Modern Churn Dash

I love the churn dash block! I really wanted to make a pattern with the block. The blocks go together pretty easily. I was pleasantly surprised. I like to make easy quilts that go together quickly, and this one definitely does that.

 

These were my "test" blocks. I made them with Deb Strain's Family Tree fabric. So warm and beautiful! I may have to sew these together and make a table runner. It would so awful to waste these blocks...

 

 

 

Andover sent me this Jo Morton fabric right before Fall Quilt Market this year. It is called Amelia.

I put together 9 blocks and made it into a wall hanging.

 

 





So, I wanted to make one more quilt from my written pattern. I used Fat Quarters. I like to show two color ways and I always like to check my pattern for mistakes by making another quilt. Plus I wanted to make a bigger one and put on a border. The quilt below is made with 12 blocks and measures     48" x 60". The pattern is written for five sizes, baby to king. The fabric I decided on is called Florence by Denyse Schmit. Retro colors, I really like it. I still have to put a binding on....

 

 

I tried something a little different with the quilting. I did a "cabbage rose" pattern. I like how it looks. Quilting isn't my strong suit, and I don't enjoy it very much.....I just want to get my quilt done!! My friend, Nikki Maroon, inspired me. She is a fantastic quilter and I saw one of her quilts over the weekend that had a section quilted in the cabbage rose pattern. If you would like to buy my pattern, you can find it in my Etsy Shop 

 

Happy Quilting :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FABRIC GIVEAWAY

I am kicking off my second fabric/pattern giveaway!

Just like me on Facebook.

Then like the post for the giveaway. 

I am giving away 68 Chickadee Charm Squares by ANDOVER fabrics. Here is the line of fabric. It is by Jan Kalverstan. It is beautiful fabric, especially for bird lovers!

 

I am also giving away one pattern of your choice from Sweet Jane, here are the patterns:

 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetjane

 

 

Good luck!!

Finishing up some projects

Finishing up some projects

Of course everyone has different habits when it comes to sewing and how they keep their sewing room. I sew a lot, everyday! I use precuts, so I am not drowning in scraps, but they still accumulate. SOMETIMES I start a project and then I get so excited I start another project and have a tough time going back to the first. So, as the above processes take place, things start to get messy.

 

 

To the right of the chair is more mess! Basically I have three projects in the works and I made some "test" blocks for two other projects. (The other parts of my house look only marginally better...). SO...I must have a breaking point, because every now and then I sew up my half finished projects, toss out some scraps, use up some scraps, etc. I believe I have REACHED my breaking point and am making some progress! I also wrote the patterns for both quilts.

 

 

I also cleaned out my "fabric closet". Here is most of my unused fabric.

 

Gosh, I feel like I am confessing my sins here! Confessions of a fabricaholic!! Confessions of a messy person who sews a lot. But that is my point, I am not THAT messy....

Stay tuned for the finished products. The quilts always look so much nicer quilted!

Check out my patterns here.

 

 

 

Black and White with a splash of BRIGHT!

I often have to be pushed out of my comfort zone by the people I work with. This project is a good example. Daryl from Andover sent me four fat quarters from their new "Poppy Modern" collection. They were all shades of black, white and grey. She threw in a package of their textured solids and said she thought a black & white bag with a pop of color would look nice. I am good at envisioning patterns, but not great with the color part. Really black and whites suit me well! Anyway, here is my bag...

 

The pattern, Teacher's Pet, requires 32 charm squares. Basicly for this bag I used 26 black & white 5" squares and six 5" squares of a "color". I made each side separately so the blues stayed on one side and the red/orange/lime green stayed on the other side.

 

 

If you would like to try to make this bag, I would suggest 5 fat quarters and 1/4 yard of fabric for the straps (plus the lining). You can always use scraps for your pop of color. I always use scraps for my pocket also.

 

Above is the side with the lime green, below is the side with the blues. I feel like I have two separate bags! I have a favorite, but I will let you decide which one you like better!

