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Quilt #120 :: Baby Burd


There are less than three hours left in 2018. I am happy to share that I was able to finish one last quilt before the ball drops in New York City. This quilt is extra special to me because it's going to my new niece who is due to be born in a few weeks! It is my sister's first baby and she is the last of my six siblings to become a parent. 

My sister's last name is Burd, so birds have been a theme in her wedding and married life. Liz is smart and beautiful and kind. Her husband Chris is strong and funny and good. They will be wonderful parents!

When they were married, I made them a bird-themed wedding quilt. 


I felt so bad that they already celebrated their first anniversary by the time I finished, so I wanted to be sure that I didn't slack off with Baby Burd's quilt so I made it my December One Monthly Goal. To be honest, it was my November One Monthly Goal, too! 

The hardest part was coming up with a pattern. I was at the Houston International Festival on the day of Liz's shower. Our sister called me so that I could say hello, and so that her daughter could give me a tour of Liz's new house, including the nursery. She was a quick tour guide but I was able to get a screenshot of a pillow that inspired me. 


I knew I wanted to do something with the quarter square triangles. My initial idea was to make wonky birdhouses and birds.


But then I saw Susan from Quilt Fabrication's adorable birdhouse pattern and changed my mind. 

credit
Her Eichler-inspired houses reminded me of Elizabeth Hartman's Neighborhood quilt (featured in her book, Modern Patchwork). That quilt was the inspiration for my sister Carisa's quilt. 

I doubled Susan's design to make a square. 


I quickly thought better than using a white background on a baby quilt. I went to Joann to look for a gray tonal when I found this print called Black Birds on Branches. Perfect! And it saved me from having to applique birds by the birdhouses.


I was able to pull most of the fabric from my stash. Liz lives 13 hours away, so I couldn't pop over to see the pillow in person. Hopefully, my color matching is pretty close!


The hardest part of the quilt was getting my poles to match up. It took a few tries before I got the hang of it. Also, I didn't do true fussy cutting, but I did try to avoid chopping off bird heads. It was fun to see where the birds would pop up. 


My favorite part is that my (not so little) baby slept with the quilt to make sure it has extra love in it before we mail it off.


I don't know baby Burd's name yet, so her label is simple. 


All that's left now is to wait for baby to arrive!


To see more photos of this quilt in progress, look for #BabyBurdQuilt on Instagram. To see what I'm currently working on, follow me on Instagram at deJongDreamHouse

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Sunday, December 30, 2018

2019 Quilting Goals

2019 Planning Party

As 2018 winds down, I have started thinking about what I want to quilt in 2019. I had started to jot ideas for this post when I saw that Yvonne from Quilting Jet Girl--who designed the Wayward Transparency quilt I made this year--is sponsoring a 2019 Planning Party. Just the kick in the pants I needed.

I'm sure this list isn't exhaustive, and I know I won't be nearly this productive, but I made a list of the quilts I could think of, just off the top of my head, that I want to make.


Overall Goals ::

I have four overall goals to guide my quilting this year.
  1. TBI/Temperature quilt. I've seen a lot of temperature quilts where crafters make one block or one row with a specific color to correspond to the local weather. I'm thinking I want to make one to record a year of my life with a brain injury. 
  2. Reduce Scraps. My scrap bins are overflowing! I hope to always be working on at least one scrappy quilt this year as I work on other projects.
  3. Make One Scrappy Quilt Each Month. This goes along with Goal #2. I'm part of a local quilting group that always needs quilts. I should be able to whip up more quilts for them. 
  4. Be More Active with Sew It Forward. In 2014, I started a FB group of generous quilters to make quilts for my family after my dad's home was destroyed by fire. My brain injury does not allow me the ability to run the group anymore, but the amazing Tina Burlington has taken it over and amazes me on a daily basis. I would like to contribute to more projects under her leadership.
  5. Finish UFOs. In 2017 I was part of a lot of social quilting projects. I want to get them finished up. 
  6. Write Up Blog Posts for Every Quilts. I've been good about writing posts about recent quilts, but I missed quite a few in my first years. I'm slowing catching up and look forward to having the last 19 posted! (Hmmm...19 quilts left. I just finished my 119th quilt....)
  7. Move to a bigger quilting space. We are going to be moving some things around here at the de Jong Dream House. One of the advantages is that I will get more space for my quilting!
  8. Learn to Long Arm. I already know that my boys bought me long arm lessons at our local quilt shop. I'm hoping to gain confidence so I can finally buy a long arm of my own!
  9. Write up one of my original patterns. I have several original patterns that kind followers have requested. I've done some testing, now it's time to start writing!
19 in 19 ::

