewing machine. Needs to be there. Visit Aimee's etsy shop to see all her vivid, clever doodles.

blog feature | Fat Quarterly

Last week, I had the distinct pleasure of being featured on Fat Quarterly. Not once, but twice - in addition to a masthead take-over - mwa, ha, ha, ha, haaaaaa! I dolled up their logo and tagline in a simple Shades of Grey patchwork - go see before it's gone like a goose!

The first blog feature, Discussing organic fabrics with Daisy Janie's Jan DiCintio, includes an introductory post where I give a general low-down on organic cotton fabric and the distinctions specific to Daisy Janie's organic fabrics.

The second feature, Daisy Janie | Shades of Grey Scrap Challenge, is Q & A style. I chat about my biz name, my start, my inspirations - things like that. Everything you ever wanted about Daisy Janie and more! Well, it's not a lurid tell-all, so don't get too excited. I would have to save those juicy details for a personal memoir - which is not due to come any time soon, but boy oh boy, the pages I could fill with business-centric craziness! Off track....vrrrrpppp.

Fat Quarterly is hosting a Shades of Grey Scrap Challenge as well. 10 designers have offered to create 'something' from a bag-0-scraps that I provide. Can't wait to see what they come up with - a quilt, a garment, a handbag, a stuffed animal, personal or home accessory - who knows? It's wide open right now!!!

Thank you Fat Quarterly team for your generous editorial features about Daisy Janie as well as all the hard work you do to keep us fabric-heads on top of the latest!

press | Living Crafts magazine.

Daisy Janie was included in a recent article on organic fabrics in the Living Crafts magazine (Summer 2011)! Author Fiona Duthie pulled together a spectacular spread on resources, including companies like Daisy Janie who manufacture organic fabrics as well as retailers who sell it. She also covered types of certifications and offers points to consider when selecting an organic fabric. Good stuff all around! Thank you, Fiona!

press | Fabric Trends.

Check out the Fabric Trends Summer 2011 issue for a another fantastic Shades of Grey quilt pattern as well as an interview with *me*! Organic guru? One woman force of nature? I'll take both of those compliments and save them for a rainy day!

I spoke with Mr. Mark Lipinski by phone this past Spring, and we chatted about "paying your dues." I usually hold my cards a little closer to the vest, but I guess he caught me in a spill-all moment - it's quite an honest account.

below: front cover! my mom will buy 10 copies!

I have been paying my dues for 12 long, arduous years, and I'm not even close to saying, "I'm all paid up! I've made it! I've arrived!" However, I am extremely proud to be where I am in this moment, right here, right now, doing what I'm doing. The future scares me, quite frankly, from both a micro and macro perspective, and it's the primary reason I am willing to trudge uphill everyday with only a faint jingle of change in my pocket for my efforts. I am so driven by how my passion & talents mesh with what the world needs today in order to be the world my grandchildren can enjoy tomorrow.

“True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.” -H. Keller

Thanks, as always, for stopping in here, letting me speak my mind, buying my fabrics and supporting organics! It means the world to the world!

press | Vogue Patterns.

Vogue Patterns, June/July 2011 has a first-class article on organically-produced fabrics and notions in the sewing industry, and Daisy Janie was included amongst a select group of "notable names" who supply organic cotton fabric (a list that keeps getting longer....)

Thank you to author Linda Turner Griepentrog for including Daisy Janie!

Zipper Tape from Shades of Grey pictured above.