Category Archives: Quilts & Quilting

Papa Bear’s Quilt – 1 of 12

Guess who’s going to star in Talk To Me Tuesday next week?

If you guessed Papa Bear, you guessed right!

This is my first UFO finish for 2012.

This quilt was started in 2008 as a pass around with my bee. You can read more about this project in my 12 for 2012 UFO post.

This quilt has always been intended for my hubby and will be his birthday gift in February.

All my 12 for 2012 posts

Since I ended up working most of Thursday (it was an accident, I swear!), I took yesterday off. I spent the morning having coffee with bee friend Linda while hand stitching the binding to the quilt. I took pre-washing pics yesterday, and then washed it last night. It scrunched up beautifully, especially in the cross-hatching. I love the transformation from bits and pieces I’ve sewn together to a yummy, scrunchy quilt ready to be cuddled and loved after the first wash. I’ll get post-washing pics when there’s more natural light outside.

The entire quilt is straight lines because Big E asked for a geometric design. I eyeballed it all, using the shapes of the blocks. The lines aren’t perfect, but I didn’t have any puckering and I love the way the cross-hatching turned out.

I put muslin on the back, something I’m becoming more and more fond of doing. I love how distinctly you can see the quilting and the way it looks after washing. This is a pre-wash picture.

We have a Linus Connection sew day today from 9 – 4 at a local non-profit place called The Stitching Studio. It is exactly what it sounds like, a place to stitch. It believe it seats about 15 and has design walls all around, sturdy tables and comfy chairs. There’s a kitchen and a bathroom, perfect for sewing all day!

Did you see my latest pattern set, All Dolled Up? Check it out here!

Get the PDF download of Floating Mariner for half-price (that’s just $3!) through January 15 with coupon code BEINSPIRED.

Add your Sewhooked-related photos to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post!

Have a very happy Saturday!

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All Dolled Up!

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Julia Catherine Amber

Julia Catherine Catherine Amber Amber Julia

Julia Amber Catherine Julia Amber Catherine

All Dolled Up Pattern Set

Oh my, have I ever been busy!

Earlier this week, a message dropped in my inbox from Ann-Marie S., asking about paper pieced dress patterns. She wants to turn her daughters’ toddler dresses into quilt blocks and was looking for patterns to help her do that.

Well, how could I resist such an adorable request?

In exchange for her idea, Ann-Marie received a free copy of this fantastically fun set of patterns, which I have dubbed All Dolled Up.

Here’s how it works:

There are three paper pieced patterns in two sizes each:

3 – 6″x6″ (6 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ unfinished) patterns
3 – 9″x9″ (9 1/2″ x 9 1/2″ unfinished) patterns

The tops and bottoms are interchangeable with blocks of their own size, which gives you 18 total dress variations!

This super fun, super simple pattern set is available right now as an instant download PDF right now through The Sewhooked Shop, powered by e-junkie, for safe and secure PayPal payments.

All Dolled Up Pattern Set

$6.50 PDF Instant Download

There are three basic patterns; Julia, Catherine and Amber. The top from each dress can be paired with the skirts from the other two dresses, giving you nine different dresses!

Each pattern is also printable as a 6″ x 9″ (6 1/2″ x 9 1/2″) pattern, for a more “grown-up” effect!

Confused? Here’s an easy chart to get you on your way! The top row shows the base patterns: Julia, Catherine and Amber. The next two rows show each tops with a different skirt. For example, J+C = Julia (top) + Catherine (skirt). Easy!

All Dolled Up Pattern Set

$6.50 PDF Instant Download

How’s that for a new pattern? I’m so in love with this set and can’t wait to piece my new little dresses into a quilt!

You still have time to get the PDF download of Floating Mariner for half-price (that’s just $3!) through January 15 with coupon code BEINSPIRED.

Add your Sewhooked-related photos to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post!

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A Day Off

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Today is officially my Day Off. I work almost every day and I’ve decided NO MORE. I need a day to do my own thing and have a little breather from working. So, today, I work on my own projects, do some errands and quite possibly start reading The Fault In Our Stars, which landed on my doorstep yesterday.

I’ll be attaching binding to the quilt you see Tackett so blissfully napping upon later today. “Papa Bear” has been featured in my last couple of Talk To Me Tuesday videos and is my first personal project of the year, 1/12 in my 12 for 2012 list. I hope to hand stitch the binding to the back this weekend!

See all my 12 for 2012 posts!

