Modern Quilts from the Blogging Universe - Giveaway and Blog Blitz Day

ETA: Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway! The winner is Alison at Little Bunny Quilts!
Congratulations to Alison, I hope you enjoy the book!
~Jessica

Hello everyone! 

I'm popping by today with an eBook giveaway from Martingale with a book that I was involved in way back in 2011!  It seems like such a long time ago that I designed and stitched up a quilt for this compilation. It's exciting to see the book all put together and released for everyone to see.

The book features 19 unique quilt designs by quilting bloggers all centered around a modern aesthetic. Here's a couple of beautiful examples from the book:

If you'd like to win a eBook version of Modern Quilts from the Blogging Universe, please leave a comment and make sure there's a way for me to contact you should you win! I'll choose a winner by random number on January 29.

p.s. See this post to connect with all the participants in the blog blitz! Then you'll have 19 chances to win a copy of the book.

I hope you're having a wonderful start to the year!

Happy sewing and stitching,

~Jessica

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One Last Quilt & a Goodbye

Goodbyes are always hard! I've done a lot of thinking over the past few months and while stitching on this quilt and have decided to take a break from blogging. After much thought and going back and forth as to what I should do, the time has come to make a final decision.

I've found I've been spending too much energy and thought tending to the shop and blog when I really wish to be spending my time in other ways. I'm sure to continue all the crafts and hobbies that I love... sewing, quilting and hand stitching are what I'm really enjoying right now and will always be a part of my life.

Keeping a blog has been so much fun for me. It's provided a way for me to connect with others while I've been at home caring for my children. Now that they are growing older, those nap times that I used to sew and quilt are not happening.
I'd like to thank all of you for your kind comments, friendship and encouragement throughout the years! It's been a blessing to have so many people admire what I've made... that's really motivated me to keep going, finish up a project and to create and design some new things. Thank you so much!

I'm having a big sale in the shop to help clear out all the remaining listings. Use the coupon code GOODBYE for 45% off your purchase. There are lots of pincushion kits, flag buntings and a few vintage sheet items left!

Here's a little more about the quilt in the pictures above:
finished size: 39" square
 the squares are cut at 3" and finish at 2.5"
*there's a great chart here to help you calculate setting triangles and corner triangles for quilt blocks set on point in a quilt
the design was inspired by Jolene's Granny Square Block
quilting is done with cream colored perle cotton and a Jeana Kimball Redwork Needle size 9

...and I think that's it!
You can continue to reach me through email at twinfibers (at) gmail (dot) com and on Pinterest... oh, how I love to find great stuff on there!
{hugs!}
~Jessica

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Compact Groceries Tote {Free Pattern}!

I have such a great treat for all of you today!
This is Lisa Lam's new book called A Bag For All Reasons. It's a book filled with 12 new designs and a large section on different techniques, like different ways to add zippers, pockets and straps to make each bag your own.  I really like the spiral binding that helps it lay flat while you're working through the pattern. The patterns are all full size and located in the back of the book on several large sheets of paper. It's so nice not to have to enlarge pattern pieces!

This is one of the projects called The Compact Groceries Tote. It's a reversible bag with every detail well thought out. I like the extra stitching on the handles to make them even more sturdy.

I made this one out of Loulouthi fabric by Anna Maria Horner and I have plans to make a few more. These would be a great stocking stuffer! They roll up nice and compact with the strap.

The best thing is, I'm able to give you access to the pattern and directions {for free}!!!
You'll find a PDF with the project and a template to print out here.

Lisa does a great job of explaining each step and now you can see for yourself how her patterns work! I think you'll love making a bag of your own and I'm so happy to be able to share this pattern with everyone!
I finished up the Toddler Backpack this weekend... it's adorable but I have to take some pictures of it yet.

