Robin Pickens
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Introducing THATCHED Basics with Moda Fabrics

7/24/2019

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I like to pair bigger prints with some solids for balance. But does that mean all solids are flat? Calm and rest for the eye can still have subtleties of design and texture. There is something so enjoyable in a little tonal and linear variation that brings interest and depth, like the character of a hand drawn line. It is in this drawn texture that I think of threads coming together to create "Thatched."
Thatched by Robin Pickens for Moda in Jellyrolls
Thatched was hatched (ha, ha!) a number of collections ago, as a coordinate for Dear Mum. The little woven drawn lines became a texture print in gray, warm red, green and the Robin's egg blue. It blended so well it wove its way into the next collection, and the next.
Thatched by Robin Pickens for Moda
Now Thatched is ready to claim its place as a basics line and make its OWN color statement. Colors have been added to round out the palette to include browns, blues, oranges, burgundy and Berry. 30 prints of luscious colors.
Thatched by Robin Pickens for Moda Color Chart
Perhaps you keep Thatched as a subtle texture print to balance out your larger prints and be a background fabric or blender. Or you may decide to play with the combinations and relationships of color families and groupings in color studies with saturated splendor. ​
Thatched by Robin Pickens for Moda FQ Bundle
Let your world of color mix with the texture of drawn line, the feeling of linear weaving. We are, after all, makers. We have interwoven lives and notice the small textures and details that make life richer. 
Thatched by Robin Pickens for Moda
Lean in and notice the detail. Rejoice in the imperfections. Drink in the saturated colors.
Thatched by Robin Pickens for Moda Jellyrolls
At my conference table (the kitchen table!) the ring of color commands presence in the space, singing out a rainbow of song.
Thatched by Robin Pickens for Moda
Enjoy the blues of Navy, Marine, Sky and Royal. Dark to go with denim. Light to brighten like the sky. Blues blend into greens and teal shades. Moody, pretty blues. Grays that are warm and cool, speckled and subtle. Reds that are deep and dramatic or bright and cheery (and yes, the Crimson and Pine of Splendid are in the basics).
Thatched by Robin Pickens for Moda
Drawn line in color tones with the character and heart of handmade texture.
Thatched by Robin Pickens for Moda at table
The ring of color is almost luminous under the light as night time falls. I will clear it tomorrow. For tonight I will sleep with rainbow dreams...
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Christmas Tree Table Runner with Shabby Fabrics

7/23/2019

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Hop on over to youtube to see Jennifer from Shabby Fabrics do a tutorial of a festive Christmas Tree Farm Table Runner!
Shabby Fabrics Christmas runner with Splendid fabric
She used a pattern that Moda Fabrics had and allowed her to share. The trees are red and green on one side and white on the other- a fun reverse effect of background vs foreground. Of course I'm really thrilled with this particular table runner since she's showing it in Splendid fabric!!
Shabby Fabrics Christmas runner with Splendid fabric
Along with the Splendid collection there are pops of red and gold star bursts in Grunge fabric as well as with white and star bursts on the background white. I loved seeing how these trees came together in two sides with the strips!
Shabby Fabrics Christmas runner with Splendid fabric and Grunge fabric
If you are interested in Tree Farm Table Runner kits, Shabby Fabrics has a few available at their store! The download link for the free Gina Martin pattern (17.5 x 51.5") offered through Shabby Fabrics website is https://www.shabbyfabrics.com/Assets/Downloads/TreeFarmTableRunner_forDownload.pdf 
​Happy holiday sewing!
Shabby Fabrics Christmas runner with Splendid fabric
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6 Main Reasons I Evolved Beyond Etsy and Opened My Own Shop

7/17/2019

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Why I chose to open my shop on shopify
I'm happy to announce my shopify store is up and running! Actually it has been up and running for a short while but I'm still working out some of the kinks and I'm still deep in my learning curve. I signed up for shopify and it took me about a year to learn in between all the other stuff going on, and pull the "publish" trigger. But today is the first day I'm listing a product that is NOT on etsy and is only at my shopify site. It's a shift for me and I'm quite excited.

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I've been on etsy for a number of years. And etsy has been a good place for me to be. I will STILL continue to have my shop there as well. I have no plans on shutting my etsy shop down because I know some people are comfortable shopping there. However, I knew there were some ways that etsy was starting to feel like it wasn't the right fit for me as my only avenue to have a shop.

