Sunday, February 27, 2011

Sunday Stash Report - Week 9


Thank you for your response to my fabric sale post!
You helped me make lots of space on the shelves of my studio.

I did really well with my stash report this week. Lots & lots of sewing...which left no time to buy any new fabric.


In

nothing!

--

Out

Lots of backings & bindings...
the quilts are almost done!!

Your comments on my "A year ago today" post were fantastic!
It got me motivated to finish the last of my birdie slings from early 2010!

The band and handles are a French General linen/cotton blend
The body is Vintage Red Kona Crush
The trim is ??... something I found in a box in my studio!

I added a bunch of pockets including a zippered one.


--

Sunday Stash Report - Week 9 of 2011

zero in
13.07 out

2011 totals
purchased: -52.17 yds
busted: 111.18 yds
net: 59.01 yds



--




© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Friday, February 25, 2011

New Kit in the Shop & Fabric Sale

I put together a few kits of fabric for "Flying in Formation" and they are in the shop.

Copies of the magazine with the pattern are also available.



About my shop
I don't have a "fabric" shop.  I leave that up to my amazing team of sponsors. {They rock!!}
What I have in my shop is my patterns... magazines I've been featured in... & from time to time kits for my quilts. Sometimes after I finish making kits I have some yards of fabric left over. I'm running out of space for this fabric so it's all on sale! Check out my shop to find fabric for only $3 - $4 - $5 a yard!


© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Thursday, February 24, 2011

A year ago today

A year ago today I blogged this photo.
One year later... and two of the three bags shown here are finished.  The third one only has maybe an hour of work left on it... yet it still isn't done.  Sometimes I just lose motivation at the very end of projects if they don't have a specific purpose or a recipient in mind... please tell me I'm not the only one this happens to!!

Also...
Randomly I search through my own blog posts to find photos... remember things I've made and so on. If you have a blog... do you ever do this??




© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Sponsored Giveaway: The Fabric Quarter

Sponsored Giveaway
Featuring The Fabric Quarter
disclosure: this is a sponsored giveaway







© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Monday, February 21, 2011

Flying in Formation

Flying geese anyone?


My quilt "Flying in Formation" is in the April/May Issue of McCalls Quick Quilts!

Last spring I was inspired by flying geese and I drew up a few designs. I had this one in my notebook and couldn't find the right prints to put it together. It almost never made it's way out of my notebook until I decided to try and make it with solids... and voila!





Details
Fabric is Bella Solids by Moda
Pattern - Flying in Formation
Designed by me
Quilted by me
Started on 5/14/10
Finished on 5/20/10
Quilt measures - 45.5" x 45.5"

Here is the cover of the issue







If you subscribe you probably already have it & if not it'll be in shops next week.
I'll have a few copies available in the shop soon!

I love this quilt and I can't wait for it to come home.
:-)







If you are interested in a kit of the same fabrics I used let me know... I'm thinking of putting a few of them together.

edit:
kits are in the shop!
magazines are available too


© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Sunday Stash Report - Week 8

Another very busy week around here!  Lots of sewing for the new patterns as well as a few other things. Friday I headed to The Village Quilter for a sewing night with some members of the Philly Modern Quilt Guild.  I had a great time... and of course I did some shopping!

In


3 yards of Central Park by Kate Spain
{yes more central park... I'm kinda hooked}

4.5 yards of County Fair by Denyse Schmidt... and it was on sale!!


6 yards of other fabric

and I bought a jelly roll from my own business
I know that sounds funny... but I keep my personal stash and business inventory separate.


--

Out

I made a mug rug for the Philly Modern Quilt Guild swap.

We had a great time swapping mug rugs.  Andrew wrote a recap of it on the PMQG blog.

I cut up lots of fabric for these blocks.  I'm making "The Tempest" by Cherry House.

Lots & lots of fabric out for my new quilts... & if all goes well with the photo shoots this week you'll be seeing them by the end of the week!

