Thursday, November 29, 2012

~Navy~

I am so excited to start this Double Wedding Ring quilt I can hardly stand it!  It's so enticing to start...but I know I need to wait just a little bit more, before I immerse myself head first and spend endless hours on it.  Thanks to all the great input on my last post, I was reassured that navy would be a good pick for the "Cameo" jelly roll.

 I called the jelly roll fabric the "Lark" line in my last post.  It's "Cameo" by Amy Butler.  Baby's fault.

I decided to add a few solids and take out a couple of the navy prints, to keep the contrast.  Yellow and white for the 1/2 square triangles.  I hope this is everything I envision...Oh I hope...I hope!!  FYI, this pattern will be jelly roll friendly and you will need 40 jelly roll strips.  So if you have a fantastic jelly roll you've been saving for something special...you may want to hold on to it for a Double Wedding Ring quilt someday. ;o)

Thinking of what to make the girls for Christmas, I came across these fat quarters the girls picked out sometime ago.

 I want to make them a soft and cuddly, girly lap quilt.  I'll use wool batting (excellent choice for a snugly blanket) and minke or fleece for the backing material.  I'm going to try to keep this a secret.  Better get it done before Christmas Break then!

 Finally, going to start quilting some customer quilts today.  Loaded and ready to go!  I'm doing a pantograph, working from the back of the machine and have 2 more to go after this.  All poly quilts with double batting (customers pick)....Can you say warm!

~Jenny~

 

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Christmas Village

Today I'm completely exhausted!  My "Gearing up" this week has been a "Big Gear Down"!!  Walking on concrete floors for the first 4 hours of my mornings at my part time job is exhausting.  Being pregnant at 38 isn't as easy as my other pregnancies and I'm now just loading my first quilt for the week.

Okay...enough complaining....I wanted to share with you my Christmas Village.  It's been a tradition in my family to have a Christmas Village.  We have ours in our fireplace, since our fireplace isn't in working condition right now.


Growing up, we use to put our village under the tree and I remember laying on the ground and starring at it for hours.


Now my kids lay on the ground and stare at it ours for hours...they play eye spy and sneak in a touch, thinking I'm not looking.   It's fun having memories and creating memories for the kids!

I'm planning out my Double Wedding Ring Quilt and am trying to decide on a background color to go with this "Lark" jellyroll.


 This great yellow.

 White is always safe.

Navy looks good.

What do you think?

I really want to do something fun other than white...but can't decide.

~Jenny~

Monday, November 26, 2012

Mentally Gearing Up!

I feel like it's been a long time since I've had a full time longarming work week....maybe because it has been a long time.

...and every time I need to set my mind on a Monday morning and gear up for one of those weeks.  I put everything else aside, except family of course...and I longarm like mad.  Literally....I'm pretty fast and amaze myself at how many quilts I can get done when I put my mind to it, although my tummy is in the way and it's not as easy as it normally is.


This picture is to hold myself accountable.  All these quilts need to be done this week and this will all be cleaned up at the end of the week....I'm gearing up right now.  ;o)  Telling myself what needs to get done.  ;o)

...and of course I am dreaming up doing up the Double Wedding Ring with these fabrics.  A high demand pattern...I've found out.


Not sure on a background yet...any suggestions?

...and one more thing, my sister Helen is having a Cyber Monday Sale on her patterns and the QCR!


Go here to check out the details.

...and of course I'll be posting my progress on my longarm quilting this week...

~Jenny~
 

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving! "Curve it up" ~ Rail Fence

Hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving!  The block I chose to "curve it up" this month is the Rail Fence Block.


Helen's Block:


You'll find the tutorial on the next post.  All the "Curve it up" blocks are looking fantastic!!  I have to admit I'm a little jealous of some of the "Curve it up" blocks out there...okay, a lot jealous!!

Happy Sewing!

~Jenny~

 
 

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

A Special Thanks!

Being that time of the year, I've been thinking of all those that have supported me and I wanted to give them a special thanks!

