Inside Designer and Giveaway with Me & My Sister

300 Comments / By / September 11, 2011
This Giveaway is Now Closed

Have you heard of Me & My Sister Designs?  I bet you have and you may not even realize it!  They are the designers behind fun lines like Amelia, Ready Set Snow, Dilly Dally, and so many more.

I had the opportunity to interview Barb and Mary recently and here is what we chatted about:


Barb & Mary
Melissa: Where do you find your inspiration for both your fabrics and your patterns?

Barb & Mary: We find inspiration for our fabrics everywhere … sometimes it’s a small flower on an old scrap of fabric or a greeting card. Most of the time it just comes from doodles. Mary used to use graph paper to sketch out our patterns. Now she does most of it on the computer.

Barb’s Favorite Fabric Design
Mary’s Favorite Fabric Design
Melissa: I love your Amelia fabrics and I have noticed that flowers play a large part of your fabric design? What draws you into flowers and how do you make them so playful?

Barb & Mary: Thank You!  I think the playfulness comes from the original doodles. The flowers start out very primitive with simple shapes and that helps to keep them whimsical and playful.

A bundle of their first group – Pedal Pushers
Melissa: Is every project a collaboration between the two of you or do you design your projects separately and finalize them together?

Most everything is a joint effort. We usually get together 3 or 4 times a week and either sit in front of the computer, test sew, or tweak fabric ideas. But after the initial pattern pages are written … Mary does all the computer graphics by herself.

Melissa: I would love to learn more about your creative process, would you mind sharing how you go about designing a quilt pattern?

Our designs are simple so lots of time the process is too. Sometimes we actually cut up fabric, but most of the time we just start with a square on the computer screen, chop it up and put it back together. We have been doing this for so many years now it comes naturally.

Melissa: I absolutely love your quilt pattern “Orange Slices”, and Sunni loves Spin Cycle. What would you say is your favorite pattern? How do you come up with the names for your patterns, they are all so fun!

Barb & Mary: Orange Slices is one of Mary’s all time favorites! Pinwheels are my favorite block … so I like Spin Cycle! I love making half square triangles! We got in a faze where we were naming all our patterns after food. Had to stop that! I think we were naming them before lunch!

Orange Slices – Courtesy of Me & My Sister Designs
Melissa: How did you break into the fabric designing business?  We know you owned your own shop and have since sold it to focus on designing, was it a difficult transition? Do you miss owning a shop?

Barb & Mary: To be honest … no we do not miss owning the shop. We do miss the people!  But not the hard work of being a shop owner! Owning the shop taught us a lot about the quilting business and provided us with contacts. Even after selling the shop we kept in contact with our Moda sales rep Ron Wiggins, who mentored us with the shop and with branching out into fabric and patterns.

Melissa: As sisters, do you find that working together has made you closer?  From your website it seems like the whole family is, in some form or another, involved in your business – does everyone also sew and create with you?

Barb & Mary: I can’t say that it has made us closer. We have always been good friends, except for a period of time when we were in high school! Hated each other for several years. Mom used to threaten to lock us in a room together to see who came out alive! But after college and when the families started to grow all that luckily disappeared. Four of the five sisters quilt.  My son and daughter in law stuff patterns and Mary’s daughters both help with the computer work and graphic design. They help teach us new things on the computer everyday! Both our husbands build the props for our market booths. It really is a family run business!!!!

You may be wondering…what are Barb and Mary giving away?!?  One charm pack of Amelia and one charm pack of Dilly Dally!  There will be 2 lucky winners for this giveaway!

Image Courtesy of Fat Quarter Shop – also available for purchase there!
Dilly Dally – Image Courtesy of Old Country Store Fabrics – also available for purchase there





How can you enter?


1. Head over to Me & My Sister Designs and tell me what your favorite pattern is – one entry!


2. Head over to Me & My Sister Designs blog – say Hi & Tell them that we sent you! – come back here and tell me that you did. – one entry!


3. Go like us on Facebook – come back here and tell me that you did – one entry!


That is 3 possible entries! Woot!  We like to give these great prizes to our faithful Brother Lovers so make sure you are a follower!


For an additional entry – blog, facebook, or tweet about this giveaway.


This giveaway will run from August 29th to September 4th – a winner will be announced on September 5th – Labor Day.


Good Luck!


