Author Archives: Jennifer Ofenstein

About Jennifer Ofenstein

Owner of sewhooked.com and fandominstitches.com. #quiltforgood advocate. Quilt designer, instructor, Talk to Me Tuesday founder & contributor, cat mom, and craft enabler.

Two Dollars in March

Pretty Pretty Pinwheel

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As I’ve been working my through tidying up my Free Pattern page, it occured to me that it has been some time since I’ve shared a free non-fandom pattern.

Well, we can’t have that, now can we?

Here is a sweet little pattern that I’ve dubbed Pretty Pretty Pinwheel. I think you’ll find fun and easy to piece.

Once the units are made, it goes together like a four-patch. If you chain piece the similar units, you’ll find it goes even faster!

Download the 6 inch Pretty Pretty Pinwheel for free from Google Drive!

The pattern is three colors plus a background fabric. Each color is indicated by a different texture. To make it piecing easy, I just penned in where the colors go.

♥ Jennifer O

Where did my retired patterns go? Read all about that here.

Posts on this blog may contain affiliate links to help cover the cost of my website. I thank you for your generous support. ♥

TTMT #250 – Progress and Prizes!

Fabulous PPV Flickr and a WINNER!

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Instead of a few random posts throughout the month to share the awesome Paper Piecing Vintage photos that you have shared with my flickr group, I thought One Big Post and a WINNER would be more fun.

You’ve been a sharing group this past month and for that, I thank you!

Now, here we go!

The first photo I want to share today is from my fabulous Paper Piecing Vintage pattern tester, Amber! She tries every pattern before I share them with you to make sure they are as perfect as I can make them!

natalie.bates2012 is the February winner! She wins everything shown below. Natalie, check your flickr messages for information on how to collect your prize…and congrats!

We’ll have a new prize each month for one winner! For your chance to win, just share your Paper Piecing Vintage photos with the Sewhooked flickr group. Winner to be announced the first Monday of each month.

By Debby

by lexieridenour

by snowie44

by joygoldplanet

by knitdemon

by MsMoommist

by lunaneela

by ladyoflosttimes

by carriebransom

by dawnelvis

by TweLoQ

Other wonderful projects that graced flickr group this month:

By Abbiedans (pattern – L’amour sous la Tour Eiffel)

by PatinWA55 (pattern – Big Linus Heart)

by Tiffiefay (pattern – 10″ TARDIS)

by lexieridenour (pattern – Waiting for Rain)

Wasn’t that an amazing group of photos today? Thank you to each and every one of you for sharing and remember, keep those pictures coming, I have more great prizes for March!

Sign up for Paper Piecing Vintage now!

Have you Joined the Paper Piecing Vintage Facebook Group?

I’m around to answer questions, there are special, Facebook-only bonuses and lots of wonderful new quilting friends just waiting to meet you!

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Featured Pattern Set: All Dolled Up

Interchangeable Dresses to Paper Piece

Just $8 on Craftsy

Paper Piecing Vintage: March

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Hello, March!

I’ve continued to be thrilled with each and every Paper Piecing Vintage block photo that you all have shared. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey!

Today, we have the third installment in our Block of the Month: Ice Cream Bowl.

Ice Cream Bowl is a classic pineapple quilt block. The “bowl” comes from the color placement and the optical illusion that it creates.

Not only are pineapple blocks one of my all-time favorite quilt blocks, a smaller version of this block is my go-to pattern for teaching beginners!

As with all the blocks from PPV, Ice Cream Bowl is entirely paper pieced and both 6″ and 12″ patterns are included.

As a bonus this month, there is a simplified 6″ pattern included for those of you not wanting to piece quite so many pineapple leaves! Want to make it 12″? Just print, cut in fourths, copy at 200% then glue or tape together!

Ice Cream Bowl, by Jennifer Ofenstein (sewhooked.com)

Already registered? Download your updated BOM file now!

Here are a few helpful hints:

Pre-cut strips for the “leaves.” 1″ works great for the 12″ pineapple and the bonus 6″ block. 3/4″ is plenty for the 6″ version.
Once you get a few rounds out from the center, you can prepare all four “leaves” at once (shown above). Instead of stitching one line at a time, stitch one, pull thread a little out from your machine, turn the pattern, then stitch the next until you’ve finished all four!
If making the 6″ block, make your life much easier by trimming seam allowances to 1/8″. That will reduce bulk and make it easier to work with.
Enjoy!

Haven’t signed up for Paper Piecing Vintage yet? Registration for the entire year is just $12. That’s 12 patterns in two sizes (plus the occasional bonus, like this month!), entirely paper pieced for one awesome price! All patterns for the year so far are included when you download.

Sign up for Paper Piecing Vintage now!

Be sure to stop back by the first of each month for the latest Paper Piecing Vintage block. Join the Paper Piecing Vintage Facebook Group for exclusive content and to sew with friends! Share your Paper Piecing Vintage photos with the Sewhooked flickr group for a chance to win fun prizes all year long!

