Jelly Roll 1600 Quilt

If you haven't had the experience to make a fast jelly roll quilt, you may want to take the opportunity to do one up at your next retreat or weekend sew in!  I found the directions on the Internet from the Great Jelly Roll Race!  The video was my introduction and then I went to the website to see more details on the process.  Check it out if you might be interested.

It was my plan to sew the 40 some jelly roll strips together during my holiday break and I did just that.  However, I never got around to posting in my blog about it.  The process sure was a lot of fun and one evening I could hardly help myself from staying up way too late into the night. 

The first evening I got all the strips ready.  I was using up odds and ends from a jelly roll, so I cut many of my own strips in the same yellow and blue color scheme.  That went along OK.  I counted them out and bundled them in groups of 10 strips each until I had 4 piles.  I threw in two extra to be sure it would be like a full pack. 

The next evening was reserved for piecing the strips end to end on the diagonal, just as for binding strips.  That went quickly enough. 



Flannel print for the reverse side

During a Sunday night after supper I started to piece the longest seam.  I thought I had a way to keep it from tangling, but it was not successful at all!  I had a wicked mess of the longest seam.  I am not sure how to do it differently to avoid such a tangle.  The only thing I can think of is to pre-measure and cut that long strip in half. 



Needs to be pin basted with safety pins

I'll be doing the quilting soon and getting it bound with some blue and yellow print.

Stretched out on the floor

When that is complete, I'll check back in on the blog with more photos. 

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

I love Christmas baking, but this year I didn't get too much done in the kitchen.  At a friend's house we made a double batch of pecan and shortbread cookies that were rolled in powdered sugar.  They were quite delicous and disappeared mysteriously.  There are other favorites I'd like to bake, but I'll probably get around to it the week before New Year's. 

Here is how the tree turned out this time.  I like it a lot, but haven't used this one for 3 years in a row. It was a little more work setting this one up, but the full shape is so beautiful. 

This is the tree skirt that I made many years ago, but it still serves its purpose well.  It can open out a little wider to show all 6 points .  I have one section overlapping another in this photo.

Hope you enjoyed the holiday look around.  Enjoy your Holiday Season!

Time to go and wrap a few gifts that we will take to my sister's tomorrow.

Rotary Lights Exhibit 2011

The beauty of the lights display has been a tradition in town for many year now.  Each year the display has grown.  This year we took in the opening parade and the party that was held on the Century Tel deck.  It was overlooking the park, so we had a wonderful view.

Rotary Lights Party

Next Rainbow Scrap Challenge

The Rainbow Scrap Challenge will continue for the new year.   Angela of So Scrappy has designed a new button for our blogs.    I want to participate as  much as possible, and I look forward to following along to see what other sewers are doing each month.  I loved the color suggestions that Angela chose for last year.   I think this challenge will keep me motivated once again.

Inside Out Raggy Jacket Finish

With the Friday night sew in and some extra work all weekend, I have finished up the flannel jacket!

Love It so much and it is very cozy!

Jacket - after clipping, but before washing

 The day was just beautiful and I couldn't help but hang it on a tree by our back door for a photo.

By the time the jacket was washed and dried and I collected the lint 3 times, it was dark.  I had to take the next photos by the laundry cabinets.


Completed jacket with raggy seams washed



Back view of jacket

Reverse side of jacket (inside out)

Love the floral back (inside out)



My own jacket  (Laurel Burch design fabric)

I'm sure I'll want to wear this tomorrow.  It is one of the most comfortable things in my wardrobe.

Next up, one of those jelly roll race quilts.  I may try to get that one done for a gift too, but we'll see.

Results of Friday Night Sew In

The quilting on the sleeve takes the most involvement.  Here was one of the sleeves under the machine and I was doing a simple meander with some copper metalic thread made by Sulky.  It went along very well.  This metalic thread is a dream to work with as it doesn't shred in my machine.

Meander quilting on the sleeve

Seams go on the outside

Seams are clipped so that they fray softly

One  of the yoke seams was giving me lots of grief.  I always took the seam to the incorrect side.  I know I had to sew it more than once to make it turn out on the right side of the garment.  I just couldn't seem to get it in the right place.

I think it's fun to get to the part where you clip the seams with the Fiskars spring loaded clipper.  I'm pretty close to the washing and drying part and then the jacket will be done.

Preparations for the Friday Night Sew In

I am nearly ready to begin my Friday Night Sew In for this evening!  I have been cutting out some jacket parts and plan to get more accomplished on one or both flannel jackets.  They are to be Christmas gifts, so I need to stay focused!