A Non-Swap Round Robin

My Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along has introduced me to Becky, the boss of the Patchwork Posse. She is one of our fabulous designers who just happens to live about an hour away from me.

Becky has started her own quilt along. I am getting a late start, so I think you can too if you want to play along. She is doing a round robin. But instead of doing a border and passing it along to another quilter to put on another border, we are each making our own quilts. Every couple weeks a new border is introduced.

I am designing the next border. I am still trying to figure out just what I will be doing. Hmmm. We'll all find out March 8th!

Free Jelly Roll

Looks like the freebies have started early! Head over to my friend's blog, Crazy Old Ladies, before SATURDAY.







She is one of our fabulous block designers and is giving away a free jelly roll, Simply Abundance by Bonnie and Camille. Yummy, yummy, yummy!

Let her know you've signed up for the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along and you could win! Good luck!

Nerves of . . . ?

Right now I definitely do not have nerves of steel. I do not know what the correct adjective would be. Jello? That's a little more appropriate. What am I nervous about? Not the Jelly Roll Sampler. I love the way my block turned out. In fact, I am having trouble waiting for another week to show it to you.

The Saturday after next I have signed up for a 5K. I started running them again a couple years ago, and I have really enjoyed the extra incentive they give me to get off the computer chair. However, I am feeling my age. It is more difficult to get back into shape when I take time off like I have all winter.


A couple weeks ago, there was a break in the weather, so I took my kids to the track. I made it two miles, but my 11 year old daughter was kicking my butt. It was like the tortoise and the hare. She was bouncing around running ahead, running back as I just plodded along. I knew she would be faster than me eventually, but I wasn't ready for it to happen yet.

The dose of humility is good for me. My goal with this race is to run the whole way. (I just hope my daughter doesn't get too bored waiting for me at the finish line.)

I am still shaking in my shoes because I am not ready. Any advice to firm up my nerves of jello?

The Amazing Sewing Machine

This morning as I was browsing blogs I came across this link from C&T Publishing. It is a You Tube Video on the history of how sewing machines work. I was a little skeptical but found it very interesting. Click on the picture to link to the first of three parts.





That reminded me of an image I had seen on The Selvage Blog. She is always sharing interesting things. On the side of her blog she has linked to another blog that has this animated gif that shows how a sewing machine actually works.

It is mesmerizing watching the needle go up and down, up and down, sewing, sewing, sewing. . . . About the same feeling I get as I am sewing -- except not quite as satisfying because I have nothing to show for it.

Hope your Friday is full of fabric!

Valentine's Surprise

It must be love. . . . my DH gave me this --

for Valentine's Day. Yeah!!!

This book is even better than I thought. It is very well organized. I've sat down with it once now and haven't scratched the surface. This is a magnificent reference book that I will come back to again and again.

Jelly Roll Quilt Along Designers

For inquiring minds, here is the list of our guest bloggers for the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along 2010. They are listed in alphabetical order.

April Mazzoleni -- http://april-makingendsmeet.blogspot.com/
Becky J -- http://patchworkposse.com/blog
Beth Helfter -- http://evapaigequiltdesigns.com/
Debbie Maddy -- http://calicocarriage.com/blog
Emily Herrick -- http://crazyoldladiesquilts.blogspot.com/
Judi Madsen -- http://greenfairyquilts.blogspot.com/
Kari Ramsay-- http://freshcutquilts.blogspot.com/
Kathy Skomp -- http://lavenderlimeinspires.blogspot.com/
Nanette Merrill -- http://fredashive.blogspot.com/
Scott Hansen -- http://bluenickelstudios.com/
Toby Lischko -- http://gatewayquiltsnstuff.blogspot.com/



Check out their blogs and see what we have in store! We have a great group of designers here. I know some of you recognize their names or have seen their work. My fingers are getting itchy to open up my jelly roll. I just may have to get started on my block this week. I have it finished in my mind. Now to get it on paper for you!

