JemJam

Get Your Curve On

It's almost been a year since QuiltCon, I don't think I blogged about it all, when I do stuff like that, I live to the max & am just DONE when I come home. I had a great time--too much fun really (there's a limit on wine & seam ripper alcoholic beverages, I've learned). Yikes.

One of the classes that I had was Get Your Curve On by Sherri Lynn Wood, this was the one class that I had to have, I am still so happy that I was able to enroll in it. Sherri was a great instructor, I enjoyed this class and technique so much, I found her way to be soothing and not chaotic and it is much appreciated. I prefer not to give away the structure because you should take a class from her should you ever find yourself in the vicinity of Sherri.

After QuiltCon, I brought my wedges home in one big mess, in the spring, I broke it down in to 3-4 pieces and put it away. Yesterday, I was organizing an area of Je's Bend and randomly started working on it. It grew and grew and grew! I finally put a stop to it and guess what--it is square! That is funny to me how things just happen, I think it's Sherri's mystical power...

Yeah, I do, maybe.

Now that the top is tackled, I need to figure out quilting, I think I will hand quilt this, I need a new project to take to dance & gymnastics.

Do you have any quilting suggestions? I mean, I'm probably not going to do it, but, you never know.

City Sampler Club

A few of OKCMQG members and myself are participating in a challenge for 2014, we will be making our own quilt from the book Tula Pink's City Sampler: 100 Modern Quilt Blocks.

Our (my) plan is for us to sew together once a month to see our progress throughout the year, in order to attempt to finish by year's end, we need to make 11 blocks each month if all 100 blocks are needed.

I decided to do a green quilt, I've never done a monochromatic quilt before, I hope this is a good decision. I do love green and couldn't decide between it or blue (I have more blue fabric).

I will post updates as I work on this project. Go, green!

I made one block so far (it was a sew day & one member sewed with me).

3 Baby Quilts

phone post!

A sweet artist asked me to make 3 quilts for some young ones in her life, they are siblings and wanted to give them quilts for Christmas.

 

I went back and forth on what I would do for their quilts and finally stuck to a plan to use the same fabrics for the brothers with different blocks.

My intent was to make a wonky churn dash, but I didn't cut out (or even think about) the other set of bars around the square, OH WELL.  These 2 quilts have wool batting, doesn't it looks so fluffy and warm? 

 

Here is the sister's quilt, I used the St. Louis 16-patch block, it makes a quick and substantial quilt.

Christie said that the quilts were a hit!  That makes me happy because I am always nervous to hand over my work, especially when it's commission. I'm grateful for the opportunity to make things for others, but, damn, I sure get the sweats during those final moments.  

Speaking of commission work, I can't remember if I have posted about Sam Hunter's series on placing value on your work, but, here it is:  We Are $ew Worth It.  We are worth it, our time is worth it. Sew, Mama, Sew also has an article about the subject, read it, live it.

I have a few bee blocks to make and I need to finish my Shirts Swap blocks, I do them with a beer, it's always a fun time.

 

Doll Quilt Swap 14-Received

In the post before this, I shared the quilt that I made for the Doll Quilt Swap #14. Anna (woollykat) loves her mini & I am so relieved! She does great work & I'm a fan.

This is the mini quilt that I received, it was made by Laura VanVleet & it is a striking piece! I love the colors & design of the blocks! She sent some fun scissors (yay!) & cute bird magnets (sorry, no pic). I'm pretty vague on swap questionnaires, so she did a fantastic job with few details. Thank you, Laura!

Doll Quilt Swap 14

I signed up (at the last minute) to be in Doll Quilt Swap 14 on Flickr. I like swaps and on-line groups, I love bouncing around and meeting new people. I don't like the pressure I put on myself to make things for strangers, though.  I got lucky, I am a fan of my partner and she was good about describing things that she likes.  I'm not sure if I nailed it or missed the mark, but, I do like the way that this mini quilt ended.

 

 

I used one of the templates from Carolyn Friedlander's Tangelo quilt pattern, so, it is paper pieced.  I kept skipping steps in the first block that I made, picking out paper pieced stitches is tedious as hell, once I got in a groove, it was smooth sailing!  I did not put too much thought in the arrangement of the fabrics and it put me at ease, it's so easy to stare and pick apart my work.