I always have multiple quilts in progress. I like to sew to my passion, working on whatever project inspires me. Sometimes, I'm sewing to meet a deadline. And sometimes, the fabric and pattern sit in a project bin for a long time before I get around to it. Part of the reason I started the list pictured above was because I wanted to see how much progress I could make in one year. That said, in no particular order, here are my top 19 priorities in 2019.
  1. Milky Way QAL--blocks complete
  2. Magnolia Mist QAL--top complete (finished 05.29.19)
  3. Rainbow Cascade QAL--4 blocks done
  4. Master Bedroom--pattern designed and fabric pulled
  5. Ring of Kerry QAL--fabric pulled
  6. Cameras & Canines--pattern designed, sample block made
  7. Churn Dash Swap--waiting on last block
  8. CJ Houndstooth Tiger--pattern designed, fabric pulled
  9. Molly Apron--pattern designed, clothes gathered
  10. Mollie's Mermaid (finished 01.20.19)
  11. Millie Beauty and Brains (finished 03.03.19)
  12. U of Akron--top complete (finished 12.14.19)
  13. Buckeye Brick (finished 02.01.19)
  14. Purple Abacus (finished 3.04.19)
  15. Lola Bee--top complete (finished 12.11.19)
  16. Project Linus--blocks made (finished 04.13.19)
  17. Mrs. Miller's Steinway--pattern designed (finished 03.19.19)
  18. Omigolly, Miss Jennnifer--pattern designed (finished 05.12.19)
  19. Ashley's Heart--pattern designed, fabric pulled
Quilts Currently In Bins/UFOs
  • Catan
  • Hannah (Good Fortune)
  • Baby Burd
  • Charity Butterfly
  • 365
  • SCOPE pillows
  • Niels shirts
  • Niels' Weighted
  • Kreza Memory Pillows
  • Kreza Memory quilt
  • Berky Memory quilt
Quilting Queue:
  • Mom's cactus
  • Mom's Christmas
  • Dutch quilt shop
  • Anniversary blocks
  • Shelly Beach Library
  • Star Wars
  • Habitat for Humanity
  • Hemza
  • Thin Blue Line
  • BELL
  • Dare to be Square
  • Jodene Elephant
  • Chris' Lumberjack
  • Christian American Human
  • Weiner dog for Kathy S
  • I am Enough for Rachelle
  • Bob Ross
  • Cathedral window
  • Antelope Canyon
  • COWS (with circle of friends block?)
  • Self Portrait 
  • Hexie
  • Crazy quilt
  • Snowflake
  • Solida
  • Kara
  • Wonky Log Cabin
  • Yo yo
  • Rolling Wave
  • Morse code
  • Will's Otter
  • Braille
  • Pinterest Inspiration 
Scrappy
  • 6.5” scrappy strips QAYG
  • Scrappy celtic midnight
  • Chris' lumberjack
  • Blue crazy
  • Birch
  • Dutch scraps
  • Illusion
  • Pixelated Brutus
  • Minion 2
  • Pixel book
  • Oh My Gosh
  • Pineapple quilt
  • Patchwood Pals
  • Pinterest Scrap Busters
Epic Quilts (not necessarily 2019)
  • Omigosh
  • Dear Jane
  • Jacqueline de Jonge
  • Splendid Sampler 2
  • Farmer's Wife
EDITED AFTER ORIGINAL POST:
  • Illusion
  • Quiltville Mystery 2019 (make 2, one scrappy, one solids)
  • Illusion
  • Quilts in my Binder
  • Boo Davis book
  • Elizabeth Hartman 
  • Dutch Scrappy
  • 100 Scrappy Book
  • Anne R baby (write pattern)
  • Kyle house
  • Jacob
  • Griffin
  • Landon W (Hufflepuff)
  • Landon B
  • Ellie
  • Garden Mosaic
  • Make cards and greeting cards out of quilt photos. (like Em's Scrap Bag)
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Saturday, December 29, 2018

