Follow Incolororder, filter it, and define how you want to receive the news (via Email, RSS, Telegram, WhatsApp etc.) https://follow.it/incolororder Mon, 27 Jun 2022 19:01:02 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIvhGYAz0lWse4sICfMfkNm
Happy Friday! It's time for another Friday Favorites post! This is my 24th post in this series, and it's also the 24th of June today. Neat!!

- Strawberry season is in full swing which means it's time for angelfood cake. I always make this recipe from my friend Deedrie. If you're looking for a good angelfood cake pan, I love the one I have*!

- I made my first batch of icecream for the Summer this week. We love the cinnamon icecream recipe from this book*, I add vanilla! The strawberry sourcream recipe from the same book is another favorite.

- I love this applique pillow set by Yasmeen in the latest issue of Love Patchwork and Quilting.


- Excited about these two vintage pillowcases I found thrifting this week! From the feel of them, I don't think they've ever been used or even washed!

- Absolutely loving my friend Amanda Jean's finished hand pieced and hand quilted Mark Twain quilt!

- This post from the Muppets made me giggle, I love Beaker.


- On a whim I bought a pack of Calendula seeds and direct sowed them (pretty late) in a pot. They're blooming and much to my delight was reminded that it was a mix of colors!

- We streamed this new movie* and loved it! It's was so fun to see all those characters again.

- I've been on the hunt for a napkin holder to hold our chemex coffee filters. I ended up turning to Etsy's vintage section and bought this one*. It was tough to narrow it down, this one* and this one* were also in the running.


- Dusty is loving the sunny weather we've been having!

Have a Great Weekend!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Fri, 24 Jun 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIvhGYAz0lWse4sICfMfkNm https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIt_wQb14ChV-4sICfMfkNm
Happy Wednesday! Today I want to share a little home decor project I've worked on putting together over the past year, our little music station!

This spot in our living room was once occuppied by George bunny's play area. After he passed I immediately filled this wall with our armchairs and small table just so that it wouldn't be empty. We knew that was a temporary solution until we could decide what to do with the space. We ended up deciding to set up a music station here, centered around our record collection. Pretty much ever since Michael and I started dating (14 years ago, whoa!), we've been collecting vinyl together, and we've never really had a nice place to display it.

As if we could ever look over to this view without thinking of George, we hung some bunny artwork over the cabinet. The watercolor portrait on the left is by Kayanna Nelson, the center portrait is by Melissa Averinos, and the art print on the right is by Little City Love. We pulled it all together with the garland I had custom made for our wedding by Aidie's Hideaway (they've since closed their shop). Lots of meaningful stuff in this little stretch of wall.

A few quick details on the actual cabinet. I really would like a vintage mid-century cabinet, but while I wait to find the perfect one I decided to put together something that could be repurposed one day. It's actually two Eket cabinets from Ikea (ours are mustard, which they no longer sell it seems), which is great because they can be seperated and used for somewhere else when I find my dream cabinet! The legs from Ikea were perpetually out of stock so I ended up with these legs from Home Depot.


The cabinets are able to hold our entire vinyl collection, CD collection, plus all the electronics. Our receiver, turntable and speakers, plus our $6 thrifted CD player. I still need to manage the cords underneath a bit better, but for now it's been working great for us.


I wasn't too interested in any of the baskets from Ikea that fit this cabinet, so of course I decided to make something! These are super simple, they're basically just square tote bags without handles. They're completely square, approximately 11.5" tall, wide, and deep. They fit nicely inside the cubbies. I did add little leather pulls to the fronts, mostly just for looks. My rivet installation skills could use some work!


I used some cotton linen yardage that I've had for many years, I beleive it's a Kokka print. I also used some Essex Linen in natural paired with the print. I know I used interfacing, but I can't remember what kind!


I didn't want to use up all my yardage of this print, so I only used it on the front of the baskets. I wasn't sure if it would work out, but it did! You can't tell that only the front has the print until you pull the basket out. Perfect! So glad I did that.


Of course Dusty had to help me take photos. So helpful!


I'm really happy with how this space turned out. I want to make a new runner for the top at some point, but otherwise it's done for now! Unless we're watching TV we pretty much always have music playing in our house, so it feels right to have a dedicated space for music. One note on vinyl records, when we put this space together I decided to catalog our record collection and discovered Discogs. It's like Ravelry but for your music collection. Just wanted to mention it because I've really loved it, in case anyone is interested.

Happy Sewing!]]> Wed, 22 Jun 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIt_wQb14ChV-4sICfMfkNm https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJ6zDkOeiXIsavLeqE6yv18
Happy Friday! In lieu of my typical Friday Favorites post this week, I am having a weekend pattern sale in my online shop to kick off the beginning of Summer!

