Jenny Doan Seminar July 16, 2015

Jenny Doan came to Sacramento!

Meissner's Sewing of Sacramento (http://www.meissnersewing.com/) hosted Jenny in a four day, fun filled seminar. Wednesday Jenny gave a  trunk show. Thursday, the day I attended, She gave a full day explanation of how Missouri Star Quilt Company (https://www.missouriquiltco.com/) came to be formed and what they do on a daily basis. She showed us quilt after quilt after quilt. She told us stories about her kids, her husband and her life in Hamilton Missouri. There were 250 people there to oooh and aaah, laugh and even cry. That was Thursday.

Friday (today) she is giving a quilting class. I did not sign up for it because the description was for beginning quilters. I am not a beginner, but after yesterday I am truly sorry I did not sign up. She is truly a remarkable person and makes it fun to be with her.

Tomorrow, Saturday, she will re-do what she did yesterday.

Jenny and me. Don't you love that pink quilt behind us!

Venita and I attended together.

Me, Jenny and Venita

Pat Miljarek attended, also. She grew up in Spreckles California, as did Jenny. When Jenny came on stage and started welcoming us, she saw Pat and stopped and talked to her directly. Then explained to the audience they came from the same small down just south of Salinas California. With tears in her eyes, she told Pat how happy she was to see her. During the break, Pat was able to get a picture of her and Jenny and Jenny's husband Ron, who grew up in Salinas.

Ron Doan, Jenny and Pat Miljarek

I took a camera with me but the battery died after taking just a few pictures with it. So most of the following pictures were taken with my phone. The quality is not the greatest but you will be able to see some of the beautiful quilts that were displayed and discussed during the seminar.

 The above quilt was made with layer cakes. Jenny explained how to scallop a quilt and then how not to be afraid to do bias binding and how easy it is to sew it on even in the grooves of the scallop. It does make the quilt more charming. But so does that fabric she chose.

 Pinwheels. Offset them so you do not have to line them up perfectly. Plus it gives more motion to the quilt.

 Disappearing Pinwheel. Love it!

 Jenny said she was making a bunch of Dresden plates when someone put her large tumbler template down on top of one set. The above quilt was born. Charming.

 This quilt is called Orange Peel. Venita and I wondered why it was done in blues. I like it though so much that I bought the template to make it.

 Jenny's Disappearing Hour Glass quilt done using a package of layer cakes.

 A simple and quick baby quilt made using one charm pack package. Too cute.

All the quilts Jenny showed us has had a tutorial made about how to make it. Her tutorials are on You Tube, but you can also get an app that has them all listed with a link to each of them. I have been saving all her tutorials on my Pinterest application but after installing the app to the links this morning, I now have instant access to them.

Jenny showed us a turkey she made using the Dresden template. Too cute. There is a tutorial for that, too. Plus on her blog there is a pdf file you can down load for the pattern. The link to it is http://blog.missouriquiltco.com/?s=turkey.

In her little town in Missouri, she has been creating an empire. She has several quilting shops now. They have developed a retreat center that will house 40 people (minimum of 10 needed). It is a bed and breakfast set up, with her caveat of "you make both." There is a wonderful restaurant, bakery and hamburger joint if you don't want to cook your own food. There is no hotel in Hamilton, so bring your ten best quilting buddies and stay and sew at the retreat. In case you can't do that, there is a motel 12 miles away.

At the end of the seminar, Jenny said quilters are selfish. Yes we are. We spend an inordinate amount of money to purchase beautiful fabric that we cut up into smaller pieces and sew into quilts. We give these quilts to family, friends, charities and others less fortunate. We put off cleaning, cooking and other household duties. But at the end, we are leaving our legacy with these quilts. These will be passed down to future generations. They will be sold at yard sales or thrift stores to excited quilt lovers. They will become dog beds and furniture covers. But in the end they will be our salvation. As Jenny said "when you create, you heal." So go heal yourself and work on a quilt.

