Family Sewing Day...2016

We like to have a sewing day over the holidays while my sister Nancy is visiting from Canada. She and Deb are social sewers and only sew with us. Deb finished her jelly roll race quilt that she started last winter this year when we met by making and sewing on the binding. She is so excited to have it finished!

 Nancy was working hard to finish the quilt she only works on during her visits here...she began it in Jan. 2011. She came to one of my sampler clubs the night after she got in so she could get started and worked all day on sewing day. She finished it a few days before she left. It's gorgeous!

Dec. sewing day

 She left it here so I'm going to take it to be quilted and she will finish by binding it next year.

Finished...yea!

 Sharon worked on a Summit Pack. She had it all cut out before she came and got most of it finished before she left.

She finished it a few days later and made another one! I love them both!

 Wendy did some beading projects and Mom visited. She recently finished her sewing day quilt from a few years ago and just got it back from the quilter. She will be binding it soon!

I worked on the hanging sleeve for my Quilters Quilt the Blues Challenge quilt and helped the others. My challenge quilt was chosen as a finalist, so I've sent it off to be judged. Hope to hear back soon!

 Dad was around for moral support and opinions...can't do it without him! My nieces had to work, so weren't able to join us....next time!

I've been trying to get caught up and want to start writing the patterns for the new Sampler, Optical Illusions.

Family Sewing Day...

I spent a Sunday in Earling recently sewing with family. My sister Deb finished her Jelly Roll Race quilt. This is her second quilt, and it's a beauty! She wants to try making a bag next.

My two nieces worked on their T-shirt quilts. They are both novice quilters and anxious to get these first quilts finished.

Not sure what my daughter was doing on the sewing machine, she worked on jewelry all day. My sis Sharon helped her daugher with pinning the T-shirt quilt.

Jessie's quilt, all laid out and ready to sew together.

Phylicia worked on a puff quilt. All ready to stuff!

Ashley's almost finished quilt. She has since finished the top and bottom borders and it's ready to layer. I didn't do much sewing, opting instead to help them and visit. That's important too!

 Phylicia is bottle feeding a baby kitten so she brought it along. My dad was the official cat whisperer! Mom worked on getting some backings ready for 3 quilts to be quilted. I will get pictures of her and her quilts once she gets them back!

Another fun family sewing day!

I went to Earling yesterday for another family sewing day. We didn't have as many sewers this time as 2 of my nieces had to work, but we still had fun and got lots accomplished. 

 Mom's quilt was started a few years ago. She got the pattern from my sister and the fabric from me for Christmas. She had it sewn into rows when she came yesterday, and got busy pinning them and sewing the rows together. As you can see, it's a quilt center now!

 Hmmm...now to figure out the borders!

My niece, Ashley, has worked on cutting and prepping her T-shirt blocks the past couple of sewing days. After prepping a few last minute additions, she was ready to decide on a layout and cut sashings. Her large Ashley block still needs some fabric added to it lengthwise to make it fit in with the other blocks, but we decided to start sashing to help figure out what color/ type of fabric to use. She has leftover t-shirt backs she could use. Or maybe a cute fabric. So we put that on hold for the time being.

Finally! she was sewing!Once she got started, she couldn't stop! 

Her sashing fabric is a charcoal with black dots.

Unfortunately, she was introduced to our friend, the seam ripper, for the first time. She learned how to use a new tool yesterday, too!

When I left about 4:00, she had many of the sashings sewn in between the blocks. She stayed and sewed with Sharon for a few hours after that and finished sewing the sashings in between the blocks and sewed a sashing row as well. She really seems to enjoy it, especially when she actually got to sew! She is going over during her son's nap today and Sharon will help her add to the Ashley block to make it fit in. I can't wait to see it!

Ashley brought her son along and he played happily all day. So it was sort of a 4 generation sewing day, even though he didn't sew. Maybe next time!

Since Sharon had started her Modern Cathedral Windows Pillow over the weekend, she had one pillow top finished and another one about half finished when I got there. She quickly finished it and decided to put a narrow background border around each one to help the outer ring of circles stand out. 

She made envelope backs for both pillows. (here is one ready to sew together. 

 They both turned out so pretty and match the jelly roll race quilt she made on the last sewing day. It's tied and bound and ready to snuggle with.

 Last time we got together, I showed her how to make the Quilted Boxy Corner Pouch, and she has been making them ever since. Here are a few she has made.

 I forgot to take a picture of all of them. She gave each of us one. She spent the rest of the afternoon making more of them....until....