All patterns are 25-75% off now through 6/20/22!* No code needed, prices are already marked down for your convenience! Shop Here.

Happy Sewing!

*Pattern bundles are not included in this sale. Sale applies only to jenibakerpatterns.com.]]> Fri, 17 Jun 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJ6zDkOeiXIsavLeqE6yv18 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJxV8QEB2N5JmnhpmeYcemU

Happy Wednesday! I can't believe I'm finally sharing this quilt! I actually finished this late last year, but only took photos of it last month. Then I dragged my feet pulling it all together, for who knows what reason. Regardless, today is the day to finally put this quilt to bed!


I pulled fabrics for this quilt in 2012, so it has taken nearly 10 years to get this quilt from idea to finish. I chat more about why I think that happened in this post if you're curious: Work in Progress: Kaleidoscope Quilt. The short version is that from the cutting to the piecing, this just isn't my favorite type of work. That's okay though, we don't have to love the process for everything we make!


This quilt is a mix of two collections by Tula Pink*: Neptune and Prince Charming. I paired it with Quilter's Linen* by Robert Kaufman. I think the color is Parchment, but I am not 100% sure.


All the pieces for this quilt were cut with the Marti Mitchell Kaleido Ruler*.

Here it is, in all it's glory! This quilt has 90 blocks that finish at 7.5" square. The finished quilt is approximately 67.5"x75".


Last month I took this quilt home with me and photographed it on my parent's barn! It's such a reliable photo spot. For so long I would duct tape my quilts to the side of our brick apartment building. It's funto look back and see all the backdrops I've used over the years.


I sent the quilt top to Melissa Kelley of Sew Shabby Quilting for longarm quilting. The quilting design I chose is called Loops and Swirls. Since the fabrics and piecing are both so busy, a simpler pattern felt like the right choice! Can't go wrong with loops in my book.


I bound the quilt in a green solid. I don't know why I love green fabrics for binding so much, but I don't fight it anymore. I had a hard time deciding on a backing for this quilt. Originally I had some Prince Charming yardage for the backing but I sold it a few years ago. I knew I didn't want to spend much, and I was able to find this print from Cameo by Amy Butler* for a bargain locally. It's not the best match for the quilt top, but that's okay. I think it works well enough.


This quilt languished as a work-in-progress for such a long time, it's honestly hard for me to believe it's really finished! I wish I could say I love the finished quilt, but it's not really my favorite. I'm not that into the fabrics anymore and I would definitely lay things out different if I were to make it again. All that said though, I'm happy that it is finished! I might revisit the Kaleidoscope design one day, but probably on a much smaller scale. We'll see. Never say never!


Pattern: No pattern
Fabrics: Neptune and Prince Charming by Tula Pink*, Quilter's Linen* by Robert Kaufman, Cameo by Amy Butler*, Pure Solids by Art Gallery Fabrics*.
Notions: Marti Mitchell Kaleido Ruler*

Happy Quilting!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Wed, 15 Jun 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJxV8QEB2N5JmnhpmeYcemU https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIrMl-61CpWlAp41t9tiERU
Happy Monday! Today I have a finished project to share, a wallet!


My Mom requested a new travel wallet for her birthday and I knew exactly which pattern I would use. The Double Zip Wallet from my friend Anna Graham's book, Handmade Style*. I made myself one of these wallets to take on our honeymoon seven years ago (see it here: Sandra Saddle Bag + Double Zip Wallet ). It has held up really well and I remembered it came together really fast!


One of my favorite things about this wallet design is that it has room for flat cash and also zippered pockets that can be used for change, coupons, or extra cards. I used canvas and cotton-linen fabrics for the entire wallet, with no interfacing. It's the perfect weight in my opinion! For the inside of the wallet I used one of my favorite prints from Euclid by Carolyn Friedlander*. I've used it in so many different projects.


For the exterior of the wallet I used a cotton linen print from my stash that I think Anna might have given to me. Or perhaps it came from the free table at a retreat? It has no selvedge info, so I don't know anything about it! It's been in my stash for a while now though, so it felt good to use it. Instead of a magnetic snap for the closure, I used a metal snap instead. I didn't have any magnetic snaps on hand.


For the zippers I used my favorite metal donut pull zippers* from Zip-it. I believe this color is vanilla.


I kept things really basic for the pocket linings and used utility canvas. This gave the wallet good structure and I was even able to use up some scrap pieces which was very satisfying!


I think the finished wallet turned out really cute. Honestly it makes me want to make another for myself, just for fun. My Mom likes it too, so that's good! She's coming to visit soon, so she'll be able to give it a proper test drive.

