New Beginnings

It's time to finally get back to my blog. Have you missed me? It's amazing how times flies. It seems like it hasn't been that long when in reality it's been forever. I will try to be better and do at least two posts a month.

Probably two years ago now (or is it longer?), my niece, Keezia, married a wonderful man, Grant Bostwick. They have been living in Australia for the past couple of years. I was finally able to meet Grant and give them the quilt I made for their wedding this past June in Maui, Hawaii. We were all there for another wedding. Her oldest sister, EJ, married another wonderful man, Scott Vick, in one of the most beautiful destination weddings I've ever attended. I missed Keezia and Grant's but by all accounts it was fabulous as well. Their wedding was in Mexico deep in a jungle retreat.

I have to say Keezia and Grant's reaction to their quilt was not only heart warming, it was one of the best compliments a quilter can receive. They said the colors were perfect for their room. Then Keezia said "I know I told you what I wanted, but this is exactly what I wanted and I didn't even know it!" I had been second guessing myself and was not at all sure they were even going to like the quilt!

Keezia and Grant with wedding quilt.

Here is a picture from my other niece's wedding in Maui. The setting couldn't have been more beautiful, nor could my niece. I chose this picture because it is one they will not likely forget. The minister was quite eloquent throughout the ceremony until it came time to introduce the couple. He introduced them as EJ and Vicky...the wedding party consisting of both of their children, two adult girls and two boys the youngest of which is still in High School, roared with laughter. After that he had a bit of trouble regaining his composure.I think light moments like this should be built into every serious ceremony!

Mr. and Mrs.Scott Vick

 Before the wedding I asked EJ what kind of a quilt she would want. Knowing that we are serious Packers fans, she was afraid I might be upset with her, which, of course, I could never be. She wanted to know if I would mind making her a Seahawks quilt. They entertain friends for the Seahawks games at their home all season long when they aren't attending a game in person and they wanted something to show their pride in their team. Below is what I created. At my husband's behest I did quilt a small "jewel" in the quilt that they have yet to notice. My husband can't wait to give them a call during the first Packers/Seahawks game this fall to make sure they find it.

Here are a few pictures of the process I used to make this quilt. The seahawk is appliqued and thread painted. I then cut it from the original piece and appliqued it to a permanent background adding more thread painting and quilting. 

The bottom section is painted, then quilted. 

Sketch and painting

Background chosen

You might be able to make out my little "jewel" if you look close at this view of the quilt!

I hope EJ sees this and thinks of her Grandma George. This is just the type of playful addition to a quilt she would have loved!

Alison Glass Feathers QAL & S. Caribbean Cruise

I got a really slow start to this quilt-along (QAL). Most of the participants are finished and have their tops quilted! I didn't pay close attention to the pattern probably because I lost it misplaced it for a while. Once I found it, I thought the 2" strip bundles I purchased for the fabric would work fine. The first two sets of blocks went together fine. I quickly realize d, however, many of the others needs larger strips. I could have sewn together strips but I didn't want that look.

I sent for some fat quarters to make up the larger pieces. Hopefully now I have enough. I may sew on this at our sew day this month for the VBMQG because the other finishes I need to complete wouldn't be as easy there. Anyway, this is all I've sewn since we got back from our cruise. 

Speaking of our cruise, we had a wonderful time! We went to Aruba, Granada, Barbados, Bonaire, Antigua and Labadee. We had a fabulous snorkeling excursion in Antigua! I would do that again in a minute! Here are some of our pictures:

Here is our ship, Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas.

Here's my hubby, Rick, getting ready to crawl into a slave hut that slept 4 men to see how big it really is. He's thin but 6'2". When he laid down, he touched head to toe!

Here are salt piles ready to ship out all over the world. Bonaire claims to have the purest salt in the world which they say is highly coveted. In front are the salt flats...it's salt water with rocks piled up to contain it until it dries and the salt is all that's left. Some of them are purple, which means they are closer to being dried and ready to use.

Here we are (in the middle) with our fabulous dinner mates, on the left are Roger and Dobie from Tucson, AZ. On the right, Aileen and Graeme from Glasgow, Scotland. We had some great times with both couples and hope to stay in touch for future cruise get togethers and maybe a visit to Scotland one day. Who knows!

This is a beach in Granada one of Rick's student's mom recommended. She was raised in Granada. We loved it. The water taxi we took to get there was lovely as well.

Here is Rick in Mangrove tree roots on our walk back to the ship from Reflections Beach in Aruba.

OMG...it's a bat with Rick's sunglasses...

On the right is the Excellence Catamaran. I highly recommend this excursion although it might be wise to avoid the rum punch...ask Rick. That's all I'll say about that! :) The people on board were from the Seaborne luxury line which was already docked once we arrived. They are waiting patiently for us to dock so we can come aboard.

