Store Sample Projects

Here are some projects I had made with Ellie, my new sewing machine. 

I had pieced a quilt-top for a baby quilt.  It was a quick and easy project using a panel in the center of the quilt.  I had pieced it entirely using the start/stop button.  My foot never touched the foot pedal.

Please excuse my son's BIG shoes!

A close-up view of the fabrics.

I had made a baby bib with the left over fabric.

I had even machine-quilted the bib.  It was a little practice using the darning foot on the machine.  I had some issues with the tension, but it was a good way of learning how to make changes through the LCD screen.  And the speed control was a great help!  I may have had a better time machine-quilting on my other machines if I was able to have it at a consistent slow speed while I maneuvered the fabric.

I'm hoping to be able to bring the quilt-top back home and quilt it on Ellie.  I hope I'm not getting over-confident with myself, but I'm looking forward to searching for quilt designs to use on it!!

Jane

A Gift from Mama

I would like to show you an unexpected gift from my mama.

A new sewing/embroidery machine!! 

 

It's a Babylock Ellure Plus!  I think I'll call her Ellie.

It was after Christmas and before my birthday, so what was the occasion, you may ask?  My parents are both retired and enjoy spending their time traveling around, in their camper, to prime fishing locations.  Last summer, my mama had an idea that she would embroider garments and sell them while they were at different campsites.  A fun way to make a little extra cash.  So she purchased a new embroidery machine.

But life interrupted her plans.  Her uncle had died from a stroke and she was responsible for the care of his surviving wife.  Taking over all their responsibilities has taken a lot of her free time.  No time to learn how to operate a new machine. 

I appreciate the wonderful gift she gave to me.  I has been a learning process for me to stitch a straight line.  Since my regular sewing machine is old school, the needle-threader, needle up/down positioner, and the automatic thread cutter are new to me. 

 

The LCD screen is a brand new technology that I was very intimidated by, but I am slowing learning how to maneuver around in it.

 

 

And to my surprise, it's an embroidery machine very similar to the ones sold at the store that I work at. So eventually, I'll be very familiar with the machine for when I will be selling them in the future!

With my work schedule, I really haven't had time to play around with it.  This week is my boys' spring break from school, so I'm staying home with them which has given me some free time to play!!  I've made a few small items with them and I'll have to show them soon.

Jane

Barn Quilt Trail

In the area where I reside, my county will be celebrating its 200th birthday with beautiful barn quilt blocks dotting the landscape.  They are calling it "The Bicentennial Barn Quilt Tour."

 

Although the barn quilt tour doesn't officially start until April, I've already spotted a few blocks.  And as the quiltgeek that I am, I'm wanting to participate, too!

I don't live in a barn, and I don't want my house to be a part of the tour, but I want to place a quilt block in front of my house as a devoted quilter.  How could I not resist!

Block design pencilled on wood

Using masking tape in the painting process

Finished!

 

If only fabric projects were finished this quickly - and this cheap!  The wood was only about $3.00!

 

Just another example of my quilty craze!

 

Jane 

The Big Reveal!

As you may already know, I've been very busy.  And I couldn't ask for a better reason to be busy - I work at a quilt shop!!

I am helping SewTech, a sewing machine dealer and quilt store, built their web-store. 

My current job is conquering the fabrics, but I'm not complaining!!  I love this fabric wall.

Other than fabrics, notions, and patterns (coming soon on the web-store),  SewTech is a Brother and Juki sewing machine dealer as well as Handiquilter long-arm quilting machines.  Honestly, I love my job!!

I'm hoping this quilting machine and I become the best of friends!!

 

 

As soon as I wrap-up getting all the fabrics on-line (I just hit 500 bolts), I will be trained on how the machines work, from embroidery to quilting .  That'll mean practice, practice, practice!  Did I say that I love my job!!

 

So please make a visit at our website at: http://sewtech-evv.com/ and like us on our Facebook page.

I'm planning on filling the web-store with all kinds of goodies, so I hope you visit often.

 

Thank you for my plug!!!

 

Jane

Rotary Cutter Virgin No More

When it comes to quiltmaking, I am old school.  I prefer to mark my fabric with a regular pencil and cut my pieces out with a pair of scissors.  I've used this process with all of my quilts.  And I enjoy making quilts this way.

