Projects Archives - Page 127 of 217

Scrappy Swoon Quilt Along!

January 2, 2013 jennifer Quilt Alongs

I am so excited to announce the Scrappy Swoon Quilt Along! I first shared my quilt in November, and there has been enough interest in it that I’ve decided to host a quilt along so you can make one too.

My project was inspired by the talented Camille Roskelley of Thimble Blossoms whose Swoon pattern swept me (and so many of you) away with it’s beauty. This large scrappy version of a single block was inspired by Camille and the hundreds of amazing Swoon projects on Flikr . Making the scrappy Swoon is completely different than making the original Swoon pattern (which I recommend you try if you haven’t already), so Camille has graciously given me permission to offer this quilt along.

And so, who’s in? Want to Swoon with me? What better way to start the year?!

Start looking at your stash/scraps to choose three colors for this quilt: a background color and two contrasting colors for the block. You’ll need pieces at least 3.5 – 4 inches squares/strips, and lots of them! Right now my fabric stacks have more than twenty prints per color in them. For this quilt, the more the merrier!

I’ve decided to make mine using more whites (not necessarily “whites”, but definitely low-volume) for the background:

My primary color (the color of the center star) will be this collection of mostly dark pinks:

And my secondary color (the color of much of the outer ring around the star) will be navy and royal blues:

You don’t know how much I wish I could get my hands on a few pieces of the navy blue fabrics in Bonnie & Camille’s upcoming collection, Happy- Go-Lucky!
I so wish they were available now so I could scoop some up.

Ok, so raid your stash and start your piles. I’ve started a Flikr group which you can join here.

Meet back here next Monday, January 7th, for more specific fabric requirements and a conversation about selecting prints for this super-scrappy project! We’ll begin in earnest on Monday January 14th.
Spread the word, and see you soon!

Jennifer ** Click here for the next post in this quilt along

13 comments Scrappy Swoon Quilt Along

A Star

December 27, 2012 jennifer Quilting and Sewing

I promised myself some sewing time the day after Christmas, and decided it would be wise to work on something that would push me a little.

I pulled out two things I’ve been looking at for a while now:

Christmas, by Pillow & Maxfield, is a bundle of fabric I bought on a great sale a few months ago. I did a lot of Christmas themed sewing this year, but didn’t get to this stack. It’s bright and bold, and how could I resist one of my all-time favorite prints in new colors?

After Camille’s post , I picked up this pattern (and let me just say that I have NO IDEA how it is that it was MAY when I read that post???!!! I was SURE it was September or something. Oh my, was 2012 a blur!):

After thinking about Camille’s block (for a lot longer than I realized, apparently!) I decided to try it in the Pillow and Maxfield prints. I was a little worried about how the large scale prints would read in this quilt, but I decided to try it anyway.

I think they look just fine. I’m using Heather Bailey’s Hop Dot print from the Nicey Jane collection as a background print, because I’ve been itching to make a quilt with a pattern for the background instead of a solid. The Hop Dot is a nice compliment to the Christmas prints.

I’ve never made a quilt with diamonds before, so this was a good exercise for me, especially in figuring out a way to pin everything so my points matched up perfectly, which I eventually did. It was also an exercise in getting comfortable with “Y” seams, another thing I’ve avoided in general. After doing eight of them last night, they’re not so bad.

So, lots of pins, lots of Best Press, slow sewing, and I’m thrilled with my first block. I’ve got the second one sitting on the table waiting to be pieced. I wonder if I can come back to this once a month until all 16 blocks are done…. it’s tedious enough that I’m itching for some kind of quick finish project.

Are you like me, with 15 quilts or patterns dancing around in your head, just waiting for you to make? I sat down the other day to list them all and I was shocked by the final number. There is so much I want to do, it’s hard to decide where to start! What’s on your sewing list for 2013?

Jennifer

One comment quilting

The Last Stocking

December 13, 2012 jennifer Christmas, Quilting and Sewing

The tenth stocking is finished. It was one of those projects that took only an hour or two to finish, but three years to start! So silly of me.

Years ago when I started making stockings for my children, I knew we wanted to have a large family. I also knew I wanted stockings that would somewhat coordinate and I needed something I could add to over the years. I settled on plaids. Each stocking is made with a different Christmas plaid, and I simply tucked away the fabric for the toe, heel and name across the top.

And so all ten of them are finished, after some very persuasive, loud and insistent demands from the little girl whose stocking didn’t match.

Now she is happy.