Baby Booties

Have a look at these baby booties.  Aren't they cute?  My daughter is about to have her first baby and has been passing the time here at the end of her pregnancy by making cute little things for her baby.  She's amazing!  She can just pick up some yarn and a hook, and Blamo....baby booties.  I have never been able to crochet.  If I picked up a ball of yarn and a hook, well, we'd just have a big fuzzy mess!

The white table the booty is sitting on is not a white table....it's her tummy.  Lol.  It makes a good table though, doesn't it?!

Another project! Oh dear!

This is the fourth project I have started in a months time.  I have to stop starting projects.  Okay....so here's my goal for November:  complete at least two of the projects I have already started.  Do you think I can do this?  Eeek, I don't knowww.  This is going to be hard.  I love starting new things.

I do love this big block.  It's 30x30.

Jessica

Show and Tell

I quilted this quilt several months ago.  It's one of those quilts that I just didn't want to give back.  It was a southwestern beauty.....that's for sure!!

Block number Two Re-Do

Block number two is redone and I like it much better.  I kept the center black and white section and created from there.

My sewing/dining room table is a huge mess.  Little bits of black, green and white fabric everywhere.  I want to get that forth block done so I can clean up.

Jessica

Oh oh.....

I'm definitely redoing.  Hahahaha

Jessica

Third block done

I love how this one turned out!

Isn't this one cool?  Still not too crazy about that second one.  I just might have to redo it.  The design is not as appealing to the eye....the angle is too severe, theres too much white and there are too many thin log cabin strips.  I am finding that I prefer a simpler look....and chunky....I like chunky.  Yep....sounds like I'm going to redo it, doesn't it?!

Here's a look at all three.

I do love this improvisational process!!!

Jessica

Second block done

Improvisational log cabin block number two is complete.

I'm not sure I like the severe angle in this one.  We'll see how it fits in after I make two more.

Jessica

Jacquie Gering class...Sooo Great!!!

Jacquie's class was fabulous!!!  Here's what I made.

It's about 17 x 21....not sure, but that's about right.  I started a second block and will make four.

I was so excited, that I got there 45 minutes early and promptly locked my keys and all my supplies in the car....great way to start a class.  Lol.  Someone came at 9:30 to break in and all was well with the world again.

Jacquie is a terrific teacher.  She taught us several ways to modernize the log cabin block and we all had a blast!  See that little red piece in the block I completed?  She calls that a "wink."  Just a little somethin' somethin' that adds interest.  I like it and decided to put a wink in my block.

Here are some more pictures of my day.  In the first two, she and I are trying to strike the Charlie's Angels pose.  I knowww....sooo sad.  We tried....bless our hearts.  And that's my mom in the last one.

Now to rest.  I'm pooped.

Jessica

Jacquie Gering Trunk Show/Lecture

I had such a great time today!!!  Jacquie was so engaging!  If you ever get a chance to see her, do it.  She was generous and funny and had lotsss of quilts to show us.  I didn't look at my watch once.....well, if I had a watch, I wouldn't have looked at it even once.

So when I came home, I was telling my daughter and son-in-law about her.  My son-in-law was totally disinterested until I asked him if he knew of the band Devil Wears Prada.  He said, "Yes, they're awesome....My favorite band!"  When I told him that shes the mom of some band members....well....all of a sudden, he's interested and wants to go with me to my class tomorrow.  Um, no Chris.  You can't go. Hahaha

Jessica

Me and my machine

My daughter walked into my studio and took a picture of me and my machine.  Not the best picture of me but that's okay.  I love working on the longarm and usually don't work from the back like I am here, but I usually freehand from the front.  I'll have to post some pics of work I've done this past year. I always love to view eye candy from quilters online, so I will be sure and post some of my own work from time to time.

Happy quilting:)

Jessica

Jacquie Gering class...soooo excited!!!

I'm so stinkin excited!!!  Tomorrow Jacquie Gering is having a trunk show at my guild...Milltown Quilters.  She's so talented and just kinda cool too!  And thennn.....I get to take a class with her on Tuesday.  I can not wait!  Check out her work at http://www.tallgrassprairiestudio.blogspot.com.

Jessica

Love this little ruler!!!

I'm so glad I bought this Jinny Beyer ruler!

Here's what I love about it:
   1)  It's thinner than other rulers and has that nice angle at one end.  Those two features make for less slipping while cutting.  See my three fingers on the mat?  I don't have to push down on the ruler as hard because of the stability created by having those three fingers on the mat.
   2)  Its length and width are perfect.  Not too long.  Not too short.  Not too wide.  Not too narrow.  It's just right and makes cutting easier and more enjoyable.

Just my two cents worth :)

Jessica

Yesssss....

All 154 chubby lattice blocks are done!  Woot woot!!  I've been having trouble with my hands, so they took longer than I expected.  But, now they're done and I can start playing around on the design wall.  Yessss!

Happy quilting,

Jess

Playing with Lattice blocks

I havent been able to sew for a few days, but today I thought I would take out a few lattice blocks, lay them out and have a look at those gorgeous colors.  I was planning on making it look scrappy, however, now I think I might group them according to color like in the first picture and have a rainbow effect.  What do ya think?

Jess

Chubby Lattice...moving right along.

I'm having a great time making these easy little blocks!  48 done so far....106 more to sew.  However, I am going to slow down a bit because I want to put all those little left over triangles together too.  I love this fabric and feel like I don't want to waste any of it.  So, they are all lined up to make little bitty half-square triangles.  I know.....I'm a nut!  I also want to get crackin' on that gray quilt and have it finished by Monday or Tuesday.  So much to do.  I'm having a ball!

Jess

Chubby Lattice Quilt....Ready, Set, Go!

Time to start that Chubby Lattice quilt!  I can't wait! I found the perfect background fabric the other day as I was shopping at Jinny Beyers quilt shop.   Here it is under some of the other fabrics I will be using.  It will show off the palette collection nicely, making all those beautiful colors pop!

Just in case you want to make this with me, here are the fabric requirements for a 58 x 73 quilt:

5-inch charm squares-- 154 of them.
Background fabric-- 2 1/2 yards  (1 1/3 yard for small squares, 2/3 yard for border, 1/2 yard for binding)

Cutting instructions:

Cut 18 strips WOF (width of fabric, which is selvage to selvage) 2 1/2 inches wide.
Then cut strips into 2 1/2 inch squares.  You need 300 of these tiny squares.

Take a look at that nice new ruler I bought while at the shop.  I really like it and it seems to glow, doesn't it?

After you have cut your 2 1/2 inch squares, turn them over and draw a diagonal line from corner to corner on the back.

I like to use my FriXion pen for this.  It disappears when ironed.

Block construction is a cinch!  Here's what you do:

Place two small squares on one big square as shown....right sides together.  Take note of where your drawn lines are in the picture.

Sew right on those lines, then cut the corners off a quarter of an inch away from the lines.

Iron the the corners open. Perfect!  Wasn't that easy?

I like to chain-stitch for speed.  Here's how it looks when I do that.

After I finish one side on a whole buch of them, then I go back and sew the second small square onto each of the blocks.

Iron them open...and voila....several blocks are done!