If you make a Sew Awesome Craft or any pattern, craft or recipe from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the sewhooked flickr group.
vlog #46 – TTMT – After Linus and Granny Squares
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Author Archives: Jennifer Ofenstein
charity: You’ve Gotta Have Friends
If you’ve missed it on my last few TTMT videos, Log Cabins for Linus and Go Get Granny has been wildly successful!
This past Saturday, the first donations from around the world went out to kids all over the Austin area (read the Linus Blog here).
Many of the the wonderful online crafters that have been participating have sent individual quilt and crochet blocks, but I’ve also received completed quilt tops and entire afghans, fabric yardage and yarn!
Made by Mary. Mary also sent oodles of granny squares which are currently being turned into afghans. She also participating in the Starknuts Community blanket.
made by Marissa from my Oh Wavy Baby pattern! Marissa also made a Spiderman quilt, which you can see below.
Made (and designed!) by Amber of Amber’s Originals, one of three teen-sized afghans she donated!
Mmmm, Olives made by Amber of Amber’s Originals
Donated by Cat, from Australia!
The following are photos taken by my good friend Linda during Show & Tell at Linus this past Saturday. That’s me holding up the blankets!
Another beautiful afghan by Amber of Amber’s Originals.
made by Marissa…do you see Spiderman?
The Starknuts Community Blanket. You can read more about this one here. And no, I have no explanation for the look on my face!
Top donated by Laci of Orange Blossom Boutique. This one will be quilted and go out with next month’s deliveries.
Each blanket receives a stitch on label, so the child that receives it will know just where it came from. There’s also a paper label that includes the first name of the blanket maker as well as a poem about the making of the blanket.
* * *
This month’s challenge for me will be to start turning the individual blocks received into quilt tops. I will likely quilt those myself, the sooner to have them go out to kids in need. Shae, your quilt top is still at the quilters and I will post photos as soon as I can!
We were still short on larger blankets because so many of the facilities that we donate to request them, but the numbers were better than last month, in part thanks to my wonderful online friends and the crafting community!
I have HUGE hugs for every single one of you…someday!
I will continue to accept donations until the end of March. If you still have something you’d like to share with Linus, please contact me for my mailing address.
If you make a Sew Awesome Craft or any pattern, craft or recipe from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the sewhooked flickr group.
Guest Designer Spotlight: Schenley Pilgram
designed by Schenely Pilgram
This week’s Guest Designer is one I’ve only just become acquainted with. Schenley just started designing recently, but jumped in with both feet and has already made some amazing new designs!
Name and where you’re from:
Schenley Pilgram
My hometown is Philipsburg, PA. I’m currently living in Grove City, PA.
Website/blog/online store or other place where your patterns or photos of your work can be found?
How long have you been paper piecing and/or quilting?
I started sewing when I bought a heart-shaped yo-yo maker in August ’08, intending to make a gift for my mom, who LOVES quilts (and has made a few herself). I ended up making multiple yo-yo gifts, both with hearts and circles. My best friend remarked that the circles reminded her of hydrangeas, which we both love. The idea of making her a hydrangea pillow was born. I used multiple sizes of circles, and appliqued the leaves.
I had stumbled upon sewhooked.org months earlier because of the Legend of Zelda blocks. I absolutely adored them (and all the HP designs, of course!). I figured if the internet could teach me to applique and make a pillow (complete with piping), I could give the Triforce a try. Obviously, I was hooked.
What do you use own your block designs for?
I have made a few pillows, and my second original design was for a wall hanging. I am currently working on a Harry Potter quilt.
When did you start designing?
December 2009.
Was there a particular inspiration to draw your first pattern?
After I made the yo-yo hydrangea pillow, I wanted to make a pillow for my other best friend. I decided to do a paper-pieced version of her Welsh Corgi, Habibi. I couldn’t find anything even close online, so I thought I might as well try designing it myself.
Do you remember what your first design was?
Habibi the Corgi. My first Harry Potter design was Dumbledore’s Deluminator. I was trying to think of magical items that had not been done yet, and that was the easiest one to conceptualize and make quickly.
Do you have a favorite among your own designs?
