Jaybird Quilts: August 2010

Monday, August 30, 2010

i had a plan...

for this weekend...

but as often happens... plans end up just plans.. and life happens.

my plan was to quilt this pile

instead i started three new projects!

i haven't posted a sunday stash report 2 weeks in a row now..

{ lack of time... i am still tracking my numbers }

and as a result i haven't had a chance to show you some of my yummy new fabric!

geo grand...new organic prints from daisy janie

one of the things i started this weekend was my piece for "project pure"

it isn't ready to show yet... but soon!

everyone in the guild that is participating has bought their charm packs...

& i've put the few i have left in the shop in case you want one!

i also made some progress on my selvage spider web quilt

8 more blocks.. makes for a total of 20 so far

my selvages were all starting to look like this...

after a bit of cutting... ironing... and sorting help from mom...

and i now have neat piles!

one last thing...

sandy the designer of the curve master foot loved my video tutorial that i posted on the swatch & stitch...

and as a result she has a special offer for all of you! so if you are considering getting the foot...

Julie, that is a beautiful quilt and you did a great job demonstrating the Curve Master which I created to make curves EASY! To show my appreciation for your support, I will make a special offer to anyone who orders the Curve Master Presser Foot from my website between now, August 28 and September 30, 2010: Write in the comment section that it is because of your endorsement, and I will include the special Bent-Tip Tweezers at no charge!! That is an $8.00 value, as my gift in appreciation of your support and your readers acting on your video tip. Best wishes, Sandy - Creator of the Curve Master

thanks sandy!!

and thank you to all of you for leaving comments on the swatch & stitch!

{this is another one that needs to get quilted now too!}

i'll be back soon with a GO! giveaway..

and hexagon hand sewing part 3!

Friday, August 27, 2010

A Little Birdie Told Me... mon sheri waves {a quilt tutorial}

my new post for the swatch and stitch is up today!

and it is a tutorial as promised!
and... i filmed a video tutorial to go along with it!

details

fabric is Mon Sheri by Khristian A. Howell

pattern - Mon Sheri Waves

quilted by ... {not quilted yet!}

started on 7/3/2010
top finished on 8/26/2010
quilt measures - 48" x 67.5"

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

giveaways going on in blogland... wk34

here is this week's list!

this will be the last week {for a while at least} that i'll be posting about giveaways on a weekly basis
i know most of you really appreciated it...
it's a combination of time & other commitments
-julie

yummy fabric from
~~natalie @ beyond the reef~~
{ ended }

~~karrie lyne @ freckled whimsy~~
{ ended }

~~melissa @ lilac lane~~
{ ended }

~~heather @ a la mode fabric~~
{ ended }

~~pat sloan @ pat sloan's blog~~
{ ended }

~~cathy @ wondrous woven magic~~
{ ended }

~~raven @ oversewn~~
{ ended }

~~ann @ a girl in paradise~~
{ ended }

~~Linda @ Stray Stitches~~
{ ended }

patty @ shoofly quilts
{ until 9/6 }

~~feather & cloth by girl from tulsa~~
{ ended }

~~megan @ lucy & norman~~
{ ended }

~~sinta renee @ pink pincushion~~
{ ended }

~~Leaona @ Leona's Quilting Adventure~~
{ ended }

melanie @ texas freckles
{ until mid-september }

Monday, August 23, 2010

quarter log cabin pattern & new kit!

I have a new pattern to share with you!

quarter log cabin!

it's super easy.. and goes together very fast!
the key to creating the red & pink boxes is color placement
and i have kits of it in the shop!

the quilt was originally supposed to be in the summer issue of fons & porter's easy quilts... but then was moved to the fall issue... and in the end they ran out of space... and as a result the pattern is available online as a free download! {think of it as a bonus for you!}

download the pattern

here is the original one i made

details

fabric is Martinique by 3 Sisters for Moda

pattern - quarter log cabin

quilted by me

started on 10/24/2009

finished on 11/25/2009

quilt measures - 58" x 70"

since Martinique isn't available in a lot of shops anymore... i decided to make a new quilt to show you how the pattern can work in another line! i even showed a sneak peek of me working on it last week!

it rained most of yesterday so i wasn't able to take photos...

and most of the ground is still wet...

so these are the shots i was able to get early this morning

hanging out on the one patch of dry grass!

details

fabric is Fresh Cottons by Fig Tree for Moda

pattern - quarter log cabin

quilted by ... {not quilted yet!}

started on 8/14/2010

top finished on 8/22/2010

quilt measures - 58" x 70"

kits are in the shop!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

hand sewing hexagons - part 2 {quilting basics tutorial series}

hand sewing hexagons tutorial! {part 2}
{see part 1 for info on templates & basting}
{see part 3 for info on removing the plastic quilt patis and one finishing option}

--
personal note...
I meant to have this done & posted hours ago.. but I discovered http://www.ancestry.com/ and I'm addicted. Between last night and this morning I've spent 10+ hours on the site and digging through books and papers in the house. I traced one part of my family 11 generations up from me back to 1614!!
--

Below are step by step directions for sewing hexagons together. This tutorial will continue in step #3 with finishing directions.

{Directions are written for right handed people... if you sew left handed you'll have to reverse a a few steps.}

fabrics used in most tutorial photos are...

Mon Sheri by Khristian A. Howell {available in october}

from robert kaufman

1. After following the directions in part 1 you'll have a pile of hexagons.

2. You can sew them together to make a flower... or in a random arrangement. The process for attaching them is the same. Start by threading your hand sewing needle with no more than 18" of thread.

3. Select with two hexagons.

4. Pick them up...

5. Fold one on top of the other along the side you want to sew together.

6. Until they are like this...

7. Turn the two hexagons so that the side you want to sew together is facing up.

8. Take your threaded needle in your right hand.

9. Begin sewing at the right corner and take very small stitches {or bites} out of the fabric.

10. Continue moving right to left along the seam.

11. At the end of the seam take an extra stitch to secure the seam.

12. This will be your result.

13. Choose the next hexagon to attach. I suggest choosing one that can be attached to a seam where your thread is already attached to the pieces you just put together.

14. Just like in step 9 take small stitches and begin to sew this seam.

15. When you reach the end, like in step 11, take an extra stitch to secure the seam.

16. This is the result. Instead of sewing the open seam at the top I suggest again choosing to add another hexagon where your thread is already attached to the pieces you just put together. {This is personal preference... no single way is right or wrong.}

17. The next hexagon to add.

18. Folded onto of the unit.

19. Beginning to sew it in place. {Again like step 9}

{another angle}

20. Eventually you'll come to a point where your thread is not in a location where you need to add another piece. You could tie a knot and start over, but if you still have a good amount of thread left there is another option. Place your needle into the seam allowance near the corner your thread is at and take one long running stitch to the closest intersection that has an open seam.

21. Pull the needle out at that intersection.

22. Think of the hexagon intersections as a Y shape. The first two seams are easier as you can put the hexagons together back to back. {See step 8 Photo} Sewing the last seam isn't hard... just a bit tricky to get used to. Hold the hexagons together with your left hand and take tiny stitches with your right.

23. The plastic templates don't bend as easily as the paper ones but I still prefer to use them for their overall benefits. Continue sewing along until you finish all the seams.

A finished flower!

the back

If you are making a larger piece you can remove the hexagon templates once all six sides have another hexagon sewn to them. {As shown in the bottom right of this photo.}