4 yards out of Nest flannel by Tula Pink to be used as backing for my Nest braid quilt.  I blogged that I had the borders on this quilt back in May of 2009... eek!  So why didn't It get quilted and finished back then?...

This is why!
eek!  I actually cut a hole in the quilt top... accidentally of course.  At the time I was so upset and didn't know what to do that I stuck it in a box and figured I'd come up with a plan later.  Well almost 2 years later and I don't want to let it stay in a box any longer... so I have a plan and I'm going to as Tim Gunn would say... "Make it work!"


--

Sunday Stash Report - Week 8 of 2011

16.17 in
28.85 out

2011 totals
purchased: -52.17 yds
busted: 98.11 yds
net: 45.94 yds

almost 100 yards used this year already!!





© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Saturday, February 19, 2011

The Basics Charity Challenge


Have you heard about the basics charity challenge?

It's based around a simple concept... help others.

I was raised in a family that taught volunteering from day one. My mom was, and still is, always doing things for other people. She taught me that when I didn't have money to donate that I could always give my time. For example... I'm a quilter & not a garment sewer... but once a year I give a day to help alter dresses as a part of Fairy Godmothers. When I have money to donate I do... but I always donate my time.

Cara of CaraQuilts was recently inspired by a simple sign. She could have gone about her day and forgot it but instead she decided to do something about it.  The result is "The basics charity challenge."

Please head over to Cara's blog to read her story that inspired this challenge. Her post also goes over the details of the prizes you could win that she has gathered from bloggers like myself in an effort to encourage you to join us in helping others.




© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Friday, February 18, 2011

A Little Birdie Told Me... all about organic fabrics


Fabric is Pick a Bunch by Nancy Mimms
Available April 2011
Quilts are my new designs!
Quilting by Angela Walters




© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Giveaway winners.

The winner of the "Permission to Play" giveaway has been selected and is posted over at the swatch & stitch.  If you are the winner please contact me with your info.




A note about giveaways & winners
Once I pick a winner I always ask for that winner to contact me.  If they don't contact me in a reasonable time I'll see if I have their contact info and I'll take the time to contact them... but I shouldn't have to... and sometimes I don't have their e-mail address.

When you enter a giveaway you should go back to see if you have won.  It shouldn't be up to the person who coordinated the entire thing to also track you down for your info... after all you just won something.

I have yet to be contacted by the winner of the Pink Chalk giveaway and some of the winners of Vanessa's pattern giveaway.  If you won please contact me by midnight Monday the 21st or a new winner will be selected.
Pink Chalk Giveaway
Vanessa's Pattern Giveaway

My "A little birdie told me" post will be up in a few hours. 

edit
Please know that I do realize that things happen and that people have their own things going on in their lives. I did not intend in any way to come off rude or insensitive. My goal with this post was to reach out to those that won recent giveaways & shed a bit of light on this situation with people in general as it happens often. If I can't reach you, then I can't give you your prizes.

edit #2
I used to do a separate "here is the winner post" and most of the time that didn't help much either. I would still end up contacting the person.

edit #3
I'm closing the comments on here as it's getting pretty repetitive.  As I said above "If I have their contact info... I'll take the time to contact them" End of story.  This post has 13 comments and two of them were left by people with no contact information.

Thank you to all of the winners who have contacted me in the last few days. I was waiting on six people and now I'm only waiting on two.



© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Behind the Quilt

As many people know there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes of a fashion photo shoot... lots of pins and hollywood glamour magic. Many similar things happen during a quilt photo shoot. I went out yesterday to take photos for the cover of a new pattern and thought I'd share with you a few things that I always have in my bag with me when I head out for a quilt photo shoot. {Besides my camera of course!}
Quilting by Angela Walters
Label is my custom label from spoonflower
Fabric is Treasures & Tidbits by Piece O' Cake and will be out in July

A bag of safety pins.
These have endless possibilities.

