New York Beauty Quilt Block Tote

Another project from Machine Embroidered Quilting and Applique by Eileen Roche. This s a variation I made from the New York Beauty Quilt. I brought the block from the book's DVD into my Bernina V6 software and added a couple of border outlines. I hooped the yellow fabric and then added the other fabrics in the correct sequence. This was the practice stitch-out. I had planned to sew directly on the black tote (btw, got this tote at Walmart - really a low price and very well made). But, after the practice piece was done, I decided I liked it well enough just to sew this on the tote and move on to a new project. All the applique is raw edge applique, and that is something I need to get used to. A few ravely edges here and there...I guess that is what it is supposed to look like. My photos lately have been awful, but in real life, the tote is pretty cute. There are several more projects in the book I want to try. It is fun changing it around a bit to make it uniquely my own. Jerilynn

First Two Farmer's Wife Quilt Blocks

Lots of things have been happening lately, and I have been a bit busy...but isn't everyone always busy? Anyway, instead of doing the five things I should have been doing, I decided to make the first two blocks in The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt book. I first printed off all the templates from a pdf that was talked about here. I am so used to making quilt blocks using a rotary cutter, that using templates is something a bit foreign to me, but fun. I used a heavy presentation paper to print out all the templates - some of them are used quite often. The very first block in the book is on the left - it is the Attic Window. Block number 2 is Autumn Tints. I decided not to decide too much on a color theme. I will just use fabrics and hope for a fun scrappy look. My template piecing wasn't as exact as my piecing blocks using a rotary cutter. I guess the author of the book, Lauri Aaron Hird, hand pieced all of her blocks. That is just crazy. Jerilynn

Does This Look Like A Shower Curtain to You?

Super fun new book...Machine Embroidered Quilting and Applique by Eileen Roche. It comes with a DVD that shows the machine embroidery techniques and includes all the files to stitch blocks out. The book has comments and tips by Nancy Zieman and great pictures and step-by-steps. I made this quick Lady Liberty block and added a layer of the heat resistant batting to turn the 11" x 11" block into a trivet. I learned some things along the way, but one thing I learned was that this was something I wanted to do more of! I used the hand-dyed fabrics that I got at the Ricky Timms Super Seminar back in May. I had been "saving" the wonderful fabrics for something special...this might not be in that category, but the colors were just perfect for a project such as this and I decided to enjoy the great colors by actually cutting into them and using them. Such a concept. I suppose most sewists have fabrics that are "too good" to use. I know that some people collect Hummels or bells or spoons. I am sure that a piece of fabric or two that don't get used isn't all that crazy. It did feel good, though, to bring out those hand-dyes and cut a few squares. I hope to tackle a few more of the projects in the book. Bathroom curtains and a shower curtain and a promised living room curtain for a friend, however, are calling my name. Jerilynn

'Nuff Said

Thanks for the comments on the wine bottle holder. I love it when I get them! This is a Bird House Thread Keep, or, Nichoir a' Couture! It is from the book, Cinnamon Inspirations by Marianne Byrne-Goarin and is in both French and English. The measurements for the woolfelt pieces were in cm, so now my quest is to find some rotary rules in metric. I converted, but it hurt my brain too much. It is easier just to plop the ruler down, find the right measurement, and cut away. The little saying was embroidered using the Bernina V6 software and a true-type font. It is made to hold a small pair of scissors. Under the roof that lifts up is a place to store needles and pins. There are other fun projects in this book that I just may have to try. Once I find a metric ruler. Jerilynn

Wine Bag II

Today's wine bag (Will there be a tomorrow wine bag?? Don't know) takes advantage of the great soft and stable properties of byAnnie's Soft and Stable. I put it between the outer fabric and the lining fabric and it has a great protective feel around the bottle of wine. I added the big grommets in the top for some modernness and for an easy and quick way to grab the bottle and tote it somewhere. Obviously a great hostess gift. This is one of those projects you need to see in person to appreciate. Bring your own wine glass and come on over. Jerilynn

Wine Bag

The snowflakes on the wine bottle bag were digitized with the Bernina V6 Cross Stitch software. They were stitched with red thread on a natural colored osnaburg fabric. I put three rows of pintucking on each side and on top of the motifs. The lining is some leftover red snowflake fabric from my Christmas quilt. Pretty cute. I am working on another wine bottle holder that has the Soft and Stable inside as a padding. It is turning out pretty good so far. Jerilynn

So Whimsical!

I bought this quilt kit a few months ago and it seemed as if it may be destined to be a project that I would get to whenever I could. After all, it was a Christmas quilt and I was sweating like crazy!!! Not the time to think about it. Well, then I saw that Sew Complete got some of the fabrics in, and the pattern. It is Down Winterberry Lane by Terri Degenkolb of Whimisicals. I was once called whimsical by a very dear friend that is no longer with us. It was during a very hard time in my life and she wrote me the nicest note and called me whimsical! I was feeling anything but. However, that lifted my spirits so much, and, obviously, to this day, I still remember her kind words. Anyway, I like Terry Degenkolb's company name, Whimsicals, but that is not why I bought the pattern and kit. I really don't know what grabbed my attention about this. The colors are a bit more muted than I normally like, but I had so much fun piecing the various components of the quilt. And putting them together was somewhat puzzle-like, in a good way. Her instructions were very good and clear. As I said, I saw the fabrics at Sew Complete and felt it was an omen: finish the Christmas quilt project and enjoy getting one step ahead for holiday decorating. The top is done. Now I need an omen to make me finish the quilting. Jerilynn