Finally - A Reveal!

It sounds pretty pathetic, but I'd like to introduce my first quilt top of 2024. It has taken me until beyond mid-April to finally produce a quilt top. I have never taken so long to share one with y’all! Those three months in Florida really stunted my early-year productivity.

I began working on Paris Flea Market Find (PFMF) at the retreat last week. I made all the 25-patch blocks and all the sashing strips. I hadn't brought the cornerstone fabric or the border fabrics, so the finishing up has been happening this week.

You know what? The long wait for a 2024 flimsy was totally worth it. This is one gorgeous quilt top, I tell you. The fabrics in the 25-patches is from a jelly roll I had called, coincidentally, Paris Flea Market by Moda/3 Sisters. The red star points fabric is from my stash - a 1-yard cut of Paris Flea Market. The light sashing fabric is a Laundry Basket Fabrics neutral which I'd found in a bin at Old Town Fabrics. The floral inner border is Sanctuary by Moda/3 Sisters. That was left over from a quilt I made in 2021. The cornerstones and outer border is Promenade by, you guessed it, Moda/3 Sisters. I just love that these designers keep similar colorways so that various lines can be combined.

As I said, Paris Flea Market, Sanctuary, and Laundry Basket were all fabrics in my stash. I must credit my dear friend and best sewing buddy, Sharon, for coming through with a most amazing Christmas gift - over a half a bolt of Promenade. Not only is this the cornerstone and outer border fabric, there is enough remaining to use as backing! And Sharon even came through with the pattern! Lucky me, right?

And here is Paris Flea Market Find, a completed quilt top - her coming out party. Ahh, I just love how delicate and soft it is. What a cozy quilt this is destined to become!

Hopefully, all my quilts this year will come together as effortlessly as PFMF has. I will be one satisfied quilter if they do.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

It's Jelly Roll Time Again!

Every September the fine folks at Moda Fabrics celebrate their ingenious creation - the Jelly Roll. I remember when these first came on the scene. In my totally-missing-the-mark way, I determined that this idea would never catch on. 

Yeah. I admit to such narrow-mindedness. 

A more successful marketing brainchild may not be found in the quilting world. Precuts surely are some of the best of the best sellers in the industry.

A few years back, I bought these lovely JRs from an Etsy shop. Roman Holiday by 3 Sisters is my all-time favorite fabric, and finding it these days is quite difficult. 

Two of the JRs have been used, but one remained in my stash, and so, in preparation for the big Sew a Jelly Roll day coming up on Saturday, I have begun a new project.

Few things are more thrilling that beginning a new project, yet beginning a new project with THE very prettiest fabric ever created sure makes me a very happy quilter! Look at that RED!

Yes, I have started early on the Jelly Roll celebration. DH and I will be traveling on Saturday, so I will not be in the sewing room. If I am to participate, I need an early start.

The easy part of this jelly roll pattern is making 9-patch blocks. I am very close to having them all done. Next will be to locate some background fabric for making Snowball blocks. I have plenty of scraps in the Roman Holiday tub to use for the corner squares. More on that as I get to them. I will also share the pattern I am using.

Hope you are finding fun things to work on!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

 

Sew Along Update - Week 12

 

Checking in here this morning with another quilt to share! I've made another quilt top!

Repeated quite a number of times here on these updates, I tell you this quilt is absolutely the easiest quilt in the world to make. Of course, we have also been touting the idea of working at your leisure to make your quilt, but if you need a quilt as fast as possible, a simple quilt like Spring Dreams is the quilt for you!

This is my Sanctuary Spring Dreams, made with the luscious 3 Sisters/Moda fabric called Sanctuary. Perhaps you recall the small bit of shopping I did while on retreat? I bought a jelly roll and some carefully selected bits of yardage. The result is the quilt above.

I cannot honestly say that I have never made a quilt within the same month as buying the fabric. I am generally more of the type of quilter who allows the fabric to age for awhile before cutting into it. With this fabric, though, I bought it with Spring Dreams in mind. I could barely contain myself for wanting to start it straight away.

The jelly roll was entirely used for the 9-patch blocks. These are a breeze to make if you don't overthink it. I try to be very casual about the combinations, exerting as little serious planning as possible.

Pictured below are my four Spring Dreams big quilts and the scrappy table topper all made for this sew along. Sanctuary is the one on the far right - it shows up even softer and dreamier hanging there than it does in the previous pictures on the bed. 

All of them please me, and yes, I would make another one in a heartbeat. I am using fabric from my stash with the exception, of course, of Sanctuary. This is a great way to work through those fabrics you love. Get that gorgeous stuff out of the closets or storage bins and make a Spring Dreams of your own!

