Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along - Block Three

Here's my third block.  Piece of cake to put together.

I put all three blocks together and I noticed one thing... my blocks are very green heavy.  Need to add more blue.  Mental note for block four... use more blue!

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

This is the title of my post

What a boring blog I have.  I can't even think of a clever title.  Nothing creative happening.  Actually, I do have a few things in various stages of completion.  Just nothing finished.  OH.  My jelly roll sampler block is done.  I can show you that... when I take its picture.

We've had LOTS of rain the last couple of days.  A lot of towns in my corner of the state and Rhode Island have declared State of Emergency due to flooding from crested rivers.  I know the place where I work let people go home early today (I was working from home) due to area streets being flooded and closed.  Not good.  Hopefully the sunshine comes back tomorrow.

I promise I will have some things to show you soon - within the next couple of days.

Enjoy your night!
Jen

A Giveaway!

Abbey Lane Quilts is having a giveaway to celebrate National Quilting Day and I just found out about it.  So head on over and check it out.  Well worth it!!

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Some Advice

NEVER cut fabric - and SEW said fabic- ESPECIALLY HSTs - when you are delirious and hopped up on cold medicine, thinking you'll do just fine. 

That's all I have to say about that.

LOL.

Wow.  I put my pinwheel block together this afternoon.

Yeah.

I'm doing it over.

:)

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Giveaway Alert

Vickie at Spun Sugar Quilts is having a giveaway in honor of National Quilting Day.

Go forth and check it out!

Jen

Friday Night Sew In Results

This is going to be a short post.  I'm totally under the weather and I think I have either a really good cold or the start of the flu.  Not good.

So this is what I got finished during my Friday Sew All Day marathon.  Please excuse the poor picture set up.  I have no energy to walk outside and take nicer pictures.  It's gorgeous here today and I had all kinds of ideas to clean out my gardens.  Ain't gonna happen.

Charm Pinwheel tote for my hairdresser made out of Verna charms.

My potholders for the 2nd swap.

And my pillowcase donation for Jackie.

I'm off to go pass out now.

Jen

Friday Night Sew In

Are you going to join in?  I am and I'm totally looking forward to it.  I have plans to make it an ALL DAY Friday sew-in.  Work is just getting on my nerves and my brain (and attitude!) needs a break.  And I think sewing all day and watching/listening to movies is just the break I need.

I have lots of stuff planned out that I want to work on.  First off, I need to get my potholders done for the 2nd swap I joined.  I only have one partially pieced together.  But I'm hoping to have those both pieced together before Friday so all I have to do is quilt them. 

Next on my list is a pinwheel charm bag for my hairdresser.  She really liked the one I made for myself and Punkie to share so I'm making one for her.  My next hair appointment is on the 27th so I would REALLY like to get it done and give it to her then.  But if I don't, it WILL be done for my April "beautification" appointment.

Another project I want off my To Do list... pillowcase donation.  Jackie had posted that her guild is going to donate pillowcases to a local charity and I told her that I would make one or two.  And I totally forgot.  And I think the deadline is in April.  GAAAH!  So Jackie, if you are reading this... I'm still committed!  Just forgot!  I'll at least get ONE to you!

And if I still have time, energy and my sanity, I would like to continue with my 4 patch blocks for Punkie's quilt.  And I think I have something else I wanted to get done but I can't remember what so it must not be that important right now.

If you have time and want to join the fun, click on the Friday Night Sew In button on my sidebar and sign up!

Enjoy your day!
Jen  :)

Baby Steps. Baby Steps!

(conversation in my head)

Just do it.  JUST DO IT!  You know you can handle it!

But what if I can't??  What if I mess something up??  What if I mess something SO BAD, I can't replace any of it???

You won't.  It's easy.  You can do it.  Just bite the bullet and DO IT.

No.  I'm not ready.  Well, maybe I am.  No.  No I'm not....

This conversation has been playing in my head for about 2 years now.  I'll take you back.

When I was bitten by the sewing bug, I decided that I needed to make a bed quilt for Punkie.  A full size quilt.  Then I bumped into a quilting publication called "Quilts and More"; you know the one.  And I saw a quilt.  A very lovely quilt (in my mind).  I really liked it.  I needed to make it.  But it was too small.  I wanted it for the bed.