Need some help with paper piecing? Check out my full-length workshop, shared free right here on Sewhooked!

Learn to Paper Piece Sweet Skating Sue, just $3!

Checking in With Stars For Linus

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It’s been quite some time since I talked about Stars for Linus here on Sewhooked.

For my new visitors, Stars for Linus is a small thing I do for my favorite blanket making charity, The Linus Connection.

You, my quilting friends, have an open invitation to create 12″ (12 1/2″ unfinished) stars of bright colors on a light background and mail them to me. I turn them into quilts that are donated to The Linus Connection and from there go to children in crisis in Central Texas.

Not up for making stars? I also accept orphan blocks in any size!

It doesn’t get easier to help brighten the life of a child than that!

Want more information? I have an entire page on Stars For Linus linked from my top menu.

Use one of the patterns linked from the Stars for Linus page or any other 12″ star block of your choosing!

Looking for a chance to win a fun prize? Just share your Paper Piecing Vintage photos with the Sewhooked flickr group in February and you’ve got a chance to win the fabulous prize above! Winner to be announced Monday, March 3, 2014.Be sure to stop back by on Saturday, March 1 for Paper Piecing Vintage!

Sign up for Paper Piecing Vintage
and get a new pattern in two sizes each month during 2014!
That’s 24 patterns for just $12!

TTMT #249 – Beautiful Quilts

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In This Video:

Paper Piecing Vintage Block of the Month
As You Wish on Fandom In Stitches
Talk To Me Tuesday Livejournal Community
Kristel’s Blog – Work-In-Progress Girl
The Linus Connection

There are still chances for prizes! Just share your Paper Piecing Vintage photos with the Sewhooked flickr group in February and you’ve got a chance to win the fabulous prize above! Winner to be announced Monday, March 3, 2014.

There’s a new prize each month during 2014, so be sure to stop back by!

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Sign up for Paper Piecing Vintage
and get a new pattern in two sizes each month during 2014!
That’s 24 patterns for just $12!

Saturday Sewing

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Yesterday morning, I headed out for a day of charity sewing with my favorite blanket charity, The Linus Connection. There were about sixteen of us, all told, stitching binding and quilt tops for kids in crisis in central Texas.

For this venture, I used my handy Singer 301A, which I made in to my “to-go” machine last fall. It has it’s own bag filled with all my duplicate sewing tools so that I don’t have to pack up my home machine every time I want to go sew with friends. I can’t even begin to tell you how much easier that has made events like this!

My first order of business was to stitching binding on two quilts donated by Kristel from Work-In-Progress Girl. Marie happily modeled the pre-bound versions of Kristel’s lovely quilts! I’ll be showing the finished version on TTMT this Tuesday.

After binding Kristel’s two quilts (which were quilted by my friend Marge on the Linus long arm machine), I moved on to piecing a simple top made of bright and cheerful 6″ squares.

After the sweet squares were complete, I moved on to a large tumble block quilt. For sewing days, volunteers pre-cut fabrics that have been donated in to kits to make quilt tops. We try to keep it pretty simple, but use beautiful, fun fabrics that will make a very happy quilt.

This pre-cut is made from a layer cake (10″ pre-cut squares) using a large tumble block template. Because the piecing are so big, the top stitches up super fast.

Lastly, I just have to share this amazing extension table that my friend’s husband made for her Singer 301A. It’s pegboard, an old broom handle, a few screws and felt pads for feet! Total cost, approximately $5! Isn’t it fantastic?!

There are still chances for prizes! Just share your Paper Piecing Vintage photos with theSewhooked flickr group in February and you’ve got a chance to win the fabulous prize above! There’s a new prize each month during 2014, so be sure to stop back by!

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Sign up for Paper Piecing Vintage
and get a new pattern in two sizes each month during 2014!
That’s 24 patterns for just $12!

TTMT #248 – Things I Can Discuss

1000th Post Giveaway!

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999

Hello my lovely friends!

Not only is today Valentine’s day, it’s my ONE THOUSANDTH post!

That image up there? That’s from my last post! Isn’t that amazing?!

To celebrate, I’m giving away a three pack of Sewhooked patterns: A Little Haunted, Turkey Talk and Fairy Tale Femmes.

These are the real deal: printed patterns that you can hold and touch and then make something wonderful from!

1000th Post Giveaway!

Hard copies are no longer available for sale, which makes this giveaway extra special!

Entering to win is easy! Just comment on this post!

Want an extra entry? Follow me on Instagram (@sewhookedjen) and let me know you did! If you already follow, you get an extra entry, too, just let me know! 😉

The winner will be announced on Tuesday, February 18.

Want instant gratification? All the patterns seen her are available for instant download via my Craftsy shop!

Like prizes? Just share your Paper Piecing Vintage photos with the Sewhooked flickr group in February and you’ve got a chance to win the fabulous prize above! I love giveaways, so the more you stop by, the more likely you are to win!

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