Blythe Dolls and Sis Boom

Blythe carrying a hand made tote in Eloise from the Happy Land Fabric line. Photo and tote by Christie Ray Jones

Have you heard about Blythe Dolls? She has a cult following of hobbyists who customize the doll by creating clothing, accessories and shoes for her. Blythe is (11 inch) tall, with an oversized head and large eyes that change color with the pull of a string. The Blythe Dolls were originally based on the character Betty Boop and the paintings ‘Big Eyes’ by the artist Margaret Keane. She was created in 1972 and was initially only sold for one year in the United States by toy company Kenner (later purchased by Hasbro). In 2000, the photo book This is Blythe was published, and in 2001 the Japanese toy company Takara began producing new editions of Blythe dolls. She has been hit ever since!

Last year, Jennifer teamed up with Jen from Earth Angel Studios for the annual Holiday show and they are collaborating again this year. Jen’s artists are doing a special Meet N Greet at the Lafayette Mill Antiques Center, Lafayette, NJ focusing on the Blythe craze. Meet Blythe and see what all the fuss is about — Bring your doll, meet the artists, watch a custom demo — Letty Worley, Rosanna De Bellis & Sue Parker are the SPECIAL GUESTS. Join them on Friday, October 20 from 4 to 6:30 pm.

Sis Boom Raises Over $4K for Victims of Hurricane of Maria in Puerto Rico

Many of you know already, the Caribbean is near and dear to Jennifer’s heart, but Puerto Rico holds a very special place. It’s where her sister, Molly Assad lives with her family and mother, Patricia. Molly, her family and mother where a few of the lucky ones and able to leave the island before Hurricane Maria, a category 4 hurricane, slammed into Puerto Rico on September 20.


Jennifer, center, with her sister Molly and mom Patricia in Florida in early October

Since the hurricane, Puerto Rico is struggling. Empty shelves, no electricity, no water, no gas. Downed power lines, impassable roads, homes and belongs covered in mud as flood waters recede. The Jones Act, which requires that shipments between two US seaports travel only on US-flagged vessels, built in US shipyards, with American owners and crews, has unfortunately made it difficult for much needed supplies to arrive quickly. Puerto Ricans are working hard and doing everything they can to rebuild but it will take months and years.

Immediately after the hurricane, Jennifer’s sister Molly, had been getting reports off the island about the dire situation and swiftly jumped in to help from Florida. She has shopped for supplies herself and had them shipped over, and contacted owners of private planes to fly in larger lots of supplies. Jennifer saw everything her sister was doing and immediately began donating herself and offering up her paintings, fabric, patterns for sale on Facebook and Instagram with part of the proceeds going directly to her sister and her efforts. Thanks to you, our Sis Boom fans, we have raised over $4,000!!! Thank you all who have donated directly and purchased items benefiting our efforts. We appreciate it so much!

But, there is still much do be done. If you’d like to help, please consider donating directly to Molly’s GoFundMe Account or the fundraiser Jennifer started on Facebook benefiting Habitat for Humanity in Puerto Rico.

Finally, most of the Caribbean islands devastated by Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Irma, which hit earlier in September, rely mainly on tourism dollars. So please consider spending your vacation dollars in the next year in the Caribbean if you can; they are vitally important to the region’s economy and long term recovery.

Living the Girl’s World Dream!

We introduced you to Jenny and her daughter Kelsey last fall on the blog. Here is Kelsey in her adorable room modeling new PJ pants made with fabric in Krysta from the Hotel Frederiksted line. How many Sis Boom fabrics and projects can you spot in her room?
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Kelsey has been a Sis Boom fan since she was a 2 year old sporting her pink Casey Scroll (From the Bell Bottoms fabric line) Leighanna Peasant. When Jenny would get new fabric in the mail, Kelsey would take out the Sis Boom fabric and spread it all over the floor and lay on it. Can’t we all relate when we get our Sis Boom in the mail?!? Her all time favorite print is Dance With Me Kayla in Aqua but really she has favorites in every collection. Again, can’t we all relate? Her favorite pattern is Mary’s Fancy Sash (Only available in Girl’s World).

When Girls World was published, she would pour through it over and over. Her book is now so incredibly worn. She even learned to sew with several of the projects in the book. To this day she pulls out her mom’s Sis Boom fabrics and asks Jenny sew up things for her or she makes little things for her dolls. She is living the Sis Boom Girl’s World dream!

Blue Nickel Studios and A Color Brigade Giveaway

Scott, the “Mad Color Scientist” over at Blue Nickel Studios, wrote a lovely blog post on our Color Brigade line. We are so grateful for his kind words and support of Sis Boom. Read the beginning of his blog post below and then hop over to his site to read the rest. Psst…definitely read the whole thing, there might be a Color Brigade giveaway at the end!!!