I have a number of new projects in the works, including the one you see above, which is a sneak peak of tomorrow’s post…a brand new pattern set for the Sewhooked Shop! This is unlike anything I’ve done before and you will not believe the sheer cuteness! Make sure you stop by tomorrow for the reveal!

Get the PDF download of Floating Mariner for half-price (that’s just $3!) through January 15 with coupon code BEINSPIRED.

Add your Sewhooked-related photos to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post!

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Workshops are open!

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12 for 2012 and 2011 UFO Recap!

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For the last couple of years, I’ve started off with a recap of my UFOs from the last year and how far along I got with them. While I set general goals for myself, I have never done anything quite as organized as 12 for 2012.

With that in mind, I’d like to recap my 2011 UFO list and share my goals for this year! It makes for a big post…I hope you enjoy!

For your convenience, my own version of these definitions:

UFO = UnFinished Object – a project that has been set aside and allowed to collect dust. Chances are it’s existence has been forgotten until it’s pulled out of whatever dark hole it was stuffed into. While there, it probably multiplied like Tribbles, leaving many more UFOs than you remember putting there in the first place.

WIP = Work In Progress – Always in danger of becoming a UFO, a WIP is a project that is currently being worked on, and will hopefully become a…

FO = Finished Object – What all projects dream of being. The object of much blog activity and excitement and a good source of personal pride. The Ultimate Destination of a UFO and WIP.

See my 2010 UFO list and the follow-up post.

See my 2011 UFO list.

The date in parenthesis is the birth year of each project.

Quilts

Christmas Quilt, aka “Homes for the Holidays” (2009)

2011 status –FO – This quilt started the year as a UFO pieced up to the black border. I added the piano keys at during my bee’s annual quilt retreat. Quilting was completed by Rock Creek Quilts and I had it bound in time for Christmas.
Blogged

Bear Paw Pass Around Blocks (2008)

2011 status – WIP – Started as a pass around project with my bee in 2008, these blocks languished in a box until March of 2011. At my bee’s annual retreat, I made several more blocks, pieced the top and added a border. Backing fabric and batting have been acquired.
2012 Goal – FO – Quilt and bind in January and have ready for my hubby’s birthday Feb. 8. This will be his first “just for him” quilt from me.
1/12 (January)

InuYasha Quilt (2010)

2011 status –Still Collecting – I started collecting for this quilt for my daughter in 2010. I have all the fabric and with the help of friends, have collected enough InuYasha t-shirts.
2012 goal – FO – I’d like to get at least the quilt top completed by her birthday, but my real goal is the entire project completed by the end of February.
2/12 (February)

Project of Doom Signature Quilt (2011)

2011 status – New – Signature quilt blocks collected in 2011 from participants in the Project of Doom (see below).
2012 goal – FO – I want to have this project completely done in time to show in the fall quilt show put on by AAQG.
3/12 (March)

Granny’s Signature Quilt (2010)

2011 status – WIP – I continued to hand quilt on my grandmother’s signature quilt off and on during 2011.
2012 goal – FO – Only one more row of blocks to go! I’d like to finish this one for my birthday in April.
4/12 (March)

(2010)

2011 status –WIP – Designed in 2010 and hosted on Harry Potter Paper Piecing, The Project of Doom was my big project for 2011. I shared 30 blocks over 30 weeks, plus layout suggestions at the end. This was my last big offering to the Harry Potter quilt fandom and my goodbye to Harry Potter Paper Piecing as all my fandom patterns were moved to Fandom In Stitches.
2012 goal – FO – Currently at the quilter. Once it’s home again, I will add a sleeve, label and binding. I’d like to show it at the AAQG’s quilt show in the fall.
Pattern Archive; also available on Fandom In Stitches
5/12 (May)

Embroidery BOM (2011)

2011 status – NEW – I learned to embroider in 2011 in order to complete my Project of Doom blocks. This was my practice project. Blogged.
2012 goal – FO – Combine with bright colored fabrics into a quilt top. Possibly send out for quilting.
6/12 (June)

New York Beauty

2011 status – UFO – Made as class samples in 2010, I didn’t touch these blocks in 2011.
2012 goal – WIP – Finish piecing the blocks and go from there.
7/12 (July)

5 @ The Hive (2011)

2011 status –WIP – My first BOM to participate where I didn’t choose the fabric. I have quite a few months worth of blocks still to make.
2012 goal – FO – I’d like to get this to the next step and get all the blocks pieced. This may make an earlier appearance on my calendar and go to quilt retreat in March.
8/12 (August)

