Jaybird Quilts

Thursday, February 20, 2014

True Colors Blog Hop Giveaway Winners

It's time to announce the winners of the True Colors Blog Hop giveaways!

The winners are...

contentncm has won a design roll!

Michele T has won a fat quarter bundle!

Cynthia has won charm packs & thread!

To the winners:

Please send us your address so we can get your prize sent to you.

Thank you to everyone who entered.

For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Seams Unlikely by Nancy Zieman: A Book Review + Giveaway!

I have a lot of respect for Nancy Zieman. I work at growing a business everyday, with a designer I love, who is a friend I cherish, because Nancy had the foresight to offer sewists the instruction and the products they needed and wanted. We can grow a business that started from a hobbist's blog, because Nancy grew a mail order catalogue company from an 8 1/2” x 11” flyer. Thank you, Nancy.

Nancy’s book is an opportunity to peak behind the curtain and learn the reasons why she started Nancy’s Notions and Sewing with Nancy. You also catch a glimpse into how those two endeavors are intertwined. This isn’t your typical Nancy Zieman book, there aren’t any patterns or sewing instructions, but you will find a few recipes and family photos. This is the personal side of Nancy, the life experiences that shaped her into a skilled sewist and instructor, a savvy entrepreneur and an industry leader.

Her story is quickly becoming the prototype for the women of my generation: study hard at school, find an activity outside of school you enjoy and excel at, get a college degree, experience is the most valuable teacher in the workplace and when an opportunity to offer a product or service becomes obvious to you and few others, incorporate. The Nancy Zieman’s of the world didn’t have the breadth or depth of businesswomen role models to look up that we have today. I’m grateful to all of those women who took those leaps. Thank you for making the uncommon occurrence a commonplace scenario. --

Now for the Giveaway! Nancy is giving away 20 copies of Seams Unlikely to lucky winners.

The Rules

1. Readers must comment on Nancy’s February 4th Seams Unlikely Blog Tour Posting to qualify for book giveaways: http://www.nancyzieman.com/blog/blog-tour/seams-unlikely-book/

2. Any comment left on this blog, www.jaybirdquilts.com, sent via E-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other social media will not qualify you to win.

Disclosure note: gratis copies of Seams Unlikely were provided for agreeing to participate in this blog tour.

If you'd like to hear what others have to say about Nancy's new book, please click here.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Sidekick Diamond Tips

I wanted to share some tips with you that can help you to align diamonds cut with the Sidekick ruler. (This tip can also be used when working with Triangles.)

(To see this demonstration in action, watch the video demonstrations for my Sidekick or my Super Sidekick rulers.)

1. Cut diamonds from the Sidekick ruler. 2 1/2" diamonds are shown below.

2. When starting to piece a row of diamonds, arrange the first two pieces as you see below. It can be hard to judge just how far the pieces should overlap. Pay special attention to the points that creep past the edges on the far right sides. Let them be your guides. Don't start piecing until you are sure those points are showing.

If that doesn't quite work for you and you want to line up clean fabric diamonds from edge to edge before piecing, you can take your cutting a step further to piece from edge to edge.

3. Place a diamond under the Sidekick ruler as shown. Align one side of the diamond to the 60 degree angled edge of the ruler and the other side to the triangle cut line. Trim off the small triangle that peaks out from under the ruler. Turn the diamond around 180 degrees and repeat.

4. The result is diamonds that look like this.

5. Now it is easier to get proper alignment.

6. Sew the pieces together with a 1/4" seam allowance.

7. The result is the start of a row!

I press all of my seams open. I have found that seams pressed open help the pieces to lay flat. Since the diamond pieces are 60 degree angles, there is no way to "nest" them.

Want to link to this tutorial?

Here is a button you can use.

(To see this demonstration in action, watch the video demonstrations for my Sidekick or my Super Sidekick rulers.)

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

Additional free tutorials can be found here.

No part of this tutorial may be reproduced without written consent of Jaybird Quilts.

For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Nancy Zieman's Seams Unlikely Blog Tour Kick Off

Nancy Zieman's autobiography Seams Unlikely is available today. We had a chance to take a look at an early copy & be a part of the blog tour + giveaway. Woo hoo!

The cover of Nancy's autobiography, Seams Unlikely.