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One Fabric Nation – Color Brigade

Honestly, I Just LOVE everything Jennifer Paganelli does. Her fabric design and color sense really speak to me. Well, serenade me is more like it.

Full, rich, and over the top.

Sheer joy to my soul.

Seriously.

Color Brigade is a perfect example. Lush florals and highly detailed damask like patterns. And a fun tiled geometric. Very reminiscent of the fifties.

Read the rest of Scott’s post over at Blue Nickel Studios….

Happy New Year and Tree’s Clothing

Hope your holidays were filled with laughter and love. Here at Sis Boom, we are looking forward to an amazing 2016. Lots of great things happening like a ready to wear dress line at the end of 2016, new patterns, new fabric lines (first up, Color Brigade, this spring) and our new venture with Malabar Bay (hint: you need these cozy and colorful pjs this winter!). We are thrilled you stopped by the blog today and don’t forget to share with us what you are making on Facebook and Instagram. We love hearing from you. Your heart and my heart are very, very old friends. -Rumi

We wanted to introduce to Tree’s Clothing, a clothing design company who will make gorgeous clothing to your measurements. Send in your favorite Sis Boom fabrics to be turned into a custom skirt and they will pair it with a bamboo jersey in your color choice. Delivery times range from two to six weeks. Below is a darling skirt Tree’s Clothing made for Jennifer. Here they used bamboo jersey with two striking panels of Elyse from the Caravelle Arcade line. It looks so cute styled with boots. So head over to Tree’s Clothing and give this wonderful woman-owned new business some love.

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One Thimble E-Zine and the Statement Clutch with Jen Kennedy

Our annual Holiday Show was a HUGE success. Thank you to everyone who traveled from near and far to attend. We love seeing old friends and making new ones. Keep an eye on our Facebook page as we list extras from the show for sale.

If you’re a sewing fan in Australia, you’ve probably seen the quarterly digital sewing magazine, One Thimble, an e-zine made by sewing enthusiasts for sewing enthusiasts. If you’re here in the States or elsewhere, check this lovely magazine out. You can subscribe to the magazine or purchase patterns individually. We first heard about the lovely Statement Clutch designed by twoprettypoppets from One Thimble Issue 9 from Merav, a Sis Boom Guest Blogger and Baby Hobbes Designs. Then One Thimble’s editor, Jen Kennedy, showed us one she’d done for her mom and we wanted to feature it on our blog. We love how, once again, the love of sewing and creating beautiful things brings generations together.

My name is Jen Kennedy and I’m the editor of One Thimble magazine. My Mum lives in Brisbane (about 1600km away) and every year she comes to visit me for my birthday. It’s such a special thing. She’s such a generous and kind lady and she’s forever helping others and putting others first. This year she asked me what she could do to help me when she came to visit and I told her she could come “play fabrics” and keep me company while I sewed. We had such fun going through my fabric stash and when she came to my Jennifer Paganelli fabric drawers she was in heaven. She picked out all sorts of combinations but decided that she LOVED the Circa and Pretty Please fabrics best. It was such a wonderful day and I was so happy that I was able to sew her something she loved. On the weekend she had her work Christmas party and she was so excited to take her Statement Clutch. She felt like a million dollars and said all the other ladies were so jealous and they were blown away by the fabrics – they said they’d never seen anything like it and they all asked her to get me to make them clutches – even the young ones.

Thank-you so much for making such beautiful fabrics.

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Guest Blogger Edwina Foskew Tell and Nostalgia

Today’s guest blogger is Edwina Foskew Tell from Western Australia. We sent her a package of the Nostalgia line debuting this November and told her to create something wonderful. We love her stunning chair and hope you do too!

I’m Eddie… I’m a fabricphile … work full time as a Nurse at nights, but my dream is to own a fabric shop/quilt retreat/ coffee shop selling only the loveliest fabrics (no muddy reds and browns) and teaching quilting and serving home made cakes…. and nice tea in fine bone china cups….

I’m married to Ian, we have 4 children: 15, 17, 18 and 25 and 3 grandchildren…. 3 dogs, 3 Devon Rex cats and a ferral Australian cat who was sent home from work with me one morning after I had worked a nightshift in ED. I co admin The Real Quilters of Australia (and sewers) … and ‘own’ the Nanny Gruff page…. which isn’t kept up to date because I’m too busy.

We live in Rockingham, Western Australia …. just 10 minutes walk to the white sandy beaches and crystal blue waters of the Indian Ocean and a 30 minute walk to natural bush and wild kangaroos…. Its a wonderful country… vast. You could fit the whole of Europe into Australia land wise… and the population is relatively tiny. Australia is a red brown and blue green country… very different to the greens found in the England I grew up in.