Pattern: Double Zip Wallet from Handmade Style by Anna Graham*
Fabrics: Euclid* by Carolyn Friedlander
Notions: Metal zippers*, antique brass snaps

Happy Sewing!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Mon, 13 Jun 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIrMl-61CpWlAp41t9tiERU https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQLwCVPGRGfpSrb9ICM-PHur
Happy Friday! It's time for another Friday Favorites post!

- I spent most of the last week in the garden, so this week's post is going to be plant and garden heavy. Starting with this beauty! My mock orange tree is in full bloom right now and smelling so wonderful.

- My Mom sent me this lego set*! I've put the base together, and I'm trying my best to savor each bit and not rush through it.


- I am thrilled that for the second year in a row, my Hoya Krimson Princess* has graced me with a bloom! The flowers are so otherworldly. In contrast to the mock orange however, they do not smell good (at least not to me!).

- I ordered this garden colander* for myself. I can't wait to use it when I harvest veg this season!


- My first dahlia bloom of the season is opening! It's also my very first fully double seedling, which is very exciting. The seed parent is Crichton Honey, one of my favorite varieties.

- I made snickerdoodle cookies for the first time this week using this recipe from Smitten Kitchen. I used my very strongest cinnamon from Penzey's, which I think helped put them over the top!

- It is obvious yet how much I love Smitten Kitchen? I made her strawberry cake last weekend with farm fresh strawberries and it was so good. A keeper for sure.

- Loving this quilt in progress by Saija! The color arrangement is stunning.

- Speaking of strawberries, I'm not sure I'll be able to resist this new collection* from Kimberly Kight. So many strawberries!!


- Kitten has been enjoying our armchairs lately as a morning nap spot. She snuggles right up against my bear paw pillow. :)

Have a Great Weekend!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Fri, 10 Jun 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQLwCVPGRGfpSrb9ICM-PHur https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQK3rgaeSrpo7gX50KYzL9tX
Happy Friday! It's time for another Friday Favorites post!

- Our coreopsis has absolutely exploded. It is just the happiest plant. It makes me smile every time I pass by it!

- Love this scrappy quilt in progress by Laurelle!

- How cute are these little paper-pieced blocks by Rosie Taylor? She's got a free download for the templates in her online shop.

- We made this new slaw recipe from Smitten Kitchen. It was super tasty! We ate it as a side the first day and then as a main dish with crispy BBQ tofu on top the second day.


- I've been working on this puzzle* this week. There are so many fun details to find!

- We flew through the new season of Stranger Things this week! Michael wasn't too keen on it, but I really liked it! The first two seasons are still the best in my opinion, but this one was entertaining!

- This album* is playing on repeat at our house right now. We just picked up the vinyl and it's yellow (a Target exclusive)!

- My new favorite instagram account to follow is @littletudordiary. I love brick tudor houses!

- Dusty would like you to know that this is the best cat toy* in the whole world, according to her limited research. I'd take a photo of her playing with it, but it would just be a gray blur! :)

Have a Great Weekend!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Fri, 03 Jun 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQK3rgaeSrpo7gX50KYzL9tX https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIq2LfE406H1AVLTsI7B9NX
Happy Wednesday! It's time for the May monthly report. See past reports here.


I had a lot of finishes in May! First of all, I finally bound those two small quilts. I got them both finished up in a weekend. I don't know why I put it off so long, but I'm glad they're both done. One languished as a WIP for a long long time, and the other is for an upcoming pattern.



I dug into my scraps and made a new drawstring bag! I really love the scrappy ones I've made, so I thought it was time to make another. I used scraps from my scrappy pineapple quilt. I'm glad I kept them together, because now this bag is a happy reminder of that quilt. Since there was so much going on with the scraps, I kept the rest pretty simple. Essex Linen* for the accent, some blue Widescreen* for the lining and some yellow measuring tape twill tape and plain wooden beads (both available in my shop) to finish it off. It's a project size bag from my Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern.


I made pillow covers for our outdoor pillows! Last year I bought some inexpensive outdoor pillows from target, but they got pretty dirty and the covers weren't removeable. So I cleaned up the pillows the best I could and made some really simple new covers for them. I used some canvas that I thrifted a few years ago. It's not outdoor fabric, but it can be washed which is what I wanted. They looke lovely on the outdoor sofa I made last year.

