Saturday, December 31, 2011

Urban Escape Pattern

I'm excited to release this pattern today!  It's the quilt that started EVERYTHING!



...the quilt that started my idea for the "Quick Curve Ruler"!
I remember posting this quilt on my blog over a year ago and was totally surprised at the response it got.  It only took a few ladies, saying they wanted the pattern and I was hooked!

Five moments stand out for me this last year with my quilting and I wanted to share them with you to end the year:

The first was discovering how a simple curve shape could have so many possibilities.  I remember I had about 5 freezer template curve shapes I was moving around on top of the lid of my washing machine and how excited I got!  I was making designs I had never seen on a quilt.  

My second moment was when I came up with the concept of the ruler.  I thought...ya I can come up with these great designs with a curve, but know one is going to fussy cut all those curve shapes with templates...I wouldn't!  And so it came to me...the ruler and how I should design it, so with the help of a guy named AJ at the ruler company and many e-mails back and fourth and two prototypes later the ruler was made!
 

My third was learning Adobe Indesign!  HOLY COW...that's all I've got to say about that!!


My fourth moment was when Georgia from the Needle and I, our local quilt shop asked me last minute to show my ruler at a Saturday morning class.  I was reluctant at first and them thought it was a good start.   I was so nervous... anxious... scared... to put my idea out there!  It's hard to explain...but I felt safe having the ruler and patterns with me...but as soon as I share them and expose them it was like exposing me and I wasn't sure I was ready for that.  Maybe it's a confidence thing...but I did it and at the meeting the ladies were very excited and reassuring that they hadn't seen anything like it and I sold my first rulers!  I'll never forget that day!

My fifth is the weekend I launched my Website.  My husband was so sick of me trying to perfect everything that he was my ultimate push to the end.  I stayed up till about 2 am and Jared woke me up at 5:30am to finish up.   I had a longarm meeting at my house that day and felt very rushed...but I launched it that morning even though everything still wasn't quite in place and as ladies were coming for the meeting I was in the bathroom putting on my makeup.....I was excited to share the news with my longarm quilting friends and they were so excited for me.  Then all weekend long the orders were trickling in, best Christmas gift I could have asked for!!  All the hard work and long hours and tendinitis in my pinkie paid off!  And if this is all that comes out of it, it was worth it!  
I had an idea, I made it and I can't believe it!

Have a Happy New Year and if you actually read all of this.... well thanks!  And again, thank you everyone for all your support this last year, I couldn't have done it with out you!!  I've met some amazing quilters through blogging and feel so lucky to have those relationships in my life!  I hope to meet you all in person someday!

Thanks!

~Jenny~

9 comments:

Quilts, Cakes and Other Fun said...

I did not realize you were local I live in Lynnwood and Needle and the I is one of my hang outs. Love your guilts. Are you a QA member?
Lisa Mortell

Pam said...

you have had a crazy productive and wonderfully creative year !!!! congrats jenny !! and happy new year !!! xoxox pam

Unknown said...

We should all be thanking you for your inspiration and all the hard work that went on behind the scenes to get to this stage - your designs have inspired me greatly and I fervently hope to see and be able to share in LOTS and LOTS more inspirational quilting projects from you in 2012 - richest blessings and best wishes to you and your family as the year ends and a new year full of possibilities starts

Diane said...

Kudos to you for following through on your ideas. It's neat to be watching all your hard work coming to fruition.
Happy New Year!

Unknown said...

You had such a fabulous year! I can't wait to see what's next. :)

Aunt Marti said...

Hi Jenny -- I decided "comments are fun, but purchases pay the rent." So I ordered the ruler and the Urban Escape pattern. I'm going to take them to the Front Range Modern Quilt Guild retreat and make an Urban Escape quilt while we're hiding in the forest!

Jodi said...

Read to the end? I couldn't stop reading this post! Fabulous, and congrats!

KristaKay said...

I agree with Jodi - how could anyone stop reading? :) The hugest congratulations to you (and your family for the support)! I look forward to the coming year.

Happy New Year

Suzan said...

Best of Quilting wishes for the new year and hope it is as exciting as the last. Great quilts and even greater quilting!!!!