 

I quilted this mini in a spiral, Amanda Jean has a great tutorial on this technique.  My quilting started with free-motion (a little wonky) and ended with a regular sewing foot, it took over an hour to quilt this.  It takes me an hour to quilt baby quilts with less stunning results--noted.

I photographed this with the binding pinned (once I finish something, I'm ready to get it out of my hands), but, it was hand-stitched.  I will update this post with the label that I've been using for quilts later.

I also sent Hammond's chocolate bars to my swap partner, I think anyone who enjoys chocolate will like these.  Have you had Hammond's before?  These 2 are delicious and the red velvet is surprisingly good, too!

 

 

 

I am very busy with going back to my studio and getting Sew OK stuff done, there are still spots available, so, go ahead and register, why don't you?

Red Eye Quilt-DGS

Another do. Good Stitches quilt complete!

I had been wanting to make a quilt using this pattern, so why not entice our DGS group that they need to make a block, too?! This is such a big block, that overall I think it worked out fine, because everyone had to make just one block.

I quilted this with a variegated Aurifil thread from the Tula Pink collection, I am loving that set too much, it really is perfect for quilting.

 

Not much else to say but, thanks to our great group for such great blocks!

 

Pattern: Octagonal Orb Quilt Block by Elizabeth Hartman

 

 

 

Bobbin Loves Quilts

Let's just get this out of the way, Bobbin loves to sit on stuff that I sew, if you follow me on Instagram, you see it often.

I made this quilt top a long time ago (a trend for me lately) and quilted it a few months ago.  Finally, I but binding on it and brought it home for pictures.  I have an idea of what to do with this quilt, but, I'm not saying what yet.  

 

 

I backed this quilt with velveteen and boy, is it luxurious!  It quilts like a dream and it a little heavier/warmer than a regular quilting cotton-backed quilt.  I did make my binding a little wider to account for the bulk (I also machine attached it).

 

 

I used the 1,600" quilt pattern for the top and added side borders to make the size somewhat functional.

 

 

Oh, Bobbin likes to eats quilts, too...

 

Fabrics:

Loulouthi by Anna Maria Horner jelly roll, binding, and velveteen

Echo by Lotta Jansdotter for the borders

 

Checkers Quilt

A long time ago, I received blocks for my do. Good Stitches group and I finally put it together! So many excuses and events, but, whatever, it is done! Thanks, Harmony group, for being so patient!

 

                    Bobbin studying the quilt 

 

I will be sending this to Project Linus very soon with the quilt I show next. Yep, I have 2 more to show you from me being a quilter in DGS. I have one complete (need to make the pillow to go with it) and one to finish.

I thought that I could easily be a quilter in this group, but, I am so busy and I feel bad to get behind. I will be caught up before it is my month again and I will remain a quilter because I do enjoy the work, as long as it isn't too much of a problem for my group, I will continue to donate my time. Ugh, life is hard...

Improv Curves-Trimming

About a month ago, OKC Modern Quilt Guild had Lisa Calle as a guest, she spoke to us one day and taught a class another.  She showed us improv curves, it was a great class because it was basically a demo, then we sewed for a few hours.

 

I am trimming my blocks this weekend (I made 100) and after Thanksgiving, I will work on construction.  I really can't believe that I am trying to squeeze in a project right now, but, I'm really excited about this quilt!  

Oh yes, I pieced all of the blocks on my white Singer Featherweight.

 

 

During class with OKCMQG, I passed out little card holders to the students, I love making little things to give away, sometimes it hinders life progress, but, I can usually get things complete.  Every single one of these are scraps from other projects--pillows, clothes, crib sheet, bags, to name a few.  

If you are attending DELUXE WINTER MARKET this year, I will be providing these little card holders in swag bags!

 

Fabrics used:

Fellow member & teaching buddy, Emily and I both used the Lulu Summers line, Summersville, we picked a lot of solids to mix up with our prints and it will be interesting to see how each of ours looks.  

I hope to have this quilt done in time for the Oklahoma Winter Quilt Show, where we will have an exhibit and information booth about our guild, go us!

 

 

My Colors

After too much pondering, I have selected and cut fabric for a quilt top that I'm testing. I was going to do something "safe" and that appeals to more people, WTF? These are my colors (with the addition of the yellow), I'm loud and I'm proud.

Phone post!