I hope I can put down in words how I feel today.  

It all started a couple of years ago.  I came up with this crazy ruler idea.  I knew it was different and I knew there wasn't anything out there like it.  Me, not being in the ruler making business had no idea where to start with this crazy ruler idea.  It was all so intimidating and I wasn't sure I could pull it off.  My husband and I knew the first thing we needed to do is find someone to create the ruler.  I made calls all over the United States and believe it or not found a ruler company just 45 minutes north of me, called Rulersmith.

They were amazing!  I made a drawing of the ruler on graph paper and that is all I had for them.  Jared dropped it off and with their help we were able to do up a computer image, which soon turned into my first prototype.

I'll never forget the day I got the first prototype Quick Curve Ruler in the mail.  To hold it in my hands and use it and cut with it...it was a big accomplishment for me.  Three prototypes later and the Quick Curve Ruler was made.  

Now, if you're wondering where I'm getting at with this story, I hope to explain more as I go on.  

The ruler is made and patterns starting to develop and at this point nothing is released to the public yet.  I'm now starting to feel anxious and scared.  For one, I had never written and released a quilt pattern or any pattern ever in my life and two, a ruler to go with.  Now I'll tell you one of the reasons why I was scared.  I was scared that my idea....twisted in anyway it can be twisted would be taken by another designer and also put out there.  Whether it be another ruler or a pattern design.  Again, me being new to this didn't know....just didn't know??

So I was reluctant and thanks to my blogging friends and their encouragement, I kept moving forward and having faith that things would work out.  By now it's been about a year of me playing with the ruler and coming up with new patterns and I knew I needed to release it to the public.  I wasn't ready...I was scared...but I made the plunge.   It was one of the hardest accomplishments of my career life but I will never forget the weekend I launched my website and all my supporting blogging friends made their Quick Curve Ruler order!  It was one of the greatest moments I've ever had!  I just want to say a big thanks to all of you that believed in me from day one!

It's done....it's out there and now what.  I won't get into the details but a whole lot of trial and errors.  Many patterns to be fixed and many broken rulers while shipped..and so on..and so on.  It's now been a year later and I still feel like I'm learning everyday.  I've been given lot's of advice along the way from friends and family and I wanted to say thanks to all of you that took the time to help me!

Now to my fear....yes, it happened!  I know of 3 rulers or templates that have been made since my ruler was released.  Thanks to some of my kind blogging friends and a little link they would share with me as to a new ruler out and hummm...??  It seamed very familiar.  How has my reaction been?  Well to my surprise, I have been completely fine with it.  Maybe I was ready for it....I knew it would happen.  I guess what has bothered me the most is how quickly they developed!  It felt like it has taken me forever to get to where I'm at today but I guess if you are all ready a big company it's not hard to get your product into stores and shops fast.  So yes, I guess it has bugged me a little bit.....but I started this to have fun and always told myself it is what it is and I'm going to enjoy the ride while it lasts!

While my sister was demoing the ruler a couple of weeks ago.  A lady had come up to her and said she just purchased this "other" ruler not more than 3 minutes ago and wish she hadn't, after she saw all the patterns available that go with the Quick Curve Ruler.  YES!!  That felt good!

So that's my story and I hope I was able to put in words how I feel.  I know for a fact if it wasn't for all of you and your support in me I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing today.  For all the shop owners that have e-mailed me inquiring about my ruler and patterns!  For all of you that have told your friends about the ruler and for those of you that have taught classes on my ruler and for those of you that have spent hours and hours demoing my ruler!  All of you, helping me spread the word about my ruler and patterns!  I can't thank you enough!!  I love you all and I hope you all have a happy and joyful weekend spending time with those you love!

Love ~ Jenny





 

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Book Winner!


The Random Number Generator chose #77:


Congratulations Shannon!

shannonhicks said...I'm with the others that would LOVE to see a DWR pattern using your Curve tool! I've had fabric to make my daughter and SIL one for their wedding for 4 years now. Maybe I could actually get one done by their 5th anniversary!