Another finish this month is a travel wallet I made for my Mom's birthday, so I can't share a photo of that yet! :)


To keep myself accountable for my stash goals, I track my yardage for fabric and yarn each month. Read more about how I track here. Here is how I did in May:

May Fabric
Used up: 8.5 yard
Brought in: 6 yards
Net: -2.5 yards
Year to date: -18.5 yards

May Yarn
Used up: 0 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: 0 yards
Year to date: 0 yards

As I mentioned in a Friday Favorites post this month, I bought some quilting cotton, my first of the year! I bought these palette pick bundles*, and I have no regrets! I am glad I finished a bunch of things this month to offset that yardage coming in.


Time to check in my with 2022 crafty goals. This month I:
- I got my all green quilt (above) sewn into a quilt top! Finally!
- I didn't work on my scrap quilt, but I did make something from scraps.
- Did well on my yardage goal!


Kitten Cat, helping in the sewing room.

Have a Great Month!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Wed, 01 Jun 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIq2LfE406H1AVLTsI7B9NX https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKg5tFt-PhiB4vmyuk5fxzE
Happy Friday! It's time for another Friday Favorites post!

- I made a few new recipes this week, including a really tasty white bean dip from this book*.

- I ordered these cynotype squares from Blair Stocker's website, I cannot wait for them to arrive! I've always wanted to try sun printing.

- Very excited about Jenean Morrison's return to fabric design! I always loved her fabrics.

- I am not good at finishing handwork projects, but one day I would love to make one of these*.


- Sometimes I store scraps from a single quilt together, even after the quilt is finished. In this case I didn't mean to, but was pleasantly surprised and inspired when I found these. I quickly starting sewing with them again, which is always happy!

- This fun stop motion video made me smile. I remember experimenting with light painting photography in college!

- This english paper pieced quilt in progress by Emily Langton is so dreamy.

- I cannot handle how cute these strawberry shoes* are!

- I love the colors (and fabrics!) in this quilt by Nicole Daksiewicz, so beautiful.


- Dusty helped me sew over the weekend. So thoughtful of her!

Have a Great Weekend!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Fri, 27 May 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKg5tFt-PhiB4vmyuk5fxzE https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQLbSL89BE31pVLv-B9hV9S2

Happy Wednesday! I have a fun crafty tutorial to share with you today, for reusable row markers!


I made a set of these for myself when I first started quilting many years ago and I've used them on almost every quilt I've made since then. Just safety pin your marker to the first block in each row when you lay it out. I try to keep it centered in the block so that it doesn't get in the way when I put the rows together.

Having a physical marker on the rows also helps simplify the pressing step for me when I'm nesting seams. I'll press odd numbered row seams away from the marker and press even numbered row seams towards the marker. Easy to keep things straight!


I think these would make a great gift for a friend or to put in a swap package! You could use a fun washi tape, colored markers or even stickers to dress them up!


Skill Level: Beginner Friendly

Materials:
- Plastic floss bobbins*
- Washi tape or stickers (optional)
- Permanent marker
- Safety pins
- Small tin or container for storage

1. Decide how many markers you want to make! This is up to you and what kind of quilts you make. My bobbins came in a pack of 28, so that's how many I'm going to make.




2. This step is optional, but I love to decorate the flat section of the bobbin! If you're using washi tape, cut it into strips at least 2.25" long (check for your actual markers, tape should be a little more than twice the width of the flat section). My washi tape is 7/8" wide. Wrap the tape around the flat section and press to secure to the bobbin.


Tip: An easy way to cut the tape is to lightly stick it to your cutting mat and cut with an old rotary blade or an exacto knife.


3. Use a permanent marker to number each marker.


4. Hook each marker onto a safety pin, through the hole at the top.


That's it! Super simple and easy DIY, but so handy!


And here is a set made with stickers instead of washi tape! The numbers follow the rainbow color order. These came in a recent month of a Pipsticks subscription* that a friend gave me!


I usually keep my set in a small tin or plastic box, but you could also store them on the ring that often comes with the floss bobbins.


I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial! I have lots of other tutorials for everything from quilts, pillows, bags, and holiday items to informational series and techniques. Find all my tutorials here: Tutorials. My online shop is filled with patterns for quilts and bags. Find my patterns here: Jeni Baker Patterns

If you make something using one of my tutorials or patterns, I hope you'll tag me @jenib320 and use my hashtag #jenibaker on instagram!

Happy Quilting!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Wed, 25 May 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQLbSL89BE31pVLv-B9hV9S2 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJTMV2sONUC0t5ZnUTwRGH7
Happy Monday! Today I want to share some of my plans for the upcoming gardening season!


Let's start with my cut flower garden! The biggest thing I'm growing in 2022 is dahlias! I have fallen so hard for these flowers in the last few years, and I've been collecting tubers of new varieties over the winter. I'm the most excited about the anemone style dahlia varieties that I'm adding, like Sandia Brocade and Totally Tangerine. My tubers overwintered beautifully and I've been able to get them all planted and given a bunch to friends and family. Most of my dahlias are in our side yard garden, but a few are on the driveway in pots.

