Beauty of Freedom - Blogger's Quilt Festival entry 2

Welcome viewers from the Blogger's Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side.  If you are new here, feel free to look around!

Thank you for considering my "Beauty of Freedom" for your vote in the Large Quilt Category.

This quilt was a UFO forever!  Shortly after learning to paper piece, I couldn't wait to try out a New York Beauty pattern.  I cut out all my fabric and got about half the blocks done before moving on to something new and shiny.  It was only with the encouragement from the ladies in my Lazy Bum group (a group dedicated to motivating you to finish UFOs) that I dug out this project and finished it.  I'm so happy I did.

A dear friend of mine, Debra Claypool, helped me with the quilting.  My tendency to want to quilt the daylights out of everything I make, has really delayed a lot of my projects.  Without Debra's help, this quilt would still be in my UFO pile.  Instead, it was recently auctioned off for charity.



I submitted it to be auctioned off last month at the Blue Jay Quilt Walk in Blue Jay, CA.  All of the proceeds from the auction benefit nearby Camp Paivika, a camp for moderate to severely handicap people (not just kids).  It really felt great to not only have this quilt finished, but to see it go to such a worthy cause.


Quilt Stats:

Size: approximately 72" x 72"
Quilt Pattern: from an old issue of American Patchwork and Quilting (I am not sure which one as I recycled it)
Fabric: miscellaneous
Pieced by: Me
Quilted by: Debra Claypool


Thank you again for consideration for your vote!

And thanks for reading today,

Jen

Aprons on the Line - Blogger's Quilt Festival entry 1

Welcome Blogger's Quilt Festival viewers.  If you are new here, feel free to have a look around.

Thank you for considering my "Aprons on the Line" mini for this year's festival at Amy's Creative Side.  It was a lot of fun to make for my partner in the Spring Fling Mini Swap on Instagram.

My partner was a big fan of Lori Holt at Bee in my Bonnet, and I happened to have some of her fabric on hand.  Finding a pattern that would go with the vintage feel wasn't too hard either.  I had one of Eleanor Burns' books, Quilts from El's Kitchen (Quilt in a Day) (affiliate link).  It has some really cute blocks and projects in it.

In case you are wondering, YES, those are tiny hexies!

I can't imagine making a whole quilt from these size hexies, but some people do!

Thank you again for considering my quilt for the mini category.

Quilt Stats:

Quilt Size: approximately 17" x 19"
Quilt Pattern: by Eleanor Burns
Fabric: various Lori Holt
Pieced by: Me
Quilted by: Me

Thanks for reading today,


Jen

Modern Window Pane - Blogger's Quilt Festival

Welcome Back.  Here is my second entry for this year's Blogger's Quilt Festival over at Amy's Creative Side.  I am terrible at coming up with names for quilts, but I guess I will call this one, "Modern Window Pane", and I am entering it in to the Modern Quilt category.

I made this mini for the Rainbow Mini Quilt Swap on Instagram.  This mini is about 23 inches square, and each colored block is made of 25 one inch squares.

Speaking of those little scraps, I was getting a little nostalgic as I was putting them together.  Most of the pieces came from my scrap bins, and I used pieces not only from my most current projects, but also from my very first quilt!  So, in a way, this quilt sums up the last few years in fabric. I liked it so much, I decided to make one for myself too.  I'm still showing you the one that I made for my partner because I gave her the best one of the two I made.

Quilt Stats:

Size: 23 x 23 inches square
Pattern: I just threw this together, but I dare not take credit as I have seen several similar quilts in other sizes and colors.
Fabrics: Miscellaneous scraps
Quilted by: Me, using my walking foot and a decorative stitch
Quilting Thread: Aurifil in White.

Thank you for considering this cheery little quilt in the Modern category.  I hope you will visit all the other category pages.  There are some terrific quilts this festival.

Oh, and don't forget to nominate your favorite for Viewer's Choice.


Jen

Mini Fox Faces - Blogger's Quilt Festival

Hi there!  Here is my first entry for Blogger's Quilt Festival over at Amy's Creative Side. I love these little mini fox faces!

