Small-Scale High Fashion

If you're a follower of this blog, you've seen Judy Hansen's two most recent lines, Garden Whimsy and Cook's Helper in quilts, aprons, bags, and more, but we bet you've never seen these fabrics on Barbie dolls!

Until today.

Rita Nussbaumer, a sewer who shops at Judy Hansen's store, Quilt Shop of Deland, shared her story with us. Through a pastor friend, Rita contributes shoeboxes of basic hygiene items and toys that are sent on mission trips for needy children.

The boxes are supposed to include a toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, bar of soap and a facecloth (which Rita knits), then she adds a coloring book, crayons, balloons – ''whatever other little treasures I find on clearance,'' she says, as well as pencils and a pencil sharpener.

Last year, Rita began buying used Barbies and making clothes for the dolls to go in the little girls' boxes, many of whom have never had a doll. Enter Judy's fabric. ''I saw Judy's main print [from the Garden Whimsy line)—it's small but it has so much color that you can put anything together with it. It was just perfect!" She uses old patterns from when her daughters were young, and aims for finger-friendly clothing for easy wardrobe changes.

From August through November last year, Rita stitched clothes and hunted down/received used Barbies for 40 boxes. This year, she started right after winter, and has 5 big boxes of clothes already made. A gift certificate she received for Christmas went toward more of Judy's Garden Whimsy fabrics, as well as some from Cook's Helper.

Friends scout yard sales for used Barbies, buying them for $1-$2 each, and Rita cleans them up, combs their hair, dresses them. ''I usually put one robe in the box with a nightie with a long and short bottom, a jumpsuit, a dress, jumper, undies, and a variety of blouses with shorts, slacks, culottes, knickers and skirts - all mix and match to make more outfits,'' Rita says.

''The kids carry those shoeboxes around for years because that's all they have what's in that box. I can sew some scraps together and give them something special," Rita says.

Rita, thanks so much for sharing your story!  

Meet Judy Hansen

 Judy Hansen has the right idea—not only does she design fabric for Fabri-Quilt, but she owns The Quilt Shop of Deland in Florida. Talk about having built-in focus groups as she dreams up a new fabric line!  I get a wealth of ideas listening to my customers," she says. ''They are my inspiration, and [seeing what they like] helps me know what it takes—usually just one focus fabric print, and then blenders—quilters love blenders."

And don't forget stripes. ''Stripes sell and sell. I always have them in my line."

Customers at the shop serve as Judy's inspiration for designing fabric.

To the quilt shop owner experience, Judy adds in twenty years as a school teacher and a degree in art—all three make a powerful combination. ''I have drawn, painted, and sewed my whole life,'' Judy says. However, ''I am left handed and right moused, so [making art] on the computer is difficult. I like pen and pencil, and paper and watercolors. I think the painterly look brings a freshness to my lines."

That painterly quality was particularly evident in her first collection, Bella Flora, which was inspired by Van Gogh paintings.

Judy's first collection, Bella Flora, in all its Van Gogh-inspired glory

In addition to Bella Flora, Judy's lines to date include: Christmas Memories, Radiance, Christmas Traditions (available now), Garden Whimsy (available now), and Cook's Helper (available in October).

''I still tingle thinking about the day Fabri-Quilt asked me to design fabric. I don't take it for granted. It was a great moment."

Next up: A look at Garden Whimsy.