Hopefully we can make that happen for you, 4 years is a long time to be holding on to fabric for wedding presents  ;o)

Thanks for participating and for all the great ideas for possible future QCR patterns.  I all ready got some great ideas with your suggestions!

~Jenny~

Monday, November 19, 2012

Done with it!

Are you ever "done with it"!!  A quilt that is.

That's how I feel about this one!


These Urban Tiles blocks dragged on...and....on...and.....on!!  I never did love the fabric and color choices from the very beginning and that always makes it hard to complete a project.  Still need to quilt it and do up the pattern on it.

....okay moving on

I played with the Double Wedding Ring blocks some more yesterday.


I feel really good about it now.  I simplified and took out some steps, so I hope it's ready for a pattern! 

I loved hearing how everyone felt about this potential pattern....very encouraging, thanks so much!

~Jenny~ 

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Modern designs for CLASSIC QUILTS

GIVEAWAY IS OVER, THANKS!

Today, I have the privilege to share with you a new quilt book by Andie and Kelly called "Modern designs for CLASSIC QUILTS"!


Love...love....love...this book!  Everything about it, from content....to photography....to techniques....to picture tutorials...and of course the fantastic quilts and quilt patterns!!


I've known Andie through blogging before her book writing journey.  Her blog was one of the first I followed and I liked it because she is a very real in her writing.   Well.... apparently Andie likes my longarm quilting skills and asked if I would quilt a couple of quilts for a "project" she was working on....a project that had to do with a future book!  No pressure for me, none what so ever!  Ha!  ;o)

This spider web quilt is called "Effie's Web".



..and it's a beauty!  I loved quilting it up!

This New York Beauty quilt is called "Midtown Girl".



I really love how this one turned out!

These are only a couple of many awesome quilts in Andie and Kelly's book and to celebrate with them I'm having a book GIVEAWAY!!


Anyone is welcome to enter the giveaway and staying on the theme of Classic Quilts....Answer this question for the Giveaway:  What "Curved" classic quilt or block would you like to see done Modern and easier the Quick Curve Ruler way?

Have fun and good luck!  

The Giveaway will end tomorrow night.

~Jenny~

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Work in Progress

Been slowly working on a new "Metro" quilt.


I'm absolutely in love with "Cameo" by Amy Butler!

I've also finished up the last of my "Urban Tiles" blocks.  Finally ready to sew together and quilt up!


I'm also loading some customer quilts that have been long over due!

~Jenny~

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

THE Double Wedding Ring using the QCR

I can't tell you how many times I've had people come up to me and suggest that I figure out a pattern for the Double Wedding Ring using the QCR!  So many times....it's kind of haunted me....and while Helen was demoing the ruler last week at a Craft Fair in Phoenix, she was asked the very same thing....I could tell it was starting to haunt her too!  

....so we put our heads together.....over the phone that is and both started playing around with the Double Wedding Ring idea.

The first thing I did was googled images for Double Wedding Ring quilts.  That gave me the motivation I needed.  I Played....cut...messed up.....took notes....messed up....squared up.....cut....messed up....and FINALLY this is what came from all my mess ups.


YES!!  No templates...no hand piecing...just cut, sew and of course square up!  It seems like it still needs some tweaking here and there, but it's a start.  Do you like the 4 patch in the centers??
Maybe something different?

...and while I was experimenting...Helen was too.


She took a slightly different approach, but I love what she did.  Her blocks are a little smaller than my blocks...and she has treated each block as one...where I treated each block as two units put together to form one.

...and there you have it, all you inquiring minds....we haven't forgotten about you and are finding a way to make the Double Wedding Ring faster and easier!!  Just hang tight just a little bit longer.  ;o)

Jenny


Saturday, November 10, 2012

...it's never simple

I often ask myself why I can't just keep things simple!  What in the world am I doing with all of this fabric?


Isn't this a beautiful site!  