(This is a miniaturized version of Elizabeth Hartman's "Fancy Fox" pattern.)

I made this Foxy mini for my Schnitzel and Boo Mini quilt swap partner.  I used some yummy Cotton and Steel fabrics to make these faces, and it was so delightful seeing each one turn out.  Elizabeth's pattern is very easy to follow, and I would love to make a full sized one soon.

Quilt Stats:

Size: 17 x 18 inches
Pattern: this is a miniaturized version of Elizabeth Hartman's "Fancy Fox" pattern
Fabric: Misc prints from Mustang by Cotton and Steel, and Kona Medium Gray
Quilted by: ME in chevron pattern
Quilting Thread: Superior Thread Sew Fine


Thank you for considering my quilt in the mini category!  And please go check out the rest of the festival, there are so many AWESOME entries in each category!



Jen

Voting time - Blogger's Quilt Festival

Voting started yesterday!  I hope you will pop on over to the main page on Amy's Creative Side and click through to each category to vote.  There are some truly amazing quilts this year.  I had to mop up a puddle of drool after looking through them.

Just a quick tip - vote for your favorite in each category first.  Most of the categories give you 3 votes, but I had at least one category only give me one vote when I was expecting 3 and I didn't get to vote for my favorite.

I'm entered in the Large Quilt category with my "Oh Say Can You See" quilt:

And the Modern quilt category with "Modern Grace".

Thanks for reading and considering me for your vote,

Jen

Oh Say Can You See - Blogger's Quilt Festival Entry

For my second entry this fall, please consider my recent finish, "Oh Say Can You See".

This quilt was a lesson in persistence.  I started it almost a year ago by cutting charm squares and basting a few red hexies while waiting at my kids' afternoon activities.  I got my first real push forward when I took a trip in January to visit my Gram and was able to reverse applique all the navy stars.  Then, it was back to the slow grind. I finally finished this quilt a couple of weeks ago.

It was really difficult to photograph too.  It's just so big!

Taking a photo inside just washed out the colors, but at least I could see all of it.

Finding a wall big enough was a challenge too. Here it is from a little further back. The dining room usually has a huge painting on this wall and a sofa underneath!

Fun right?  I can't wait to bust this one out at a 4th of July BBQ next summer.

Quilt Stats:

Size - 105 inches x 69 inches
Pattern: found in the book, Hexa Go-Go by Tacha Bruecher
Fabrics: There are about 75 different fabrics, various manufacturers
Quilted by: Me on my Janome Horizon
Quilting Thread: Aurifil

Thanks for reading and considering me for your vote,

Jen

Modern Grace - Blogger's Quilt Festival entry

I just love the Blogger's Quilt Festival!  I look forward to it every fall and spring.  It is so awesome of Amy to host it, as it gives us a chance to show off our work, but more importantly view the quilts of others.  I have found so many inspirational quilters through the festival.  I hope you will too.  Please visit the main page on Amy's Creative Side and start drooling over all the quilting eye candy.  Also, don't forget to return on November 1st to vote for your favorites in each category!

For my first entry this fall, I am submitting this baby quilt that I made for Grace into the Modern Quilts category. Thus, the terribly unoriginal name for this quilt: Modern Grace.

The pattern is called Discontinuity by Emily Cier at Carolina Patchworks.

As you can see, I quilted the dickens out of it, but it sure was fun to try out some new designs, and it gave the quilt a lot of texture.

Here is another shot, close up:

Quilt Stats:

Size - 40 inches x 50 inches
Pattern: Discontinuity by Emily Cier
Fabrics: all solids by Free Spirit
Quilted by: ME!!! on my Janome Horizon
Quilting Thread: Aurifil

Thanks for reading and considering me for your vote,

Jen

Voting Time! - Blogger's Quilt Festival vote

It's voting time!

Please go on over to Amy's Creative Side and vote for your favorites in each category.  Voting starts today and only goes through Thursday, May 29th.  Also, be sure to check out the Viewer's Choice Award category.  My favorite quilt of Jess at the Elven Garden has been nominated in this category.

