please don't nominate me for "hoarders"

I know it seems like I'm on my way to needing to be on that show...

...but I promise I don't!

or maybe i do?...

I just like to collect things.

Here is an old pic from one of the last times I sorted fabric.

Old Storage System
I had no idea how much fabric could be stored in 30 drawers till I spent this past weekend cleaning them out.

Now I store my fabric on mini-bolts.  I have over 200 of them.
{Most of them only have one fabric and are not this full.}

Some people collect purses or shoes... I collect fabric.

Lots and lots of fabric.

I work on a lot of things at once & have more in-progress bins and bags than I want to count.

I also collect more than just fabric.

books.

rulers.

thread.

When I was a kid I collected M&M things...

...but that's a story for another day
;-)

If anyone wants to come over & help me get my studio in order...
& catch up on some sewing...
let me know.

p.s.
Sorry for all the really old photos... I spent this past weekend moving & haven't had a free moment yet to take pictures etc.

My role in Kung Fu Panda 2

Photo credit: Courtesy of DreamWorks Animation
Po (Jack Black) is joined by a group on bunnies during a wild rickshaw chase in
DreamWorks Animation’s KUNG FU PANDA 2 to be released by Paramount on Thursday,
May 26, 2011.

Ok so I'm not in the movie... but a part of my personality is!!  How did that happen you ask??
Well my amazing brother Brad works for Dreamworks and he has been working on Kung Fu Panda 2 for over 2 years!

Brad & Julie

See this adorable face Aliyah is making??  Well Brad & I also happen to make that face.  I don't know how young we started doing it... but we did.  Even now as an adult you can sometimes find me making this face when I'm deep in thought without even realizing it!

© Karin Herman

There are a pair of bunnies in this restaurant scene that make our face!!  Brad tells me it's right before the image you see below.  This image shows off a section of the film that my brother worked on for quite some time at the beginning of the film.

Photo credit: Courtesy of DreamWorks Animation
(Center, left to right) Po (Jack Black) hugs his father, Mr. Ping (James Hong) in
DreamWorks Animation’s KUNG FU PANDA 2 to be released by Paramount on Thursday,
May 26, 2011.

This image shows one of the new characters.  It amazes me how much work goes into character development & then the animation of all those feathers. Also wouldn't this make a beautiful quilt!!

Photo credit: Courtesy of DreamWorks Animation

The robes & clothing on the characters are amazing.  The effects artists studied actual textiles to make the animated ones appear as real as possible.  Brad & I often compare what it's like to design for Dreamworks with my quilt design process.

Photo credit: Courtesy of DreamWorks Animation

Over the years my brother has worked on many movies, music videos, commercials & more.  Sometimes he gets us t-shirts & other assorted items from the movies.  Here is Elijah last year rocking his Monsters vs. Aliens shirt with his How to train your dragon cape.

© Brad Herman

Thank you to DreamWorks Animation for allowing me to share some of these images with you!

Remember when I posted about when I grow up?  Well Brad & I both knew at young ages that we were creative.  He took a leap and moved to California at 17 to follow his dreams.  I was only 14 at the time and didn't see the big picture.  Looking back I know that many times I've had the courage to take big leaps because my brother did first & showed me it could work.  We are both very lucky to have incredibly supportive parents that have always supported us in following our dreams with creative careers.  It isn't always easy to make a living creatively, but with passion and hard work amazing things are possible.
My brother has always been my #1 cheerleader.I love you Brad!

Brad & Elijah at the Long Beach Quilt Festival 2010

I'm seeing the movie tomorrow in 3D!!
I hope you enjoyed this peek at the movie & into my family life.


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

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day Winner

It's time to announce a winner!

Thank you to everyone who entered the Sew Mama Sew giveaway day here at Jaybird Quilts!

The winner is...

Cathy!

Cathy please send me your information so I can get all these colored strips out to you!

Quilter's Linen by Robert Kaufman

Metro Living & assorted basics by Robert Kaufman

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

You like color!

WOW!

all I can say is clearly you like color!!

Yesterday I took all the strips of fabric for the giveaway and wrapped them up... and for a moment I almost didn't want to give it away anymore!!  I just wanted to find a nice place in my studio to let this yummy giant roll of fabric live.

You still have till tomorrow night to enter if you haven't done so yet.

Have you taken some time to visit the other sew mama sew giveaway posts?

In addition to all of those giveaways... there are some going on right now just because... and they aren't on the list.  I wanted to share two of them with you... since they also include lots of yummy color!

My friend Jennifer is having a giveaway you don't want to miss!

...and rachel is too!

Have a fun Tuesday!!



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

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!

Welcome!!  I love sew mama sew's giveaway day because in one day you get a chance to see a lot of new blogs, new products & win things all at once!  I'll keep it short & sweet since I know there are a lot of blogs to visit!