 

I am new to making bags, so I am pretty excited about all of my bag creations. I love picking out the lining fabric. For a bag like this you can really pick out something fun and colorful for the inside. The pocket fabric can be something fun and unexpected as well. Thank you for checking out my bag! 





 Check out my other designs on Etsy! 

 

Chickadee Charm Square Giveaway!

Hello all! I am hosting my second giveaway! Andover recently gave me some charm squares from their new fabric line called "Chickadee" by Jamie Kalvestran. I will be giving away 68 five inch charm squares from this collection. Simply head over to my Facebook page to enter. Included in the give away is one of my patterns that can be used with these charm squares. The winner will be chosen on July 22nd and announced on my facebook page.

 

To enter:

Like "Sweet Jane" on Facebook

Leave a comment under my post for the giveaway.

 

Here are the patterns you can choose from:

 

Teacher's Pet bag pattern

 

Charmed Table Runner pattern

 

Charmed Again Table Runner pattern

 

Remember....

 

To enter:

Like "Sweet Jane" on Facebook

Leave a comment under my post for the giveaway. Good Luck!

 

Auto Fabric Baby Boy Quilt

ANDOVER sent me this great fabric called "Auto" to make a baby quilt with. My five year old son loves it. He is the unfortunate recipient of a lot of girl hand me downs...but that is another story.

 

Here is a picture I took while I was sewing! I used my "Borderline Crazy" quilt pattern.

Laying out the rows. Above the picture I have a few blocks made up from ideas I am working on. Crowded sewing room!!

    

 



 

Below is the finished product. I especially like the orange and green. The designs on the fabrics are cute too.....little cars, road signs, different and interesting strips and polka dots. I quilted it with straight lines and squares. It is an easy allover design. The thread is a variegated. It looks great against the black backing. Not kind to little mistakes though, so beware!!

 

Finished quilt made with Auto Fabric from Andover and the pattern "Borderline Crazy" by Sweet Jane (me!)

 

Making a quilted bag

Well, I see that I haven't posted anything on here in ONE YEAR! That is pretty bad. I vow to be better! Maybe just six months will go by between blog posts now...

Seriously....I have been working on my first bag pattern. I went through a semi painful learning curve several months ago and just looked at a bunch of tutorials for checkbook covers, pouches and eventually tote bags. Nothing with a zipper. I went a little crazy using up scraps.

Now I have no idea what to do with all of these!



I branched out with curved and multiple pockets.

 

I have a friend, Jessica Vanderburgh, who is a bag designer, and I looked at a few of her patterns for your basic measurements and such.

 



 For anyone who is familiar with my designs, I design patchwork quilts with precuts. So, I wanted to design a patchwork bag using precut fabrics (and write a pattern for it). I added an optional zipper pocket to the directions for those who want a zipper. It turns out putting in a zipper pocket is so easy!

The above picture is my bag with Shades of Black Fabric by Me & My Sister by Moda. Those are all of the ingredients plus the medium weight interfacing (which is already ironed onto the back of the lining and straps).

Here is the bag all made up.

 

This bag is made with just one charm pack from Hoffman Batik fabric.

This is the pattern cover with all 4 bags. Comma fabric, Hoffman Batik, Shades of Black & Juggling Summer.

I made 4 bags. The one with the Comma fabric I took to quilt market with me. I am sure the only reason I got the bag DONE was because I had a looming deadline. I am very stuck in my ways and I tend to put off learning new techniques, so the bag was very different for me and the zipper was also a big deal for me!

I used just one charm pack for each bag for the outer body of the bag. I LOVE precut fabric and this is a perfect example of why. You get this fantastic variety of colors and prints for the price of one Charm Pack. Pretty awesome. This would be a great project for someone with a decent stash as well. You just need 32 squares 5" x 5" and you may be able to use your stash for the lining and handles and bottom fabrics.

I am naming this pattern "Teacher's Pet" because I am making one for each of my kids teachers and I will give it to them for an end of the year present. I am pretty excited about that, they will be really happy and they are all such wonderful teachers!

Good luck to you! Maybe it is your turn to try something new??