Dear Jane block B-4

Here's Dear Jane block B-4, Chris' Soccer Field. I love paper piecing a little more every time I do it!

Dear Jane blocks B-2 and B-3

I did B-2 yesterday afternoon, but my computer was being uncooperative so I couldn't post! So here's my next two.

Block B-2, Sweet Tater Pie. I very much dislike how it came out. I've already mentioned how much I stink at hand stitching, so this is appliqued (very poorly due to not enough heat n bond...bad choice!) I WILL be redoing it. As of yesterday, I was going to wait till I had learned how to do hand applique, but after doing block B-3, I've changed my mind and now know what I'll do.

And Block B-3, Mirror Image. I will be redoing block B-2 with pieced curves because this one turned out so much better. I like this one as much as I dislike the last one!

Dear Jane block B-1

Started Row B today! This is block B-1, Bachelor Buttons. I tried it with the freezer paper and the reverse applique, by hand. Twice actually. I am just NOT good at that. So here's my B-1 with plain old heat-n-bond applique, with a blanket stitch to hold it down.

I do love my plaid though!

The rest of Dear Jane Row A!

I haven't posted a block in a little bit, so I'm catching up. I completed Row A this morning! :D

Block A-8. This was my first successful attempt at paper piecing. I discovered thatquilt.blogspot.com and started following the tutorials on that site. It's really great if you're doing a Dear Jane yourself!

Block A-9. More paper piecing. I think I love it a little.

A-10. Not my favorite block. I'm not great at any kind of hand stitching, so I had to do this reverse applique with my machine. Kind of weird looking, but I don't hate it enough to do it again ;)

A-11. More paper piecing, and more of this crazy hand applique. I was trying to do the inset Y-seams but I couldn't get it to turn enough to be able to stitch it down that way. So more "applique" by machine. Hoping it's not too obvious when the whole quilt is done!

A-12. A little off but not too bad.

A-13. The tutorial I was following showed this one being appliqued all around the main star part, but I managed it all by machine. The seams weren't as hard to turn this time. And it's one of my favorites so far!

And that's the end of Row A!

My 6 Week rotating dinner menu!

I know this is completely unrelated to quilting (unless you consider that doing this might give me some peace of mind and more time to quilt LOL). But I wanted to share anyway.

I have done this before, a few years ago, but I only had 3 weeks worth of meals at the time. I guess we've tried some new things since then because I now have 6 weeks worth of meals that I make and my family likes. And we tend to not like having the same thing too often. So I decided to put together a rotating calendar with all the meals my family likes, and this way we will not have the same thing for dinner more often than once every six weeks. AND it'll make it easier to do the grocery shopping, and to get things out to thaw.

Each meal is written on 3M Post-It tape, which resembles masking tape but the adhesive is the light stuff on the back of a sticky note. That way I can rearrange or replace meals if necessary, without having to use white out, or completely start the calendar over (since it's just written on paper in markers). I also have a little piece of this movable tape marking which week we're in on the left side of the calendar!

Next thing I need to do is do a weekly starter shopping list, that will have all the items I need for each week of dinners. I can then add the other non-dinner items, or scratch out the stuff I already have in the house. That way I won't forget anything!

And guess what?? Someone liked my idea enough to feature it on her blog! Thanks for the boost! Be sure to head over and check it out :)
   

UPDATE: I'm now in week 6 of my calendar. I'm discovering that I need to do some rearranging! I had originally put the more time consuming meals on the weekends because I was still in the mindset of a working mom. But now that I'm home during the day, and we're doing family stuff on the weekends, I need to reverse that mentality. So after this week is over, I'll be moving some things around.

 

I have also updated the location of this calendar, it's on my refrigerator door instead of on the side of the cabinet next to it. Since it's on the door now, I can use a circle magnet to circle what's for dinner that day, and my son likes to be the one to move it to the next day. He seems to like that he can just look at the fridge and know what to expect that night!

Woo hoo!

I am no longer a full-time engineer! As of yesterday, I'm out of the working world, and will be staying home full-time with my boys. This will finally give me time to get some things done (like maybe some laundry and dishes!) so we can enjoy our weekends as a family for a change. I'm very excited, and thought I'd share!

Dear Jane Block A-7

This is Dear Jane block A-7, Dad's Plaids. It's the trickiest one so far, I'd never done curves so I had a little trouble. I think it came out ok though. Far from perfect, but better than expected!

Dear Jane Block A-6

This is Dear Jane block A-6, Uncle Homer.

Dear Jane Block A-5

This is Dear Jane block A-5, Cathie's Campfire.

Dear Jane Block A-4

This is Dear Jane Block A-4, Courtney's Stethoscope.



Dear Jane Block A-3

Here's Block A-3 of my Dear Jane quilt. It's called Hunter's Moon.

Dear Jane Block A-2

Here's my Dear Jane block A-2. This one's called "One - Two Buckle My Shoe".