I have a pinterest board to organize all the dahlias I grow, if you're interested: Growing Dahlias Pinterest Board


I also started a bunch of dahlias from seeds. I collected the seeds from a few varieties last season, and I'm excited to see if I manage to get any winners! I collected from Jowey Winnie, Crichton Honey, and Take Off. Dahlia's grown from seed are not true to the parent variety, so it's a real mystery as to what the seed dahlia will be like!

Around the 1st of March I pulled out a bunch of tubers to warm up for taking cuttings. If you force the tubers to sprout early, but can cut off the sprout once it has a few sets of leaves and root it to create a new plant. I also did this with new varieties as they arrived throughout Spring. I went a little bit overboard and I ended up with over 30 new plants this way! It was hard to stop!


In terms of other cut flowers, I'm growing strawflowers (always, in honor of my paternal grandmother), marigolds, calendula, geraniums, morning glory and zinnias. This year I've tried simply direct sowing my zinnias. Last year they did so badly, I think partially because I let them languish in the seed cells for too long. I also started a few varieties of rudbeckia and some 'green twister' echinacea that I'm really excited about!


For the second year in a row I made up my own hanging baskets to flank our front door, since hanging baskets can be so expensive. I used 3 six-packs of impatiens for two hanging baskets which ends up being less than $10. They will fill in nicely in a few weeks!


For our vegetable garden, we grow everything in containers on our driveway. A few years ago we made a couple boxes (I think this will be our 3rd season in those), and we've got a bunch of grow bags, galvanized tubs, pots and some crates too. It's a bit of a mishmash, but it works for us! Our driveway gets a decent amount of sun, and since it's asphalt it gets really hot.

We're primarily growing two things, tomatoes and peppers. I did grow radish and arugula early in the season, but those have already been harvested to make space for the warm season veg. For tomatoes we're growing all cherry, indeterminate varieties. They're our favorite to eat and with our setup they do better than larger tomatoes. I started seeds for Sungold and Black Cherry varieties. I also saved and started seeds from an unknown tomato. We get these amazing orange cherry tomatoes through our CSA and I took a chance and saved seeds from those last year. It may not have been an open-pollinated variety so we'll see if the resulting fruit is any good. We love them so much though, it is worth the risk!


I am SO proud of my tomato plants. I started them at the end of March in our basement. At planting time some were almost 2' tall!! This is only my second year starting some from seed and I'm thrilled with how big and healthy they are. I was able to bury 8-10" of the stems when I planted them. As if I needed more tomato plants (I ended up with 18 plants from seed), I bought a couple because I couldn't resist! We're growing two Sunsugar and a Sunrise Bumblebee. Both yellow/orange cherries.


For peppers we have some pretty standard varieties we grow every year. We always grow Anaheim, Sweet Banana, Sriracha, and Serrano. The Sriracha are really similar in flavor to Jalapeños, but seem to do better for us. I think they're also a bit milder heat-wise. I also started some peppers from seed. I've got 5 plants of Lunchbox Yellow snacking peppers, and a plant each of two hot varieties, Aji and Sugar Rush just for fun.


We always like to try a few new things every year, so we're growing onions! I ordered Walla Walla onion starts from Johnny's Seeds and ended up with around 60 starts. We love these little sweet onions, so I really hope they do well. I also brought home two seed potatoes from my Dad (I think they're Yukon gold), that I'm trying out in a crate. That experiment may not work, but it's worth a try! I also brought home some of my parent's strawberry plants that were growing in their grass. I stuck those in a galvanized tub where they're free to grow wild.


I think that's about it! I'm really excited for this season, I love gardening. One of my favorite things about it is going out early each morning to see how things have grown and changed, and taking care of watering/harvesting tasks. It's quiet out and is such a peaceful activity. Once things get blooming I love to see all the bees and butterflies enjoying the flowers. And of course eating tomatoes directly off the vine, the best.

Happy Growing!]]> Mon, 23 May 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJTMV2sONUC0t5ZnUTwRGH7 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJetg2cn2DnDS1Ly282xAAw
Happy Friday! It's time for another Friday Favorites post! Since this is my 20th post in this series, we're going to celebrate by doing something a little different! Instead of sending you all over the internet with links, I'm going to choose some favorites of mine from my archives. I hope you'll enjoy this trip down memory lane to some of my favorite posts and projects. (Blocks in progress shown above became this quilt.)

- This small quilt was a real turning point for me creatively. It was one of the first times I deviated from a quilt pattern's instructions and thought outside the box. It helped encourage me to write my own quilt patterns.