Remember, I invite you share your quilts on Instagram and use the  #springdreamssewalong - we can see what all the quilts look like there. Another option is to send pictures of your quilts to me through email. I can then use them here for a future update.

Have a great Monday, Dear Readers!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Sixteen Blockheads

 In odd moments here and there, I have stitched blocks in the Moda Blockheads 3 sew along. It now seems I am farther along with the blocks with round 3 than I ever got with rounds 1 or 2. 

I was motivated to get a nice even number of blocks made so that I decent picture could be taken. Here are my 16 blocks laid out in no particular order. 

It is looking rather busy, in my opinion. I typically do not go for such a look. Those two blocks with the plain background are such restful blocks in the midst of the chaos. I need to use more of that plain background in future blocks so that there will be less going on. A bit more controlled, if you will.

Here are my most recently made blocks. I did these last week when I sewed over at Terry's. I cut them out in the morning, and sewed them after lunch. It's hard to believe a whole day's work results in just two blocks. That's the nature of the sew along sampler quilt, I suppose.

The basket block is #31 and is the most recent block in the series. I am still filling in a lot of gaps where I have skipped blocks. Block 29 was fun to make, however this 6-inch block has squares that finish at 3/4-inch. Yikes!

I find I am gradually turning back into a teacher lately. University classes begin a week from today and all (nearly) will be taught virtually. I am learning so much and have a long ways to go, but I am getting there. 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Sewing With Sharon

Last Thursday when Sharon was here to sew, I finally had the wherewithal to take some pictures of her Larkspur quilt.

As you may recall, we agreed to dedicate June to making quilts using our Larkspur stashes. Larkspur is the name of a line of Moda fabric released about 4 years ago by 3Sisters. We bought our fabrics independent of each other, and from that happy coincidence, we are making Larkspur quilts this month. We must have really been eager to do this because we are barely into June and mine is made, and Sharon's is nearly made.

And they are so pretty! Click here to see mine. Below are some shots of Sharon's quilt. It will be 9-patches on point in a strippy setting.

Like me, Sharon is limited in her fabric color choices, but is satisfied to use the yardage she has. We did share pieces; I needed some blue/green from her; I believe she is using gray and/or white from me.

All Sharon's pieced strips are made. The next step will be to cut the long plain strips out of the coral floral shown in the photos above. Then she will very likely have this top constructed this week! We plan to sew together here on Thursday. And of course, I will take pictures!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Follow Through

Back on Wednesday I said I was going to make the first block in the now-up-and-running Moda Blockheads 3 sew-along. I did follow through with that plan, made my block, but have had rather a lot of other things preventing me from posting about it.

First, I should know better than to cut out anything late in the day. I am a morning person, and from previous experience, I know that cutting projects after 6pm generally results in mistakes. Yes, I made mistakes. And then, to make matters worse, I cut my finger on the rotary cutter. I should have stopped. I should have known better, but I plowed on.

Second, I was scheduled to host the Frankfort Girls on Friday (yesterday) morning, so when I might have been making the block or blogging about the completion of the block, I was prepping for the girls, tidying up and planning refreshments.

Third, this week was my birthday for which a variety of plans had been made, so I was really limited in the time available for cutting, sewing and blogging.

Finally, I am back to teaching at the branch (Ohio University-Chillicothe), and obviously, this also consumed a good bit of my week.

Since I didn't even know if I would participate in this round of Blockheads, I hadn't given a single thought to fabric selection. This could end up being my eventual downfall in completing the sew-along, but I will go for as long as I can. I went to the drawer of precuts, and pulled out a fat-eighths bundle from many years ago called Faith, from the Collection for a Cause.

I have always been drawn to browns and pinks together; it is a combination I find quite appealing. Since I know going in that a fat 8ths bundle won't be nearly enough for a 50-week sew-along, I will go for as long as I can. Maybe I can be on the lookout for additional yardage of this fabric, too. Regardless, if I only have enough fabric to get partially through this sew-along, I will end up with enough blocks to put together something that I will love. Heaven knows I don't mind not finishing things!! That, at times, seems to be my preferred method!

Participants in this round of Blockheads have the option of making 6" blocks, 8" blocks, or 12" blocks. Because I have such I limited amount of fabric, I went with the small size. Had I planned ahead a little better, I imagine I would have liked the 12" blocks, and since I am saving all the patterns, I could always come back sometime and make them later.

The thing about small blocks is that they are made with even smaller pieces! What a time. I cut things wrong (not good when conserving fabric is essential!), and then I nipped my finger with the rotary cutter. Gracious! What a mess! I did not get blood on my block, though, just the pattern. See smudges below. And that was with the bandaid on, believe it or not! See what I mean when I say I should have stopped?