I had taken my copy of the Cultural Fusion Quilts book to show everyone and Sharon immediately wanted to try out a Peppermint Pinwheels block from the book. She cut one out before I left and later sent me this picture. Yea, she's my sister.

 You might remember Deb's Jelly Roll Race quilt from the last sewing day. Since her previous quilt took about 5 years, this one is moving right along. She chose two fabrics for her borders, cut both, sewed the strips together and got the first one sewn on and pressed.

Deb learning the value of pinning borders! 

 Her teal border is ready to sew on now and it will be a finished top. She told us yesterday that she wants to make pillows next. We all know that you are definitely a quilter when you are planning your next project while working on one.

In between helping them, I got the pockets made and pinned in a working model of the Super Tote I started before I taught the class. I want to get it finished now.

We also celebrated my birthday...Sharon made a yummy Cinnamon cake and Deb and Ashley made a delicious fruit pizza. It was really a fun day. We are going to try to get together again in February. 

Family Sewing Day 2015

Jessie and Phylicia cutting!

 One of our  family holiday traditions the last few years is the annual Family Sew-in in my hometown, Earling, Ia. We usually sew at my parent's house, but this year we met at my sister, Sharon's. We set up tables, machines and got started!

Dad stopped by for lunch.

 This past year, two of my nieces and a friend (almost a niece!)  have joined us. Jessie (right) started her T-shirt quilt last year. She's a beginner and got all of her shirts prepped with interfacing, cut out and learned how to make some pieced blocks out of smaller pieces. She is ready to cut her sashings.

 Phylicia (left) made some burp cloths for a friend who is expecting. She is the type of sewer that jumps right in with no worries and figures it out.

Ashley is also working on a T-shirt quilt...she spent most of the day pressing interfacing and squaring the blocks. I somehow missed taking a picture of her working...but I did get her blocks and will show you later.

 My sister, Deb, finished her first quilt last February, so our plan for #2 was for her to make the Jelly Roll Race quilt. Sharon, another sister who loves to sew, decided to make one too. Jessie's mom-in-law, Lori, and grandma-in-law, Leona, joined us for the first time. Lori didn't sew, but helped her mom, Leona, keep her strips straight on her Jelly Roll Race quilt.

Lori had her own jelly roll, so I wouldn't be surprised to see her sewing her quilt soon!

They got their strips sewn together before lunch. Deb and Leona sewed theirs together with a straight seam, Sharon put a square in between hers. Here they are at the beginning of the race, sewing the two ends of their 1600" of strips together.

More menfolk joining us for our soup lunch.

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 Nancy got about half of her quilt sewn together with sashings last year, so got right to work on her remaining blocks. She was the only one to wear her Quilt! shirt.

 Still working on the Jelly Roll Race quilts. They weren't really racing, as each one started at a different time, but since they were working on the same quilt, it was fun to have them sitting by each other to watch their progress.

 The sewn piles are growing!

 Nancy is busy piecing her last blocks.

Burp cloths all sewn, right sides together.

 Now they are making some headway.

 Jessie started laying out her blocks, very excited to be to this stage!

 Lori made a great assistant, helping her mom keep the strips straight.

 Mom was supervising! She has many years of sewing experience.

 Leona got her JRQ finished first. Gorgeous reproduction fabrics.

 Once her mom was finished, Lori jumped in and became Deb's assistant. She was really good at it!

 Phylcia's finished burp cloths. So cute and ready for her friend's baby.

 Jessie and her blocks. The picture below shows her blocks on her sashing fabric. Fun choice!

 Sharon's JRQ....soft teals, greens and gold.

 This was the only thing I made as I was helping all day, but they wanted to see how I made these bags so I did a little demo. I use the free pattern on Craftsy, Quilted Boxy Corner Pouch by Lindsey Sews. It's fun, quick and easy.

 Deb's second quilt. She loves purple and her jelly roll was gorgeous with purples, teals and greens.

 The Jelly Roll Race gals!

Ashley is happy to be finished with the ironing...and ready to find a sashing fabric! She has a few pieced blocks she wants to make and then will be ready to sash. Love all of her colorful shirts.

It was nice to watch Jessie and Ashley helping each other remember what to do. We might have some more quilters yet!

I am heading to Earling tomorrow for our annual New Year's Day dinner, so I'll see if Nancy has those blocks together... hmmmm, what do you think? She says she is a social sewer and only sews with us.

I've been working on the patterns for the new sampler, Larkspur, this week. I hope to finish them before I go back to work  on Monday. Wish me luck!