Last week I got nominated by Lin at St Victor Quilts in the Round the World Blog Hop - she has followed my blog for ages and her blog shows off the fabulous arty quilting and embroidery that she creates - it's the kind of quilting I would love to do, but just don't have the imagination! Please go and say hi if you have time. Thanks for the nomination Lin!
If you don't know me, I'm Jennie and I've been sewing since forever - first cross stitch and more recently quilting. I'm a new Mum - my daughter Mia is now 7 months old and I love #naptimesewing. In live in Northumberland, UK with Mia, my husband, Michael, and our very naughty "puppies", Archie and Charlie!
So I have to answer some rather tricky questions... and to divert attention from the fact that I'm not answering them very well, I'm going to stick in lots of photos!
We know loads of people who are having babies in the next few months and they will all get quilts: first up a nautical theme - I couldn't find patterns I liked so this was my first attempt at designing a foundation pieced pattern.
And butterflies - this was a pattern from Tartan Kiwi
The other baby quilts are still in the planning "I-can't-find-a-selection-of-fabrics-I-like" stage. So in the meantime we're too lazy to fill a hole made by a picture we don't hang any more so I'm covering it with a mini quilt - inspired by the periodic table, this will read "Slainte" - Gaelic for "cheers" or "health".
I love embroidery too, so I'm channeling my inner love of lazy daisy stitch and french knots and having a go at a hydrangea for my sister-in-law!
And I'm happy to include batiks... I didn't realise to start with that many "modern quilters" don't like batiks, but I do. One of my first long-term projects was a Farmer's Wife quilt made entirely with batiks and I love it.
On the other hand, I'm a sucker for a quilt along (obviously - I made a Swoon and a Farmer's Wife) - This summer I've finished a Mini Medallion from Sew Mama Sew...
And a nested churn dash quilt - I guess my setting differs from "others in its genre"?
Last year I designed a quilt myself including some embroidery and I shared the patterns here on my blog.
This year I'm working on writing up some patterns too - this will be the first.
I'd really like to do more designing, both pieced quilts and embroidery so I'm trying to learn how to use Inkscape (open version of Illustrator) - it could be a long process.
Modern Alphabet (finished just last week)
City Sampler Cushion
This hobby also allows me to give to others - this summer I made quilts for two of my Great Aunts - a blue one
and a purple one
And I've just finished a quilt to donate to the Siblings Together Charity
So with those questions poorly answered, it's my turn to nominate three other bloggers:
First up is Diane. She has followed me for ages and her blog is full of fabulous makes - you have to check out her knitted elephant tea cosy. She can't fit in a specific post for the next while, but I hope you'll pop over and visit her anyway.
Next up is Sarah from Fairy Face Designs. Sarah's was one of the first blogs I started following. I've always been inspired by how she juggles having three children and her sewing - when we first thought about children, it was blogs like this that made me believe I could juggle in the same way. Recently Sarah has co-hosted the Big Stitch Swap and has been stitching along with the Lilipopo Stitch Along.
And finally, Sharon at Lilabelle Lane in Australia. I've followed Sharon for ever too. She always has the most fabulous projects on the go and she juggles family life and sewing beautifully. You have to pop on over and check out the progress she is making on her Passacaglia Quilt - it's stunning, but this Tula Pink project hides her true love - anything Bonnie and Camille! I emailed Sharon and didn't get an answer, but I know she's rather busy this week - I'm going to send you in her direction anyway!
Thanks for stopping by and ploughing through all my pics!
If you don't know me, I'm Jennie and I've been sewing since forever - first cross stitch and more recently quilting. I'm a new Mum - my daughter Mia is now 7 months old and I love #naptimesewing. In live in Northumberland, UK with Mia, my husband, Michael, and our very naughty "puppies", Archie and Charlie!
So I have to answer some rather tricky questions... and to divert attention from the fact that I'm not answering them very well, I'm going to stick in lots of photos!