If you look under my header, in "My Quilting Story," I've stated that I am a ROTARY CUTTER VIRGIN.  After this post, I will have to change that.

It was two days ago, in the quilt store, that I got to cut fabric for a customer!  I hope I didn't look as awkward as I was feeling.  And this morning, I got to cut my own fabric.  I'm planning on making some small, easy projects with the fabrics I had just entered into the website, to help promote some sales.

I will continue to use my trusty ol' scissors when I'm on this and other projects.

Next week, I'll reveal my new projects along with the introduction of the web store that I've been working on!!

Jane

Time For a New Read?

Jennifer Chiaverini, the author of the Elm Creek Quilt books, has just came out with another new book, Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker.

 

 

 

This new book doesn't follow the story line of the previous books.  It dips into the Civil War era, as some of the author's other storylines do.  It was The Runaway Quilt and The Lost Quilter that had gotten me so interested in the Civil War. 

 

I can't wait to start reading but finding time to read a book may be more difficult now.

 

Jane

Am I Coming Down With Something?!?

The flu epidemic still persists across our country.  I've been quite fortunate that it hasn't hit our family hard (my youngest has had a low fever a couple of days but I don't know if it is flu related - the flu vaccine may have helped).  But I may have contracted another illness.  I think I may have QUILT POX!!

I think I may have been diseased from my local quilt shop.  I've been hanging around there, perhaps more than I should.  Which isn't a bad thing, right? 

But serious...the quilt shop owner had a website for her shop that wasn't being utilized to it's full potential.  I had been looking for a particular fabric I had purchased in her brick and mortar store.  I wanted to check her website before making the trip, and I found out she wasn't using the "fabric" category of her website.  

So what did I do?  I offered to help her add fabrics into her web store.  I knew that I wasn't the only person who searched for fabrics on the web, and she could profit from that. 

So, as of the last two weeks, I have been diligently been imputting fabric names, desciptions, pattern #'s, prices... into the website.  I find myself in heaven when I'm at her shop because it is MY job to throw myself into all her quilting fabrics!!  And I couldn't ask for a better schedule.  It allows me to choose which days to come in and scan fabric images and gather info on them.  Then I can work from home and be with my family.  I'm only away when my boys are at school, so to them, I'm still their stay-at-home mom.

Sometimes I feel that I've over-filled my plate at times, but it fills good that I am helping out my new boss.  I feel that I am getting something important accomplished.

As soon as I get all the fabrics into the website, I'll be able to share it with you.  Hope it will be soon.  Now...back to work!!!

Jane

Lonely Quilt Gets Recognition

 

My favorite librarian had asked me if I had a quilt she could use in a display at her library a while ago.  She had asked for a lap quilt but I told her that I had a small quilt she could use.  It was the first quilt I had started when I was pregnant with my first son.

sign sitting on top of quilt 

During my first son's pregnancy, I was obsessed with any reading material I could get my hands on- from books to magazines to pamphlets from the doctor's office.  The first book I had purchased was "What to Expect When You're Expecting."  It had become my pregnancy bible.  After reading it every single day, I had noticed the quilt that was on the cover of the book.

The book cover has changed since the one that I had but I believe the quilt in the background is still the same or very similiar.

 

 1986 book cover

 

updated 2008 book cover 

 

At that same time, "Simply Quilts" was still on television and I thought I would make this quilt for the new baby.  So with my novice enthusiasm, I had gone to the nearest fabric store, with my book in hand.  As best as I could, I matched the fabrics with the colors on the book. 

 

But once I got home and had the diamond shaped cut out, I was unsure how to piece them together.  I had decided to hand-piece would be the simplest method to use.  Once I had run out of fabric, I was fortunate enough that it was a good size baby quilt.  But then I had to construct a border.  And lastly, the most complicated part of the quilt for me, at the time, the quilting.

 

finished baby quilt

 

Because of the little mistakes, this quilt hasn't been any quilt competitions.  It sits in the cabinet along with the other quilts that possess prize ribbons. But for the time being, it sits center stage at the library for all to see.  When I see it there, it reminds me that I have come a long way in my quilting journey.  It make me remember where I started and, if I believe and dream big, my journey can become limitless.

 

Jane