Bird Quilt (I mean, Bird Placemats!)

My friend, Shirley, and I each bought a bunch of the Bird Panels from the Tranquility Collection by Sandy Gervais for Moda.  We spent a bit of time blocking out a "random" piecing strategy, using the big bird panels and the small bird squares that were a part of the borders on the panel.  Of course, Shirley's bird quilt is all done!  Not only is my quilt NOT done, but the room I was making the quilt for, the Blue Room, is in our condo, which was sold last spring.  Oops.  I wanted to make make more placemats using Soft and Stable and the mitered border technique (see September 1, 2012 blog post), so when I spied these bird squares, I knew that they were, at last, going to be used.  Some will have this striped border, others will have an orange print border.  They will look great with my vintage Crazy Daisy Corelle dishes.  I plan on making 6, which only leaves 39 bird squares left.  Oh, my.  I could make 6 napkins to match.  Which leaves 33 bird squares left.  Oh, dear.  Jerilynn

Third Izzy Bag!

This is the third Izzy Bag that I made.  Pattern, again, is Izzy Bag by Marlous Designs.  This time I did a color block with solids.  On the black front panel I used a Bernina Pintuck foot, number 32, and a twin needle.  I used different colors of Sulky cotton thread in rows of straight stitching and a wave stitch.  Good color and good texture.  On the back, there is a hidden zipper pocket with a colored zipper - I don't have the bag with me anymore, so I can't tell you exactly which color I chose.  Trust me, it is cute.  I used this bag at the Quilt Expo in Madison, WI, this past week and got many compliments!  I plan on teaching this bag at Sew Complete some time soon, so if you live near Eau Claire, WI, and want to learn some fun techniques, give them a call.  I  bought some great new fabrics at the Expo, and plan on another Izzy Bag sewing session very soon.  Just the right size for all the necessities!  Thanks for stopping by.  I have other fun things to show you very soon!  Jerilynn

Hmmmm

Not sure why the pillow picture isn't showing up in the blog post below... Just click on read more  to see the picture and the post.  I am at the Quilt Expo for a couple of days and posting from Madison....I will le you know if I see anything fabulous!!  Jerilynn

Go Fish

Presentation Piles

What looks to be the contents on my sewing room thrown on the floor, is really an organized presentation ready to get packed up.  I am the featured speaker at Sew Club at Sew Complete in Eau Claire, WI, tomorrow afternoon, tomorrow evening, and again on Saturday morning.  If there are any blog readers attending, they will recognize projects from my posts, and they will be able to enjoy a good nap during the talk.  I hope not too many people nod off...it is quite hard to talk over snores.   I am a bit nervous about the whole thing and the icing on the cake is that I just got bit by a mosquito.  Between my eyes at the top of my nose.  While at my computer in the studio.  I usually swell up a lot from mosquito bites.  I imagine I will look quite interesting by tomorrow.  At least there will be something for the attendees to stare at!  Jerilynn

Rainbow Afghan

Not part of the presentation today is this just- finished afghan. Another product of my knervous-knitting series. 150 stitches on a long size 6 needle. Change colors a lot! This time I changed colors all at one edge, so there is a right side and a wrong side to the garter stitch, but it is personal choice as to which is which. I wove in the ends and didn't trim them until after it was washed and dried, and I really like that method. They are better hidden. The yarn is Knit Picks Dishie. It is just the right size and weight to be a good lap blanket. The kids and grand kids seem to grab for these small blankets first when they need something cozy. Another one is already cast on and a few rows have been knitted. Mindless, which is just what I need sometimes. Jerilynn

Fast Placemats

Oh, boy.  I should work on my photo editing skills!  The actual color of the Timeless Treasures Denim fabric is somewhat inbetween the color of the blues in the two photos.  I could spend more time making them look better, but, the weather outside today is BEAUTIFUL and I need to exit the studio and get some fresh air!  I did want to show you, however, how cute these placemats are!  I got some of the denim print fabric from Sew Complete in Eau Claire, and my friend, Kim, gave me some cool red fabrics that I thought would be perfect with the blue.  I used the self-binding method talked about in this You Tube tutorial.   I have used this method for burp cloths and baby blankets, and it works just as good for fast placemats.  The secret ingredient?  Soft and Stable!  Yep, again.  Love that stuff.  Right before you stitch the seam that you used for turning the fabric right side out, you stuff in a layer of the Soft and Stable.  It is very similar to putting a pillow case on a pillow.  Smooth in place, press, stitch.  I used two rows of straight stitching using Jean Stitch thread in the Levi Jeans color.  I thought it was a good choice.  For a 18" x 12" placemat, you cut the main fabric 24.5" x 18.5" and the accent fabric 12.5" x 6.5".  The Soft and Stable is cut 18" x 12".  Follow the You Tube tutorial, leaving an opening in one long side, about 4 inches long, to insert the Soft and Stable once the placemat is tuned right side out and pressed.  Turn under the open edge and topstich in place.  A decorative stitch would work great, too.  Yee haw!  Jerilynn