- I actually pulled up this baby quilt tutorial this week, to make one for a friend!

- I used to share a few recipes now and then, this one is probably the recipe I shared that I make the most often. At least once a year!


- One of my favorite scrap quilts I've made, which appears in the book Scraps, Inc*. I still love those colors.

- If I had to choose one product I'm happiest to carry in my shop it's these wooden beads. After years of using random beads from the thrift or big box store (nothing wrong with that!), I am so glad to be able to use and offer to you these high quality beads.

- One of my favorite and most popular informational series I've done here is my Art of Choosing Series. It's all about choosing fabrics through color and pattern for your projects.


- This scrappy drawstring bag is one of my all-time favorites, and I've made a lot of them! It's a project size, made from my pattern.

- A reader tagged me in their photo on Instagram recently, they made one of my quilted grocery bag holders. I still use mine!

- This purse and wallet duo I made got a ton of use the last few years. When I wanted to be able to shop hands-free and in a hurry!


- Last but certainly not least, my angel George bunny. It's impossible to look back through older posts and not see his little face pop up. I still miss him ever so much (although miss Dusty kitty does help!). He was such a sweet and gentle bun.

Have a Great Weekend!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Fri, 20 May 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJetg2cn2DnDS1Ly282xAAw https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJpR8-HWuGGJQVLTsI7B9NX

Happy Wednesday! Today I have a finished quilt to share, plus a tutorial for it!


This quilt has been a few years in the making! I've made a few really simple quilts from my hand-dyed indigo fabrics, but I was craving something with a bit more piecing for this quilt. Most of my hand-dyed fabric stash is fat quarters, so I knew I wanted to come up with a design that would take advantage of fat quarters. I ended up choosing 8 different indigo fat quarters for this quilt, and immediately cut them all up into 2.5" strips.


I've never made a courthouse steps quilt before, and I liked the idea of making essentially two color blocks and playing with the arrangement to almost create the look of half-square triangles. Lucky for me, the resulting quilt turned out just as I had envisioned it! I like how even though the fabrics have been cut up, you can still get a sense for the dye pattern within each block.

This entire quilt is made from white Kona Cotton*. The dyed prints were indigo dyed by me over the course of a few summers. For more information on indigo dyeing, check out my Indigo Dyeing Tutorial.


The backing is pieced together with some pieces of white fabric and hand dyed pieces. I repurposed a shower curtain I dyed and made a few years ago. It didn't fit with our new shower here, so I thought it would be more useful to revert it back to fabric!


For the quilting, I sent the quilt to Melissa Kelley of Sew Shabby Quilting. The quilt design is called Malachite. The quilt is bound up in more indgo fabric!

There are so many ways you could customize this design. I kept my quilt really simple, only using a single print and background fabric for each block. You could use as many or as few fabrics as you want for yours! I think it would look really good done up in scraps, or take advantage of a couple jelly rolls! I've included a table with all the piece totals if you'd rather cut from scraps or other yardage.

Indigo Courthouse Steps Quilt Tutorial by Jeni Baker

Sewing Level: Beginner Friendly
Finished Size: 72"x72"
Finished Block Size: 18" square

Materials:
- 8 print fat quarters
- 3 yards of background fabric
- 80"x80" quilt batting
- 4 1/2 yards of backing fabric
- 5/8 yard of binding fabric

Cutting:
From each print fat quarter:
Cut (7) 2.5"x21" strips


Using the graphic above for reference, subcut the strips into the following:
- (4) 14.5"x2.5" strips
- (4) 6.5"x2.5" strips
- (4) 10.5"x2.5" strips
- (4) 2.5" squares

From background fabric:
Cut (16) 2.5"xWOF strips:
- Subcut each strip into (2) 18.5"x2.5" strips

Cut (8) 2.5"xWOF strips:
- Subcut each strip into (4) 10.5"x2.5" strips

Cut (16) 2.5"xWOF strips:
- Subcut each strip into (2) 14.5"x2.5" strips and (2) 6.5"x2.5" strips

Cut (1) 2.5"xWOF strip:
- Subcut strip into (16) 2.5" squares

Piece Totals
If you'd rather cut from stash or scraps, here is how many of each piece you'll need to make this quilt!

	2.5"x2.5"	6.5"x2.5"	10.5"x2.5"	14.5"x2.5"	18.5"x2.5"
Print fabric	32	32	32	32	32
Background fabric	16	32	32	32	32

Indigo Courthouse Steps Quilt Instructions:

*Use a 1/4” seam allowance unless otherwise noted.*

Block Construction:
Each block is made from a single print fabric and background fabric. For a scrappy look, feel free to use a mix of prints in each block.