Keep on Quilting

Row Quilt

Two years ago I joined some quilters in a row quilt challenge in our guild. When I had our quilt store, some quilters participated in one that I just kind of looked at over their shoulders. I was sorry I had not been part of that group. Their finished quilts were beautiful. Each one so different. So when the chance to join one in the River City Quilt Guild came up, I jumped at it.

I love to applique, so my starting row was an applique row with bees and flowers. You can see my row in the picture below. It is the center one. Each person then was to provide a row that went along with my stated theme. I did tell them they did not have to do applique, as some expressed concern in doing an applique row. In fact I didn't want all applique. I wanted piecing to offset the applique.

Well you can see I got my wish. I love what each of the ladies came up with. I was so excited to put it all together and love how it came out.

 

One lady did a row of honey jars. She was so nervous about doing applique, but they turned out very cute. Some button bees were added to sit on or near the jars and then I put the bear trying to get into the jars.

 

The above picture is a close up of one of my flowers and bees on my row. I put a yoyo in the center of each flower.

If you have a chance to participate in a row quilt with a group, take that chance. You just don't know what you will come up with.

Keep on Quilting

Dr. Seuss' Lorax Quilt

I need to get a copy of Dr Seuss' Lorax book. I am a big fan of Dr Seuss. Green Eggs and Ham is one of my favorites. Read it often to my grandchildren. Many others come to mind, but not the Lorax.

This quilt is made using a panel and coordinating fabric that came out last year about this time. Elisa, Lorena, my soon to be daughter-in-law, Martha, and I went shopping the day after Thanksgiving in southern California. Of course we had to attack a couple of the quilt shops down there. Hanging in the last one we went to was a sample of this quilt. Martha saw it and told us it was Dan's favorite Dr. Seuss book. Well we had to but the fabric.

I came home and looked up the pattern on the manufacturer's website and started cutting. Hoped to get it done for his Christmas, but that didn't happen. His birthday in in April, so that was our next goal. The top was pieced by me then over to Elisa it went to be quilted on her long arm machine.

Done and mailed in time for him to open before he went to the mountains for his birthday. He was totally surprised. Martha said he was really pleased and amazed at it.

It did turn out pretty good.


I'm sure it will wind up being a baby quilt sometime down the road. We were happy to provide it early. This way Dan can use it to curl up in to read his favorite book.

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A quilt for our bed

This was an act of love. I had LOTS of 1930 fat quarters that I had picked up here and there knowing that some day I would make a large 1930s quilt. Here it is.

I cut the 1930s fabric into 3 inch strips and sewed them together. Then I cut these strips into 6 inch widths. After getting the strips the lengths I wanted, I then cut 6 inch wide lengths of white fabric and sewed that next to the pieced '30s fabric strips. I bordered the quilt with the strips of 1930s with mitered corners, which turned out quite nicely. It is 96" x 107".

 Elisa quilted the quilt on her long arm.

It took me several weeks to break down and put it on our bed. We have a black and white border collie who likes to sleep on our bed. I was quite concerned about what she would do with it. I finally decided to put it on, but only folded at the foot at the bed. After a couple of weeks, I finally put it on the bed completely. How beautiful it looked. Then within two weeks after deciding it was a quilt to be used, my dog had an accident on it. She likes to run in the park area on our property until she is exhausted. Sometimes after doing that, she falls so sound asleep that she forgets to get up to to potty. So my new quilt had to be washed, which didn't hurt it at bit.

 Love it. I am so proud of it and of Elisa's quilting of it.

[See http://www.quilterscache.com/C/ChineseCoinsBlock.html to see how to make this pattern.] 

Keep on Quilting!

30s Reproduction Quilt

I have a ton (almost) of 1930 reproduction fabric fat quarters. They have been staring me in the face for some time. I knew I wanted to do a quilt with them. I just had not come up with the pattern to do with them.

