Catch UP

I know I've been a little MIA on the blog. No biggie, right?  I know you're all waiting with baited breath for my quilty news!  ha ha.   I've neglected bloglovin', too and there are 342 blog posts to read.  Ugh!

 I do have a few finishes to report. (since Christmas!)

 

I love this pattern from Charise Creates. These darling hot pads made great teacher gifts. They were so much fun to whip up!  I also became obsessed with finding the vine flower print from Sweet Broderie because of her sample. Isn't it fab? No luck in finding it yet.

I finished Amelia's dolly quilt and cradle pad a few days before Christmas. I measured the pad to be the same size as the cradle, but I should have made it an inch larger. I didn't think about the batting 'shrinking' it, whoops!

Two baby showers last month required two baby quilts. The boy one is a copy cat of something I saw somewhere on the interwebs. If you know where, tell me so I can give credit! I looooove how it turned out.

The turquoise strips were from one piece of fabric that was divided into six sections from selvage to selvage.  Each section was printed a darker turquoise than the last.  I bought it a few years ago and now I can't remember who made it, dang it! I also added a strip of a textured Moda turquoise (the tweed from Mod Century) just for visual interest.

The girl quilt is from the pennant pieces I cut out ages ago. It uses a favorite Alexander Henry print on the back, from Monkey Bizness.  The binding is a sweet Benartex floral I got in the bargain basement of a craft store in Rexburg with Jenni.  Jenni, did you get any of it?

Currently I am working on that Lotta Confetti Quilt, playing around with a layout and trying to decide what I like best.   Off Center? Bordered on all sides?  Or just one or two?  Any suggestions?

Soon I'll be starting a quilt for Jenni's new grandson!  He's coming to stay next month and I can't wait to kiss all over that sweet baby neck!

XOXO- Pinspot

The Oldest WIP in the World

Enter to win a bundle of SCRUMPTIOUS in our GIVEAWAY!

About ten years ago, a woman in my church congregation offered a class on learning to quilt.  We'd lean six different blocks, plus sashing, sandwiching, quilting and finishing.  I signed up right away- I've always been intrigued by sewing and fabric.  I had no sewing machine, and no equipment.  Just a nice pair of Gingher scissors that Jenn gave me as a bridesmaid gift (best gift ever!)  I had to borrow everything I used.  Well, my congregation grew and was divided when a new chapel was finished.  She went one way, I went the other.  I got this far and had no idea how to do the rest:

Fast forward 8 years when I got seriously bitten by the quilting bug.  I pulled out this old WIP and was pretty much horrified by what I saw.  My points are ATROCIOUS:

For a long time I didn't think it was worth finishing.  Now I feel like it's part of the history of my hobby, and I want to honor that history, even the ugly parts.  I can finish it and bring it out at Christmas.  

I bought this gorgeous piece of Alexander Henry (I think it's called Joy) for the back, but the reds are just a bit off.  Not quite sure if I can live with that, or if I want to save this piece for something more fabulous.  I truly love this fabric.  Will using it make me like my WIP better?

I'm also pulling fabrics for a Noodlehead pouch, as that seems to be the clear winner!  Now I have to brave the cold and snow to go get some zippers.  This one will be for my Be/Fri who loves black and white and red and polka dots.  

WIP List:

(Want you to make me feel, like I'm the) Oldest WIP in the world

Pot Holders for teacher- buy potholder material

Zipper pouches for everyone I know- Buy 457 zippers

Starburst of India- quilt that thing already!

Bedding for Mimi's cradle- SO EXCITED to start this one!

XOXOX- Pinspot

Linking up with Freshly Pieced

Did you know it takes FOREVER to make a quilt!

Sorry It's been so long! I have been sewing, a little bit a couple days a week.  At this pace I will NEVER get my WIPs  finished.  I feel like I am being punished having to complete a quilt before I start a new one. UGH!  But... I ....must..... perservere. So here's a little finish. 
This is one of the first projects I started when I decided I wanted to become a "quilter", about a year and a half ago.  Oh my have I learned a lot since then. 
I was REALLY bad at quilting when I first started.
Since then I purchased a 1/4 pressure foot, best $55. I've spent in a long time.
My cutting is way more accurate. I read somewhere that all of your rulers should be the same manufacturer, that sounds like a good idea to me. I'm going to work on that.
I'm still below average at FMQ. But I plan to practice, practice, practice! 
Have a happy day!
Jenni

Rexburg

Today I feel so blessed to wake up in Rexburg, Idaho.  Heather and I got to fly up to see Kirsten and Seth, we had to get a look at the baby bump, and maybe feel a few little kicks.  The weather is perfect.  My sweet sister, Mindy and her crew are driving up tonight to hang out with us.  I am soooo excited to see her.
I do have a Friday finish.  I really wanted to get Heathers rain quilt, the beast, finished before our little weekend get-away, and I did manage it!  So here are a million pictures.
xoxo
Jenni

Colored Mums-A Finish

I finished this quilt top a week or two ago, but have just been waffling on the backing. I wasn't sure if I wanted a solid backing, or a pieced backing. In the end I went with a pieced backing, and I love it! Then I wasn't sure about the binding. Did I want a crimson binding? Or a yellow/orange/pink stripe binding (old HR print)? So I cut both of them out and gave them auditions. The crimson won out. So here it is, my Colored Mums, lying on my piece of the prairie. 