So off I went to my LQS and asked for help with yardage and bought all the fabric I needed to make said quilt.  Backing included.  8 1/2 yards of backing fabric!  And then it just sat.  And sat.  And sat.

I didn't want to start the quilt without having a "permanent" place to sew; at the time I was sewing on the dining room table.  Then I moved into my little corner of  the office.  Perfect!  But no.  Something always came up and I never started the quilt.

Now I'm upstairs in my very own ROOM and I'm petrified to start it!  I need to get this quilt done before I really start hating the fabric I picked out or Punkie gets married and SHE'LL hate it.  LOL.

I don't know why I'm so scared to get this quilt done.  Maybe it's the size of the thing and I'm unsure of how many blocks I'm going to need (I don't remember what the quilt shop lady told me and I didn't write it down!).  Maybe I'm afraid I'm really going to screw something up and I can't get any of the fabric to replace it (I have since looked online and some people still have some).  I don't know.  But no more!

This:

Has become this:

I've started.  Baby steps.  I'm going to take it slow and just get the 4-patches done.  I'm thinking I'm going to need about 60-80 four patch squares.  Original quilt has 20 in them.  There is also some sashing and borders.  But that's a whole 'nother step in the process.

Baby steps.  I can do this.

UPDATED to add: D-Carlton left me a comment and was kind enough to offer help in figuring out how many blocks I would need.  But there isn't an email address to respond to.  So, D-Carlton, if you are reading this again, the Quilts and More is the Spring 2008 edition and the quilt is Four Square starting on page 48. I appreciate the help!

Wish me luck!
Jen  :)

Jelly Roll Sampler - Block Two

Here it is.  A bit obnoxious, yes?  I agree.  Of course it was my choice to use these three fabrics together.  I have NO IDEA what I was thinking.  But what's done is done and I can live with it.

Being that this sampler is a mystery it's hard to decide which fabrics to use.  And my jelly roll isn't very "quiet" either.

The more I stare at it, the more it gives me a headache. 

BUT everything lines up so nice.  There's always a bright side.  ;)

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

Pinwheel Sampler - Block Four

Here they are.  I like them a bit.  Not my favorite but I can live with them.  My favorite out of these two is the white on white.  I know it's not enough contrast but I think that's why I like it.  The blue one, I had difficulty matching my center pinwheel point.  I'm sure if I take it apart one more time (which I'm NOT going to do), the point will match.  I can live with it.  The white one came out better.  Hmmm.  Maybe that's the REAL reason I like that block better than the blue one.  LOL.

I've had a couple of productive sewing days last week.  I got my Easter surprises done and I've started my potholders for the 2nd swap I joined.  I also had a sewing day on Saturday with a couple of friends of mine.  It was a good day to sew too because it was raining buckets.  I worked on my Magoo monkey.  I started him/her last year and couldn't get the curved piecing right.  So I put it away.  But I really wanted to finish it.  My friend was nice enough to spend her Saturday afternoon with me to show me.  So I worked on that but he's not finished yet.  Hopefully in the next 6 months I get it done.  LOL.

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

Welcome Spring!

There were about 2 dozen red robins on my lawn this afternoon.  They weren't here yesterday; I've been on the look out for them.  I tried to get a picture but they are quick to fly away.

I think Spring is finally here!  WOOHOO!

So long Winter.  Hello SPRING!

That just makes me happy.

Enjoy your day! 
Jen :)

Pinwheel Sampler Quilt Along - Block Three

Here's my block three for the pinwheel sampler.  I LOVE the pink and yellow one.  That one is my all time favorite right now.

My additional block doesn't have much contrast to it.  Bummer but it will work.  And I want to know what is up with those threads!  I swear I clipped them off.  They multiply when you're not looking!

My favorite close-up...

Uh, does anybody else see the HUGE mistake in my block?!?!!?  I uploaded the pics last night and as I stare at them this morning... OMG.  Seam ripper, here I come!  I did the same thing on the other block but I caught the mistake yesterday afternoon before I put the block together....
Enjoy your day!
Jen  :)

Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along - Block One

I joined the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along at the last minute.  Kris emailed me to have me talk her OUT of doing it and I convinced her to do it.  LOL.  So we're doing it together.