So what wasn't fitting so right? There are some great reasons why you want to start on etsy. But there are some great reasons to grow and evolve beyond etsy too.  These are some of my main reasons to expand to the shopify platform.
6 Main Reasons I Evolved Beyond Etsy
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1. Fees. First off there is a listing fee on etsy of 20 cents per item and every time that item sells and another "same" item is up in the que, you pay another 20 cent fee. And then there is a percentage fee that etsy takes on the cost of each sale. In 2018 etsy increased that fee from 3.5% to 5%. That increase starts to add up over time. And it adds up a lot on larger ticket items. And etsy started charging 5% fees on shipping costs as well. A shipping cost is something I pay to ship something. It is not profit. So to pay a 5% fee on a cost I pay to ship goods is problematic. It's not till you really look at the numbers and see what you are paying in fees each week that it becomes REAL. Kinda like paying taxes. The actual numbers sting a little even though you are thankful you are making a living. 
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2. Analytics. Knowledge is power and the more you can figure out where your traffic comes from, the better. And truth be told, very little of my traffic was coming from within etsy. It can be well worth it to pay for real estate in a well traveled neighborhood that brings in a lot of customers "finding" you because you are in that location. But looking at my analytics showed me that very little of my customers come from within etsy. Most come from direct links, my website, linktree or pinterest. And it was frustruating to see that now the analytics have changed and direct traffic is combined with "etsy app" so it is harder to figure out that number. With the "etsy app" part of "direct", a direct link could have opened up within someone's etsy app on their mobile device when they clicked on a link. That doesn't mean they "found" you through etsy. I question why they are lumped together when it seems to only muddy the factual information of what etsy is really bringing to me in searches. If some of the increased etsy fees were justified with ideas of improving the search features, that wasn't really applying to me since that is not what drives the majority of my traffic.
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3. Loss of control. Every time a company changes an algorithm or decides to implement a new pricing strategy or changes their business goals, it directly impacts your business as a shop owner. But it feels like it happens to you without having any control over it. My best example of this is craftsy (which is now Blueprint.com). I had quilt patterns for sale on craftsy.com and I made sales there. Then I got the email, 6 days before Christmas 2018 with the line "On 12/28, your pattern store will be removed from Craftsy.com" with an explanation that they were changing their marketplace and editing down the individual stores. Honestly, one week is not a lot of time for notice that your shop will be closed, not to mention it being the week before Christmas when you get the news!  And it was their decision and not yours. It is THEIR platform and they have the right to do that. And its business. It is not personal. Some designers got to keep patterns up and for sale but craftsy decided which ones and the designers did not have control over whether or not they could add more. I'd assume some kind of approval process was implemented for that but I didn't pay much attention since my shop was on the "delete" list.

This was a gift really. I learned that I feel better if I have more control over my own business. It gave me a kick in the bottom to work on that shopify site. Yes, it still took me another 6 months to get it open but I felt fortunate to have other solutions. Fortunate that I had already researched what online platforms I liked. Fortunate that all my eggs were not in ONE basket. 
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4. Connection to buyers. Yes, etsy gives you the ability to communicate with your customers through a conversation. But the email address of a buyer is theirs unless a customer gives you permission to contact them otherwise. I have no desire to send a ton of annoying emails to customers or abuse a relationship we may have. However, when I discover I've made a mistake on a pattern, it sure would be nice to have an email list from those buyers whom I could tell there is a correction. Or the ability to ask if you want to be kept up to date on my shop info through a newsletter correspondence. Privacy rules are in place for good reasons, but etsy doesn't let you ask people if they WANT that type of correspondence from you. If I want to let people know about an upcoming sale or a new line coming out, I hope they follow me on the blog, on instagram, on facebook, because I can't really do it with the efficiency of a newsletter on etsy. Etsy essentially "owns" the contact information.
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5. How it looks. Etsy doesn't look bad. But I'm a designer and I like to have more control over how something LOOKS. I like to decide the decor in my home, the way I dress, the color on my walls, along with my company logo and how my images are shown. Etsy has a pretty uniform shop setup and its not so easy to mold that to a different look or have your own branding be more important. As a design-driven company, I wasn't so sure that fit with the directions I am headed and how I want to explore my company look and presence.  
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6. The ability to customize. There are some options for Drop Ship, direct Print-on-demand products but its limited. Having more partners with your products and offerings? There are lots of companies that will integrate and work with shopify and some of the other online storefront platforms. More choices. More areas to grow into if you decide to. My shop is still pretty basic. But I like that it can grow and change more easily to include more options and customizations.
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With all that said, I hope you understand why I opened up my RobinPickensInc.com shop which is hosted through shopify. Its my store and I can manage it more to my liking. Perhaps you are a quilter or designer and are struggling with some of the same issues I mentioned. A wonderful article about why you should consider moving beyond etsy is "Why building a business solely on etsy is a bad idea (and what to do instead) by Sarah Peterson. She has excellent points that I have not covered here and I think it is a really interesting and informative read.

