New Name

I never cared for the name of my blog and wanted to change it for the longest. So, I decided to change my name to My Quilt Too. I like that. It has a nice ring to it.
I plan on spending the month updating my blog with a new header and more stuff.
I spent a lot of time with my clamshells this month. I have all 405 of them ironed and stitched. I bought some fabric glue (recommended by the ladies on the bus trip to Houston) and I plan on putting them together in November.
I was cleaning out some old boxes in my garage and found a box with three different blocks in them. I will post pictures this weekend. I have no idea what I had planned on doing with them.
Until I post again or read your blog, happy quilting.
Jeri

Clamshells on the road to Texas

I am leaving for the quilt show in Houston, Texas on Tuesday. I am excited and afraid at the same time. I want to have a good time but I am a little afraid I will be overhelmed by everything and mortgage the house while I am there. So, I have asked a few of my non-quilting friends to call me daily and say, "You don't need that". I hope it works.
When I get back I am going to the World Quilt Show in West Palm Beach, Fl. Last year I went for three days, was a white glove lady, took three classes and shopped until my purse ran dry. I did not buy a lot but I went to a lot of demos, test drove a lot of long arms, made a wish list a mile long and went home a tired, happy lady. This year I am only going for one day, Saturday, with my friend JoAnna. I want to enjoy the quilts more and spend less.
This is the third trip I have taken with the ladies from West Palm Beach. Last year I went with them to Lancaster. In September I went with them to the quilt show in Jacksonville, Fl. Now I am going with them to Houston, Texas.
I decided to work on my Clamshell Quilt on the road to Texas. I have 200 lights and 205 different color clamshells.

My goal is to have the top edge of all 405 clamshells basted down by the time I get back. I have basted some of them. Since I will not have an iron of the bus I plan to finger baste them and sew them down. I had planned to work on my T-shirt quilt but I could not get it together. Nothing seemed to work for me. I wouldn't or couldn't find the right stencils. I could never decide what color thread to buy. The back wasn't ready (yes it is) or the patches were in the wrong place (no they are not). I had more excuses than Carter has liver pills. So, while I was pondering over the little things, time slipped by and I missed getting everything together. This year I plan to do better.

Happy quilting,

Jeri

Another Month of Clamshelling

I cannot believe this is the end of another month. How time flies. And so much sewing to do.
I have set goals for myself in making my clamshell quilt. So far I have met my deadlines. This month I cut out and gathered the top edge of 200 light clamshells.
I need to clarify something. I did not gather a finished edge. I gathered the unfinished edge so I could iron it down and turn it under. I tried gluing one of them and I did not like it. So I decided to gather it again instead of gluing. I know it is a lot of work but I do not mind.

My goal for October is to cut out 200 clamshells in different colors. I hope not to have any color duplicated. I also hope to have them gathered (this may go into November as I have to finish the ironing process with the lights).

Above is some of the colors I want to look at before I cut.
Happy quilting.

Jeri

Clamshell Update

For some reason I cannot not get my pictures to upload on the computer. I will try to fix it myself this weekend and load them up for you to see.
However, I have made some progress. I was blog browsing and stumbled upon Brown Dirt Cottage blog. I noted that she was using muslin for her light blocks. I liked it. So I said to myself, "Self, you can make all your light blocks one color instead of trying to find several different lights." Since I had a credit at my local quilt shop I went there (drove like an maniac) and bought not one, but three yards of an off yellowish cream color. Then I went shopping at my other favorite quilt place (my sewing room) and found over fifty different dark colors to start my journey.
I cut out a few of the darks and ironed the tops down. This weekend I will glue them down.
I have a four day weekend this week-Friday thru Monday-I plan to do a little quilting on my HQ 16. Which brings a question to mind I have meaning to ask. I have a HQ 16 and one of the banquet tables but I want one of the newer tables-the Studio frame. Does anyone have a Studio frame and how do you like it?
Happy quilting until we meet again.
Jeri

Clamshell Pattern

I wanted you to see the clamshell pattern I decided to use. I will add a quarter inch seam allowance.
I made a few extra copies and taped them together to see how it would fit/look. I like it. The first pattern I found did not fit together well.

I found this pattern in Quilter's Newsletter Magazine, June 2005. The article is "Sashiko by Machine". I enlarged the pattern 225%. That made it 4 1/2 inches across finished. My first try at enlarging it made it 5 inches across which is a little to much for me.