Wednesday afternoons are often taken up sewing on some project at my neighbor's, Joyce, house. This past week I grabbed a bunch of my 30s fat quarters, my rotary cutter and a pair of scissors and headed up to her house with no real plan on what to do with all of them. I figured I would cut them into strips and then decide what and how.

I chose to cut them into 3" strips, as many of them have cute patterns that I wanted to be able to see in the final quilt. As I was cutting, I thought I will do a Chinese Coin quilt with white in between the coins. [See http://www.quilterscache.com/C/ChineseCoinsBlock.html to see how to make this pattern.] Since my strips sewn together would allow me cut them into 6.5" columns, that is what I did.

At first I did not like what I had put together. That was before I cut them into the smaller columns. I thought oh well, keep going and see what they look like. So I cut them up and laid them out on the cutting mat separated like they would be with the white fabric between them. They looked better then.

Between then and now I have 216 3" x 6.5" blocks sewn together.

Next was sitting down and figuring out what size I wanted to make and how many I would need total. We are moving from the full King size bed to a Queen when we move into our travel trailer, so I thought I would do a Queen size quilt. Then I needed to know what size a Queen really is. I found a great website that has all that in a form that you can download to keep. You can find it at http://fgqg.com/Quiltsizes.htm. Thank you to Flying Geese Quilt Guild for putting that together and making it accessible to everyone through their website. I will put your guild on my list of places to visit when we start traveling. Hopefully I can say thank you in person when we get over that way.

My plan is to put by 3 x 6 blocks all around the outside, plus nine columns of the 3 x 6 blocks in the center. Then 3 inch strips between each of the columns and the borders using a coordinating white. Since I have no white that will work with the 30s reproduction fabric, I will have to go shopping this next week. Oh shucks. How I'll hate to do that. Not really.

This quilt is going together really fast. I hope it looks as good as I think it will. I will post a picture when I have one to post.

Keep on Quilting

Blog site with cute Dog or Cat BOM free patterns

I found a great blog that is currently running a free BOM of simple dog applique. They are really cute. Depending upon the fabric chosen to make the dogs, this BOM will be really adorable and one that could easily be done and finished.

Here is one of her finished blocks:

Doesn't that make you want to take part in this BOM? No cost. FREE. Fun. Easy to do.

Find it at http://syverkstan-helena.blogspot.com/.

She also has a cat BOM. Here is her completed cat quilt:

She has a lot of other really cute designs. Here is one of my favorites I saw on her website:

Don't you just love it?

Check it out. You can download the instructions in English off her website. The link is on her blog.

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Embroidery Patterns by Crab-Apple Hill

Crab-Apple Hill has some of the best embroidery patterns. We have on our website some for Christmas and Halloween. If you want them done in time for those holidays, you better start soon. Buy them at Crab-Apple link here. Check them out:

Over the River

Calendula Patterdrips

Calendula Patterdrips upclose

Which Witch's Boot

Winter Wonderland

Winter Wonderland upclose

Twas the Night Before Christmas

They are really fun and would be fun to do. Great gift idea for someone special, too.
 

Keep on Quilting

Mitered corners video

I have done mitered corners often. They always come out, BUT. . . .Sometimes it takes me more time to get it right than I think it is worth. So often I just opt not to do them. Here is a video that shows how to make them. It is a little slow going at first, but it was worth my while to stay with it and view the whole thing. I have not tried this technique yet, but I shall soon. In fact I have a quilt top done to the point that I was ready to put on the final border, which I was going to miter. I have had it to this point for several months and have been putting it off. I will let you know how they come out.

Here's the video link: http://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/how-to-videos/

If you try this, let us know how it came out for you.

Keep on Quilting

Wildflower Rhapsody Finished Quilt Top

March was the last block mail out for our Wildflower Rhapsody BOM. Today I received the following e-mail from one of the participants:

Hello Peggy,
I just wanted to thank you for running this Wildflower BOM club. I never would have attempted this by myself.

We are leaving for a 6 week trip this week, and I wanted to get this done so that I wouldn't be worrying about having to get more fabric. This top came out really well and I learned a lot by completing it.