1. Sew a 2.5" print square to both sides of a 2.5" background square. Press seams away from center.

2. Sew a 6.5"x2.5" background strip to both the top and bottom of the center block. Press seams away from center.


3. Sew a 6.5"x2.5" print strip to both sides of the center block. Press seams away from center.

4. Sew a 10.5"x2.5" background strip to both the top and bottom of the center block. Press seams away from center.


5. Sew a 10.5"x2.5" print strip to both sides of the center block. Press seams away from center.

6. Sew a 14.5"x2.5" background strip to both the top and bottom of the center block. Press seams away from center.


7. Sew a 14.5"x2.5" print strip to both sides of the center block. Press seams away from center.

8. Sew an 18.5"x2.5" background strip to both the top and bottom of the center block. Press seams away from center.

Trim block to 18.5" square if necessary. Repeat steps 1-8 to create a total of 16 blocks.

Quilt Top Construction:

1. Arrange blocks into four rows of four blocks each. Sew blocks together in each row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction every other row. Sew rows together, press seams open. Press top well from the right side.

Quilt Assembly and Finishing:
1. Making Backing: Cut backing yardage in half. Press. Trim off the selvedge and sew your pieces together lengthwise. Press seam open.

2. Basting: Using masking or painter’s tape, tape the backing to a clean, hard surface, right side down. Spread out your batting on top of the backing. Smooth out any wrinkles. Carefully spread out your quilt top on top of the batting, right side up. Pin your top, I like to use curved safety pins, spacing the pins a few inches apart. Make sure that your pins are going through all three layers.

3. Quilting: Quilt as desired, by machine or by hand. Trim away excess batting and backing fabric.

4. Binding: Cut yardage listed for binding into 2.5” strips. Trim off selvedges and sew your strips together to form one long strip, press seams open. Fold in half lengthwise, pressing with your iron as you fold. Attach binding using your preferred method. For a detailed tutorial on attaching your binding to both sides by machine: Machine Quilt Binding Tutorial.


I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial! I have lots of other tutorials for everything from quilts, pillows, bags, and holiday items to informational series and techniques. Find all my tutorials here: Tutorials. My online shop is filled with patterns for quilts and bags. Find my patterns here: Jeni Baker Patterns

If you make something using one of my tutorials or patterns, I hope you'll tag me @jenib320 and use my hashtag #jenibaker on instagram!

Happy Quilting!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Wed, 18 May 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJpR8-HWuGGJQVLTsI7B9NX https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKruZsE2W2Q8pONpYks2fGs Happy Monday! It's time for the April monthly report. See past reports here.


As it's already over halfway through May, we're going to keep April's report short and sweet! I also didn't finish a whole lot this month, so there isn't much to cover. Most of the sewing I did this month was on the two small quilts above. I'm working on a pattern and needed to make a baby quilt size for it. So I pieced that top. I ended up quilting and making binding for it as well as for an old WIP at the same time. They both just need to be bound and then they're done!



My lone sewing finish this month was a mini quilt for my Mom. I've made her a mini quilt for either Mother's Day or her birthday for the last few years, to add to her sewing room walls. This year I decided to repurpose this crossstitch sampler that I recently rediscovered. I can't remember if I originally found it thrifting or if it was given to me. Either way, it needed to get out of storage because it's so cute! I kept the mini pretty simple, just framing the embroidery with some borders. I think it turned out pretty cute!


As I posted last week, I finally released a new and improved fabric folding video tutorial! I got this filmed in April, but I've honestly been wanting to film this video for at least 5-6 years. Glad it's finally done!

To keep myself accountable for my stash goals, I track my yardage for fabric and yarn each month. Read more about how I track here. Here is how I did in April:

April Fabric
Used up: .5 yard
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: -.5 yards
Year to date: -16 yards

April Yarn
Used up: 0 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: 0 yards
Year to date: 0 yards

Not much stash movement at all this month! The only thing I tracked was the bit of fabric I used for my Mom's mini quilt!


Not strictly sewing related, but I finished my overhead camera rig! I built it using this youtube video. It works just like I hoped it would. I used it to film my fabric folding tutorial! Hopefully more videos coming soon.


Dusty loves to help me sew!

Have a Great Month!]]> Mon, 16 May 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQKruZsE2W2Q8pONpYks2fGs https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQI94hv3xoie7-9WSSr4-0sP
Happy Friday! It's time for another Friday Favorites post!

- I've been busy dividing dahlias this week, and I couldn't do it without my favorite pair of pruners*.

- Loving this mural that artist Emily Balsley is painting in an icecream shop in Madison, WI.