I did a lot of research to make sure shopify had staying power, processed payments securely (we all know that is very important!) and was scalable and worked for larger companies who couldn't risk being an experiment. I pay to have a shop on shopify and I believe I am getting a good value for my dollar, just as I want you to have. I wondered if I would sell enough to justify the costs but I believe in a case like a business store, you have to pay for quality and security. Just make sure you are paying for the things that help YOU as a business and not just the platform company.
As I mentioned earlier, my etsy shop will still be open. But as my business evolves and I grow, my shop must be allowed to grow with me. My plan is I will have my kits, including ones I can put together with my fabrics that are out of print, listed here through robinpickens.com (linking to my shopify store)  which takes you to https://robinpickensinc.com. I also hope to have some other sewing and design related products showing up soon to add some color and smile to your creative space! You can still find quilt patterns, both in print form and digital downloads through my etsy shop along with them being on the shopify store. There are currently some kits offered on etsy and I will continue to offer the new patterns. But if you want to see more of my designs and kits, sign up to stay connected to the shopify site and my newsletter and I am happy to keep you in the loop! I hope this was helpful to you and explained part of this transition. Thank you so much for your support and keep creating!
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Moda Blockheads2 - Getting to the finish line

7/16/2019

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A quick catch-up on some Moda Blockheads2 blocks. I have learned so much while doing these blocks! I tried triangle paper for the first time (and liked it!) and I stretched myself with smaller piecing on some of these than I normally do. With every sewalong I do I feel my skills become better. I start to think more efficiently when I look at instructions and question if I can make more of the blocks in a different way (like making Half Square Triangles in the 8-at-a-time method).

This first one is Sherri McConnell's block "Vintage" and I used a bunch of scraps I had from earlier blocks from my Dear Mum collection. I am pretty pleased with how this one came out. I don't have that much experience doing Quarter Square Triangles so this was good practice!
Moda Blockheads 2 quilt block Vintage
This was the alternative block designed by Corey Yoder called Rainbow Vine. Mine is not a rainbow but does have a variety of green leaves. I liked how quickly this fun block came together. Now I think I need to make sure the block above in my arrangement has a design that suggests a flower bloom! 
Moda Blockheads 2 quilt block Rainbow Vine
The next block is a larger 18" one and is designed by Betsy Chutchian.  Feels good to get this one completed and I really like this pattern! I used #poppymaefabric and #blushingpeonies . After making a big 18” block like this I needed to do a small one next!
Moda Blockheads 2 quilt block Twelve Crowns
And last one to share today is this block designed by Corey Yoder. Its called Dainty Blossom and is an alternate for the Block 48 which was originally designed in applique. This is so cheery! 12 inch block with a big blooming presence!
Moda Blockheads 2 quilt block Dainty Blossom
I just may be seeing my blockheads blocks wrapping up here! Time for arranging and joining!
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Moda Blockheads 2 and I'm still sewing...

7/15/2019

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I know its a journey and not a race. But I feel like I can see the finish line. But I'm not there yet. One step at a time...that's how progress happens. These are the things I tell myself when I'm nearing the end and need that extra push!
Dear Mum in Moda Blockheads Quilt Block
So a few more blocks here. Above its the Scrappy Checkerboard designed by Cory Yoder. Below its Ribbon Star by Lynne Hagmeier. I'm trying to take stock of what I have and what I need from a perspective of color and size. I saw a great layout on instagram that Susan @quiltingcousin did and I liked the organization of blocks in the overall quilt. I've decided to model my quilt after this layout too.
Robin PIckens fabric for Moda Blockheads quilt blocks
But first, finishing the blocks. I'm not done yet. But I'm keeping up the effort and I WILL FINISH! As I roll closer to the finish line I've done Fidget Spinner by Lynne Hagmeier and Bella Spinners by Me & My Sister Designs. Also Around the Corner by Carrie Nelson and On Point Star by Stacy Iest Hsu. Sew on!!!
Moda Blockheads Dear Mum and Sweet Pea fabric
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Splendid Christmas Quilts- Binding Time!