I've attached some pictures of the finished top. When I get back, I'll take it to our local LAQ'er to get it quilted.

Thanks again,
G.D.

Here are her pictures. G. it is really beautiful! I will be excited to see it quilted and bound.

Now I just need to get busy to finish mine, too.
 

Keep on Quilting

 
 

Used books on our website

So I have been spending several days going through all my quiltings books. I have a lot of them. I need more storage space for fabric, so I thought now is the time to offer these out to other quilters. They are all used, but some of them you cannot tell anyone even looked through them. The pricing varies on them, but they are all $5 or less. Great buys and easy to get.

It takes a while to list products on the website, so keep checking back to see what we have. Also they are all one of a kind, except two. Somehow I wound up with two copies.

Here are the first two listed:

A Garden of Quilts by Mary Elizabeth Johnson is a beautiful, color photo book. The quilt designs and patterns are of the more traditional kind, as you can tell by the one featured on the dust cover. The book is in great shape. You can get it here.

Amazingly Simple Star Quilts from House of White Birches is a great resource for beautiful star quilt designs. Full page colored pictures in this hard cover book. 37 different patterns. We only have one. Purchase it here.

Watch for the rest. They will be coming soon. But more than anything:

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One spectacular post - FREE Quilt Patterns

Want a good resource to find quilt patterns. Through QuiltingBoard.com, I found a blog site that has taken the time to list out a lot of sites you can find free patterns at. Then to top it off, she broke down the sites into categories. It is a great place to visit to see what is out there.

Check it out at http://www.with-heart-and-hands.com/2007/10/free-quilting-patterns.html. It is worth looking through it.

Keep on Quilting!

Going to a long arm quilter? Here is a checklist before you go

Checklist for taking your quilt to a long arm quilter:

• Top and backing is pressed and clean
• Drape over padded hangers to prevent wrinkles
• Top and backing are accurately squared
• Backing and batting are at least 6" larger than the top and sides
• Top edges of quilt top and backing are marked
• Call ahead to schedule the quilting service
• Consider designs and patterns for the quilting for your quilt. The more planning you do, the happier you will be with the finished project.
• Decide on threads and batting. Discuss these with the quilter.
• Clearly communicate any ideas or thoughts you have with the quilter.
• Get a business card/phone number from the quilter.
• Get an estimated time the quilt will be ready for pick up. Know you are not their only customer, so do not expect it to be done within a few days.

Keep on Quilting

Calculate backing and binding website

Do you hate math? You betcha!

Here is a website that will figure the amount of backing material needed for any size quilt, and then tell you how to put it together to work. Yeah. I love it!

It will also tell you how much binding fabric you will need for that size quilt.

Just go to http://www.mywebquilter.com/index.aspx to let them figure it out. FREE!

Keep on Quilting!

Wildflower Rhapsody BOM blocks turned in so far for September's incentive

Here are two beautiful September 2011 blocks turned in to be eligible for the incentive prize for September.

This is Gloria D's beautiful block.

And this is Sue Ds' block.

These ladies are eligible for the September Wildflower Rhapsody BOM incentive drawing. It is a packet of all the fabric used in the main blocks. Each cut if a fat eighth. If they do not need the fabric as time goes on, they can defintely use it to make a coordinating pillow or small table topper to go with the quilt.

If you are involved with this BOM through http://www.beehivequilts.com/, send us a picture of your block before the end of September 30th and you will be eligible, too.

Keep on Quilting!

Quilt of the Month for sale

Beehive Quilts will be placing a quilt for sale at a greatly reduced price on a regular basis. Yipee Yi Little Cowgirl quilt was listed today. It is a one of a kind quilt and once it is purchased, a new quilt be posted. Keep checking back to see what new quilt is listed.

Originally listed at $275.

Now only $75.

Machine quilted.

To see more on the current quilt, go to http://www.beehivequilts.com/.