Here is the lovely cove we docked in to snorkel. What a lovely spot this was. There were lots of beautiful fish and a lovely reef. Then we had a nice lunch with all kinds of drinks flowing merrily.

And here is us in front of the cat. Notice the lovely stairs that come down (to the right) to let you on and off. They are right in the center of the front of the cat. This was one of the best excursions we have taken on any cruise so far. The people were all so friendly, the guides were great, the food and booze plentiful and good. It was a blast! This, my friends, is what it's all about! 

Sue Nickels Class at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show 2014

Last week the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show was at the Hampton Coliseum.I took a class from 9 a, - 4 pm with Sue Nickels. We used Bernina 750s which were nice. I liked the  machine because so many of the features from my Pfaff Creative 4.0 were on it. I forgot my pillow and at 5' 2.75" I can never reach far. The machine is very tall and the reach was awful. I would have liked it inside a table with an adjustable chair but it's my own fault I forgot a pillow to boost me up! I always seem to do that. It's a thing...

Sue did a demo for us every 20 minutes or so. She never talked much more than 5 minutes at a time so we had plenty of time to stitch. Even then, she had more than we could complete. I like that she plans her classes to keep everyone busy the entire time no matter how fast they go. 

I have never taken a class with Sue before. I thoroughly enjoyed it. She was funny, caring, always able to answer any questions and had many tips and tricks that I had either never heard or that dispelled some I had heard over the years. He technique for starts and stops will help my immensely! I usually have that one or two stitches that just seem to jump all over the place...no longer! She helped me tame that beast.

I will appologize right now for the color on these samples. For some reason my editing program and I cannot seem to get ont he same page and they are all over the place. Suffice it to say that all of these were stitched on a natural colored muslin. Use your imagination!

Sample #1 is one of my favorites. I have not yet filled in all the inner spaces but I love how nicely the echo quilting went and how rounded my feathers are for my first try, Sue's way. It really helps having a path for your stitching. I have never been able to quite figure out where to go next with feathers and often back track too much which causes thread build up.

#2 was fun but I have to work on the tiny stipple on the insides a bit. I had such a hard time seeing the thread with tone on tone, I may have to practice with more contrast for a bit first!

I love how #3 came out. It has a trickier path but now I can at least see where to go. I'll have to add some interior stitching and some echoing on the outside.

This last one, #4, is my favorite. Don't mind the darker lines on the interior grids. That will disappear. It was my first time using the Roxanne Silver Pencil to mark and I was a little  heavy handed! I love the nice curve of these feathers and how the extra stitching makes them stand out. I think I will put these samples into a small wall hanging in the near future. I love feathers. Wouldn't a small sampler be nice?

Okay...I said I'd try a collage. Not sure this is the one I like yet but here are a few of things I have completed in the past year. I really don't think this is all but a good sampling...enjoy!

I'll post again after I come back from my 11 day cruise on The Legend of the Seas with Royal Caribbean to the the Southern Caribbean. Aruba here we come...first thing tomorrow morning...I'll being back some sunshine and waves!

Finished More 12 x 12s!

As always I am incredibly behind. For the past two years my friends and I, the Quilt Sluts or if you prefer the more watered down version, Quilt Workers, have been working on a quilt challenge. We were inspired by the quilts from the book, Twelve by Twelve: The International Art Quilt Challenge by Brenda Gael Smith 

We decided to keep our theme "colors." In the past two years hopefully 12 of us have completed 9 different 12 x 12 art quilts with various color themes. I am still 3 behind but I will have them completed by our retreat in March. I have to push myself to make deadlines sometimes but usually manage to get things completed on time. In all fairness I do have a full time job at the library as well. We won't talk about the "Sluts" who are over-achievers in our group. They don't count since their mad skills put them in another class altogether, far beyond my scope! (You know who you are Shelley, Mary, Lori). So far most of the Sluts are debating over my color choices but that's okay, too. I choose to take creative licence over my creations. So...below is my 

GREY

And here is my 

RED

I need to block all of them I think to straighten them up nicely but all in all, I'm pretty satisfied. My original plan was to make them all one theme so they would make a more unified hanging in my room once we were done. That didn't happen. I tried doors and things to do with doors for my first two. Then things just didn't work out the way I planned and I jumped all over the place from there. Tonight I will try to post again with all of my 12 x 12s to date in a collage. 

Until then, quilt your hearts out! I have to head back to work after two snow days. Let's hope I make it to work in one piece. It not I guess I'll have to call my quilty friends to stitch me back together!

Sewing Up a Storm for Christmas!

