Happy Quilting Day!!

I'm back!!!  I thought that Worldwide Quilting Day would be a perfect day for me to make my reappearance into the blog-world.

The reason for my long absence?  Life!  Life had gotten in the way.  I had started a part-time job that I love.  The boys are getting older and their schedules have become busier.  And a minor medical ailment that has zapped all my energy... I just got so busy that blogging had been set aside for later, and now later has become almost a year!

I have made a promise to myself to create a post at least once a month.  I started this blog to keep track of my quilting and I had enjoyed it immensely before.  Now I will post about store samples I'm working on or my own projects, so no more excuses!!

Hope to be back soon with some photos.

Jane 

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

Snowed In

It is the end of December.  It will be the new year soon and I can't believe how fast 2012 had flown by.  And to top the year off, my part of the country was hit by a huge winter storm.  It didn't arrive until the day after Christmas.  We had received about 7 inches of snow and about 4 more inches two days later. Now, it is New Years Eve, the last day of 2012, and we are expecting another 1 to 2 more inches tonight! You could say that I've been snowed in for about a week.

 

Since I've got all this time, I thought I would be a good opportunity to update all the going-ons around here.  I've got a big adventure underway for the new year, which is the reason for my MIA this month.  With my time being occupied with the preparations of my new adventure, I had started a few posts but never been able to finish them.

Here is the first of about a handful of them: 

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With my boys' basketball schedules, I've been taking my project bag along with me.   That way I have something to do while sitting in during practices or waiting in the parking lot for the boys to be released.  I feel I would be wasting my minutes if I don't have something keeping my hands busy.  I can still watch my son's amazing skills while hand-stitching a few quilt blocks, can't I?

 

I had an idea to make a few zippered pouches to carry different items in my project bag; one for my scissors, thread, pins, another for the fabric pieces...  I had the jovial notion to make them coordinate with the bag I was using (which I haven't finished yet, but hope to have photos soon).

 

So I made the trip to the quilt shop.  To explain my reason for wanting to make the pouches, I had brought along a few some projects I had made while at those practices.  I admit, I was wanting to show them off to the shop owner, and to my surprise, she loved them and showed them off to the small class that was taking place there that day.

 

One of the ladies in the class wanted me to make five of the pincushions and...

 

 

 five of my sewing needle-cushions. She was wanting to give them as Christmas gifts for her teen daughters and her mother.



I was so thrilled that they so fond of my work!  And made a little bit of Christmas shopping money for myself as well!

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I had better get this published before the new year arrives. 

 

I wish everyone the best in 2013 and I'm looking forward to what the new year will bring my way!

 

We will meet again in 2013!

 

Jane

Owl Update

My son had presented his baby owls at school last Wednesday.  The three owls had turned to five.  One for me and him, Ms. Secretary with the additions for Ms. Teacher and Mr. Principal.  I had to put a stop to it when he wanted one for the sixth grade teacher also.  I had to tell him that we would have to give her one once he was in her class.

And I added three more owls to my new owl family.

I have seen a photo in a magazine recently, but I haven't been able to locate it again.  I had to create these three from what I could remember.  I couldn't resist the "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" theme.

I'm still thinking of more "owl" themed items I could make, but I'm getting off course.  I need to stay on path and get some of my own projects done.

Jane

Another Saturday Morning Sew-in

We had another Saturday Morning Sew-in this weekend.   In my own way, I participated using any excuse to do some sewing.

Lately, I have been finding owl projects so interesting.  I've been wanting to make an owl pillow or an owl plush softie for an while now.  So I thought a small owl pincushion would be a perfect project for the sew-in.

I had made the first one and had to show it to my son.  Since his school's mascot is the Mighty Owl, he asked if I would make one for his school's secretary.  I agreed, but then he batted his eyes at me and said "Can you make one for me too?"

So now we have three baby owls- one for Ms. Secretary, one for my son, and one for me!

They are so cute, I decided to make more for myself.  I'm using different fabrics and I'm trying to locate something I could use as a nest for them.  The new baby owls will have a little something different with them.

As soon as I'm done, I'll post photos.

Jane

A Prolonged Sew-in

I'm a little late in posting about... or you can say I couldn't stop... a Saturday Morning Sew-in from last weekend.  This last Saturday, Brye from Sew~Stitch~Create (sewstitchcreate.com) hosted a dedicated time to be at our machines.  Although I'm not active with Twitter, I still wanted to be a part of it.

