Every time we think about Susan Emory’s sassy new collection for Michael Miller Fabrics, we immediately have a soundtrack of Lionel Richie & Adele running through our heads;). Silly? Perhaps. But Hello is just fabulous enough to make it all work! Born out of a moment of workday inspiration, Hello combines bright colors and B&Ws with vintage phones and a super fab text print that just screams for creative appliqué. Susan’s coordinating thread collection is a rainbow of color, with black, white, and gray included for maximum versatility.
We’ve been honored to be such an active part of Susan’s collection launch, taking part in a super fun booth hop at Spring Market in St. Louis a few months back, and in her blog hop which finished up just last week. Today, it’s all about the thread, the fabrics, and the patterns that Susan created to showcase both.
THREAD COLLECTION DETAILS
Hello
100% Aurifil Cotton, 12 Large Spools, 50wt (1422yds/spool)
Colors included:
2588 – 1148 – 4093 – 2735 – 2582 – 2145
5015 – 2865 – 2250 – 2625 – 2692 – 2024
To view this info on our website, click here. For purchasing, please contact your local Aurifil Dealer.
THE INTERVIEW
What first drew you to the world of sewing and quilting?
I’m from a quilting family, my mother and grandmother taught me how to sew and quilt. As quilting tools and technology evolved, I began to try new techniques and find my own style.
Who or what has been your greatest creative inspiration?
I’m inspired by mid-century design. Most of my fabric lines and my personal decor both have a vintage feel. I’ve also been inspired by my family. My mother was a very crafty, creative person and encouraged me to express my creative side. My sister is a talented seamstress and has always been a great source for brainstorming and looking at things a little differently.
Tell us a little more about Hello — what inspired the designs and what excites you most about the collection?
The large letters came to mind when I was sitting in a meeting and considering if I could send a ransom note to my friend so she would save me – ha ha. I ran with that theme and the scissors and telephones seemed like a natural fit. This lead to the Hashtag Texture blenders and other punctuation prints.
You pulled together a pretty fantastic group of makers to help celebrate and market this collection. The process started months ago, culminated at Spring Market with the collection launch, and carried through to the Hello Blog Tour that just completed. What was the process of putting that all together like?
I definitely have a lot going on with this line. It takes serious organization to keep the projects and deadlines straight. After artwork is submitted I wait for strike-offs to come. Strike-offs are a small sample of the printed fabric showing exactly how the colors print. The fabrics are then adjusted or approved and the mill adds them to their production schedule. This time the colors needed no adjusting, I loved them! While I’m waiting to get my hands on actual fabric, I design projects to feature the prints. We have a short window of time from receiving sample yardage to needing quilts photographed for marketing purposes, so I need to be ready to roll when the sample yardage comes in. While I’m working on the new line, I’m also marketing the previous line and designing the next line. There is an overlap of fabric line design due to the length of time it takes to get from idea to fabric, six months to a year.
The Hello Blog Tour was months in the making. Because this fabric line has a lot of opportunity to personal expression, I decided to ask some of my favorite bloggers to make a project to inspire others. I contacted them well before the sample yardage was available and they began to plan their projects using digital images of the fabric. There were twelve blogs to visit during the tour from July 14-21. Some of the blogs gave away prizes and free patterns. The free pattern for “For A Good Time Quilt 24/7” is available on my Hello Blog Hop post.
Do you have any favorite projects from the tour?
There are a variety of projects that were on the tour. Some of the highlights were Cheryl’s ruffle pillow, and the amazing quilting done by Teri and Geta . Really, every blog had a great project, I couldn’t pick just one!
What is your favorite piece that you’ve made with Hello?
I love my new Happy Place quilt. This was a fun one to make with several different techniques. I love paper piecing and applique, so this quilt is right up my alley. I also love the scrappy look and bright colors. I plan to hang it in my sewing studio.
When did you first discover Aurifil threads and what do you love most about them? One year at Quilt Market (2009?) my booth was next to Aurifil’s booth. I learned a lot about thread that week! Not only did I learn the value of Aurifil thread, but their history and business practices impressed me. I use 40wt and 50wt for applique, piecing and quilting. I buy white and light gray on very large cones, I go through a lot of thread. My favorite is the 12wt. I love to do hand embroidery and working with the single strand is easy and efficient. I also use 12wt on my machine for decorative stitching.
How did you go about selecting colors for Hello and what excites you most about releasing the collection to the world?
I knew I wanted a “rainbow” thread collection and Hello was the perfect fabric line for it! I used my fabric strike-offs to select the colors. I knew people could use the entire color range of this thread because my DC7659 Cut It Out print calls for a lot of applique. I also designed new patterns, including Happy Place, that use machine applique. This entire process has been very exciting. I love when the fabric and thread become available and I can see what everyone makes with them. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing quilters create with my art 😊.
GIVEAWAY
To enter-to-win Susan’s Hello thread collection AND a bundle of Hello by Susan Emory for Michael Miller Fabrics, click here to head to the Rafflecopter entry page, or simply click on the image above. You do not have to complete all the options to be entered but the more options you choose, the more entries you have! Entries will be accepted from now through 11:59pm Eastern Time on Tuesday, August 1! Winner will be randomly selected and announced here on Wednesday, August 2. Good luck!
UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to our winner, Christi Scheffel!
ABOUT SUSAN
Website — Blog — Facebook — Instagram — Pinterest — Twitter
Susan Emory is crazy about DIY, color and creating! She expresses her art as a fabric designer, quilt designer, quilter, artist, teacher and blogger. Susan’s designs can be found under the Swirly Girls Design brand.