Dear Jane Block A-1

For some crazy reason, yesterday I sat down and started a Dear Jane quilt. If you haven't heard of it, check it out here, and pick up a copy if you're interested in doing one of your own! In short, it's 225 tiny blocks brought together into one GIANT sampler quilt. I'm doing mine in an Around the World color scheme, using the color wheel I use for picking out colors for my pinwheel swap to get the colors right. The first block took me about an hour! I decided to start going in order, but I'm sure I'll skip some here and there (especially considering I don't have enough blue-violet fabrics to do all of those blocks).

So here's Block A-1! It's called "Pinwheel Gone Awry".

Free applique block for today - Owl!

Here's my second pattern for free download! I've got a few more of these cute owls up my sleeve too, so keep watching for more.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/79336899/Owl1.pdf

Enjoy, and of course, send pictures!
quiltyshannon@yahoo.com

Want to make your own turtle blocks?

EDIT: I have moved this block to my store on Craftsy. It's now available for purchase HERE for $2.

This is a block I designed for a quilt I'm making for my friend's niece.

If you like this one, check out my Monkeying Around pattern, available HERE in book form, or HERE electronically. Also, check out my mystery quilt patterns, Stepping Stones and Starry-Eyed Surprise. And of course, keep checking back here for more free block patterns, like this one.
Enjoy, and send me pictures!
quiltyshannon@yahoo.com :)


Linking  up to these crafty parties!

It’s so Very Cheri, Sew Can Do, Singing Three Little Birdies, Add a Pinch, I should be Mopping the Floor, Polly Want a Crafter?, The Gunny Sack, Skip to my Lou, Craftomaniac, Keeping it Simple, Creating Really Awesome Free Things, Its A Blog Party, A Pinch of Joy, Making the World Cuter, Mad in Crafts, Bringing Beauty, Ladybug Blessings, Moms By Heart, Home Stories A to Z, Sugar Bee Crafts, New Nostalgia, House of Grace, Jillify It, Cherished Bliss, My Favourite Finds, Tip Junkie, Coastal Charm, Not Just a Housewife, A Bowl Full of Lemons , Funky Polkadot Giraffe, Hope Studios, Organising Homelife, Raising 4 Princesses, Celebrating Family, Carolyn’s Homework, The Blackberry Vine, The Kurtz Corner, Sassy Sites, A Little Tipsy, Gingersnap crafts, Time Warp Wife, The Thrifty Home,  Its a Very Cherry World, Mommy by Day, Crafter by Night, Rook No.17, Today’s Creative Blog, DIY by Design, The Organised Housewife, A Vision to Remember, Positively Splendid, The Frugal Girls

Gearing up for some quilting!

Recently, I bought a used Gammill long arm. And when I say used, I mean VERY used. It's a VERY old machine, so old that the serial number is 3 letters and 3 numbers. I've discovered it was sold in the mid-80's and was one of the first ones they ever built. And the lady that sold it to me told me that at one time, it was used to quilt a bedspread for Neil Armstrong. There's no paperwork to prove that, and it didn't affect the price, so I take that with a grain of salt.

So, the table has been in the garage for a while, waiting for space in the house big enough (14' is tough to find!). And this weekend, I found it, and we got it in. Yesterday I was home for the day and got the rollers put on and the machine up on the carriage, and am almost ready to go! I'll be reloading the green and purple geometric I've been trying to finish for a few years now. I got about a quarter of the way through on my old setup before I ran out of throat space and was almost flattening out points where the machine wouldn't reach anymore!

There's a couple minor things that need to be fixed on the table, but my husband's a handy guy and said he can fix it right up. As soon as that's done, I'll be ready to roll! We also found an add-on stitch regulator from The Grace Company that he is 99% sure he can make work. If so, I'd have a fully stitch regulated machine and a 14' table for a fraction of the price of a new one. This is very exciting!

How fun is this?

A plaid gecko! I love using such a structured looking fabric in such a curvy shape!

Turtles and Turtles and Turtles!...And a gecko too

Back to work on the latest toddler quilt project today. I finished up the turtles, and even got through one of the geckos. 5 more blocks to go and it'll be ready for assembly!

Turtles!

I've gotten through 4 of the turtle blocks now. They go so much faster than those pesky geckos with all their tiny round toes! I have 6 geckos to do for the next quilt too, but we'll get the easy stuff out of the way first ;)

Here's two more of the turtles!

Toddler quilts

I mentioned that I have two toddler quilts to make. One is almost complete, just needs to be bound. Here's a photo of the top:

The second will be similar, but instead of frogs, there are turtles. The gecko and frog patterns came from http://www.fatcatpatterns.com/. There's tons of really adorable patterns there!

Here's a photo of the turtle block I designed for the other quilt. What do you think?

My new pattern store!

Check out my new pattern store!

http://patternspot.com/designers/8239-shannonmac-quilts

So far, I have 2 patterns posted for sale, including Monkeying Around, so if you've been waiting for that to arrive in e-book, here it is! I've also uploaded the pattern for the first of my two mystery quilts (100% of profits are still going to the 3 Day!), and I have the pattern for my second mystery quilt almost ready to upload as well.