Now, this is my second attempt at this block.  My first block, I was SO proud of myself.  Everything was lining up beautifully.  I was jazzed.  Then I put the block together.  GRRRRRR!  Nothing was going right.  I decided to try once more.  My 9 patch was off.  I swore and stormed off to vent to my husband (and Kris).  My 1/4" foot has a guide on it... the guide was bent out by just a weeeee bit.  I'm soooo glad my husband is the man he is.  He fixed it for me and now my block is perfect.

Wanna see?

I personally like me first block better.  The border is the blue of this print.  So I think I'm going to take that one apart, fix it so that it all lines up nicey-nice and use it on the back.

I'm using this jelly roll...

One of the first jelly rolls I bought but never used.  It even came in a cute little tin.  I think that's why I bought it actually.  I liked the little tin.  LOL.

But you know what?  I finished block three of the pinwheel sampler quilt along today too... since my 1/4" foot was off.... my first four blocks are TOO SMALL!!!!!  I'll have to re-do those too.

I can't win.  But that's okay.  I can deal with it.

Hope you're enjoying your Sunday?  I sure did!  I sewed for most of it!

Jen  :)

The ABCs of Me

I've seen this in a couple of different blog posts and I thought it would be fun to do...

A- Age: 36.

B- Bed size: Queen.  I want to size up but my husband doesn't want to pay for new bedding AND he things I'll be a bed-hog in a King too.

C- Chore you hate: Folding and putting away the laundry.  Especially sheets!

D- Dog's name: No dogs.  But we have three cats and three goats!  Cats: Buddy, Taffy and Caramel.  Goats: Maize, Daisy and Henrietta.  We had a Charlie too but he got sick and the vet put him down yesterday.  RIP Charlie.

E- Essential food/item: CHOCOLATE!

F- Favorite color: Of all time?  Orange.  Favorite color today?  Red

G- Gold or silver: Gold

H- Height: 5'4"

I- I am: patiently waiting for Spring!

J- Job: Mama, wife, technical writer/system tester

K- Kids: 1 My Punkie Pie!

L- Living arrangements: In a home built by my husband waaaaaay before he met me.  Needs more closets and storage areas.  But it's in the quiet country and I love it.  I can't see my neighbors in the summertime.  I like it!

M-Mom's name: Wanda, Mom or Babci.  Depends on who is talking to her.

N- Nickname: Jen.  Jennifer reminds of me when I got in trouble in school.  I don't like hearing it.

O- Overnight hospital stay: Once.

P- Pet peeve: I have many.  Biggest one is people on the phone while driving

Q- Quote from a movie: Easiest one I can think of right now "There's no place like home!  There's no place like home!"

R- Right or left handed: Right

S- Siblings: Brother.  Younger by 3 years almost to the day.  We're 3 years and 5 days apart

T- Time you wake up: depends on the day.  But I'm up normally by 6:30 a.m.

U- Unique thing about your car: Uh.  Nothing.  Just a car that really needs to be washed inside and out!

V- Vegetable you hate: PEAS.  Demon veggie.

W- Ways you run late: I have a 4 year old with a schedule of her own.  But I really try to start the leaving process early so I'm not TOO late.

X- X-rays you've had: Never had one

Y- Yummy food you make: brownies, sweets... pretty much everything I make is yummy.  LOL!  I kid!

Z- Zoo favorite: No real fave.  Maybe the monkeys
 
So that's that.  I'm sure you wanted to know all that.  LOL.
 
Enjoy your night!
Jen :)

Pinwheel Sampler Quilt Along - Block Two

Here are the blocks for week 2 of the Pinwheel Sampler quilt along.  Easy peasy, right?  Huh.  Not for me!  I did both these blocks over.  So now I have a set of two.  I think I'll throw the extra ones on the back of my quilt.  My first green one, the center pinwheel point didn't line up.  I wasn't happy.  The blue one, came out perfect (in my eyes anyway) BUT was a 1/2" smaller than it should be!  How did that happen??  I have no idea.  It is a mystery.

But these are done and now I wait patiently for the block tutorial for week 3.  If you are still debating about joining, there is still time!  C'mon and join us!

Enjoy!
Jen  :)