** Images, biographical text and interview text by Susan Emory
I Love to Quilt should sum it up, thanks
cork@pa.rr.com
I especially love the letter print.
Very nice fabric collection. I love the text and the ones that remind me of colored shirting….
it’s so lovely to see my quilt! Hello is a great collection and the thread is amazing!
I’d like to say ‘Quilt 24/7’
I like the hashtag fabrics. #quilt
Wow!
Bright and beautiful!
Hmmm… Maybe I’d say, “Love Spoken Here”…. Or, “I Love, So I Quilt”…(???)
So many possibilities!… How fun!
Pat T.
i can see a quilt of family nicknames and silly sayings, meaningful to family but appearing to be nonsensical. The cheerful colors and style of this line would be perfect.
Great fabric prints and colors! Anything made with this would be awesome!
I can see a quilt for grandson with words like “brave” “strong” “happy”, etc. Such cute fabric!
I would say Hello – I’m, glad you called. Lets get together sometime and eat chocolate and stash bust some great projects.
Lovely and fantastic Hello Line with a beautiful saturation of colors.
What a generous giveaway too, thanks to all.
ejaneemerson@yahoo.com
this whole line is right up my alley, whatever that means1 I love it!
i would make a quilt that says, Quilting is my game. love the bright colors and fun prints.
Quilting Rules!!!
Quilting makes me smile!
I love the bright cheerful colors and patterns. I have lots of patterns that would be great in this fabric. Thanks!
I’d want to say “Have a Happy Day”. Fabric always makes my day happy.
Love this fabric collection-my favorite saying-Live, Laugh, Love! Thank you, Susan
OMGosh I just LOVE this fabric!! I’d have to “WELCOME TO MY HAPPY HOME”!! thanks so much for the chance to win 🙂
I would say READ for my grandkids.
I would say: Quilt and be grateful!!!
I would say “Mema Loves Quilting”
I’d use the ransom letters to spell out our last name for a wall hanging! This is such a great fabric collection with so many possibilities!
I’d say love and peace, love and piece.
I’d say Quilted With Love
Love the bright colors of this group and the ransom letters give you endless design possibilities.
What fun, bright colors. I think they would work well for bags and totes.
Hello. Act Justly, Love Mercy, & Walk Humbly with our God
I love the fabric line. The letters, the phones-so retro, the colours, the exclamation points. Oh, what would I say? Hello Beautiful World! Good Morning Funshine! WElcome Friends! Remember to Breathe, Hope there is always Hope….so many possibilities, I would not know where to start-I would take it out everyday and just imagine-Imagine the Possibillities- might be the best. Thank you
Let’s quilt!
I’d use the letters to spell my grandsons’ names.
Love this interview and the collection.
I would spell Nonna loves Addie on a long pillow for my granddaughter’s bed.
Never be afraid to play. Or Fresh Quilts. Love the telephones.
Hello! Love the name! The colors are yummy!!
HI,I’d want to say “Have a Happy Day”. Neat Giveaway! Thank You!
I love you a bushel and a peck. I have always liked that saying.
Love this collection!
Maybe something to
say, Get out and have
FUN!
Carla from Utah
Hello, what a fun collection and great colors!
I think some little zip bags would be so cute.
I love the colors, prints, thread. Everything about this collection. Now if someone local just carries it.
I would say, Memére Love You! I love these bright prints!
I’d say “mommy loves you” my third baby is waiting for his quilt from mom so that is on my mind.
I’d want to say “Practice ahimsa” (ahimsa means ‘do no harm’).
“Feel my love and hugs whenever you wrap yourself in this quilt.”
The letter fabrics are happy and bright. The threads are such lovely brights as well
I would spell out all my grandkids names on a quilt for Papa – my husband! He would be so happy. So, I guess I need a couple yards for the project!
I would use it to say made especially for you
I’d say “follow your passion”!
love the diamond quilt!!! colors in all are stupendous… great creations!!!!
I would love to say “thank you” with a quilt made from Hello!
I would make a quilt that says FAMILY=’s LOVE
Love those colors and prints.
I want to make a quilt for my granddaughter, who will be graduating high school this year. “Hello” is perfect! The colors are so vibrant and the prints are just right. Love this collection.
I want to say Happy!
Fun! I think I could use this for a fun poster about chocolate and quilting, and maybe ransom, lol. I’m also thinking about the word for the year, and how fun it would be to make a small quilt for that. Thanks.
I would say “Hug Me, I’m Yours”
I love the bright colors of this collection. With the ransom letters, the possibilities are endless as to what to say. Maybe something as simple as a name OR a clever saying appropriate to the one receiving the quilt.
I think I’d like a sign on my quilting room that says:
My Quilting Abyss
Or
Sanctuary City
I would want to say “I LOVE QUILTING!” with this fabric line.
I want to say “Hello World. I love to make quilts!” Thanks!
The thread colors are perfect.
I love, love, love this new fabric line! I’m planning a quilt for my son for Christmas and you fabric line would be great for his love of technology. I especially love the black and white fabric with all the punctuation on it!
I would make a quilt for my granddaughter who lives in Montana letting her know that even though I live far away I always think about her. She would love this fabric collection in a quilt. Thank you so much!
Such bright happy fabric. Anything quilty item made with this fabric would say aloud “quilt love is true love”.
tushay3 (at) yahoo (dot) com
I would want to say “Shhh! Listen.”
I’m feeling like I should make a quilt that says “Trust your gut.”
I would say something like “will quilt for coffee” because those are my two favourite things…
My quilt would say, “Housework never, quilting forever!”
Beautiful colors!!! Thanks for this wonderful giveaway.