New Mini Hex N More & Mini Patterns!

I'm very excited to announce the Mini Hex N More & Mini Patterns!

Here I am last week at Road 2 California for the "Mini" debut!

The Mini Hex N More Keychain is 3 1/2" tall and just under 3" wide. The ball and chain can be removed and you can use her to cut hexagons, half hexagons, jewels & triangles!

She is very easy to use. All of the shapes are cut from 3 different size strips. 

Cut Jewels from a 3 ½” Strip.

Cut Hexagons from a 2 ½” Strip.

Cut Half Hexagons from a 1 ½” Strip.

Cut Triangles from a 1 ½” Strip.

Here are all the shapes!

I have also filmed a video on how to use the ruler.

-- I also have three brand new Mini patterns!  Mini Disco

--

Mini Northern Lights

--

Mini Radio Way

The Mini Hex N More and Mini Patterns are available now. Ask your local quilt shop to order them!
The patterns are printed in full color and include templates. Plus there's no Y seams!

If you're working on your mini quilts and it's time bind, go with a single fold binding.

Be sure to share your photos with us on social media using the hashtag #JaybirdMini so we can share in the fun!

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

Kit Sale

We are having a Kit Sale! 

Available at http://shop.jaybirdquilts.com/ NOW! Quilt kits & precuts for everyone who couldn't make it to the Road to California Quilt Show. Available for a limited time only & limited quantities available. 

A few notes

1. We do not sell pattern or rulers directly on our site. Please contact your Local Quilt Shop or look at our list of Where to Buy for available shops.

2. Please note that shipping prices for international orders are approximate. Any overages will be refunded.

3. If you order more than one item the site may overcharge you shipping. We will be refunding ALL excess shipping charges once we pack your order and determine the actual shipping costs.

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

Come see us at Road to California this week!

I'm Vending at Road to California this week!

Booth #1020

When: January 23-26, 2014

Where: Road to California Quilt Show in Ontario, CA

What: 

Visit our booth #1020 for Patterns, Books, Rulers, Kits & more!

I'll have my brand new block of the month Park Bench, as well as Sidekick & Hex N More Rulers.

We have some fun new things that we will be revealing this week... and they will be available for sale at the show! Stay tuned to Instagram & Facebook to see the sneak peeks.

Here is a peek at some of the kits we have made up!! Please note kits are limited so come by early to grab your favorite. If we have any left after the show I'll list them online.

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

Quilt Improv Giveaway Winner!

It's time to announce the winner of the Quilt Improv giveaway!

One lucky reader has won a copy of Lucie’s Quilt Improv!! 
The winner is...

Heather B!

Heather B please send us your address so we can get your prize sent to you.

Thank you to everyone who entered.

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

Night Sky Quilt Kit Giveway!

The Fat Quarter Shop is offering a Night Sky Quilt kit giveaway over on their blog, The Jolly Jabber. The kit includes a Jaybird Quilts Night Sky fat quarter bundle of Kona Cotton Solids from Robert Kaufman, a Night Sky quilt pattern and Sidekick ruler. Hurry on over - the winner will be selected on January 23.

Enter the Night Sky Quilt Kit Giveaway on the Fat Quarter Shop's blog, The Jolly Jabber by January 23.

Comments posted here will not qualify for entry in the giveaway. Be sure to comment on The Jolly Jabber giveaway post to enter.

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

True Colors Blog Tour Kickoff!

True Colors by Joel Dewberry I'm excited to be a part of the True Colors blog tour with Free Spirit fabrics!  Throughout the blog tour you'll be able to see some fun projects with the True Colors fabric line and prints from Free Spirit designers Joel Dewberry, Anna Maria Horner, Jenean Morrison and Heather Bailey. The tour kicks off soon with posts from these fantastic bloggers:

1/20 - Sew4Home

1/21 - Stitchery Dickory Dock

1/22 - I'm A Ginger Monkey

1/23 - The Sewing Loft

1/24 - Ellison Lane

1/27 - Diary of A Quilter

1/28 - Material Obsession

1/29 - Craftsanity

1/30 - Stitched in Color

1/31 - Craft Buds

2/3 - Jaybird Quilts

2/4 - Melissa Peda

True Colors by Joel Dewberry

Be sure to check in here on February 3rd to see what I sew with fabric from the True Colors collection and Joel Dewberry's Botanique fabric line - and for another giveaway!!!