Quilt #119:: One Giant Stitch for D


Like most people, December is the busiest month of all. Between the holidays and end-of-year activities, time is tight. In our house, December also brings Sinterklaas (Dutch Santa) and our son's birthday (my baby is 10). Once my son's birthday has been celebrated, I usually feel like the rest of the year is a breeze. This year has been even more chaotic because our son only has one semester left at the amazing school he has attended since pre-school. So in addition to everything else, we have been applying to schools, touring, and considering our options. 

All this to say, I haven't blogged much this month. 

I have been trying to do some sewing each day for my sanity, but even that has had to be given up some days. 

But today, I get to share my latest finish: One Giant Stitch for D. I made it for my son and as you can see, he is over the moon with joy!

I haven't made a quilt for D since he started preschool and needed a blanket for nap time. I was a new quilter and figured I could make him a nap quilt. 


I made the quilt in the spring of 2013, just after our trip to Florida when D fell in love with NASA. Six and half years later, his passion hasn't waned and he still wants to be a rocket scientist when he grows up.

D has slept with this quilt pretty much every day for the last six years and it is showing its wear. I've been wanting to make him another one, but it wasn't until I saw Kelli Fannin's pattern, One Giant Stitch, that I moved his quilt up to the top of my queue.

I first saw the quilt when several friends sent me Kelli's picture knowing that D would love it.


I immediately messaged her and begged to be a pattern tester. Luckily for me, she said yes!

I was at the big Houston Quilt Festival when she sent me the pattern. When we got home, D helped me pick out the prints he wanted me to use.


I have only pattern tested a few times, and only for patterns I'm really excited to make. I'm a visual quilter, so when I'm following a pattern, I usually look for the list of prints and cutting information. Once everything is cut, I just look at the pictures. When I'm testing a pattern, I take a little more time to make sure to read the pattern carefully--putting on my former-life-as-an-editor-hat--to make sure that each piece of information is clear and correct.

Because I was working on a pattern that had not yet been released, I was careful not to post anything on social media that would give away piecing instructions, though it was fun to offer peeks at my progress. I was working on Saturn on the day that the Mars Rover Insight landed. I only had a little bit of the wavy gold and black print, but it was just enough.


I picked up some glow-in-the-dark white a while back (Fairy Frost by Michael Miller). It is perfect for the shuttle. I did have to rip out a few pieces before I learned to double and then triple check for the right side of the print.


I was also able to use a little of the NASA print I bought in bulk at Joann recently. 


 It was a bit ambitious to take on another project, particularly, to test during our crazy time, but I couldn't help it. I'm so grateful for Kelli's patience with me as I battled my schedule and bad brain days. I only found a few errors in her pattern. Most of the mistakes and changes were all me. Like realizing that D's choice of a galaxy print fro the stars didn't have enough contrast. 

Out with the old...


In with the new...


I have been trying not to buy more fabric this year unless it is for a specific project, usually just backing. I did pretty well on this quilt, except I did by a jelly roll for my Jupiter prints. It turned out okay because I was able to use the leftovers from my Good Fortune mystery quilt that Bonnie Hunter is slowly revealing. 


One of my favorite parts, which has D's prints all over it, is the flame print for the thrust. (By the way, why is it that mistakes show up so much better in photos. Don't mind that blue flying goose. I fixed it).


I wasn't completely done with the quilt by Christmas Day, but he still wanted to snuggle with it when he went to bed, with one of his new books.


It was a pretty big surprise when he noticed that it glowed in the dark!


We had a lot of fun taking pictures with the quilt. I thought it would be fun if D wore (one of his) NASA spacesuits for the picture.


But he had the idea to defy gravity by jumping. 


I'd say we make a pretty good team!

Whenever D sees the phrase "I love you to the moon," he says, "That's not that much. The universe is so much bigger than that." He wants to design rockets and habitats for the Mars mission when he grows up. So this is what I came up with for the label.