Blogger 101

Nerd alert! This is a boring post, but it will be helpful to some of you. These instructions are for Blogger, but Wordpress is similar. These instructions are for a PC. It will be similar on a Mac, but I don't know what you do instead of "Right-clicking."

Tutorial #1) How to add a button to your blog without the code.


1) Go to your blog page and sign in. Click on "customize" which is at the top right corner of the page.

Note -- if you aren't on your blog "customize" doesn't show at the top.

2) Click on "Add a Gadget"

3) The gadget you want to add is a "Picture." Here is the image you are looking for.

Note -- this is a different gadget than adding HTML code, but it is going to work just the same way.

4) Now you will see the following:
"Title" This is anything you want written above the image.

"Caption" This is anything you want written below the image.

"Link" This is where you put the web address you want to link to. For example, if you are linking to my blog, you would type in http://moosequilts.blogspot.com/ It is usually easier to find the page you want to link to and copy and paste the address into this spot.

"Image" You have two options here. Use the second option "From the web." Here's how you do that: 1) Open another internet window and find the picture you want to show.
2) Right click on the picture
3) Click on "properties" at the bottom of the list
4) Triple click on the stuff next to "Address (URL)." It starts with http:// and it's really long. The whole address needs to be highlighted in blue. If you are having trouble getting it all to turn blue you can also use the "CTRL" key and the "A" key together (select all).
5) Right click and select "copy" or CTRL-C.
6) Go back to the blogger window and paste that big long web address into the box under "From the web."
7) Give it a minute, and your picture will appear.

Note -- the box shrink to fit is check marked. Just leave it that way most of the time.

5) Very important -- click "save" once you see the picture you want.

Tutorial #2) How to be notified when a blog is updated

There are actually several ways to do this. One way is to be a follower. Some blogs show there followers, others don't. It doesn't matter. You can still be a follower if the followers aren't shown.

1) Go to your "dashboard" -- the link is at the top right of your page when you are signed in after you click on "customize."

2) Scroll down under "Reading List" there is an "Add" button. Click that. Type in the address of the blog. For example, if you wanted to become a follower of this blog, you would type in,
http://moosequilts.blogspot.com You can also copy and paste the address.

3) Click "next"

4) Select if you want to follow publicly or anonymously and click "follow."

5) That's it.

Another way is to subscribe to the RSS feed. Here's how you do that.

1) Go to the blog you want.

2) Scroll all the way down to the bottom. You will see "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)." Click on "Posts (Atom)."

3) A yellow box comes up. Click on "Subscribe to this feed" inside that yellow box.

4) Another box pops up. If you want, or not, add it to your favorites. Click "Subscribe."

5) I get updates from the feeds this way in Outlook Express. If you don't have Outlook, you can access them from your favorites window. Open the favorites window and you will see a tab that says Feeds. Click on that and you will see all the blogs you have subscribed to. If there is a new post, the name will be bold so you know to click on it and see what's new.

That's all for now. If there is a different way that you like to get your updates, let us know. Maybe someone will like your way better.

Moda Bake Shop

Looks like a lot of you are up before I am. Today one of my patterns got to be on Moda Bake Shop! I am thrilled! I named it Easy as Cake.

I did have another name picked out, but you will just have to dash over to Moda Bake Shop to read that story.

I love this quilt! I loved making this quilt! I love everything about this quilt! It is queen size, but very fast to make. The Verna fabric line is the epitome of spring. It makes me smile when I see it. Hope it makes you smile too!

If you are here at my blog for the first time, then welcome. You may be interested in the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along that we are starting March 1st.

For those who have signed up, some of you are a little nervous. Don't be! This won't be too hard. I've got a great group of designers lined up for you. AND if you have questions, you can always ask! To answer a couple questions:

Yes, I will be introducing these designers to you -- soon.

