August Entry for the Patterns By Jen 2019 Monthly Color Challenge

August 7, 2019August 7, 2019Leave a comment

August is here and so is my August entry for the Patterns by Jen 2019 Monthly Quilt Challenge. If I do say so myself, I love the way this one turned out.

I wasn’t too sure about this month’s red-orange color prompt for a couple of reasons. First of all, orange isn’t a color I work with a lot. Second of all, because I don’t work with it much, I don’t have a lot of fabric to choose from. Because I challenged myself to using only batiks, it was a stretch finding fabric that was suited.

Luckily, it didn’t turn out to be a problem, and I have added this beauty to my ever-growing stack of the other months’ blocks. Only four more to go, and I’m already playing with some quilt layout ideas in my head.

What fun this challenge has been so far. Not only have we made some terrific blocks, but the prompts we’ve gotten from Jen have been inspiring in the garden as well.

Each month’s color choice is based on a different flower, and this month’s selection hit the nail on the head. My block definitely reminds me of the orange and red marigolds that are blooming in my garden as I type this.

Challenge Progress

Here’s a look at what I’ve done so far. If you are inspired to give it a shot, check out the Patterns by Jen website for all of the challenge information.

Next month, the color prompt is lavender, and that is definitely a color I have plenty of batiks in. Depending on the design, I’ll just have to decide if I want to use lighter or darker lavenders. I can’t wait!

If you would like see more about my blocks other than my August entry for the Patterns by Jen color challenge, you can find them here.

January, February, March, April, May, June, July

Tips For Quilting With Batik Fabric

August 6, 2019August 6, 20192 Comments

Visit any quilt or fabric shop and you are bound to come across the batik section. For people who don’t know, batik is a process of dyeing fabric using a wax resist method. Batiks have been around for a long time. While there is evidence that batiks date back to Egyptian times, the island of Java in Indonesia is best known for it. Today, batiks are made by many fabric manufacturers and are popular in the quilting world. If you plan on using them, here are 10 tips for quilting with batik fabric.

Note that these are general tips that I have come up with after quilting for about 30 years. Every batik, and every user, is different.

Continue reading →

9 Awesome Memory Quilt Ideas

July 30, 2019July 31, 20194 Comments

Has your child grown out of their baby clothes? Has a loved one passed away? Before discarding their clothing items, consider making a cherished keepsake, like one of these awesome memory quilt ideas.

Memory quilts are a wonderful way to preserve special moments, like birthdays, graduations, weddings and deaths. Each one is unique, and treasured by families.

They can be made from almost any type of clothing item or accessory, and in any size. In this article you’ll find 9 articles to inspire you, plus a bonus idea for all of the scraps you’ll have after making your quilt.

Continue reading →

Men’s Handkerchief Memory Quilt Tutorial

July 22, 2019July 22, 2019Leave a comment

A little while ago, after a very long illness, my father passed away. He was a creative man who appreciated, and made, all kinds of art. I was lucky enough to inherit his artistic gene, and I always knew that I would make something from some of his things after he died. So, even though writing this men’s handkerchief memory quilt tutorial was difficult for me, it was also been a big step in my healing process.

My father was never without a handkerchief in his pocket. Even when he was bedridden, he would have a clean one by the side of his bed. My brother and I still chuckle, remembering how we would roll our eyes when Dad would pull out is handkerchief to wipe our messy faces. It’s one of things I will always remember about him.

He was a down-to-earth guy, so whenever we bought him new ones, we would get the simple plaid patterns because those were his favorites.

To me, those plaid handkerchiefs just screamed out to be turned into a quilt. At first I thought I’d make a larger quilt, but then realized that other family members would appreciate a quilt as well. That’s how the idea of this wall hanging came to be, and I couldn’t be happier with the results.

Loved turning my dad's handkerchiefs into a quilt

It’s a relatively easy quilt to make, but because the handkerchiefs are so lightweight, an extra step is needed to stabilize them.

Continue reading →

Stunning Ways to Display Quilts

July 17, 2019July 17, 2019Leave a comment

Quilts are found throughout home décor these days. They’ve been around for centuries, but traditionally they were more utilitarian. Today you can find quilts in every room of the house, and they aren’t just for keeping you warm anymore. If you have one that you want to show off, check out these 16 stunning ways to display quilts. There is bound to be one that you’ll like.

Display Do’s and Don’ts

Before you choose one of these stunning ways to display quilts, keep a few things in mind.

Never display a quilt in direct sunlight. The fabric will fade and the quilt will be ruined. You’d be surprised how quickly sun can fade it.
Switch out quilts from time to time. They will get dusty, and larger quilts may start to sag, which can lead to the stitching unravelling.
Use caution when choosing which display method to use. Antique quilts (and many new ones) are quite fragile, and some may be worth quite a bit of money. You may not want to have special ones on the back of a chair, where anyone can pick them up.
Don’t use anything anything adhesive on a quilt. I learned that lesson the hard way years ago by displaying an antique quilt with velcro. The adhesive ruined the fabric on the back.
Don’t stick nails in a quilt to hang it. They will tear the fabric and could get rusty and stain it.
If you are not sure how to care for your quilt, this article on quilt care and storage, can help guide you.

Continue reading →