Vintage Quilt Top (2010)

2011 status –UFO – An anniversary gift from my husband in 2010. This stayed on my shelf in 2011.
2012 goal – FO – Baste, quilt (possibly by hand) and bind.
9/12 (September)

Hand Applique (2010)

2011 status –WIP – From a beginning applique class I took in 2010. I finished stitching all the pieces in 2011. Definitely not my thing!
2012 goal – FO – I’d like to hand quilt this, possibly to be gifted.
10/12 (October)

Harry Potter/Magical Swap blocks (2007/2008)

2011 status –UFO – Despite laying these blocks out, hanging them on my design wall and thinking about them way too much, I did not do a darn thing with them.
2012 goal – FO– I’m saving this for later in the year because I have no idea where to go with it. I need it off my plate, though, so on the list it goes!
11/12 (November)

Churn Dash/Snowball (2011)

2011 status –WIP – I lucked into a set of vintage churn dash blocks last year just a few weeks before going on retreat in March. I picked up vintage reproductions of creams and red on our mini shop-hop on the way to retreat. The snowballs were pieced and assembled, then the top pieced, at retreat.
2012 goal – FO– Add a border with more of the repro fabrics I’ve collected. Possibly flying geese? Possibly hand quilt.
12/12 (November)

There and Back Again (2011)

2011 status –NEW– There and Back Again is a BOM hosted on my other website, Fandom In Stitches. The BOM will finish up in November of this year. All patterns are free. Designs by myself, Michelle Thompson, Lilja Björk Sigurdórsdóttir and Schenley Pilgram.
2012 goal – FO – but I’m not including it in the 12 for 2012. I have no doubt this one will get done!

Half-Square Triangle Exchange (2010)

2011 status – UFO-ish – These blocks were plundered for several projects, including making more Bear Paws. I still have tons of these.
2012 goal – Undecided – These are going to remain in my UFO pile for now.

Well, I think that’s it. I decided not to include my crochet list from last year, though I did finish the Black and Red afghan.

This is not even remotely everything I worked on in 2011, but it is a good solid list of my personal projects!

You can find all my for sale designs in the Sewhooked Shop. There were several newbies last year, including Aces High, Two Little Hooters, Fairy Tale Femmes and Turkey Talk! I have more fun designs up my sleeve!

What’s your UFO list look like for 2012?

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Homes For The Holidays

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It’s raining in Austin.

Beautiful, wonderful, life-giving rain. After a year of drought, it’s a magical sound.

Rain is not, however, conducive to taking quilt photos. I love photographing my quilts outside. This so-so photo was taken in-between showers. It’ll have to do for now because I will trade good photos for rain any day!

“Homes for the Holidays” started as a pile of cottage blocks from a 2009 swap on the now defunct All About Paper Piecing (the site is still there, but deactivated). I free-hand designed the paper pieced trees and just kept adding until the quilt top was a nice lap size!

This project made my UFO to do list for two years running: 2010 and 2011. It’s good to move it to the “completed” list!

Blocks made by me for the Christmas Cottage Swap on All About Paper Piecing, 2009.

Pattern by Tina Reed.

Quilting Detail: Custom Quilting by Rock Creek Quilts

My family always holds off on decorating for Christmas until after my son’s birthday on December 2. We had a house full of boys last night and this morning the celebration is officially over.

We’ll be decorating tonight after I spend my afternoon at Honey Bee Quilt Store for Open House for January – May classes and then “Homes for the Holidays” will officially be in circulation!

Happy Sunday!

Add your Sewhooked-related photos to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post.

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Making The Best of It

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Oh my, have I ever been sick the last couple of days!

A stuffy nose crept up on me Thursday evening and by Friday morning, I was a sick mess. Stuffy nose, fever, aches and pains.

How fun!

In an effort to not spend my long weekend as a complete lump, I pulled out a hand quilting project I started ages ago. I had to go all the way back to my 2010 UFO list to find where I first started talking about this quilt.

Really? 2010? Come on Jennifer, get a move on!

This is my granmother’s signature quilt, before quilting and before I added the border.

This quilt inspired the Extra Credit block for the Project of Doom.

You may remember that I’ve worked on other quilt tops that came from Grannie’s house after she passed away.

Grannie’s Trunk Quilt

Grannie’s 9-Patch

I did, apparently, at least get the borders on Grannie’s Signature Quilt and start quilting in 2010, as evidenced by my 2010 UFO Round-up.