Check back here on Tuesday, February 11, to read my review. Be sure to check out other stops on the blog tour and learn a bit about Nancy's journey along the way: February 4 Nancy Zieman http://www.nancyzieman.com/blog/blog-tour/seams-unlikely-book/ February 5 Eileen Roche http://dzgns.com/blog/ February 5 Pat Sloan http://patsloan.typepad.com/ February 6 Melissa Stramel http://melissaslilaclane.blogspot.com February 6 The Long Ladies http://www.mariemadelinestudio.typepad.com/ February 6 Tori Thompson http://totallystitchin.net February 7 Amy Barickman http://www.indygojunction.com/blog/ February 7 Melissa Mora http://mellysews.com February 8 Shari Butler http://www.doohikeydesignstudio.com/blog/ February 8 Vicki Christensen http://www.sewinspiredblog.com/ February 9 Carolina Moore http://alwaysexpectmoore.com February 9 Kate Mclvor https://theconfidentstitch.squarespace.com February 10 Amy Ellis http://amyscreativeside.com/ February 10 Melissa Mortenson http://www.polkadotchair.com February 11 Ilene Miller http://happyvalleyprimitives.blogspot.com/ February 11 Liz Hicks http://blogerisms.blogspot.com/ February 11 Rachael Pannepacker http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/ February 12 Bill Gardner http://www.quiltersnewsletter.com/blogs/insideqn/ February 12 Elizabeth Evans http://www.simplesimonandco.com February 13 Amy Webb http://www.amylouwhosews.com/ February 13 Lindsay Wilkes http://thecottagehome.blogspot.com February 14 Gertie Hirsch http://www.blogforbettersewing.com February 14 Veronica Philips http://cloverusa.wordpress.com/ February 15 Jenny Gabriel http://www.sewvacoutletblog.com February 15 Laura Wasilowski http://artfabrik.com February 16 Frieda Anderson http://www.friestyle.com February 16 Rita Farro http://ritassewfun.blogspot.com February 17 Cindy Cloward http://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/blog/ February 17 Joan Hawley http://www.lazygirldesigns.com/blog/ February 17 Patty Young http://modkidboutique.blogspot.com February 18 Nancy Zieman http://www.nancyzieman.com/blog/ Do you have a fond 'Nancy' moment or memory? Tell us about it in the comments.

Monday, February 3, 2014

True Colors Blog Hop & Giveaway

Today is my stop on the True Colors Blog Hop!

I worked with True Colors by Joel Dewberry...

and Botanique by Joel Dewberry

I made a Baby Size quilt top from my Disco quilt pattern.

It was fun to mix the True Colors with Botanique.

Now I just need to decide on what fabrics I want to use for the backing and the binding!

Joel's saturated colors worked great with my Disco quilt pattern. Disco loves to play with high & low contrasting colors, so the True Colors fabrics + Joel's fabrics played so well together on this quilt top.

I might even add more fabrics to make this a lap size so I can snuggle with it on the couch.

Make sure to visit each stop on the tour for inspiration & giveaways.

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

Now for the Giveaway! I have fun pre-cuts and thread to giveaway to a few lucky winners.

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 what you will make with the fabric if you win.

Example Comment:

I would use the True Colors fabric to make a Tiny Dancer quilt.

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 till 9PM PST on Wednesday the 5th to enter.~~

Giveaway now closed. Winner announced soon.

Winner will be selected by True Random Number Generator.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

MQG Portland SewDown is next weekend!

I’m looking forward to the upcoming MQG weekend sewing retreat - SewDown Portland. I’ll be teaching my Sidekick Sampler class where we’ll cover cutting + piecing using the Sidekick ruler. We will make a block from my Night Sky pattern using Botanics by Carolyn Friedlander for Robert Kaufman fat quarters + background fabric.

I'd like to make sure I have all of the fabric + supplies on hand for our workshop that you might need. I also don't want to ask you to purchase any materials unnecessarily if you already own fabric and/or the supplies to use in class. If you'd like to bring your own fabric, please bring 4 coordinating fat quarters + 1/2 yard background. Check your email for a link to a Google form to let me know by Sunday, February 2, which class supplies you'll need to purchase on-site.

I look forward to sewing with everyone who will be there!

For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

Friday, January 31, 2014

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!

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

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.

Monday, January 20, 2014

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.