Next on my list are two toddler sized quilts that I need to finish, and then I'll be making a Monkeying Around quilt as a display piece :) So keep an eye on my blog for photos!

Jo-Ann's craft contest on Facebook

So, while you're here reading my blog, could you please do me a favor?

I entered Jo-Ann's craft contest on Facebook, and I could really use some extra votes. You can vote once per day till the end of March. You can find my entry, my yellow and green bug quilt I made for a friend's baby, here:

http://bit.ly/zEj681

Just click the link, then 'like' the page if you don't already, and then click the Vote button. I'm hoping to have the most votes by the end of March to win a $250 Jo-Ann's gift card. If you're a crafter, you know that can go a long way! So if you could help me out, I'd very much appreciate it.

Thanks!

Mystery quilt #2 ~ Fabric Requirements

Shannon’s Mystery Quilt Fundraiser #2
© February 2012, Shannon Maciejewski

After the success of my first mystery quilt fundraiser, I’ve decided to do another one!

I am participating in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day in Michigan this August. I’m asking for a $10 donation to participate, and all the money collected, every penny, will go to the 3 Day.

The first fundraiser had only 14 participants, but the average donation was over $17 each! I thank each and every one of you. The $240 you contributed is more than 10% of my goal of $2300. Don't forget, if you or anyone you know would like a pdf copy of the first mystery quilt pattern, it's available for a $10 minimum donation to my 3 Day page.

Anyway, enough of that, let’s get to the new pattern!

I will be presenting this in 5 different sizes. These sizes do not include borders, so if you want to add a border, please plan accordingly. This quilt calls for 4 fabrics. Look for 2 colors, in two shades each (i.e. purple and green, each in a light and a dark). Use any colors you like together.

I’ve designed this to be a very beginner-friendly quilt. There will be diagrams to go along with each clue. And I am always available for questions!


FABRIC REQUIREMENTS:

Here are the 5 sizes:
Crib – 48 x 60
Lap – 60 x 72
Twin – 72 x 84
Full/Queen – 84 x 96
King – 96 x 108

Fabric Requirements:

.............................Crib................Lap...................Twin...............F/Q..................King
Light 1..................1 1/2 yd..........1 3/4 yd............2 1/2 yd..........3 1/2 yd...........4 1/4 yd
Dark 1..................1 1/4...............1 1/2.................2 1/4...............3......................3 1/2
Light 2..................1.....................1 1/4.................1 3/4...............2 1/4...............2 3/4
Dark 2..................6 inches..........7 inches...........10 inches.......13 inches.........15 inches


My diagrams will be presented in 2 shades of brown and 2 shades of pink.

Try to avoid using directional prints like stripes, unless you don’t care that they might end up going every which way!

Pictures of the first mystery quilt...and another one in the works

Ok, so now that the first mystery quilt has been at least mostly completed by most of the participants, I am posting some pictures!

This is the pattern! This one was made by me.

This top was made by Karen B. in Ionia, KS. Karen prefers rectangular quilts over square ones, so she made hers 6x8 instead of the 7x7 in the pattern, and she added 2 borders. I love how it turned out!





Sharon J. made this quilt top. It's so fun and bright!



If you love this pattern too, you can still snag a copy of the pattern in pdf format for a $10 minimum donation to my 3 Day page. Just let me know that you're donating for the pattern, and I'll send it to the email address that you enter when you make your donation.


If you're sorry you missed the first one, don't worry -- another one is in the works now. I've just finished the fabric requirements, and I'm working on the cutting and presewing instructions now. I'll have the fabric requirements posted here today. The deal for this one will be the same. A minimum $10 donation gets you in, and you can either get the pattern through the private facebook group I have set up, or if you don't use facebook, you can give me your email address and I'll email them to you as they're posted.


The first pattern has raised $275 for the fight against breast cancer. My goal is to raise double that with the new pattern. I'd appreciate if you would help spread the word about my charity patterns! I'd love to see you and all your quilting friends for my next mystery quilt. More info to come soon!

Mystery Quilt this weekend!

In case I haven't made enough noise, my charity mystery quilt sew-along is this weekend! Saturday morning at 9am EST I will post the first clue to my private group on facebook, and email the clue to anyone that doesn't use facebook. There's still time to join in, but you'll have to work fast, there's some pre-sewing to do!

If you don't have time to do it this weekend, no need to worry. I will be making the pattern available for sale after the sew-along ends. The deal will be the same, a minimum $10 donation to my 3 Day page will get you the pattern, only I'll automatically email it to the email address you leave with your donation (so make sure it's entered correctly!) I'll even post a link here to a picture of it, so if you don't like the surprise of mysteries, you can see it before you donate. I'm hoping some of my quilters will let me post pictures of theirs here as well!

And please feel free to follow this page, I'll be updating here to let you know when my next mystery quilt sew-along will be!