Another thing I like about the pattern is that it has a line at the top for placement. That made it easy to line the pattern up. How I will use the line in the quilting I do not know yet. But I like the ease of using it to fit the pattern together.

I wasn't going to make a plastic template but I have since changed my mind. I still plan to use the freezer paper but the template may come in handy. Who knows.

Happy quilting.

Jeri

The Clamshell Club

I joined the Clamshell Club. I do not have any pictures this week but I will have next week.
So, what have I done? I went to the library and found a pattern. I enlarged it to be approx. 4.5 inches at the widest point. I took an afternoon to learn the different types of applique. I have not really appliqued anything even thought I took a class. Connecting Threads has a nice tutorial on applique. I decided to use freezer paper. I have some mylar template plastic that I have used in the past and was going to use that but the freezer paper is my choice. So, this is my to-do list:
Copy of pattern-done
Make a master copy of the pattern (4 clamshells will fit on a sheet of paper)-done
Cut my freezer paper to fit my copier-to do
Make 25 copies to start-to do
Will have photos before the week is over. I plan to start with the light colors. The word here is PLAN (which always go astray).
Happy quilting.
Jeri

So Long

I never meant to be away this long but I have a job that keeps me busy. I am trying to use my time wisely and I hope to be able to sew some and blog more.
I have missed you.
Jeri

Design Wall Monday

On February6 I went to West Palm Beach and took a class on making a spiderweb quilt. I spent the night at my friend Liz's house (she also took the class). It was a fantastic class. I stepped out of my box and used bright (as bright as I could handle) colors. One thing I did do was add a one inch strip to outline my spiderweb. I have made several more triangles but I still have a few more to go. I would make this quilt again.
With the scraps I have left over I want to make a string quilt and donate it.

I finished all the cats for my cat quilt. The strips along the right hand side of the photo is my borders. The pattern call for trianges on the corners of the squares but I really did not like that. Tuesday when I go to my crafting group I will lay all the cats out on the floor and arrange them.

I made some extra cats for the back.
I saw this quilt at work and thought you would like to see it. I wanted to get a photo of the quilt with the squares on the top side but she had made her bed up this way. I will try to get a better photo but I hope you can see what I loved about this quilt from these two photos.

This is a closer view of the blocks. All the different colors just make this a beautiful quilt.

It was a long week at work. I got the job as the Discharge Planner. There is so much to remember/learn about Medicare/Medicaid/HMO/Private pay insurances.

Happy quilting.

Jeri

Help Along the Way

They have a job opening at my job for a Discharge Planner. It would entail getting the residents ready to go home after rehab has been completed. You would work closely with the doctors, other facilities (long term care or ALF), ordering any equipment they may need, and home health care. The Discharge Planner also tries to help solve any foreseeable problems that the family may have at home. There are other duties I know but this is the jest of the job. I am interested in the job but I am a little reluctant to apply. Two other floor nurses have applied and I already have a nice job. I like what I do-no, I enjoy what I do. Some days the hours are long but I am single and I only need to leave on time on Tuesday. So, to me changing would be no big deal. I just would like to try this job. Am I making any sense?
After work today I went to have the oil changed in my car and was reading in the waiting room when I came across this quote by Muhammad Ali:

He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.

Your fellow quilter,

Jeri

Design Wall Monday

I am going to West Palm Beach in February to take a Spiderweb quilt class. I got the materials list/cutting list today. I will be spending the night with my friend Lizzy who will also be taking the class. I plan to step outside of my box and use bright colors with a black print background.
I finished off 247 kite triangles. I am going to the sit and sew on Tuesday. I plan on laying the quilt pieces out on the floor there.
Nadine sent me a copy of a cat pattern I admired on her blog. Since I was cutting the kite pieces from fat quarters and left over pieces I decided to cut out a few cats. Once I cut them out I had to sew two. I like them. I plan on making more cat blocks.

I will continue on my sewing journey and wish you the best on yours.

Jeri

Design Wall Monday

Taking these days off work has given me time to look through my UFOs and assess my quilting needs, wants and desires. Not that I ever follow my own advise. I just seem to wander down bunny trails at the sign of a good breeze.
I took down the lights and started taking them apart for the red and white snowball quilt. I put up the kite quilt pieces to see how they look. I am pleased with the colors but I will rearrange them when I get all the pieces/blocks made. I want to add some lighter colors also.