Probably the wall hanging I did of Aslan, because that was a big undertaking (and only my second attempt at paper piecing!). My favorite Harry Potter block so far is my most recent, Harry’s Patronus.
What do you use to design your patterns? Paper and pencil, a specific software, etc.
I use Photoshop Elements – typically I have a photo, illustration or composite that I use as a guide to draw the lines and begin the pattern.
How has the online community changed the way you craft/quilt/design, etc.?
I have long used Photoshop for my photography and the occasional graphic design (I have items for sale on Zazzle that my sister and I designed), and I am loving being able to apply that to my new hobby. I’ve grown up surrounded by quilts, but thought quilting would be too frustrating because I’m a perfectionist. If it were not for this community I would never have experienced the joy and pride that comes from sewing and designing these blocks!
Anything else you’d like to add?
My best friend wants me to start designing Lord of the Rings blocks – she said it would get her to actually try paper piecing!
The photo shows my two house rabbits, Luke and Leia.
Do you have a favorite among your own designs?
Probably the wall hanging I did of Aslan, because that was a big undertaking (and only my second attempt at paper piecing!). My favorite Harry Potter block so far is my most recent, Harry’s Patronus.
Happy Quilting!
Go Get Granny Update #1
I’ve finished the very first Go Get Granny afghan for for The Linus Connection. All the blocks for this blanket were donated by members of the Livejournal community Starknuts, who decided to have their own block drive in support of Go Get Granny!.
The ends aren’t woven in yet, but I’ll get that done tonight and then it’ll go out with other donated blankets this coming Saturday.
It includes blocks by dragonsinger954, archerpren, hpfan_poa and ladyoflosttimes. (I hope I didn’t miss anyone!). Thank you all so much!
Wordless Wednesday: Sign
vlog #45 – TTMT – 100 Bags
Shameless Plugs:
- starknuts Livejournal Community
- The Linus Connection
- Fan Linus on Faceboook
- Follow Linus on Twitter
- Honey Bee Quilt Store
- Honey Bee Blog
- Honey Bee Twitter
- Fan Honey Bee on Facebook
If you make a Sew Awesome Craft or any pattern, craft or recipe from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the sewhooked flickr group.
Recipe: Stenciled Brownies for My Sweetheart!
Brownies for My Sweetheart
I really don’t need a reason to tell my husband how much he means to me. Even so, any excuse to make his day a little brighter is one I’ll take. He loves brownies and homemade ones are extremely easy to make and much yummier (in my opinion!) than the store bought variety. Baking brownies make the whole house smell like chocolate, which is an added bonus.
This year I thought I’d combine two of my favorite things, baking and stenciling, and make a Valentine’s treat fit for the sweetest of the sweet, my own True Love.
I think the original brownie recipe is my Mom’s but it’s in my handwriting in my recipe collection, and I’ve been making them this way as long as I can remember, so I’m not entirely sure. Mom, let me know if it’s yours and I’ll give you credit!
Stenciled Chocolate Brownies
- 1/2 cup butter, room temp or slightly melted in the microwave (~40 seconds) *note – for a moister, chewier brownie, you can use shortening instead*
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 6 TBS baking cocoa
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 tsp vanilla
- wax, parchment or clean wax paper, trimmed to fit inside a 9″x13″ baking pan
- powdered sugar
You can make this recipe with or without a mixer.
Preheat oven to 350°F. With non-stick baking spray, coat the bottom only of a 9″ x 13″ baking pan.
Cream together butter and sugar, adding eggs one at a time.
Sift together flour, baking powder and cocoa. Add to sugar mixture, stirring well.
Mix in nuts and vanilla. Stir by hand.
Spread into prepared pan.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. If you like chewier brownies, stay closer to 20 minutes. Allow to cool at least fifteen minutes before stenciling.
Stencil:
Fold prepared wax paper in random lines vertically along the length of the paper.
Cut hearts out of the paper along the lines. The amount and size of your hearts is completely up to you.
Completed stencil.
Place stencil on top of brownies. Trim if necessary to make sure it fits snugly as possible.
Sift on powdered sugar.