There are some stunning quilts this year, and I am sure everyone participating appreciates your consideration.  I know I do!

My Monet, entry in the art quilt category

Quilts and Friends Make Life More Colorful, my entry in the ROYGIV category

Thanks for stopping by today,

Jen

My Monet art quilt - a Blogger's Quilt Festival entry

Welcome those of you visiting from the Blogger's Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side.  My I present my entry for the Art Quilt category: My Monet.

I created this quilt for the 2014 Pantone Quilt Challenge.  It was inspired by an art lesson that I taught about Monet's Houses of Parliament series of paintings.

I had so much fun making this quilt!  And I must admit, it came out MUCH better than the painting I made during the art lessons!!  I am embarrassed to even show that.

I think it is Purpilicious!

Quilt Stats:

Size:  This wall quilt measures 19 inches by 15 inches
Design: is inspired by Monet's Houses of Parliament series of paintings, and an art lesson taught through the Hands on Art program at my daughter's school.
Techniques: I used fusible to create the scene, then quilted the daylights out of it!
Quilting: by Me!  I used a variety of threads for the quilting.  Basically anything I had that was purple; I know several of them were Auriful.  The gray threads were a So Fine Superior Thread.
Fabric: various Kona cotton solids.

If you are interested in a more detailed step by step how I made this quilt, I took photos along the way and here is the tutorial so you can make your own Monet.

I hope you will consider my entry in the art quilt category.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jen

ROYGBIV quilt - a Blogger's Quilt Festival entry

Welcome to those of you visiting from the Blogger's Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side.  I would like to present my entry in the ROYGBIV category (or the Rainbow category as I like to call it).

I made this quilt for my dear friend, Benta, a few months ago.  The pattern is NY Beauty Circle of Flying Geese by Better Off Thread.  (you can get it in various places including HERE at Craftsy).  I added pockets, a thread catching bag, a loop for scissors (per request) and some loops at the top for hanging.

As you can see, I quilted the daylights out of it, but it was so much fun!

I also added a little message to Benta in the center using some Rainbow variegated thread.  Friends and quilts really do make life more colorful!

Here are the Quilt Stats:

Size: approximately 22 inches x 28 inches
Pattern: NY Beauty Circle of Geese by Better off Thread, plus a little pocket of my own design
Quilted by: ME!  I used white So Fine thread by Superior Threads, and a Rainbow variegated thread also by Superior Threads

I hope you will consider my entry.

Thank you for stopping by!

Jen

Blogger's Quilt Festival is Coming Soon!

After taking the last one off, I can't wait for the return of the Blogger's Quilt Festival over at Amy's Creative Side.

Twice a year, Amy hosts this fabulous event where anyone can show off their quilts in a fabulous online quilt show.  And of course, there are prizes.  Honestly though, just getting to see everyone's creations is tops!  I've been inspired by so many of the entries and found way too many new blogs to follow.

There are all sorts of categories.  If you have a finish from the last 6 months that you are proud of, ENTER it!!  I want to see it!

Hmmm, but what should I enter this year???

Thinking about it,

Jen

Instead of WIP Wednesday, a Thank YOU!

I've been busy working on something I can't show you until next week (Say it with Flowers Blog Hop item), so instead of a WIP Wednesday report I would like to shout out a BIG Thank You to all my lovely readers!

I was so delighted when I returned from my holiday weekend to emails telling me my One Block Wonder quilt had been nominated for Viewer's Choice in the Blogger's Quilt Festival over at Amy's Creative Side.  I know people always say, "It is such an honor just be nominated", but it is true!  I was a mixture of shocked, excited, anxious, delighted, oh and did I mention shocked?  And that's just me!  When I told my husband, he puffed up with pride and mumbled something like, "Well of course".  Voting continues through May 30th and the quilt is also entered in the 2 Color Quilt category too.

I think it is safe to say that a Quilt Along will happen.  There are plenty of people interested, and it will give me something to do and plan out while on vacation in July.  I should have the details worked out by the end of August, so I hope you will join me.