While at Quilt Market, Helen and I were able to really brainstorm and figure out what we want to do....and what direction we want to go....so this is the beginning of something, something that will be a somewhat new adventure for us....but still has to do with designing patterns using the QCR and no, it's not a fabric store.

I just can't seem to keep things simple...urgh!!  ;o)

~Jenny~

Friday, November 9, 2012

I won!

My Urban Holiday quilt won in Amy's Bloggers Quilt Festival today!  I won in the category "Favorite Professional Quilted Quilt"!  



Thanks so much to all of you that voted for me!  I really did have fun quilting this up with no pressure attached!  Just fun!

~Jenny~

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

New Pillows for New Furniture

The girls and I picked out some new pillows yesterday at TJ Max for our new furniture!


These are washable covers...much needed in my house and they gave my new...nearly black furniture some much needed color and personality!


We've had cloth and light colored furniture for quite sometime and although I loved them, they were hard to keep clean and were falling apart.   It seems as hard as we try to keep things together around our house, 5 kids can be wearing on things and furniture!

Our early Christmas present this year!

~Jenny~

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Quilt Market ~ Part 3

I've always found it interesting that we as quilters can make such good friends with others through online resources, but when the opportunity comes to actually meet them face to face....well it's just awesome!   Here are a few of those friends that I met.  (and I really can't believe that I'm showing my belly in a whole lot of pictures)

Teresa @ Quilting is my Bliss and I have met through blogging and she's becoming quite the longarm quilter in just a short time!  She's such a cute little petite quilter!  Loved meeting you Teresa!

  Carol owns a quilt shop in Minnesota called Fourth and Main Fabrics.  She confessed that she could demo the ruler better than us and I believed her!  She demoed the ruler at their local quilt show and sold out of rulers, I had to overnight more to her and not just a few....lots!  We were laughing about that.  Her daughter Julie was with her and it was great meeting the both of them!

This sweet lady is Kelly.  She was one of my first customers that purchased my ruler and patterns for her shop, The Quilting Bee in Ontario.  We enjoyed dinner together and getting to know each other more.  She's quite the risk taker....she rides a motorcycle to work...okay actually a scooter, but a really cool one!  Looking forward to our next dinner Kelly!

The next pictures show the "fan" in me.  I always feel like such a dork wanting to have a pictures with someone I admire or are a fan of but they have been so inspiring in so many ways...whether it's the delicious fabric they design for me to get my inspiration...or how they are so motivational and encouraging for others to follow their dreams...or how talented they are in design....color....and so on and so on!

This is my 2nd time meeting Amy Butler and I was just as tickled this time as I was the first time I met her.  She is so inspiring and sooo nice!

 Here I am with David Butler, or otherwise known as "Mr Amy", that came out of his mouth not mine.  His booth was right next to Amy's and the booths couldn't be any more different from each other.  I told them I was going to design a quilt using both their fabrics....we'll see if I can pull it off.  ;o)

 Here is Tula Pink and I.  This was the first time meeting her and she was absolutely genuine, sweet and fun to talk too!  Her booth was darling and the quilts were displayed beautifully!  One of my favorite moments at Market!

I fault my sister for this picture of me with Joel Dewberry and my droopy eyes.  I actually was really excited to meet him!  I LOVE HIS FABRIC!!  I think he is crazy talented and well....it was just the "fan" in me that wanted a picture taken with him!

Here is Anna Maria Horner and I standing in her booth.  I of course had to show part of my sampler quilt to her, using fabric she designed.  This was my 2nd time meeting her and she is so sweet.   I'm a big fan of her fabric and the inspiration it has given me for some of my designs!  Another great moment at Market!

 This is Jeni Baker, she is absolutely the sweetest girl you will meet!  She's got a really fun new fabric line that just came out and really has a talent with color and how to use color! 

This is Allison @ Cluck Cluck Sew
   Loved her booth with her awesome quilts hanging up and loved meeting her and her husband! 


Thanks for following my Quilt Market experience! 

~Jenny~