7/12/2019

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My Christmas quilts featuring my Splendid fabric came back from the longarmer, Marion Bott in Las Vegas (she's @bottmarion on Instagram). Oh I love the textures that get added to the quilts when they have the quilting done! I just want to lightly stroke each quilt and feel the patterns of the sewing.
Splendid Christmas Quilts by Robin Pickens
I'm excited that Splendid is in shops now so you can all work on projects with these too! My next step is to put the bindings on and also make pillow backs and add zippers to the pillow cases (or should I leave them as envelope backs?)
Splendid Christmas Quilts by Robin Pickens
Here is the Showering Stars Table Runner as I'm sewing the binding on. I like the linear pantograph of the quilting. The direction of the lines balances out the long format of the runner and strong patchwork lines of the star trails by going the other direction (horizontally vs vertically). 
Showering Stars Table Runner by Robin Pickens in Splendid
Showering Stars Table Runner by Robin Pickens in Splendid
At the time that I was designing these patterns I had to pick out the binding fabric without having the actual made-up quilt in front of me. That is always a challenge for me- deciding binding recommendations so early in the process (but if it goes in a sales catalog I have to do it early). For most of the quilts in this group I wanted the bindings more subtle and just a complimenting Christmas color, so if the quilt is red, I'm doing a simple green. And in the case of Cardinal's Christmas Wreath, I felt so many prints were on the right and left side borders that a solid or almost-solid was called for. 
Jubilant Song in Splendid by Robin Pickens
But when it came to Jubilant Song I had picked the striped fabric for binding and boy, do I love it! Now I wish I had picked a striped binding for Joy and Delight. But my green strips are cut and they are attached to the front, awaiting the hand sewing to the back. I am not going to rip off a whole quilt's binding at this point. But note to future-self, be bold with the stripes!!
I recently posted some scrap bags of Splendid fabric in my online shop. There is a limited quantity so when they are gone, they're gone. And I'll be getting a few quilt kits of Joy and Delight up soon too! But for today, a-binding-we-will-sew!
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Summer Sewalongs - Bowtie Flower QAL

7/5/2019

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I, like most quilters/makers, have a number of projects in the works at the same time. Yup. Because they all look so wonderful! I did decide to join in the Bowtie Flower sewalong that Elizabeth Chappell of Quilter's Candy is hosting on instagram. When I saw her quilt on the pattern cover, I knew I wanted to try it with Painted Meadow!
Painted Meadow by Robin Pickens for Bowtie Flower QAL
To be honest, in order to join a sewalong right now, I need to feel its something that won't take me hours and hours of long work. I want some projects that are doable and I can get to the finish line. I looked over the pattern and realized that it would fit in to my schedule and I could set up time to do all the cutting, all the HST, all the trimming, etc. Add in chain piecing and I'm there! Plus, I have to admit that sometimes I get bogged down in making my own patterns so it is a breath of fresh air to make quilts from patterns created by other designers. 
Painted Meadow by Robin Pickens
For my white I am using Moda Bella Solids White Bleached 98. The pincushion is from Wooly Felted Wonders. Isn't it cute?
Moda Bella Solids 98 White Bleached with Wooly Wonder Pincushion
Painted Meadow by Robin Pickens
After deciding which prints I wanted to use (and yes, I mocked it up in the computer using the coloring page that Elizabeth provided- very helpful!) I got to work cutting. I decided to make my Half Square Triangles using an 8-at-a-time method. So my squares I cut for HST were actually 10" to make 8 HSTs. The exceptions were the blocks with bees in them. I fussy cut those so my bees would be center stage in the triangle shape.
Painted Meadow by Robin Pickens for Bowtie Flower QAL
Painted Meadow by Robin Pickens
I recently bought myself a Martelli turn table and cutting mat. Wow! It is a dream to use. I really enjoy having good tools and look forward to treating myself for a birthday or if I meet a goal I've set.
Painted Meadow by Robin Pickens Martelli Mat
Painted Meadow by Robin Pickens HSTs
Next up were the stitch and flip blocks.
Painted Meadow by Robin Pickens stitch and flips
When making the stitch and flip blocks, I like to sew an extra seam in the part I am cutting off to make additional Half Square Triangles to use for something else. They are small and cute and I'm not sure what I'm going to make with them yet. I'll trim them up when watching tv some night. I'm thinking of doing a little mini wall quilt with them. 
extra seam for stitch and flip HST
Painted Meadow Mini HST
Stacks of blocks are now pressed and ready to go! 
Painted Meadow by Robin Pickens with Olfa rotary cutter
I hope you are playing along too. Check out quilters_candy on instagram and hashtag #bowtieflowerquilt and #bowtieflowerqal to see what others are doing!
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    About ROBIN

    Designer of colorful florals for Moda fabrics. Modern to transitional quilt designer. Illustrator, sewist, crafter.

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