Carefully remove stencil onto another sheet of wax paper and admire your Sweetheart Brownies!
If you’re handy with an Exact-O Knife and have the time, you can get much more creative with the stencil. Share your fandom love, write birthday wishes, admissions of undying love or maybe even a marriage proposal! This same technique will also work on an unfrosted cake.
A simpler version, made with store bought brownie mix.
These were for a school party. They were cooled completely, cut and then stenciled.
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Guest Designer Spotlight: Jennifer Tanner
designed by Jennifer Tanner
click on image for pattern
After a long time without a Guest Designer Spotlight, I’m proud to say that I have a brand new sewhooked Guest Designer to introduce: Jennifer Tanner! Jennifer answered some questions about herself for us so fans of her patterns can get to know her a little better.
First name and where you’re from: Jennifer Tanner; Zimmerman, Minnesota
Website/blog/online store or other place where your patterns or photos of your work can be found? I do not have a website & I hardly think you could call my Live Journal account a blog! But I am going to do my best to learn how to use it. I will keep passing on new designs to Jennifer though, so you can always find them at www.sewhooked.org on the Guest designer page! (Many thanks to Jennifer for creating this part of her website!)
How long have you been paper piecing and/or quilting? The first quilt I made was a baby quilt for my husband’s cousin. I do not remember the exact year but I think it was somewhere in 2001 – 2003. I didn’t start paper piecing until November of this past year (2009). I decided that I was going to get going on the Harry Potter quilt I had wanted to make since 2001. I started to get pretty downhearted when looking for Harry Potter material because it was OUTRAGEOUSLY priced on eBay. I then did a Google search & found Jennifer’s website. (HURRAY!) I had only heard of paper piecing once before so I wasn’t sure this would work either. With the help of Jen’s tutorial & another gal’s YouTube video, I gave it a whirl. Needless to say, I loved it!
What do you use own your blocks for? I am using my HP themed blocks for my Harry Potter quilt top. I designed a Christmas tree for a table runner, a Mickey Mouse outline for a pillow for my son, & a pirate square that hasn’t been tested yet. Once I am done with my HP quilt I would like to make a book bag using some of the HP patterns.
click image for pattern
When did you start designing? I designed my first block December 2009.
Was there a particular inspiration to draw your first pattern? Do you remember what your first design was? Seeing the fulfillment Jennifer got from her own designs inspired me to just go for it. My first block was a Christmas tree. My next block was a train engine that I drew up for my sister after not being able to find a pattern I liked online. That is what led me to design my Hogwarts Express. I just kept going from there.
Do you have a favorite among your own designs? I am equally in love with my Hogwarts Castle & Durmstrang ship. The ship is available for download on Jennifer’s website, www.sewhooked.org, but I decided to keep the castle as my own block.
How has the online community changed the way you craft/quilt/design, etc.? Where do I begin!?! God just blessed me with the crafty online community this fall & it has helped me so much! I would not be designing today if I had not discovered this community. Not to mention I probably would not be making my HP quilt right now either! I can go to YouTube & watch tutorials if I’m stuck on something; Jennifer has been amazing in answering so many questions that I’ve had about paper piecing & designing. The compliments people share with each other is so encouraging. It has inspired me to be a better crafter. I enjoy being able to share something I love with others who share the same passion! And I’m so happy to have found paper piecing. 🙂
What do you use to design your patterns? Paper and pencil, a specific software, etc. I hand draw all of my patterns using pencil & a ruler. I’ve tried & tried to get the computer drawing down. I can get the picture drawn, but can’t figure out how to get the seam allowance in there so old fashioned drawing it is for me!
find more of Jennifer Tanners’ patterns on the sewhooked Guest Designer page
Happy Quilting!
vlog #44: TTMT – The Cat Came Back
Intro To Paper Piecing Class, Feb 20
Layer ‘Em Up
Twilight Crafts & BOM
Honey Bee Triangle Swap
Triangulations
If you make a Sew Awesome Craft or any pattern, craft or recipe from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the sewhooked flickr group.
vlog: TTMT – Brought to you by USPS
If you make a Sew Awesome Craft or any pattern, craft or recipe from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the sewhooked flickr group.