300 thoughts on “Inside Designer and Giveaway with Me & My Sister”

  1. stephmabry

    I love the hopscotch pattern – so clever!

    Great interview, and thanks for the chance to win!

    Stephmabry_at(yahoo)dot*com

  5. Pat V.

    I popped on over to Me & My Sister's blog, which I've been following for a while, BTW. Thanks for the giveaway!

  11. Bright Angel

    My favorite pattern would have to be either the Tipsy Quilt or Bella. I just love their fabrics and designs! Thanks for the chance to win some of their fabric! 🙂

  13. Kris C.

    My favorite has to be either Happy Dance or Spin Cycle. Thanks for hosting the giveaway! 😉

  21. Deborah in Atlanta

    I visited the "Me & My Sister Designs" blog – said Hi & told them that you sent me!

  22. Pam

    I like the Orange Slices too because of the color but I really like the frog patch pattern. My grandma would love some of those.

  26. Jules

    Posted on Me & My Sister Designs blog, told them Love Affair With My Brother sent me 🙂

  32. PDXPam

    I really like the Charm Flys pattern. Actually I love them all, but if I had to choose one that would be the one.

    (Amelia is my fave all time fabric!!)

  34. Laila L S

    I like the Orange SLices pattern and the Juliet bag pattern. Can't decide which one I like the most.

  36. WandaFish

    I love lots of the patterns – they're as much fun as their fabrics! One of my faves at the moment is Tipsy.
    Thanks for the interview and giveaway 🙂

  38. Bright Angel

    I visited their blog. Such wonderful fabrics and designs! What a great giveaway! Thanks. 🙂

  47. Stray Stitches

    My favorite pattern is Happy Dance. Thanks for the opportunity to enter your great giveaway!

  48. Mary Grace McNamara

    I love the zig zag design in the Easy as 7, 8, 9 pattern set. Their fabrics are all so happy and I love charm packs, so thanks for this chance!

    MGM

  55. mblittle5

    Visited Barb & Mary's blog and told them I came from you. Actually, I've been a follower of theirs for a while now.

  68. Peggy

    I know this won't count as an entry, but I forgot to say that I absolutely LOVE Dilly Dally! I clicked on the shop link you left and it does not work. sigh…

  71. Victoria Paige @ Boutique Uniquely

    Great interview! So fun to read.

    My favorite pattern is the hopscotch! It is SEW cute 🙂

  72. Kathy

    I went over there to tell them that you sent me. Now I'm back here from there. (Sounds like something the Cat In the Hat would do.)

  75. Kathy

    I really like their Hopscotch pattern. Seeing Spots is a close second, though. I like their pictures — so fun!

  80. Sue K

    Me & My Sister sent me here to you…now I am going back there to leave a comment. I love Happy Dance. I love being happy and dancing and this quilt makes me want to do both.

  83. Jo

    I really like almost all of the patterns at Me and My Sister but my 2 faves are Happy Dacne and (oh heck I just ordered it and now I forgot the name) the butterfly one. Thanks for taking your time to host the giveaway

  84. Mom2RyandSis

    Lots of cute patterns Easy as 7 8 9 is my favorite, that way I don't have to choose just one 🙂

  97. Carolyn

    I love their patterns and have quite a few of them. Gosh, it's hard to pick, but since I'm into purses and totes right now, I think I will say Juliet. 🙂

  107. Alicia

    I love the 7,8,9 and 10,11,12. I think its great to pack so much wonderful, flowery punch in to one pattern!

  112. Karen

    My favorite is #MMS20100023, three patterns in one… perhaps the fabric influenced my choice… 🙂

  114. Karen

    And I've liked you on Facebook… thanks for the giveaway opportunity, someone will be a lucky quilter!

  127. Michele

    I visited Me and My Sister Designs and my favorite patters are the "Spin Cycle" and "Orange Slices".

  131. Quilts And Pieces

    I love so many of "Me and My Sister" patterns, but my all time favorite is Baker's Square. I"ve made so many of those already!

  139. Allison C

    I'm a dog owner so I have to go with Nickel Dogs….so cute! The hopscotch pattern is pretty cool too!

  143. Janet

    I visited Me and My Sister Designs shop and what I like is the Village Bag. I need a new bag and this design looks awesome.

  144. Janet

    I said a great big hello to Barb and Mary on their blog and thanked them for the giveaway. So nice!

