Fabric Supplied by Others

These photos are a bit out if order, but I think you are clever enough to figure out what's what. Addy, youngest granddaughter, turned two in April. Sarah supplied me with a stash of her clothes that she wore during her second year. I cut them up into small squares, and made a little quilt for her. On the back is a little dress, the favorite. I stitched it on so that a doll or bear could be slipped inside. I will get a picture of that for you soon. The other quilt was made for Sarah's brother Ryan and Joe, married in the spring. I got a huge bag of dress shirts from them, mostly Brooks Brothers. Oh, the workmanship and fabric! Beautiful! Hard to cut them up, almost. I cut them into triangles and did a bunch of mitering. The quilt turned out quite modern looking, and they seemed to really like it. I thought it may end up on a spare bed, but I have been told it is center front in their living room. The back is also some of their shirts, in big chunks. I think it is so clever to have people give you some old clothes and all you have to do is cut it up, sew it together and quilt! The quilts are usually a hit, because, after all, they picked out the fabrics! Jerilynn

Modern America and American Made Brand Fabric

Here are some photos of the Modern America quilt I promised you yesterday.  You can see by the picture of the finished quilt, the  horrible metallic stars are just an awful memory.  The quilt is quilted, bound, labeled, and in the mail to the Stitchin' Post for their Sisters Quilt Show.  Not sure where it goes from there, but I bet if it could talk, it would have some good stories to tell.  On to the next squeaky wheel project.  I have a long list of things that I would like to sit down and do, but those darn projects that are due/past due just keep crowding up my mind.  Maybe for each 4 hours of "work" I could allow myself one hour of "play".  Although, being retired, living at this gorgeous lake, and having a bright and airy place to create...the "work" really isn't too tough to do.  Jerilynn

Another Quilting Disaster!

Oh, my stars! I have been asked to make my Modern America quilt for a quilt exposition put on by American Made Brand fabrics. This is a new line of fabric that is made in the USA and will be in quilt shops soon. First stop is the quilt show in Sisters, Or, and it will eventually be at the Fall Quilt Market. I will show you a picture tomorrow when I have better light, but I do have a scary picture to show you. I quilted the states on the quilt with silver metallic thread in a star and swirl motif. I was happy that I learned a new free motion quilting design, and happy that I was doing it in metallic without any breaks or problems. This happiness overshadowed the truth: it looked really ugly on the quilt!!! We were gone a couple days this weekend, and upon my return, there was no doubt on what had to be done. It all had to be ripped out. It took forever, but I know it was the right thing to do. I simply outlined each state, and it looks so much better! What did I learn? Metallic quilting is probably not good on anything. Just because I learn a new quilting design does not mean it is a good one. And , AGAIN, listen to my gut when it is telling me to step away from the quilt and stop a bad looking job before it gets even worse. Jerilynn

Location:Another Quilting Disaster!

Waves and Fish

As you know, I am fairly good at Knervous knitting - watching tv and knitting endless dishcloths, almost without even looking at what I am doing. I am not so good at Careless Crochet. I had started the crochet chevron afghan a few years ago. It required a certain amount of attention: seven single crochets in the back loop (tbl - had to google that abbreviation), skip two loops in the valleys, crochet three single crochets at the peak. The yarn is washable wool, very pretty and squishy, but does tend to split. So, I had put the project aside. Actually, I stored it in a huge orange birdcage in my studio and thought of it as decor. I realized that the half finished blanket would look perfect in the sunporch. So, I opened the cage door and set the project free. The yarn was purchased so long ago, that I was restricted to just the amount I had on hand. The finished size isn't huge, really it is just a lap and leg and foot blanket. It looks great over the back of the chair and pretends it's the waves for the colorful fish on the pillow. I now have a basket (a cute basket, of course) by my denim covered chair and will knervously knit a few more dishcloths. Although, I am using a seed stitch pattern, and calling the resulting squares "spa cloths". More sophisticated, don't you agree? Jerilynn

Well, I Tried!

The bottom photo is the Everett patchwork chair by West Elm. Daughter-in-law Sarah snagged one on clearance for their new basement room. In person, it is more grey, which is perfect for their decor, and very comfy. I love it so much...went to the website, but, alas...sold out. The top photo is a rattan chair in our new sunroom. The cushions were a tropical print, and just looked a bit out of place. Until I order new cushions, I decided to do a DIY denim cover. Clearly not the over-the-top fun West Elm patchwork, but my job will do until I come up with something better. Jerilynn

Sittin on the Porch

I am sitting on the porch, drinking a second cup of coffee, delaying leaving this wonderful spot, to go up to the studio (also a wonderful spot, btw) and get busy. I did something that I haven't done in a long, long time. I bet all sorts of things pop into your head, but this is what I did: I tore two pages out of a magazine! Before Pinterest, Page Tearing us what I did to "remember" recipes, or craft ideas, or decorating inspiration. Occasionally, I would attempt to organize the pile of sheets into file folders, but I don't think I ever referred to them again. Then Pinterest! I look at my boards all the time. Cook pinned recipes. Make/copy crafts. I wonder if there is a grand plan to get me totally hooked and then hold my boards ransom until I pay up. I will. So, looking at the June issue of Better Homes and Gardens, I came to pages 68 and 70. They are about a Happy Place, where "vibrant colors and comfy furniture can turn a porch into a favorite hangout." Love the stool/side table! Love the patchwork pillows! Love the blanket! Love the red planter! Love the dog (WHAT??.). I may try to find all the individual crushes on the internet and pin to the appropriate boards, but right now I have two colorful pages to actually pin up on the actual board in the studio. When I go up to get to work. Jerilynn



Oh, this photo! This is a picture of my new favorite necklace. I made this while we were in Florida. The strap is leather and has knots that adjust to different lengths. I have made three more, and all have sold. I think I have one more of the large center silver piece and will try to make another.

Woolfelt Fish Coasters

Living by a lake, and having a wonderful new screen porch that looks at the lake, I have been in a fish frame of mind of late.  I wanted to come up with some fish coasters ( made from....???), but needed them to be glass-friendly, not long and thin.  I decided to flip their tail up and then give them some fantasy markings.  I think these would fall into the sunfish family.  These are for a store, but I made another set for the porch.  I hope the room isn't getting too fishy.  Funny how rooms take on a life of their own.  While planning and building the porch, I pinned several porch shots to Pinterest of sunporches that I really loved.  I look back through those photos and see bits and pieces that we used, but our porch decided to be something a bit different, unique.  Life is like that sometimes, too.  You plan, and have a vision, but it isn't always what you thought it would turn out to be.  It usually is so much better!  Jerilynn