Want to win 68 2.5" strips of fabric?

27 strips of Quilter's Linen

41 strips of basics

*note*
I had to get this posted by 9am... so the photo above doesn't show all of the fabric strips you'll get.  If you come back later today you'll see all the yummyness. Photo added!

--

To enter please leave a comment telling me what color is most underrepresented in your stash!
Example:"I recently sorted my stash and found that even though orange is my favorite color I don't have many orange fabrics."

You have till 12pm EST on Wednesday the 25th to enter! Winner will be selected by True Random Number Generator.
PLEASE make sure your contact information is in your profile or that you leave it in your comment.

Start commenting!!
Giveaway now closed.Winner announced here.

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

Prince Charming + Lily = My new favorite bag!

Yesterday I decided to sew just for me.  It had been a while since I made something just because I wanted to make it... and not because of a deadline, contract or Quilt Market.  I'm not complaining... I love what I do... but it was nice to just sew yesterday!

The result... my new Lily Bag!

This is the front of the bag.  I used laminates for the base and regular cottons for the band & handles.

Lily Bag by Lazy Girl Designs

Fabric is Prince Charming by Tula Pink

This is the back of the bag. 

The white is regular cotton & the navy prints are laminates.

Here is a close up of the frog on the back.  I fussy cut the pieces so that he would be featured.

A closeup of the front.  The pleats turned out well in the laminates & don't take away from the frog at all.

Another closeup of the front showing how I also fussy cut the frog.

Here is the bag laying down.  I used the coral on the inside & outside bands.

I didn't have a lot of Prince Charming to work with... so I decided to use Neptune for the lining.  It worked perfectly!!

I did post about my bag on twitter & facebook yesterday and some people asked about the size.  I snapped this photo this morning to show you... in front is my small lily & behind is my giant cosmo bag.  Lily is perfect for my wallet, phone & essential items.  I used her last night when I went to the movies and she was perfect.  My cosmo & other big bags work for when I need to carry the world with me!

I hope you love my new favorite bag as much as I do!!




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

Opposites Attract - Bloggers' Quilt Festival

Just under the wire I'm posting today for the Bloggers' Quilt Festival.  It's been a crazy week trying to catch up since getting home from market.  It doesn't help that as soon as I got home I developed a sinus infection and spent most of the last 3 days in bed. {no fun at all!}

So the festival...

 The rules are that you are supposed to blog about one quilt... but I'm stretching that a bit.  I'm blogging about one design that I've made a few times since it's a favorite of mine.

Opposites Attract was the first pattern I released & will always have a special place in my heart.  While this pattern can be made with any fabric... I've made it 5 times now with novelty fabrics!  This stack of 4 of them also shows my love of bias cut striped binding!!

In preparation for Quilt Market I needed to make a few new samples of Opposites Attract.  Robert Kaufman requested one for their booth from Ann Kelle's new Urban Zoologie fabrics.  I was torn between using teal or brown for the background.  I had used brown for my first 2 Opposites Attract quilts and while that would have been the obvious choice... I went with teal and it turned out fantastic!

The bright teal was perfect for a Quilt Market display.

Here is the finished quilt hanging at market.  I love the birds & birdhouses!

I also wanted to make a new sample for my booth.  I picked 8 prints from the original & new Urban Zoologie and went back to brown for the background.  KarrieLyne helped me piece this sample and I love how it turned out!

I think my favorite new print is the lady bugs... or maybe the monkeys!!

Some of my quilts are "display quilts" and travel around to shops.  This quilt is NOT one of those.  Its one and only show was this past Quilt Market.  Why is that??  Because I made this Quilt for Elijah.  The backing fabric is monkeys... because when he plays he's a little monkey sometimes!

Photo by Karin Herman

{Side note- My sister in law Karin sent in a story to Becky Higgins about using Project Life and it was featured today on Becky's blog... grab a tissue and read it.  I love you Karin, Brad, Elijah & Aliyah!}

Meeting Kelle herself was a highlight of market!!  I've been a huge fan of her fabrics for so long that I feel like we have known each other forever.

This photo that Heather snapped on Day #2 of market is probably my favorite photo from the entire show.  I love you Kelle!

 I also made Opposites Attract in Cuddle by Shannon Fabrics with help from Candi

Working with the Cuddle for the front & back of a quilt was a bit harder than I expected.  Until making this quilt I had only used it on the front or the back.  The stretch of the fabric can be hard to tame at times... but the result is a fuzzy & warm quilt!

I hope you enjoy my Opposites Attract Quilts!  This pattern is available at many shops or you can ask your Local Quilt Shop to order it for you!

Check out the many other fantastic quilts that have been posted this week for the Bloggers' Quilt Festival

...over 600 have been posted so far!!



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