  148. Nancy

    I posted on the Me and My Sister blog–love their patterns and fabrics! Thanks for the info about them and the great giveaway!!

  149. The Junk-It Folk

    I left a little HELLO message at Sisters! I follow their blog on Reader. Thanks for the give away!

  151. The Junk-It Folk

    I love the HAPPY DANCE! That's my catch phrase when things are going good! Thanks for the give away!

  153. Nancy

    It's hard to pick a favorite pattern, but I decided on Easy as 7-8-9; love the rick-rack look of one of the choices!!!

  178. Quilter in the Gap

    My favorite pattern is Happy Dance. Love the way your eye moves around that quilt. Thanks for sharing.

  179. Quilter in the Gap

    I said hi on their blog and found out about a blog hop…what fun that will be. Thanks again.

  191. Miss Nancy

    Love the bags and the Easy as 7..8..9 quilt pattern. Great patterns!

    Have a super great day and thank you for this giveaway.

  192. Miss Nancy

    Visited Me and My Sister. Great and fun blog. Left a comment. Thank you for this giveaway. Love their fabrics.

    Have a super great sewing and stitching day.

  193. KMSC

    I visited Me and My Sister Blog and told them you sent me. Thanks for the chance to win some of their fabric.

  212. MosaicMagpie

    The frog patch pattern is too cute and perfect for crazy quilting! What a cute post this was!
    Deb

  213. jmniffer

    I like the XOXO pattern. Looks doable for a beginner like myself. Thanks for the chance at your giveaway.

  214. jmniffer

    I am already a follower of Me and My Sisters Designs. I did go there and left a comment. Thanks for the chance at your giveaway.

  232. corina

    Easy Bake is my favorite pattern. I love Dilly Dally. I have only been able to find 2 of the three prints locally so would love to win a charm pack!

  234. Happy Cottage Quilter

    I love the Pinafore bag. I have the pattern and fabric all waiting for on the time factor 🙂 The Midge bag is cute too!

  237. VickiT

    Gosh, just ONE I like? That's a tough one since I love so many. My favorite as of now however, would have to be "Tipsy Quilt". I love the lines in this quilt.

  241. Snoodles

    Because my FB page is for my "product" the OleFrogEyes site, I can't "like" you, but I added you to the favorites on my page, so my followers will see you there!
    Thanks for the chance to win!

  246. luvtoquilt

    I like the pattern for Lemon Blush — it's fun to use the precuts, and this uses jelly rolls.

  255. shez

    my favourite pattern is the Juliet bag and i love the fabric it is made in and mon the 5th is my birthday,so i am keeping my fingers crossed,and thankyou for a chance.

  256. shez

    Me and my sister sent me and thankyou for a chance to win this lovely prize,and monday the 5th is my birthday so i am keeping fingers and legs crossed.

  260. Linda

    I happened into your blog tonight! And I happened into a bunch of Me and My Sister fabrics today and had to bring them home! What a coincidence! I had not been in a shop in a while, and went in for something completely different.
    My favorite pattern is Tipsy Quilt.

  271. Carla

    My favorite pattern would be the Tipsy Quilt. There are so many cool patterns, it was a hard choice… 🙂

  277. Quilter Kathy

    I love all their patterns (and fabric!) but I have seen their "Leap Frog" pattern made up and it is awesome!

  281. annmarie

    Kiss Me Kate & Happy Dance are my 2 favorite patterns ober at Me & My Sister's. Thanks for the chance to win 1 of their cool charms too.

  282. annmarie

    I told Barb & Mary over at Me & My sisters just how much I kie their blog, their patterns, & their fabric!

  284. Linda in PA

    I left a comment for Barb and Mary over on their blog. I am a follower here. Thanks for the giveaway.

  286. Aimee @ Just Kidding Around Atlanta

    Love the Spin Cycle pattern!! I'm a new GFC follower, too. Thanks for the chance to win!

    aimee @
    justkiddingaroundatlanta

  287. Louise

    Sweet Baby Jane would be my favorite as I really like traditional patterns. They are all so fun, though!

  293. Sue

    Wow. It's so difficult to pick just one pattern, but I'm really loving that Juliet. Thanks so much for the chance!

  299. Nanbon44

    left comment on Me and My Sister's blog. I also have it saved as my favorite place. I enjoyed the visit and will have to go back.

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