And thank you again to all who nominated my quilt and voted.  I truly appreciate your support!

Jen

At the water's edge - Blogger's Quilt Festival

It's a wonderful time of year - time for the Blogger's Quilt Festival over at Amy's Creative Side.  I remember reading through my first BQF shortly after I found blogland.  It was amazingly inspirational!   I've gotten so many good ideas and found new patterns to add to my bucket list, etc.  I look forward to seeing what everyone has to show this time too.

I would like you to consider my Blue and White One Block Wonder for this go-round of the Blogger's Quilt Festival.

Yes, I posted about this quilt when I finished it in February, but for those of you joining me just for the festival, let me tell you a bit about it.

Believe it or not, this quilt is actually made with one fabric - well, one fabric with a tiny little bit of white solid for that little border.  The technique is found in the book, One Block Wonders Encore by Maxine Rosenthal.  I finally finished the quilting in February, a simple stipple on the center portion and a rope type design in the outer border.  The pattern of the top is elaborate enough, so I kept the quilting simple.

As much as I love how this quilt turned out, when I first pulled out the top from the box it had been languishing in (aka the UFO box), I decided I was going to donate the finished quilt to Happy Chemo.  Happy Chemo is an organization, that among other things, donates quilts to those going through chemotherapy.  Most of the time, when I make up my mind to do something, I do it.  I admit, however, that I considered keeping this quilt more than a few times once I saw how nicely it turned out!  What can I say, I am selfish.  But, it was needed by someone else.  Emily at Em's Scrapbag  (who collects the quilts for Happy Chemo) once said that she needed more masculine friendly quilts, so I sent her this one, and I know that it is making someone feel better during his/her treatments.

Quilt Stats:

Size: I forgot to measure it before I put it in the shipping box!  It is roughly 68 x 76.
Special Techniques: it is a Stack n' Whack technique outlined in both One-Block-Wonders Encore by Maxine Rosenthal and Joy Pelzmann and Stack-n-Whackipedia by Bethany S. Reynolds.
Quilted by:  Me!  on my Janome Horizon (machine quilted)
Best Category: 2 Color Quilts

Thank you for considering my quilt,  now go see what other quilty inspiration there is at the festival this year!

Jen

UPDATED: 

PS.  I have had such a good response to this quilt that I am considering hosting a quilt along in the fall.  Is anyone interested in joining in?

Sleeping Beauty - Blogger's Quilt Festival

It's that time of year again - time for the Blogger's Quilt Festival over at Amy's Creative Side.  If you have never heard of it, go check it out.  There are hundreds of wonderful, absolutely stunning quilts from all over Blogland.  There is so much talent, I don't know how these quilters narrowed down their choice to just one quilt to submit.

I am submitting my "Sleeping Beauty" quilt.  I have nicknamed it that because it has been sleeping for ages now.  No really, AGES!  It is actually a pattern from American Patchwork and Quilting's October 2009 edition!  It took me about a year to find the fabrics ('cause back then I didn't know about online fabric shopping), and then another year to casually work on piecing it.  I finally had it all pieced together in January of this year.  I managed to back, sandwich, and mark it; and then I cast it aside for several months while I got over my fear of quilting it.  Thanks to monthly practice with SewCalGal's Free Motion Challenge, and a few other practice pieces, I finally sat down to quilt this sleeping beauty this month.

The quilting wasn't difficult, but I had built it up in my mind, worrying about mistakes.

This is what it looks like now after washing, etc.  I love that crinkly look.

And it is hung!  Our bed doesn't have a proper backboard, so it seemed like the ideal place to hang this large quilt.  Bonus, I get to look at it day and night!

Quilt Stats:

Finished Quilt Size: 60 inches x 60 inches

Special Techniques: none (sad really, that it took me so long with no special techniques required!)

Quilted by: ME!  on my Janome

Best Categories: Wall Hanging,  Home Machine Quilted

I am # 214 in case you are keeping a list of favorites!

Thank you for considering me.  Now, go look at some other amazing quilts and be inspired! 

Jen

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