I kept right on going, though, and eventually, I finished the block - it measures right at 6.5 inches, just as it should. Whew. I am rather pleased with the look, too.

My record with finishing sew-alongs has not been stellar, yet each January, I find myself joining yet another one. Time will tell.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Moda Love

Amazing what a girl can get into just ditzing around on Instagram. I saw the same pattern being made by all these different quilters, but it took a day or two to figure out that it was because Moda was sponsoring a sewalong of one of their free patterns called Moda Love.

This is a super-fast quilt to make! On Friday night I picked out the layer cake I would use - Grace by 3Sisters. Monday afternoon I had it all together! How terrific is that!?

Instagram has a plethora of pictures of this pattern, which gave me ideas galore with colors. I especially credit the use of red for the center star in my quilt. The rest, well, what remained of the layer cake is distributed around the star. Not much thinking and I'm good with that.

In keeping with the theme of my previous post - making fast quilts with big pieces - this quilt fits perfectly. It was a lucky accident! I had no idea this would go together as fast as it did. The layer cake version - the one I made - is 72" square. There are options for a charm pack version and a mini-charm pack version, which, I have to admit, are tempting me.

This is my second finish for 2019 - two quilt tops in one month - whoa! Isn't sewing fun? I love it.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jelly Roll Day!!

After hyping the event beyond limits, Moda's big day is finally here - National Sew A Jelly Roll Day. In some promotions, I've also seen it called International. Anyway you look at it, it's a big deal.

For the benefit of non-quilters, let me explain about jelly rolls. A jelly roll is a collection of 2.5" fabric strips all from a single fabric line, usually 42, I believe. The strips are layered in such a way as to be able to roll them up and tie them with ribbon. When Moda first started marketing these, I was firmly of the belief that it would never catch on, and I would never, ever have any use for fabric already cut. Well, I have changed my tune. Take a look at my little collection of jelly rolls.

I stack them on a display platter on top of a dresser here in my sewing room so I can see them. I take them occasionally to the cutting table in the event that I might use them in some project or other. Generally, I return them to the display platter. I did recently cut into one (Polka Dots and Paisley) for the Minick and Simpson medallion quilt I am making. In other words, I do use them; I don't just hoard them!

I have one Jelly roll from the following lines: from 3Sisters: Paris Flea Market, Vin du Jour, and Luna Notte; from French General: Rouenneries Deux, Madame Rouge, La Petite Ecole, and Rural Jardin; from Minick and Simpson: Indigo Crossing; from Corie Yoder: Lulu Lane.

That makes 9 unopened jelly rolls. On Tuesday when Sharon comes to sew, that will change as we have decided to do our own little jelly roll celebration together. It will be fun. We tossed around possibilities. We have both made the simple jelly roll race quilt, and we are going to change it up just a bit. I will share more after we do it.

Many shops across the country, and around the world, too, are sponsoring special activities today. I know that our local Old Town Fabrics was participating, and I inquired about their plans. I opted not to attend, as we have plans later today, but one interesting thing they were doing was offering a prize for the oldest unopened jelly roll. Now, I don't think I would have won, as like I said earlier, in the beginning I wouldn't buy them because I thought it was dumb to buy already-cut-up-fabric. However, now that I do own a few, I would love to know how long I've had them. 

I just found this link to some jelly roll fact; I thought you might find them interesting. I sure did.

Have a great Saturday!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Progress on Elizabeth

Yes, I have progressed. Surprisingly - to me, anyway - I have stayed right with this quilt and am now to the stage where I begin putting the top together. All the "parts" are constructed - hooray! I will lay these parts out on the bed to arrange them in a pleasing way. Really, it can mostly be random, but those 4 Delectable Mountains in the center should be the prettiest of all, so I will audition my options and go from there.

These 8 FQs of pink and 6 FQs of neutral were the last bits to be constructed. They were also pretty easy. In addition to being the main part of the Delectable Mountains, these become the setting 4-patch blocks and the side and corner triangles. Very pretty in the randomness of it all. It will be fun putting the pieces in place.

All 24 Delectable Mountains blocks are ready to go. The way the blocks are laid out will turn those dark points into a wonderful interior border around the entire quilt.

Sigh...so pretty. I love the softness of the fabrics and I love the way the blue, brown and red "pop." The individual fabrics are identified in this post, in case you wondered.

Elizabeth parts are stacked up and ready for action! It may happen this weekend; or I could save it for taking with me Tuesday when a bunch of us are sewing at Terry's. Yet to be determined.

Go check out the linky party at Crazy Mom Quilts - there's some lovely stuff happening in 2017!

Happy Quilting, Friends!