Sew Jess Quilts

as 2016 comes to a close (thank goodness!) i've been reflecting on this year and what i've done. i started teaching at one of my local quilt shops, designed my own paper pieced pattern, finished countless quilty projects, and started making my own clothes. now it is time to start thinking about what i want to accomplish in 2017! one of my big goals for 2017 is finishing off my WiP list that i have been working on the last month or so. Hello Darling Easy Bake Quilt Christmas Pillows Orphan Rainbow Block mini quilt Curve it Up Sample Tilted Stars quilt Orphan block sewing machine cover Checkered blocks from my bee Modern HST sampler the Curve it Up Sampler and Tilted Stars are both quilt tops and ready for quilting. i'm still working on my Checkered blocks and i need to finish the last two blocks from the Modern HST sampler once i order more background fabric. i am trying to finish up these projects before i move onto a new shiny project. i'm so glad to ha

my last big Christmas gift is done! this year i wanted to make my BIL and SIL quilts, as i've made quilts for the kiddos, i figured it was their turn for a quilt. well i needed one more masculine quilt and i've always wanted to make a buffalo plaid quilt so this was perfect! at first i was not looking forward to making this one, with all of the cutting and putting the small squares together. but after some thinking i decided i would strip piece and streamline the process. i was able to piece the top together in one day as opposed to multiple days if i would have cut individual squares. i love this quilt, of course i now want to make one for myself, but that will be for another time. Quilt Stats Pattern: designed by me, inspired by buffalo plaid scarves and quilts Dimensions: 61.5 inches x 74.5 inches Quilting: Straight line echo Fabric: Moda Bella solids, Black, Gray, Bleached White, and Marigold for the binding Happy Sewing!

every year since i got back into sewing, i say i'm just going to sew up a few gifts. then as time goes, i end up making handmade gifts for everyone. this year is no different. so far this year i've made 4 quilts, a pillow cover, and i'm making a ninja throwing stars game for my nieces and nephews. so i thought i was done, but then decided i would make another pillow cover for a quick gift for another family member. i was looking through my quilting books, looking for inspiration. when i came upon this pillow cover in Fresh Family Traditions by Sherri McConnell. i thought it would be perfect and i would be able to pull all the fabric from my stash. i had pulled this fabric for a small quilt, which i still have enough to make said quilt. i love how the blue and greens mix with the Essex Yarn Dyed Linen in Denim. i love the foxes, so glad i had enough for this pillow. for my pillow covers i love a zipper enclosure. whenever i make an envelope closure it never

for awhile now, i have had grand plans to sew up Quiet Play's various paper pieced patterns. well i have quilters ADD and leap from one project to another. thus my pile of WiP's that i'm trying to finish (though i know i probably won't have them fully complete by 2017). so i just never got around to actually sewing up one of her patterns. that has finally changed. i decided to add one last minute Christmas gift to my list. and since the recipient is a big Star Wars fan, particularly Darth Vader i decided a Geometric Death Star pillow was in order for him. i love how fast this come together. i was able to sew this during one of the girl's nap times. and a project that i can start and finish during nap time is a win win in my book. i saved the quilting for the next day! i wanted to keep the quilting minimal, but also reinforce the paper piecing. so i went with a diagonal grid, with a bit of hand stitching to define the superlaser focus lens. i really hope

so this week is about finishing up some of those WiP's that have been hanging around and finishing up a Christmas gift. first off, i have been working on a gingham/buffalo plaid quilt. oh my word do i love this quilt. i am seriously contemplating making a queen size for my bed, like i need another quilt project. and thanks to strip piecing, i had all of the blocks pieced this morning and have begun sewing them into rows. by tomorrow i should have a finished quilt top. i am really hoping to have this finished by the end of the week, so i can work on my last Christmas gift next week. i finished putting together my Tilted Stars quilt from my WiP list. now i'm trying to find enough fabric in my stash to piece a back together. since i would love to have this and my sampler done before the end of the year (or darn close) i love how all of the blocks from my bee mates work together. i have a few ideas of quilting, but i'm still thinking. i have plenty of negative spa

a good week for the most part. the first snow, decorating for Christmas, an early Christmas present, and plenty of sewing. ready for a fresh week and hopefully getting into the Christmas spirit a little more.

currently i'm working my way through my current list of WiP's in an effort to have a clean start for 2017! this is my list: Hello Darling Easy Bake Quilt Christmas Pillows Orphan Rainbow Block mini quilt Curve it Up Sample Tilted Stars quilt Orphan block sewing machine cover Checkered blocks from my bee Modern HST sampler and another WiP is DONE! all i have left now are two quilt tops that are pieced together, just not quilted and some blocks from bee and the Modern HST sampler. i am really hoping to finish off my two quilt tops and have just the blocks left by the end of 2016. i love how the little quilt turned out. i had a Hello Darling Layer Cake that i had no idea what to make, so i decided to finally make and Easy Bake Quilt from Cluck Cluck Sew. i love the process of putting a quilt top together, but sometimes it is just nice to be able to make a quilt top in an afternoon. so while i finished this top in an afternoon, it sat for about month or t

can i just say, how is it December already?! this year in generally has been going fast, but the last few months have been flying by. but i'm okay with 2016 coming to an end soon. so even though this month in particular is busy, i'm going to make an effort to blog here everyday. same with my exercise, if i put my mind to it, i can accomplish anything. so why not blogging more often. not all posts will be quilting or evening sewing related, but just writing will help keep me grounded during this time of the year.

currently i'm working my way through my current list of WiP's in an effort to have a clean start for 2017! this is my list: Hello Darling Easy Bake Quilt Christmas Pillows Orphan Rainbow Block mini quilt Curve it Up Sample Tilted Stars quilt Orphan block sewing machine cover Checkered blocks from my bee Modern HST sampler i finished a set of Christmas pillow covers just in time for me to use them this year! that NEVER happens! this particular fabric has been in my stash for quite awhile, so when i was playing with my Mini Quick Curve Ruler. i decided to make up a few blocks and sew up a cushion cover. i love how this cushion turned out. plus with the benefit of using some long stashed fabric! and now my chair in the great room is a little more festive for the holiday! i made this cushion cover from the leftover squares from the Christmas Star Cushion cover. and Nora claimed it straight away. now I have another project off of my WiP list!! time to