A few random strips of fabric.
Sometimes I tie them to a tree or a fence or I end up pinning them to the quilt and making loops. I find new uses for these strips during shoots all the time.

& clamps... lots and lots of clamps of all sizes.
Things often don't want to stay where you put them and clamps can usually solve that problem.

The wind wasn't my friend yesterday but in the end I did get the shot I wanted for the cover.... which means one step closer to showing it all to you!





© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Monday, February 14, 2011

She really is that funny.

A while ago one of my bloggy favorite people let me know she was coming to philly soon & asked if i'd be around to meet up. I said "sure" and then forgot about it for a while... then she e-mailed me last week to say she was coming this past weekend. 

Some backgroud... Audrie was one of the people who read & followed my blog before anyone really knew who I was & I've been reading Audrie's blog for a very long long time too. I was kinda nervous to meet her. Would she be as funny in person as her blog is? Would she think I was funny and still like me? I was nervous like it was an awkward blind first date... and I don't really get nervous.


Lucky for me she is just as funny... if not funnier in person.

We took random photos of each other while trying to patiently wait for her hubby & my friend Rachael to take our picture.


btw.... Notice I've got my knees bent and her boots have heels & I'm still miles taller...


After they stopped chatting... {Audrie's hubby is hilarious as well} they tried to take some photos of us.


 ...but we were too busy laughing and dancing to get a single serious shot.


oh well we had lots of fun!


Audrie... you SO need to come back to philly.
We have lots of more trouble to cause & cupcakes to find.


more photos can be found over at audrie's blog - blue is bleu



© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Sunday Stash Report - Week 7

busy week!
lots of sewing... not a lot of blogging... but it'll all be worth it in the end!
i am still working on the rest of the binding tutorials
hopefully part 3 will be finished this week.

I spent yesterday catching up with Rachael. It included a trip to get yummy yummy cupcakes since my birthday kinda came and went with no cake & not much joy. Friends come and go through your life but every once in a while you develop a friendship with someone that turns into a life long bond that is more like family. Rachael is more than just my sorority sister... she is family to me. She knew that a simple thing like remembering my birthday and getting me a cupcake meant the world to me.

fyi... Elijah was first taken to the hospital on my birthday and then eventually diagnosed. Understandably it took over all of our lives and my birthday didn't seem to really matter. I get lots of e-mails asking how he is and I appreciate them all. He is in round 3 of treatment and this round has had much less side effects. My parents are in LA right now spending time with him & my west coast family. Here is a recent picture of Elijah with my mom that my SIL Karin took. I miss my west coast family...and my dad... but right now I really miss my mom!



In


4 yards of central park

--

Out

I did a lot of sewing and a lot of cutting this week!
...and I have nothing I can show yet.
soon... soon!


--

Sunday Stash Report - Week 7 of 2011

4 in
28.27 out

2011 totals
purchased: -36 yds
busted: 69.26 yds
net: 33.26 yds







© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Thursday, February 10, 2011

My pattern development process

The reason I haven't shown you any new quilts recently is that I'm deep into the process of making the quilts for my new patterns! I can't wait to show them to you... trust me keeping secrets isn't fun! All I can say is that I have a lot in the works and I'm so excited about all the new developments over here! Most of the quilts are off at the quilter now & I should be able to show them to you soon!


In the meantime I thought I'd tell you a bit about my pattern development process. I'm sure every designer has a different process but here is a peek inside mine. Below are some photos & info that show you my process for developing Opposites Attract.

It usually starts with a sketch. Sometimes it's in a nice notebook...sometimes it's on a random napkin. Inspiration strikes at all times. After I have a general idea of what I want to make I head to the computer. Between EQ, Photoshop, and Illustrator I come up with a few visuals. Sometimes it's at this point that I decide a design isn't working at all. With Opposites Attract I was pretty happy with what I was seeing and needed to decide on color.