Keep on Quilting!

August Wildflower Rhapsody BOM Pictures

I guess everyone is or has been on vacation. I had not received many pictures of finished block, but they are starting to come in now. Below are Renea A and Gloria D's blocks. If you have finished your block, send me a picture before midnight on Wednesday this week. Just need to have it before the drawing is held on the 1st of September. Remember the incentive award is a pattern to make Lori Holt's applique pattern Quilter's World. A fun and unique pattern. We sell it for $22 on our website. If you belong to Beehive Quilt's Wildflower Rhapsody BOM, you can participate - just send us a picture of your August completed block.

Good job, ladies. By the way Gloria lives in New England area and has had problems with electricity. I hope she is well and her house is in no danger of the flooding. The same to all you the area that has been affected by Irene.

Renea A block. She added a couple of applique to her block.

Gloria D's block.

Measuring Your Bed for a Quilt

The following information was on Blank Quilting e-mail. To see all that Blank Quilting has to offer, go to http://www.blankquilting.com/. I love their website because they have a lot of free patterns you can download.

Measuring Your Bed for a Quilt

When making quilt for a bed we often forget to consider the size of the bed, resulting in a quilt that is too short or hangs down to the floor.


Measure the mattress width (A) and add twice the length (B) of the quilt that hangs over the mattress. This is called the "drop." (C)

For coverlets: measure from the top of the mattress to slightly past the bottom of the bed rail.

If you want the quilt to cover your pillows, measure the mattress length, then add one drop length plus 10" to 20".

Keep on Quilting!

Wildflower Rhapsody BOM Incentive for July

This is a reminder to all those who participate in the Beehive Quilts' BOM Wildflower Rhapsody to send in a picture of the July block, and you will be entered into a drawing to win:

Doggie Delight Window Panel Wallhanging Kit

Fabric designed by Loralie Designs, who always has a cute whimsical look about it.

Just see that we receive your picture no later than July 31, 2011 to be entered into this drawing. If you cannot send it via e-mail, you can snail-mail it to me at PO Box 484 Carmichael CA 95609-0484.

The kit includes the panel and the fabric above, plus a simple gray fabric for sashing. It makes into a cute wall hanging. I made one and once it is quilted I will post it to this blog. Hopefully I will get that done before the end of the July.

Keep on Quilting!

Color crayons and hand embroidery

I was first introduced to color crayons and quilts about two years ago. A customer in our shop, Trudy, was demostrating it at a quilt show. I was fascinated. It made sense as an easy way to make your hand embroidered design really pop out. Since then I have seen many quilts done in this matter. I have not tried it yet, but plan on it soon. I actually have in my stash a panel that looks like red embroidered flowers. It is kind of bland. When I bought it (several months ago), it was my plan to keep it simple and surround the blocks in beautiful red fabrics. Now I am going to buy myself some crayons and color in the fabrics. Then I will border the blocks in beautiful red fabrics!

I was told the best crayons or other coloring devices would be to use Crayola crayons. You know, the ones we grew up using. A simple 64 pack would be perfect, but of course that large box would be even better. There are "quilting" crayons/pens available, but they are much more expensive. Plus you do not get the variety you can get using actual crayons.

Be sure to heat set it after coloring. To keep your iron clean, be sure to put a pressing cloth on your ironing board. Mine is just a used towel. I would put a couple of newspaper pages or paper towels under that so the grease from the crayon cannot seep through. Put the design down on top of that with design facing up. Cover that will a couple of paper towels for absorption and another pressing cloth.

For hints on making your design really look great, go to http://www.quiltmaker.com/articles/breath_of_spring__coloring_tips for more information.

If anyone has done something like this before, please share your experiences. We would love to hear what you have done. Send me a picture, too. We would love to see your finished project.

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Make a pot holder today

Make this pot holder today. Just go to http://www.ctpubblog.com/2011/05/18/get-your-wheels-spinning-project/ to get the full directions.

Thank you CT Publishing for this link.

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