Then, low and behold, we got news that my older son's basketball team was to participate in a tournament that same Saturday morning.  Although my sew-in time at my machine was nix, I could still take something with me to sew at the basketball games.

We started early-early in the morning and endured the one hour drive.  Our team had played very well, which led us to the championship game.  The game would be played in the evening, so we were there all day.  I had a lot accomplished with my hand sewing on my Kaleidoscope quilt. 

But I couldn't stop.  As of yesterday, I had continued with my own personal sew-in.  I had finished the tedious clean-up work at the game Saturday but I had added the border and edge-work.  I thought I'm going to need to see if my ideas will work, might as well try it out.

 

I think I'll use (try to envision) black as the binding...

Or should I applique the scalloped border to a black background?

What do you think?

Jane

p.s. 
At the long day of basketball, one of my son's teammate's little sister was there also, with their family.  I had caught her attention with my sewing and soon she was helping me out.  She was snipping the thread at the of its knot, and she seemed to the interested when I was explaining what I was trying to do with my quilt.
So, to help her keep her busy during those long basketball games that her older brother has to play, I thought I would make her a little bag and fill it up with some sewing things.  Hopefully, she and I will be sewing away together.

Halloween Reveal Part 2

Happy Halloween!

 And here is the costume with its accessories.

He has a large snake around his body, a monkey wrapped around his arm, and he is holding his tiger cub.  Now that's what I call an animal lover!

A surprise message came to me from my friendly librarian.  Her library had just received the newest Elm Creek Quilt book, The Giving Quilt, and asked me if I wanted her to reserve it for me.  Well, yes!!  This was on October 29, the day before its release date.  You could imagine how excited I was when I went in the next morning to pick it up and started reading.

Jane

Halloween Reveal

Although Halloween is only 6 days away, I am having to finish up my son's costume today.  His school is having their "Halloween Walk" tomorrow morning.  The school faculty takes the students, in their costumes, into town to visit local businesses and receive candy.  He will have tons of candy for me to chose from after school.

Every year, I make my kids' costumes.  I'm hoping to create memories for my boys and I love the challenge of constructing a costume from scratch. 

This year, my son came up with a pretty cool idea.  With the help of a favorite movie and his love of animals, he wanted to be a zookeeper.

I think he was inspired by the movie "Zookeeper."  And with his love of tigers, he has expressed to me how he wanted to save them from extinction.  I believe he realizes that a career in zoology may be the route to take.

I had used two patterns to make the safari shirt and pants. 

I had added the epaulettes on the shoulders and pockets to the sleeves.  I had to opt out on the shorts due to the weather tomorrow.  It's gonna be chilly in the morning!

The costume is finished but it is no yet complete.  There will be more added to it.  You'll understand why when post another photo sometime tomorrow. 

And where's my older son's costume, you may ask?  Well, he may be a little too big to be trick-or-treating, but his basketball practices have replaced his free-time.  Darn it!

Jane

Extracurricular Sewing

It's that time again!  After making, what I feel like, good progress with my Kaleidoscope quilt, I am needing a break from it.  I still love the quilt and I will continue working on it, after a short break.  I'm planning on it being the next competition quilt.  I just need to have my fingers working on something different - but NOT another quilt.  I don't need to add to that pile!

So I made a bag!  I had used some fabric I had purchased a year ago.  I still hadn't made any plans for it so I thought a bag would be a great excuse to use up some of my stash.

This bag is from a magazine I had purchased a while back.

And here's my version:

I wanted to make a bag that I wanted when I'm carrying around my quilting/sewing project.  It's a small bag, just big enough to carry an applique block or two, a zippered pouch, and a sewing needle case.

You can forget your supplies: thread, scissors, pin caddy, seam ripper, and needle case.

 

And ta-da! The extra of this tote is that it is reversible!

The only problem:

I don't do pink.

After raising two boys, pink has pretty much been erased from my house.  If I'm not going to use it, I'm guessing that someone I know may be getting a handmade Christmas gift this year!

And now that it is the time of the year when young ones will be masquerading in their Halloween costumes, I'll soon be showing what my son had chosen to dress up as.

 

Jane