I really wanted to work with a bright & fun color for the background. I auditioned the green and tried to make it work but I kept going back to the high contrast with the brown and navy.

In the end I decided brown was best. I could have used a basic solid but I really love the texture of Kona Crush so I went with Chocolate Kona Crush. The process of making these blocks is easy and I had a quilt top put together in no time. Also it was around this time that I decided I wanted a large block and after a few test runs decided on a 14" finished block.



The next decision is binding. Many people don't give the binding much thought... but I'm not one of them! I wanted something that would coordinate with the prints and pop off of the brown. I decided on a stripe from Remix cut on the bias for double fold bias binding.


During the process I'm actually making the quilt from the first draft of my pattern. I add notes and make any changes that are needed. Those who know me well know that I LOVE the math part of quilting. I know many people can't stand that part but I'm just a numbers girl. I really enjoy calculating the fabric requirements, all of the measurements and so on. Once the pattern is close to 100% I send it off to my testers while I work on the cover art. Finding testers wasn't so easy for me at first. I used to be a pattern tester & technical editor myself so I have really high standards. In the end I found a rocking group of people and I love them!! (Sending lots of hugs and thank yous to you all!)

The initial photos confirmed that I made the perfect decision with my binding choice.

I knew I wanted the cover photo to be after washing the quilt, but just in case something happened I took a ton of photos before washing it.

This is one of my favorite photos... even if it doesn't show much of the quilt.

Sometimes photo shoots can drain you and you need to take a break!

Along with the stylized shots I took a flat shot for the inside of the pattern.
Details
Fabric is Remix & Urban Zoologie by Ann Kelle
with Chocolate Kona Crush
Pattern - Opposites Attract
Designed by me
Quilted by me
Started on 8/29/10
Finished on 9/11/10
Quilt measures - 56" x 56"


I needed to take a few more process photos for the inside of the pattern and decided I'd make a second quilt from Suburbia by Caleb Gray. I went back to the computer to decide on a background color and ended up deciding on brown again.

Instead of Crush I decided to use Quilter's Linen. I couldn't find a stripe I liked for binding so I was trying to decide between two colors of more Quilter's Linen... Leaf and Natural. I snapped this photo and sent it to my testers for their opinions. It was unanimous that Leaf was the right choice.

Here is the finished second quilt.

Details
with Chocolate Quilter's Linen
Pattern - Opposites Attract
Designed by me
Quilted by me
Started on 10/12/10
Finished on 10/27/10
Quilt measures - 56" x 56"


Last minute touches to the pattern directions and back cover and it was time to send it to the printer. I included lots of information on the back cover so that you make this quilt in 4 sizes and see all of the fabric requirements while you're in a quilt shop picking out fabric.

It wasn't long before the patterns were back from the printer! I print my patterns in full color and they are stapled so that you don't loose any directions. I personally own well over 100 patterns and I learned a lot about patterns in my time working at a shop. Sometimes pattern covers are cute and then the directions are horrible or the printing looks like it's been photocopied a few times and taped together. I set a goal for myself early on that my patterns would be well tested and printed in a way that was deserving of being purchased.

I show step by step through text and photos how to make the block including a few tips. In case you don't want to buy the ruler I also included a paper template inside the pattern.

I'm really proud of my patterns and hope you enjoy them!

Want to get your own copy? Ask your local shop or check out these shops where you can buy a copy online.




Wholesale Information
Are you a shop interested in carrying my patterns?
Please contact me for wholesale information!


One of my favorite things is seeing people make quilts from my patterns! Karrie Lyne made her opposites attract using fabric from Riley Blake. Instead of keeping the colors together she went scrappy and I love the way it turned out!
Opposites Attract


Have you made opposites attract? If so I'd love to see a photo or you can upload it to the flickr group!

I hope you enjoyed this peek into my process! :-)






© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/