The pieces around the sides and at the bottom are blocks I need to finish. I am trying to put no more than three of the same fabric in the quilt.

I could not have made these blocks without my rotating cutting board and 28mm rotary cutter.
To make the Y-seams I used the little blue thingy (I do not know the name of this gadget) on the cutting board. I ordered some fabric from fabric.com and they sent it to me as a gift. This tool makes it so easy. You mark the quarter inch seam and sew. Makes perfect Y-seams everytime.
Happy piecing.
Jeri

Birthday Blog

I have five days to use before my anniversary at work or I lose my PTO days, so I took off Friday-Tuesday to work in my garage. That means I am suppose to be throwing out anything that does not belong to me (I hope). Well, I moved everything to one side of the garage and found this.
The wall was not wet, just the paint chipping off. Still I made my way down to my local Lowe's (one of my favorite stores) and got something to seal the concrete. So, what I thought was going to be a simple throw out job has turned into much bigger job. But I am glad I found it, it could have been worse.
I decided to do a show and tell of the Jacksonville Show 2009.

These quilts are from one of my favorite quilt shops-The Olde Green Cupboard in Jacksonville. They always have such a nice display of quilts in their shop. The saleswomen are friendly and helpful. The quilt above is something I would make if I was retired and had time on my hand. I like it.

I like the way the stars are staggered, not just across from each other. I did not get the name of the pattern but I am sure that they would help me find it. I also like the colors.

One word. Yummy.

I have this pattern. It is an original pattern put out by The Olde Green Cupboard. I bought it a coule of years ago but I have never made it. I love the colors. I am an autumn girl.

I bought this pattern but I have no idea why. I think I liked the scrappiness.

I also bought this pattern and I know why. I love it.

The quilt fairies have been back to my job this year. They come once a year around Christmas time and leave maybe a dozen small quilts. The size to put on your lap when you sit in your wheelchair. I fell in love with this one. All the quilts are scrappy. But this one caught my eye and I fell head over heels in love. I call it Four Patches.

It is made of four different patches that are 10 inch by 10 inch. I wrote down the measurements of each patch for my future use.
I finally finished off my Stash Pot Pie quilt. On my birthday. Two reasons to celebrate.

It is 90 inches by 100 inches. It turned out to be much nicer than I thought it was going too. I do not mind telling you that I was nervous about putting the pieces together. So I put the three inch pieces in a brown paper bag, shook it up and pulled out each piece. The only reason to put it back was if it was the same color.

I now need to decide on a back. I know how I want to quilt it. I have been watching The Pajama Quilter. She has a quilting design she does called dwirling. It is so cute.

Since I am going to give this quilt to one of my children, any mistakes will be overlooked with love.
I hope everyone will have fun with their quilting this year.

Jeri

Quilts For the New Year

It feels so good to be sewing again. After a month of cutting and dreaming I am ready to get back to sewing.
I did not make much progress on JoAnna's quilt but I will be back working on it today. I also plan to finish off my on-going quilt block quilt this month. I did finish the back.

The next four quilts are from People, Places and Quilts in South Carolina. We stopped there on the Lancaster last year. I like this quilt. I have never made a "fun" quilt. All my quilts are traditional. I may put this on my wish list.

I thought this was an easy baby quilt if I needed one fast.

This is also what I consider a "fun" quilt. I like it a lot too.

Another easy baby quilt. I like the colors.

This picture and the one below is from a vendor's booth at the Jacksonville show 2009. They let me take a picture of the quilt although they had sold the quilt to The Olde Green Cupboard. I just love the pink background.

Anyone know where to find the pink? It looked like bubble gum. I could make a pattern for my blog. My first.

I know my photography sucks but I had to tell you about these. One of my co-workers made them. They are large pretzel sticks and a candy coating she bought at JoAnn's fabrics/crafts.

She made a peanut butter one (top) that was so-o-o-o good. They also sell the plastic bags she put them in. I love this and will make some next Valentine's day with a red or pick coating.

This is on my design board and has been there a year. So I have to do something with them as I have changed my mind about the quilt I was making. I am seriously thinking of using them to make the Red and White Snowball Quilt. I missed the swap but I have enough red scraps to make it. I would make my blocks 7 1/2 inches since the squares are already 3 inches square. I could have it done my Christmas 2010. Am I heading down the right path or do I need to keep dreaming?
Happy quilting.

Jeri