Contrast, that is really a personal thing. Do you like quilts with contrast? I really like both. For example, in Easy with Cake the background has good contrast with the rest of the fabrics. That was my intent and I love it. On the other hand, I am just binding a quilt where I kept the contrast low. In that quilt, the blocks blend into each other and sometimes you can't tell at a glance that one block is a nine patch etc. I also love that. I would think in term of contrast that way. Do you want your blocks to run together or do you want to see the separations. Choose your background/sashing fabric accordingly.

You can see that I am going for high contrast because I chose a white background to go along with my Attitude Girls jelly roll. I haven't seen the blocks yet, so we will all find out together how they turn out.

That is the part I absolutely love the most -- seeing the fabric combinations everyone comes up with!

Sweet Baby Kate Love

My new pattern Sweet Baby Kate has been feeling the love lately. I opened up Fons & Porter's Easy Quilts this week to see her featured in a full page ad by Northcott Fabrics! It's a great ad. This quilt was made with Little Darlings Flannel by Ro Gregg.

AND she is also featured at Maria Peagler's blog:
http://quiltsandcreativity.com/febcom2010

You probably know Maria's book "Color Mastery." Evidently Pink is her color of the month and has a slideshow featuring different ways to use pink. I sent her Sweet Baby Kate as an example, and Maria used it in her slideshow.

FYI -- Maria is giving away this luscious fat quarter bundle to someone subscribing to her blog. You may want to hurry over and put your name in. Those pinks are absolutely gorgeous!

FYI again -- (is there a P.P.S. for FYI?) there should be some big news here tomorrow. Check back if you are interested.

Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along 2010

**For anyone just joining us, welcome!  Come and play!  Grab a jelly roll and play catch up.  Let me clarify a little upfront:
1) There isn't an email list to remind you when the blocks are available.  You can sign up to be notified when my blog is updated.  I have posted instructions HERE. 
2)  All you need to do now is make your block and post it onto our Flickr group HERE.  If you need help, try THIS post.
3)  You can always check this post for the new blocks, but they are first listed as a post on my blog, then I add that link at the bottom of this post.   

I am excited to introduce something that I have had in the works for a little while now:
A Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along!



From March 1 to August 2, every other Monday, instructions for a new 12" block will be posted. All of the blocks will be made from jelly roll strips and yardage.

Each block will be designed by a different person. Every two weeks there will be a guest blogger on my blog introducing herself and her block. At the end, you will have made a fun quilt 58" x 72."

Of course, all along the way there will be prizes for those who complete the blocks. Here is a picture of the quilt:

I will fill it in as we go with the blocks that we make.

Here's the nitty gritty:

Fabric Requirements --
1 jelly roll
2 yards background and sashing fabric
1 1/2 yards outer border fabric
2/3 yard binding fabric
3 3/4 yards backing fabric

Grab a jelly roll and some background fabric and let's get started!

The first drawing will be on March 1 when I post the first block. To enter this drawing, comment on this post that you want to join us and what fabric line you are thinking about making it in.

P.S. Scrappy is absolutely fine too. This quilt would make a great stash buster project.

P.P.S. I am making mine out of Attitude Girls by Mary Engelbreit for Moda.

The second drawing will be on March 15 when the first guest blogger posts the second block. Anyone who has made a block and posted it on a flickr site: (http://www.flickr.com/groups/1343277@N20/) will be entered in the drawing.

There will be another drawing each time block instructions are posted. Anyone who posts a picture of a new block since the last drawing will be entered in the next drawing. The block that you post a picture of doesn't have to be just the previous block. It can be for any of the previous blocks that you haven't posted yet.
Click here for the link to Block 1
Click here for the link to Block 2
Click here for the link to Block 3
Click here for the link to Block 4
Click here for the link to Block 5
Click here for the link to Block 6
Click here for the link to Block 7
Click here for the link to Block 8
Click here for the link to Block 9
Click here for the link to Block 10
Click here for tips for Block 10
Click here for the link to Block 11
Click here for the link to Block 12
Click here for the link to the Finishing Instructions


The final, grand prize, drawing will be on AUGUST 30th for anyone with a finished quilt top.

Grab jelly roll, grab a button, and join the fun!

I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!