Here's a couple of other links that you may be interested in:

Save 33% off of A Bag For All Reasons and more on Lisa Lam products in the Martha Pullen shop with coupon code: "BAGS2012".
A Bag for All Reasons: http://store.marthapullen.com/bag-for-all-reasons
The Bag Making Bible: http://store.marthapullen.com/the-bag-making-bible-z7338

Digital preview of A Bag for All Reasons: http://www.scribd.com/doc/86496482/A-Bag-for-All-Reasons-Make-Fabulous-Fabric-Bags-for-Every-Occasion

I hope you have a chance to try out the Compact Groceries Tote soon!
~Jessica

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hand quilting

I pulled out this baby quilt and basted it this weekend. I decided to hand quilt it with some perle cotton. That's such a nice and relaxing thing for me to do later in the evenings. Should just take a few nights more to finish up.

We spent one last beautiful weekend at my parents cottage. I hear the weather is about to change and get a lot colder, so I'm glad we took the opportunity to enjoy it. We missed out on having campfires this summer since it was so hot but we made up for it this weekend. Now it really seems like fall is here to stay.
I hope you had a good weekend, too!
~Jessica

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for the weekend

I'm hoping to get started on a project from this book this weekend! I just have to wait for some hardware to come in the mail.
I've already made one bag from this book and I have a special treat for all of you coming up soon! But, I have to get everything ready for that.... hopefully next week I can share all about it. I'm very excited! :)

The patterns and finished bags in this book are done so nicely. The attention to top stitching, hardware, linings and seam finishing is just what I like. I like the projects that I make to look really professional and Lisa does a great job of explaining all the fine details throughout each step.
Anyway... I'm thinking of getting a head start on making some Christmas presents. I know, it seems early, but the way that my weeks fly by, I better get started now if I want to give any handmade gifts this year. I'm hoping that this backpack will be fun to stuff some little girl toys inside and that it will work as a special backpack for one of my nieces to use when visiting friends or family.

Aaaahhh... and here's my little boy who loves to jump in all my pictures! He started Preschool last week and has made it quite clear that he'd rather be at home with me. But, he always has the biggest smile and is so happy when I pick him up. He's actually started to laugh and think is't funny about crying during drop off when we talk about school at home. Hmmmm... what a stinker! I sure love being at home with him too but those couple of hours alone are really great!
I hope you have a great weekend and have a little time to sew, too!
~Jessica

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ArtPrize 2012

Points of View by Dan Nelson

A friend and I went to see the sights at ArtPrize yesterday. It was a beautiful day to walk around the city of Grand Rapids and enjoy the art on display!
It was great to see so many people attending the event and I'm sure we didn't even see half of entries. Here are just a few of the things we saw...

True Love - Elephants by Ruben Llano

Scrappie Dick by Paul Cassidy

Old Tired Crow by Nick Jakubiak

Bridge to Forever by Andy "Cosmo Joe" Watkins

The Sturgeon by Ronald W. Harris

Chopper at LARGE by Ron Finch

Concretely the Remix by Mallory Baran

The Nanny by Monica Walker

A Second Chance at Life by Gary and Travis Fields

Copper Kids in a copper canoe by AlWeston

The Penguin Project by Paul Nilsson

Disposable Game by Terry Brennan

The Dragon by Robin Protz

Ceramic Bowl Wall Installation by Jacob Grant

Sea Glass by Greg Rawls

Spores by Christopher Weed

Circles 4 12 by Ellen Stucky

I even saw a quilt entry! :)
 I'm hoping to go back and take my husband and kids to see everything. It's so nice that it's a free event... even to get into the museums. It's well worth the trip to Grand Rapids if you're in the area.
~Jessica

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Short Trips Around the World

I found a way to use the extra squares from the Baby Girl Trip Around the World Quilt.
I've seen this design quite a bit lately around blogland... I think an individual block is being called a "Granny Square" since it looks like a quilt version of a crocheted Granny Square.  Looks like Jolene at Blue Elephant Stitches has a cute tutorial on how to make a Granny Square Quilt Block.
Mine's a little different as I connected all the blocks together with a square of white in between and added a border print around the outside. 

Baby quilts are really fun to make right now. They require minimal time and I can use of some of the scraps and extra fabrics from other projects. It's also been fun to change up the Trip Around the World pattern. I hope you're not getting tired of all the squares being sewn around here!
Happy Sewing!
:) ~Jessica

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