1. What am I working on?
Seriously - this could be a blog post in it's own right. I don't just work on one thing at a time - if you check out my Finish Along list for Q3 you'll find 17 projects on it, and there are plenty that didn't make the cut for that list! I'll pick out a few WIPs for you: My Tula Pink City Sampler: pieced and waiting to be quilted - I'm going to fmq it myself a la Angela Walters (like the book), but by a mere mortal not a quilting goddess!We know loads of people who are having babies in the next few months and they will all get quilts: first up a nautical theme - I couldn't find patterns I liked so this was my first attempt at designing a foundation pieced pattern.
And butterflies - this was a pattern from Tartan Kiwi
The other baby quilts are still in the planning "I-can't-find-a-selection-of-fabrics-I-like" stage. So in the meantime we're too lazy to fill a hole made by a picture we don't hang any more so I'm covering it with a mini quilt - inspired by the periodic table, this will read "Slainte" - Gaelic for "cheers" or "health".
I love embroidery too, so I'm channeling my inner love of lazy daisy stitch and french knots and having a go at a hydrangea for my sister-in-law!
2. How does my work differ from others of its genre
I have no idea. It probably doesn't very much. I stitch what I like in colours that I like with fabrics that I like... I'm not afraid of colour - when lots of people were making Swoon quilts with beautiful feature fabrics and white backgrounds, I used red.And I'm happy to include batiks... I didn't realise to start with that many "modern quilters" don't like batiks, but I do. One of my first long-term projects was a Farmer's Wife quilt made entirely with batiks and I love it.
On the other hand, I'm a sucker for a quilt along (obviously - I made a Swoon and a Farmer's Wife) - This summer I've finished a Mini Medallion from Sew Mama Sew...
And a nested churn dash quilt - I guess my setting differs from "others in its genre"?
Last year I designed a quilt myself including some embroidery and I shared the patterns here on my blog.
This year I'm working on writing up some patterns too - this will be the first.
I'd really like to do more designing, both pieced quilts and embroidery so I'm trying to learn how to use Inkscape (open version of Illustrator) - it could be a long process.
3. Why do I create what I do?
Because it's cheaper than therapy. Maybe. If I didn't sew I would go mad. There have been times when I've struggled a little as a new mother and if I didn't have this outlet, this "something to look forward to", something that means "me time", then I think I would have been in danger of post-natal depression. I say maybe, because we haven't picked the cheapest hobby, have we? In the seven months since Mia arrived I've learned to use my limited sewing time to it's best and I have finished so many projects. Some of my favourites are my Neon Stained Quilt.Modern Alphabet (finished just last week)
City Sampler Cushion
This hobby also allows me to give to others - this summer I made quilts for two of my Great Aunts - a blue one
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| I finally stitched my bee blocks together |
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| Blocks made by the Siblings Together Bee 2 |
4. How does my creating process work?
Mostly I see something pretty and want to make it. As I said, I'm a sucker for a quilt along, so I do have a tendency to follow the crowd. I'm trying more to create my own designs, and swaps really push me outside of my comfort zone, because I want to make something really special for my partner. This is the first swap I took part in - a sewing machine cover - and the embroidery is still one of my favourites.So with those questions poorly answered, it's my turn to nominate three other bloggers:
First up is Diane. She has followed me for ages and her blog is full of fabulous makes - you have to check out her knitted elephant tea cosy. She can't fit in a specific post for the next while, but I hope you'll pop over and visit her anyway.
Next up is Sarah from Fairy Face Designs. Sarah's was one of the first blogs I started following. I've always been inspired by how she juggles having three children and her sewing - when we first thought about children, it was blogs like this that made me believe I could juggle in the same way. Recently Sarah has co-hosted the Big Stitch Swap and has been stitching along with the Lilipopo Stitch Along.
And finally, Sharon at Lilabelle Lane in Australia. I've followed Sharon for ever too. She always has the most fabulous projects on the go and she juggles family life and sewing beautifully. You have to pop on over and check out the progress she is making on her Passacaglia Quilt - it's stunning, but this Tula Pink project hides her true love - anything Bonnie and Camille! I emailed Sharon and didn't get an answer, but I know she's rather busy this week - I'm going to send you in her direction anyway!
Thanks for stopping by and ploughing through all my pics!
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