Learn more about the designers + True Colors here.

 Botanique by Joel Dewberry

 Botanique by Joel Dewberry

Botanique by Joel Dewberry

Any idea what I'm going to make?...

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

Quilt Improv Blog Hop & Giveaway!

This post is brought to you by my guest blogger + best friend + maid of honor + new Operations Manager for Jaybird Quilts, Rachael P. She has a couple previous guests posts for Jaybird Quilts from way back in 2010. Welcome back to the blog, RP! {I like her so much, I let her throw in a giveaway at the end. Keep reading!}

When Julie presented me with the opportunity to review this book, as soon as I laid my eyes on it I had to do it. At first look, it was so aesthetically interesting I wanted to know more. I am more of a wordsmith than a designer. I have immense respect for a designer’s talent and skill, they have a toolkit I did not come equipped with when it comes to colors, shapes, space and style. Luckily, I can appreciate the craft and artistry of design, and find the words to discuss that appreciation. And with that, we jumped on board the blog hop for Lucie Summers's new book, Quilt Improv. 

The cover of Quilt Improv by Lucie Summers

Here's a bit about Lucie and Quilt Improv from James Brooks of Stitch Craft Create: Lucie runs her own blog, Summersville, and has designed a range for Moda fabrics. Her book Quilt Improv is all about quick, modern quilts and block designs pieced in an improvisational style.

Here’s what drew me into Lucie’s book:

Great design elements: fonts, layout, photography & sketches 

Content: considerable range, eclectic designs, beginner friendly techniques, British English quilting terms (batting=wadding)

Flipping through Quilt Improv was like an English quilting vacation in book format. A cup of Earl Grey tea made the experience complete.

Chain Pieced Strips block from Quilt Improv

I find that there is a major differentiation between books like Julie’s Skip the Borders & Lucie’s Quilt Improv.

Skip the Borders = precision and step by step techniques from start to finish

Quilt Improv = beauty in irregularities and encouraging your personal creative process

Crazy Triangles block from Quilt Improv

The challenge and the beauty of improv quilting is you truly have to make your creations your own - from fabric selections, yardage, and placement. This is a practice in unleashing your creative energies when it comes to colors, shapes and sizes. Surrender to your fabric cutting, piecing and quilting muses.

The more I paged through Lucie’s book and learned about improv quilting, the more analogies to traditional vs improvisational quilting kept coming to me:

It’s like making a 90 degree turn off of the highway onto a twisty, windy country road. 

It’s like sewing & quilting cross training for your mind & machine.

Baking vs cooking.

Puzzle solving vs puzzle creating.

This is for the (quilting) rule breaker types (you know who you are! ;-).

Inspiration for the Railings Quilt in Quilt Improv

Railings Quilt from Quilt Improv

Quilt Improv is heavy on inspiration and technical guidance, yet it's light on the rules and exacting details. For example, you’ll find great clarity on how to design and piece your projects, but you won’t find much in the way of step by step by step measuring and cutting directions. You’re not going to find material lists or cutting requirements for each block or quilt because this is about the process, and creating something that is entirely your own. You will find excellent design and layout planning guidelines.

Skill level: adventurous beginner and confident intermediate quilters looking to stretch your design legs

P.S. Quilt Improv is a brilliant coffee table book for design junkies who appreciate the craft of quilting.

Check out Stitch Craft Create's blog if you'd like to learn more about the book Quilt Improv and see some of the other posts along the blog hop.

Now, for the give away! Stitch Craft Create is offering one lucky commenter drawn at random to receive a free copy of Lucie’s book, Quilt Improv.
Details on how to enter the giveaway are below.


THE RULES

1. Leave ONE comment to enter. Make sure your contact info is in your profile or that you leave it in the comment.
2. In your comment tell us, have you ever tried improv quilting? What draws you to it or away from it?
3. Comment entries must be left on this blog, www.jaybirdquilts.com, to be valid. Comments sent via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other social media will not be counted.

4. Simple as that!!

--

You have until 9PM PST time Friday, January 17th to enter!
Winner will be selected by True Random Number Generator.

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