I quilted it in that giant spool of variegated yellow thread that I don't have anymore cause I used the rest of it on this. Sadness. I'll have to buy some more.

Wyatt was SOO excited to hold the quilt up to take a picture. Usually he has to sneak into the pictures, but this time, it was all him! See how happy he is?! He's such a little nugget!

Stats:
42x54"
Lots of Kona-Bone, Crimson, that's all I could tell ya
Prints are from DayDream by Cyndi Walker for Riley Blake

Linking up with SwimBikeQuilt for the Other Side of the Quilt

Have a great week
-Jenn

Cursive E and L

I tried free-motion quilting (FMQ) for the first time. After practicing until there was nothing left of a scrap 10x10 piece of fabric, I figured it was go time. I very quickly realized that it is so easy! And would be WAY easier if:

1. My machine's throat/harp space was more than 3 1/2 inches

2. My machine had an extension table or...

3. My machine was inset into a table

4. The edge of my machine to the needle was bigger than 4 inches

5. I had a Juki, or Bernina, or longarm, or shortarm, or....

But regardless, it was still pretty easy for the most part. It seriously only took maybe 4 hours, at most. Now mind you, I'm not a perfectionist. And Wyatt jumped on my back every chance he got, which you can clearly see in the stitching. But overall, I'm pretty happy with it.

The design I decided to go with may look like it's just loops, but really, it's my daughter's name in cursive. Which just happens to be my most favorite name to write in cursive. If you know me, you know that I write in all CAPS all the time. Unless it's her name, then it's lower case cursive. It's just so fun! And delicate. And beautiful. And...Elle. Try it. You'll be addicted. 

Now perhaps I shouldn't have used a solid backing for my first foray into FMQ, but when I basted this all together, I wasn't really planning on FMQ, I was planning on straight-line quilting (which is really one of my most favorite looks). However all that glorious space just cried for Elle's name to be written all over it. Which is exactly what it got. 

 It looks a lot wrinklier than it really is. I actually lays quite flat. 

This binding is probably my most favorite print in the universe! I have yards and yards of it! Thankfully, it wasn't a fortune at the time. I bought it at Joann's years ago. One of their vintage repro's.  And I got it for a little over a dollar a yard. I am hoarding it. 

I used Katie of Swim Bike Quilt's tutorial for the front of the quilt. I just couldn't bear to cut into these cute Baby Jane fabrics! And I'm such a sucker for stars! Do I feel bad that I didn't donate it to charity?? Yes, yes I do. Am I making one to donate to a little girl with cancer? Yes, yes I am. 

I usually go against protocol and wash all my quilts on hot. This time I just washed on warm, and added 3 color catchers. Clearly they did their job. I used Kona Red for the back. 

 I was a nice gray, rainy day, which made this quilt extra cuddly and warm. And it made the red pop a little more. 

 There's my little photobomber, making some sort of face.... He's so snugly! By the way, he's wearing a 36 year old polyester shirt that my mother-in-law kept for my husband to have his kids wear. Let me tell you, polyester lasts FOR.EV.ER. He's our 3rd boy to wear the 10 shirts that were handed down....

Stats:

60"x77"

Fabric-Baby Jane by Eric and Julie Comstock for Moda; Kona Red; Les Amis by Patty Sloniger Faux Bois in white and gray; a Sweet Broderie print in red by Rosalie Quinlan for Lecien (my most all time fav line they've ever put out)

Binding-vintage repro

Pieced-by me

FMQ-by me (yay!) in variegated yellow thread

That's all folks!

XO

Jenn

Help!

How should I quilt this beast, I mean beauty.  Actually this darn quilt has turned into a beast. It was super easy to cut and piece together.  I am SO glad Heather wanted little white window frames, love them!  It has been sitting on the bed in my craft room for weeks. Heather has been so patient waiting for me to quilt it. Last night I showed her this darling little block I made for a new quilt I just started.  She said, "I can't be happy about another new quilt (third one since the beast has been ready to quilt) until you finish my quilt".  So I made up my mind that I would do nothing else until this beast was ironed and pin basted.  Oh boy, 3 hours later!  While I was ironing I noticed that the sashing is way "loose".  It's like a different size than the blocks, what the heck!  It's even rippling on the edges.  How does this happen? Then I made my quilt sandwich, three times, and finally figured out that the back is 2 inches smaller than the top.  And just last night I was bragging on myself that I am sooo good with quilty math! Serves me right, gosh dang it!  I had to rip it apart and cut a bigger piece.  Anyway, I'm struggling with how to quilt it.  Please advise!  I will let Heather have the ultimate say, as long as It's straight line and not labor intensive. Ok, ok I will have the last say and heather can give a bit of input.
P.S. The sooner I get some help the sooner the beast is out of my sight, the happier I will be, please hurry!
Xoxo
Jenni

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced 

A quick quilt!

Since I was so frustrated with the time it takes to make a quilt, I decided to throw a quilt together so I could feel a sense of accomplishment.  4 hours later I felt waaaaay better!  This is a great way to make a cute quick quilt.  I LOVE this fabric.  I wish I had purchased 3 times more.  Jenn, do you remember when I bought this?  We were together, but I don't remember where we were.  I don't think I am going to be able to give this one away.