I make ‘useable’ quilts… ones that can be taken to the beach, to a barbie, sat in front of a bonfire with and dragged around the house then thrown in the washing machine… week in week out…. not ‘works of art’ …. but I DO love making them in fabrics which are works of art in themselves (and Minions… the grandees love Minions).

What else can I tell you? Quilting is my ‘therapy.’ Its my ME time… and along with the medications it keeps me sane …. almost. I love sharing my skills with others. I love the social aspect of quilting… and yes, sometimes getting together to quilt is sometimes an excuse to simply chat and eat chocolate cake.

People ask me to make them a quilt…. and my stock answer is, sorry I don’t have time… but I will teach you to make your own. Many have taken me up on that offer and have gone on to become quilt addicts too… only one person as far as I can remember didn’t finish hers!

When I was given the opportunity to work with the wonderful new Nostalgia fabric I wanted to combine my love of quilting with my new love of reupholstering chairs. It seemed natural to make a quilt and use that as ‘fabric’ …. I love wonky blocks and crazy quilts… and with the stretch and positioning of fabric in upholstery, I wanted a ‘design’ that wouldn’t loose anything when it was stretched and pinned to the chair. I also wanted to showcase the entire fabric line range. I think I achieved what I set out to do!

It was an honour and a privilege to be allowed to work with Nostalgia before it was launched.. but I need MORE because I have so many things I am going to do with it when it arrives! Pretty things.. with ruffles and vintage lace… and quilts. I have a million ideas flying around in my head…. but I shall have to wait for Nostalgia to arrive in November to be able to satisfy my need to create …

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Here is the amazing quilter and upholster Eddie and one of her adorable Devon Rex kitties. Thanks Eddie for an amazing chair and post!
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Intsagram Inspiration

Hope you are all having a wonderful summer! Our new patterns and videos called Sew with Me debuted with Sew News last month and are just darling. Check them out if you haven’t already.

Everyone has been busy tagging me on Facebook and Instagram. I always love seeing what you are up too. Here are a few of my favorites. I hope they inspire you as much as they have inspired me!!

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meandleighcreations made this lovely iPad case or clutch using Caravelle Arcade Daisy in Ivory

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alliegraycreations Who couldn’t dance all night in this dress? Rachel must have dug deep into her fabric stash to combine these lovely fabrics from the Happy Land, Crazy Love and Queen Street (all retired lines).

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gumnutsandtulips Renee sewed this sassy number using Vickie in Peacock from Good Company

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millaruby Another use of Daisy from Caravelle Arcade this time in blue for this adorable romper.

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butterflybees Denise used Jessica in Blue from Caravelle Arcade for this swim suit. Loving the matching headband.

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jordankclothing A sweet floral romper for an older girl is perfect!

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hickitypickity Boho tunics in Caravelle Arcade will always be in style!

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thefancyashley The dog days of summer aren’t so tough when you have a Hooray pillow to get you through….

Sis Boom in South Africa

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I was thrilled when my friend Rachel shared these photos of a woman named Gloria receiving Sis Boom fabric all the way in South Africa. Gloria, a mother of 4, is an aspriring entrepreneur who sews bags, baby bibs, shoes and commissioned work from her community to help support her family and hopes to one day design and open her own boutique. Gloria’s smile says it all in this picture: complete JOY! Gloria said she’ll be using the fabric for various projects and clothing and not a scrap will go to waste.

As a child, Gloria made clothing for her dolls from bits of plastic and whatever she could find. Gloria always wanted to learn how to sew and was thrilled when a missionary named Anneke with Ten Thousand Homes taught Gloria how to sew. Anneke gifted Gloria with her sewing machine before leaving South Africa.

Gloria’s family and others have been helped through Ten Thousand Homes, which is “a movement of ordinary people activiely building HOPE and creating HOMES for African’s orphans and vulnerable children.” I’m so grateful to organizations like Ten Thousand Homes for making a difference in this world, my friend Rachel Berwick for contacting me about donating the fabric and Christine Reinhardt for lugging the fabric and other sewing notions half way around the world!

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Photo credits: Jennifer Price and Christine Reinhardt

They’re here, they’re here!

We have been working hard for the past few months with Sew News to debut our newest patterns and special videos and it’s happening TODAY!  The new Sew with Me video series features moi and the ever-talented Carla Crim.  In each video, we take you through one new project from start to finish. Sis Boom Pattern Company developed four new amazing projects including Bonnie’s Flouncy Skirt, the Peggy Party Runner, the Wendy Weekender Bag and the Shellie Clutch, and all are shown in Sis Boom’s newest fabric line Caravelle Arcade.  Find the kits, patterns and videos exclusively at Shop Sew It All and all go on sale today.  Go check them out and let me know what you think! Carla and I had so much fun filming the video series, and I hope you enjoy watching and creating along with us!

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