I have been sewing everyday lately, which is something for me. To date I have made four green grocery bags from Sew Serendipity Bags by Kay Whitt. I gave one away at our Quiltworkers Christmas Social to my secret pal, Amy Walko. 

 Today I cut two more. I love the owls but I really like the way the flowers look as well. I need to make me one sometime but for now, I have more to make for Christmas!

This afternoon I finished one more gift...the Tardis zippered wristlet. These are still secrets so I'm not saying who any of these are for. 

Here's the back.

And the inside. The pocket should fit a smart phone or a passport.

And I finished one more divided basket, pattern by Noodlehead. I gave one away to my secret pal at the VBMQG Christmas meeting. I have three more made so that makes four. Here's the front with the pockets. 

This one might be my favorite so far. This is the back side.

And here's the inside lining and divider.

Here's the tote my secret pal, who I now know was Liz Berry, made me for our Christmas Social this Saturday. I really like the bright colors and dark background. If I turn it inside out it's reversible. It's black inside with a row of large pockets.  Thanks so much, Liz!

After the social Saturday, I came home and made seven of these lanyards for friends for Christmas. These were a very easy thing to make. I hope my friends will enjoy them. Again...not saying who they are because I haven't given them away yet!

What are you making for Christmas? Please leave a comment and share what you've been sewing! There isn't a lot of time left but I plan to make a few more. How about you?

Homemade Christmas at the Jebavys

I have been really horrid about posting to my blog but on the other hand, I have been busily working away at my Christmas list. Here are pictures of a few of the things I've made. Somehow I missed getting a photo of the yellow and gray divided basket I made for my secret pal at the VBMQG. I guess you won't get to see that one. 

These are a few of the green grocery bags I've been making from the book Sew Serendipity BAGS by Kay Whitt. My friend and fellow blogger, Mary http://fairlymerry.blogspot.com/, suggested I make the straps longer. I like them much better since I did. 

As you can see above the pouch holds the bag with a strap you can hang by your keys so you won't forget your bag when you run out!

This is my second bag. I guess I need to throw in a picture of my first bag so you can see how short the handles are in the pattern.

The flowered bag is my fourth or fifth bag now and so far my favorite! I put the bird on the back so the pouch didn't hide it.

Then I found a Lego man I though my hubby who is a Lego fanatic would enjoy. I still have to make this into a pillow for him but it's just a matter of time and keeping him out of the house long enough to work on it!

Finally, here's what I worked on today for hours! A Tardis zippered pouch. I am loving this but it's been sort of a bugger to do. I have to wait for some hardware to finish it which is just as well. I needed a break. It's really forced me to think things through. I'm loving the result so far. I just hope the recipient will like it as much as I do.

Here's a peek at the lining and inside pocket which should fit an iPhone or a passport! The color is a darker, richer blue on the outside with the inside being a black and white. I'll try to get the color better on the finished picture. Some days my camera just doesn't want to cooperate! Sorry!

What are you making this Christmas? Please leave a comment and tell me what you've got going. In the new year my goal is to make this blog a little better visually and learn how to make a collage so I can put multiple pictures like these side by side in a box. For now, what you see is what you get! 

Friday Finishes

Yesterday I cut out a Divided Basket pattern by Noodlehead available for purchase here: Divided Basket Pattern. No problem, I thought. I should be able to make this pattern, right? Today I finished a project for my dad and began to work on this basket. From there things went straight downhill! After becoming totally frustrated I texted my friend Mary (Fairly Merry) to tell her I was going out of my mind! She texted me back to say she'd be right over. I have to tell you, it turned my day around!

I hope all of you have one friend that is there for you like this! I had the pattern pieces all cut out wrong. I missed the part about connecting pattern pieces so nothing was right. It would have taken me hours, maybe days to figure out what I did wrong without Mary's generous and timely help! Instead, look what I made with her help in about an hour or so! I only lacked stitching around the very top when she left which took me about 10 minutes to complete. I may make a few of these in the next few weeks now that I know how easily they go together. Who is this one for? That's a secret...maybe it's you!

Before I started on the divided basket above, I finished the last piece of my dad's quilt I've been working on for several years...close to 5 really! The bear in the tree is the very last of nine 12" X 12" quilts from McKenna Ryan's Out and About pattern. The first piece I gave Dad for his 85th birthday. In April he'll be 90. I want to get the last piece to him before that so he actually has some time to enjoy the whole thing! It looks much better in person. I couldn't get the color quite right in the photo.The bear will be on the right of the picture at the bottom of this blog. The eagle will be in the top center spot.

This was number eight. I sent this to dad for Christmas last year but it ended up coming back to me. It's a long story...suffice it to say, he'll get the last two pieces together.

