Well, I'm afraid my felting report is not very favorable. First of all, when you hear that something shrinks up to 40% you may not think that sounds like a lot. Well, take my word for it; it's a lot! A ladies size Large sweater came out so small it may fit a one-year old. So now you've (I've) paid eight to twelve dollars for a 12 inch square of felt! I sure am gonna be extra sure on the project I choose before I start cutting in to these pieces! OH. And the washing machine died. The repairman (or I should say; undertaker. He charged $69 to pronounce it 'dead') said the piles and piles of steel wool type lint that ended up clogging the filter was just coincidence to the bearings that froze up, but still; I'm not happy about it! I'm putting the felt aside for a while til I get over the initial trauma of it all. ;-)
An ongoing creative goal of mine is to see how many different quilts I can get out of this little scraps box.
This quilt
and this one (both made last year)
come to mind as finished ones that have been created from The box. More recently I'm using these scraps to make a foundation (paper) pieced pattern called Rocky Road to Kansas
...
I love a lot of things about paper piecing. Mainly the precise results you end up with
But you can also go crazy and kinda 'off the lines within the lines'.
I really had a lot of fun sitting there in my little nook last night, mindlessly sewing away while watching a really young John Travolta and Debra Winger in Urban Cowboy. Good Lord, how was that 28 years ago!!??
OK! The butterfly quilt is an inspiration for the babies room. We should find out if it's a girl tomorrow, even though I feel pretty sure that it is. I love the flowers, butterflies, and pink with lime green. I'm truley inspired!!
Posted by: Stacey Riley | January 22, 2008 at 10:16 AM
Jen! I'm drooling on my keyboard! Your quilts are amazing!!! I've been driving for a year with a sewing machine in my trunk-donated by a sweet friend and I'm so afraid to bring it in! Sewing scares the **** out of me-I want so much to do it but there is a preciseness that is the complete antithesis of how I operate... Seeing your quilts might change that-baby steps OF COURSE but totally inspired by you! xo-Mel
Posted by: Melissa Lobdell | January 21, 2008 at 04:41 AM
Hi Jen!
First, is that cocoa you are drinking there? (i love cocoa)
Second, How beautiful! Your quilts are beautiful!!! Quilting takes patience! I bet you LOVE those rotory cutters and self sealing cutting mats!!!!
I think the last one is my favorite...but then again it is way to hard to pick just one favorite!!!
Hugs,
Mary
Posted by: Mary | January 07, 2008 at 05:39 PM
I love your quilts! You make me want to try piecing again! And I do love urban cowboy... it's so wrong, yet so right. LOL! He beats the crap out of her, but alls well that ends well because he buys her a double wide! LOLOLOLOL!
Posted by: MIssy | January 07, 2008 at 04:13 PM
Your quilts are so FANTASTIC!!! I totally love your fabric selections and how you can make them all work so perfectly together!!! Hope you don't give up on the felting...can't wait to see what you will be making with that!!!
Posted by: Barbara | January 07, 2008 at 11:05 AM
You have so inspired me to get at my little box of scraps!
Posted by: Shelley | January 07, 2008 at 06:42 AM
Look at you go! Wowsers, I really want to learn what this "paper peicing" means!
Posted by: norththreads | January 06, 2008 at 09:26 PM
Too bad about your sweater shrinkage (sorry, it made me laugh 'cuz it reminded me of that Dick Van Dyke episode)...I hope you find some to do the felting 'cuz I'd love to see it. I found a shrunken kid's aqua sweater at the thrift store (probably someone forgot & threw into the wash) hoping to use it for some crafting. Everybody keeps talking about wool felt & I can't find those pastely colors at the fabric store...and, why is it better than polyester craft felt, I wonder?
Posted by: tammyCA | January 06, 2008 at 12:52 AM
Jen. Love the quilting! I have some sweaters for you to play with...I will email you tomorrow. I have also bestowed an Amazing Blogger award on you, so if you could check todays post...Thanks, Susan
Posted by: Susan at Black Eyed Susans Kitchen | January 05, 2008 at 08:51 PM
omg...I feel for you on the washer situation! Mine broke last Feb....and I've always wanted to buy the front loaders...but of course....I'm cheap so I was just going to replace my old top loader with another almond one to match my almond dryer...and well...none to be found! LOL So I HAD to buy my front loaders.....they are AWESOME and we finally paid them off!!!! But they are worth EVERY penny!!!! And that's coming from a squeaky cheap person like me! Sorry about your sweater!! Love the quilts made!!!!
Posted by: Nicole | January 05, 2008 at 08:07 PM
sorry about the felting debacle! thank goodness the crafty efforts that turn out that way are more than balanced out by the the ones that don't.
in that vein-- oh my goodness what wonders you've wrought from your collection of delicious scraps! i am in awe. you make it look easy, and I'm assured from my tiny efforts at quilting/patchwork that it is not!
Posted by: nancy | January 05, 2008 at 07:46 PM
Jen, I love that paper pieced quilt your making. Looks vitage. Where did you get the pattern?
Sorry about the washer. I was told to not ever wash a rag quilt in the washer or dryer cause the lint is incredible and will clog up everything. LOL!!!
Posted by: redgeraniumcottage | January 05, 2008 at 05:20 PM
Oh Jen, your quilting is divine! I am so drawn to quilting but I am so not a quilter. Felting, hmmm, another project that sounds intriguing. I love rug hooking, think I will stick to that! xo, suzy
Posted by: suzy | January 05, 2008 at 04:52 PM
Haha, I am watching that movie right now.
SO, you gonna teach me how to do that paper piecing thang?? I promise not to throw the scissors. LOL
Posted by: Sarah | January 05, 2008 at 03:58 PM
I'm loving those blocks Jen! Sorry to hear about your washer. It's like losing a friend. My new washer just isn't the same.
Posted by: Pam | January 05, 2008 at 03:36 PM