I’m keeping the quilting super simple. Grannie was not fancy and everything she did or made was practical and frugal, and I’d like the quilting to reflect that. I’m planning to bind the quilt in muslin.

It sure would be nice if this quilt did not make it to my 2012 UFO list!

Back to my tissues…and my hand quilting.

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Heart With A Cause

The Face of Quilting

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Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that non-quilters can’t help but generalizing about who quilters are.

I think I’ve read one article too many that puts quilters exclusively in the “50 plus” or in the “retirement home” and maybe, just maybe, had one too many people mention that I’m too young to be a quilter, or, another favorite, that quilting is “a dying art.”

Not in my world, bucko.

My mother quilts, her mother quilted, my dad’s mother quilts. My great-grandmothers quilted. I have friends, young and young-at-heart, from every demographic and from different geographical locations around the world that all identify themselves as quilters.

So why the pigeon-holing? Does the non-quilty world really think that only one type of person is a quilter and that quilting is really, truly dying?

My name is Jennifer.

I am 38 years old and I am a quilter.

I have been sewing and crafting my entire life. I learned to use a needle and thread when I was a child. Craftiness of all kinds carried over into my adulthood, and by my late twenties, I was quilting.

I would like to challenge you, my quilting friends, to show your face.

We Are The Face of Quilting.

We are all ages and come from all socio-economic groups, religious backgrounds and political demographics. We live in all countries of the world and we are connected by quilting. It brings us together and gives us common ground. These are our faces.

Take this message, We Are The Face of Quilting, and write about being a quilter. Share it on your blog. Add your photo to our flickr group and tell the world: I am a quilter.

Grab this to share on your blog:

<a href="https://sewhooked.com/2011/11/08/the-face-of-quilting/" target="_blank">
<img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6238/6325665113_06a0e380bb_m.jpg" width="240" height="240" alt="We Are The Face of Quilting"></a>

Use it anywhere you share your quilting story. I’ve set comments for this post to allow trackbacks and pingbacks, which simply means that if you link to this post, it will show up in the comments. It’s a great way to meet new quilting friends.

What will I get from this? Nothing other than the satisfaction of seeing your faces and the affirmation that what I believe is true: quilter’s faces are like quilts themselves. They come in all colors, styles and sizes. They are from all over the world and they are timeless.

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P.S. I love You

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ASL “I love you”

Free 6″ paper pieced pattern by Jennifer Ofenstein

The free pattern that I have received some of the most heart-felt emails and comments about over the years is the original 5″ “ASL I Love You.”

For some time, I have been thinking I’d like to update that pattern. For one, I never gave the original a thumbnail, which kind of made me crazy. Details count, you know? I also though this one pattern should be a wee bit bigger.

I present it to you today, version two of ASL (American Sign Language) “I Love You”. This is a 6″ (6 1/2″ unfinished) paper pieced pattern, in both color and black and white for your printing convenience.

You know I can’t play with a pattern without creating some fun layouts in EQ7! What’s a girl to do with spiffy quilting software if not share ideas with her friends?

The cornerstones above were inspired by Cat Magraith’s free heart pattern.

A simpler layout, with the block as the center piece. I really like this one. I think it would make a great cushion cover!

More Free Patterns

Add your Sewhooked-related photos to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post.

Have a very happy Saturday!

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Feeling Harvesty!

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Feeling Harvesty quilt layout created in EQ7

Some days, I just want to try something new.

That, my friends, is what free patterns are great for!

The “something new” in this case, is pattern presentation.

Generally, my free patterns are individual blocks presented as a 5″ pattern. 5″ patterns are easy to fit onto one page and they are easy to enlarge or shrink, if that’s your fancy. I’ve been designing 5″ patterns since the very beginning of my paper piecing adventure.

Most of my patterns are also in color because I like working with colored patterns and it’s simple enough for you to print in black and white if that doesn’t work for you.

So here’s the new part…

I have two free patterns for you today, one brand new, one an updated version of an older one. Both are presented in black in white, using texture instead of color to represent fabrics. In addition to that, each document includes 3″, 5″ and 6″ versions for creating different sized blocks.

Hey, that’s fun!

I can’t promise I’ll do this to all of my patterns, or that I’ll even do it again, but it was a fun little experiment for me and I’d love your feedback on pattern size, color and what you like best.

As ever, my free patterns are for your personal or non-profit use. Please enjoy!

3″, 5″ and 6″ Maple Leaf Paper Pieced Pattern