Below is what the other seven pieces look like on Dad's wall. He's going to need to move a clock or move the whole grouping. We placed them where he wanted at the time. I know it will look awesome finally complete!

I'll leave you with Mary's soothing words...stay calm and quilt on!

What Have I Been Up To? And an Update on the Monkey Queen

I know it's been a while again. I have not done a ton sewing or quilting in the past few weeks. The weather was nice so my husband and I have walked and walked and walked. Then it grew nasty and with the front came migraines...lots of them in one week and I really didn't care about much. Now it's nicer but cooling down and I feel like I can function again. We'll keep walking as long as the weather holds out because it can't last much longer. But I must get in as much sewing as I can. Christmas and challenge obligations are looming!

In the meantime, our Virginia Beach Modern Quilt Guild has had to change the date they meet to the third Saturday of the month. That's excellent news for me because I am off that Saturday. Yay! I had to go late this week due to a prior appointment before I knew they changed. I have already re-arranged next month's appointments so they will not conflict with this meeting. I will give up most things for a guild meeting but my massage and hair appointments are not among them.

I spent part of Saturday and a couple short sessions before that trying to finish the last piece to my Dad's quilt by McKenna Ryan called Out and About. It's done in 12" squares which are then stretched on canvas and hung in a grouping.Here's a sneak peek at at some of the detail on this piece. More later. I'll post a pictures of this whole piece and the other 8 when it's done providing I can find photos of all the pieces! I think I have pictures of the first 7 pieces hung on his wall. My Dad will be 90 in April. This was a fabulous way to make him something for Birthdays and Christmas that lasted a while. There isn't much he needs and he doesn't have a lot of wall space left for displaying our crafts.

Yesterday I made two pillowcases. I have two more to make for our bed which may be trickier getting the right size. I have a foam neck-type pillow while my hubby uses a super sized King pillow. One of the pillowcases I made yesterday I can't show because it's for our Christmas Charity with the Quiltworkers a.k.a. Sluts. More about that at a later date. We surprise each other with what me make for this charity at out Christmas Social so I cannot reveal mine yet. 

The pillowcase above is going to my sweet grand niece, Alyssa, the Monkey Queen, who is fighting cancer courageously and happens to be only 11 years old. I made her a quick flannel quilt when I found out to help her get through the chemo and all the other nasty procedures she must endure. You can find pictures in previous posts. I wasn't totally crazy about the fabric but it's all I could find in a pinch. Since then I found this adorable monkey print that was not flannel but I had to get it. I decided a nice pillow case would be just the thing for this fabric.

This method is the same one I use for the charity pillowcases we make each year. There are tons of tutorials out there. I use this one because I seem to find it the easiest and it's quite clear. I have a written pattern someone gave me which uses slightly different sizing but I usually change that to suit me anyway. The tutorial I usually use is Making a Sausage Pillowcase by Judy Woodmansee. There are many others out there but this one always works for me.It has french seams inside so there are no raw edges anywhere. I tend to make two changes besides adjusting sizes. I like to top stitch the cuff just above the flange for a nicer more finished look and I find it works better to take a slightly larger second seam around the side and bottom of the quilt or some of the inside threads tend to stick out. Here's a closer photo of the detail of the cuff, flange and the cute monkey fabric.

The Monkey Queen and Miss Addie

So here's our sweet, Alyssa with her new quilt and the two monkeys I sent her. She is such a wonderful girl. Keep praying for her if you've been reading this. She's still having lots of issues. She was able to come home but now she has a fever that is threatening to send her back to the hospital soon. I know the beginning of treatments like this can be very difficult. My heart just goes out to her. No child this age should ever have to deal with something is awful!

 
Here's another picture. The monkeys are super soft. I hope they help to comfort her when she's having a tough time!

And here's a closer picture of the finished quilt. It's very simple and I even machine stitched the binding which I never do. I 'm never happy with how that looks but in this case I felt speed trumped perfection! 

Now just to lighten the mood...Let me give you a little background on our Miss Addie...the Queen. She is a vibrant woman who has lived her life to the fullest and will not allow anything or anyone to keep her down! She may be slowing down a little with age but she still manages to get into plenty of trouble  stay active, quilt, paint, travel and do whatever her little heart desires into her 80s. When her husband was ill she traded her "boring" Lexus in on a Mini Cooper. Her children thought they were too dangerous and forced her to go back to a "safe" Lexus. So when Joe passed away she went right down and bought herself a tiny, bright yellow Smartcar and had it detailed! (Don't miss the licence plate). She's been merrily driving it ever since! You cannot miss her coming down the street! It is a sight to behold...be on the lookout if you come to Virginia Beach. There is only one smartcar here like it and only one Miss Addie!