To see more photos of this quilt in progress, look for #OneGiantStitchForD on Instagram. To see what I'm currently working on, follow me on Instagram at deJongDreamHouse

To buy the pattern, visit Kelli Fannin's Etsy Page.

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Thursday, December 6, 2018

One Monthly Goal :: December 2018


If at first, you don't succeed, try, try again. 

For the first time in many, many months, I did not make my OMG last month. It wasn't for a lack of trying, but my brain was just not clicking last month with everything we had going on. I'm trying not to think of all the quilts I didn't finish this year, but for my One Monthly Goal, I am going to repeat last month's goal of finishing the baby quilt for my youngest sister, Liz, who is due in January. I'm hoping for a tiny birthday buddy!

Last month, while I was walking around Quilt Festival in Houston, I was able to video call my sister to say hello to her during her shower. My niece gave me a tour of their new house. I took a screen shot of this pillow from the nursery for inspiration. 


When I got home, I drew up this pattern, which will use the bird pattern by Melinda Honn and the birdhouse pattern by Just Jude Designs.


Unless, of course, I change my mind and do something completely different!

June 2017 - no goal

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Elm Street Quilts

One Monthly Goal :: November 2018 Update


Well...boo. I did not complete my OMG goal for this month. I had hoped to finish my sister's baby quilt, but this is as far as I got.


I decided on a pattern and pulled fabric based on some pillows in her nursery.

Considering I didn't even have an idea a month ago, that was a decent start. So, what did I do this month?

I went to Quilt Festival. 


I finished and delivered Max's robot.


I pieced the top of Molly's Mermaid.


I started pattern testing Kelly Fannin'ss awesome One Giant Stitch pattern.


I began Bonnie Hunter's annual mystery quilt.


Outside my craft room, our son tested for and gained admittance to a gifted school. He did a shadow day and fell in love with it. But it's an hour away so I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to make that work.  All the while, I have semi-functioned with sciatica and headaches and brain fog. But more importantly,  I celebrated all the good things in my life.


Hopefully, December brings more productive sewing time!

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Sunday, November 25, 2018

Quilt #36 :: Avocado Ties


Earlier this year, when I realized how many of my quilts were never shared here on my blog, I made a soft goal of having them posted by the end of 2018. As November comes to an end, I can see that my soft goal was too ambitious. So my new goal is to finish my quilts from 2014! After this post, I only have two left, so I hope that's a reasonable goal!

On to my 36th quilt, which I called Avocado Ties. The inspiration for this quilt began when the leader of our local quilt group mentioned that we needed more quilts for guys. I looked through the fabric bins at church and found this retro tie print. Hello 70s!


Blue would have been my first choice for coordinating prints, but I found more browns and avocado green prints in the stash, like this cool geometric print. 


I was destined to embrace colors of days gone by! For a pattern, I made a variation of a rail fence, with the center stripe being wider than the outside two.



It's a nice quick pattern which I may need to revisit again when I want to make some quick quilts or feature certain prints. 



Because it was a quick and easy quilt, I didn't take a lot of pictures, but I did notice that when I was laying out this quilt, I didn't yet use my laundry room design wall. Instead, I was using the Cheryl Ann portable design wall that I bought at Quilt Festival in Houston. It's pricey, but great for travel and bigger spaces than the narrow space I have. 





I actually donated it to Janice of Quilts of Compassion this year because I know she can put it to good use as she works with different quilt groups. 

The other quilty toy I used when making this quilt was this pair of Dritz quilt hangers.


They are really handy, but I started taking quilt photos outside so now I'm not even sure where they are!

The last noteworthy bit from this quilt is that I learned to blanket stitch. I didn't take a photo of the label, but I think I put it on top of this heart.


As with so many comfort quilts I've made, I don't know exactly where this quilt ended up. I believe it was distributed to an assisted living facility here in Ohio, but I'm not certain. Wherever it is, I hope that it is being used and loved. 


With that, I only have two 2014 quilts left to share! You can see a list of all the quilts I've made here (with links where available), and see photos of all my quilts here. To see what I'm currently working on, follow me at dejongdreamhouse on Instagram.

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