- How adorable are these little kitty brooches made by Shu Ning?

- This quilted overcoat pattern by Daisy Chain Patterns looks so comfy!

- I cannot wait for Deb Perelman's new book* to come out. The cover was released last week and it will be published in November!


- I bought my first bits of quilting cotton for 2022 this past weekend. These palette pick bundles* really caught my eye.

- Speaking candy, I finally replaced my faulty candy thermometer with this one. I got it in purple! Now I need to decide what to make first.

- While I was home, my Mom and I did a bunch of puzzles, including this new one* from the Magic Puzzle Company.

- Grabbed some of my favorite nonpareils from Malley's Chocolates while I was home!


- Kitten enjoys sitting on top of her homemade litter box cupboard!

Have a Great Weekend!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Fri, 13 May 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQI94hv3xoie7-9WSSr4-0sP https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQL_-C3hqK0ysUQqW5gBv7mX

Happy Wednesday! Today I have a new post to share for my Sewing Room Organization Series, a fabric folding video tutorial! I've been folding my fabric this way for many years, and I actually have an old video tutorial that I filmed back in January 2011! It seemed like high time to make a new (and hopefully improved) video tutorial.


In this tutorial I fold 8 different size fabric cuts, plus share a bonus folding tip. This method can be adapted to just about any size cut that's around a yard or less. Specifically in the video I show how to fold a fat quarter, 1/2 yard, 1 yard, 3/4 yard, 1/4 yard, 1/3 yard, fat eighth, and 1/8 yard. The best thing about this folding method is that all the cuts (except the 1/8 yard), end up the same size when folded. This makes things so easy to arrage in your stash storage of choice!


If you're having trouble watching the video in this post, click here to watch it on Youtube.


I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial! I have lots of other tutorials for everything from quilts, pillows, bags, and holiday items to informational series and techniques. Find all my tutorials here: Tutorials. My online shop is filled with patterns for quilts and bags. Find my patterns here: Jeni Baker Patterns

If you make something using one of my tutorials or patterns, I hope you'll tag me @jenib320 and use my hashtag #jenibaker on instagram!

Happy Sewing!]]> Wed, 11 May 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQL_-C3hqK0ysUQqW5gBv7mX https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQLRoLuRgKvEuVyOSYGFl6uu
Happy Friday! It's time for another Friday Favorites post!

- I finally had an electrician out to do a repair that I've been putting off for YEARS. It meant I needed to completely upend my sewing room, but it was a good excuse to dust. Here's to getting stuff done!

- This week we tried these crunchy roll bowls, but with slightly different toppings and served over quinoa. We skipped the edamame and added carrot, cucumber and radish. It was delicious!

- I love this log cabin quilt by Kim Goings. Gives me ideas for my Liberty fabrics!

- I haven't done much garment sewing lately, but this t-shirt pattern is tempting me!


- I caved and bought supplies to make some woven potholders! I thrifted the loom and ordered loops from here* in a few colors. They were so fun to make, brought back memories!

- How amazing is Charlotte's sweater? The colors are just so happy!

- Speaking of happy, I love this new collection by Elizabeth Olwen for Cloud9 Fabrics.

- These ankle socks are definitely going into my next Blue Q order, too funny!

- I've been listening to this album* by Julian Casablancas lately.


- Sleepy kitty bliss!

Have a Great Weekend!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Fri, 06 May 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQLRoLuRgKvEuVyOSYGFl6uu https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIjfC2R-0Ym6pNaYRWadcX6 Happy Friday! It's time for another Friday Favorites post!

- The lilacs are starting to bloom! It's one of my favorite smells and colors.

- Speaking of plants, I made a trip down to Terrain in Westport, CT this week to ooh and ahh at all the plants. I picked up a hoya* on my wishlist!

- Came upon this meme this week, and it perfectly illustrates what I've done this winter!


- I ordered new bookmarks and they arrived this week! I had bookmarks made when my book came out years ago and have been wanting to have some printed again ever since. These ones will double as the notes I put into physical orders, so if you order a paper pattern, book, twill tape, beads, etc. from my shop, you'll get one of these in your order!

- I've taken a break from updating old blog post this week to put together a Pinterest board with all the quilts I've made! I have a few years left, but it's been fun to revisit the quilts I've made.


- I made one of my favorite cookie recipes, Chocolate-malted Oatmeal Cookies, from the book Homemade Decadence*.

- This cardboard house being built by Ann Wood is just too sweet.

- How cute is this bag made from my lined drawstring bag pattern that Aubrey made?

- We recently binged Mare of Easttown on HBO Max. We absolutely loved it. Can't wait to watch it again.


- Dusty enjoying the beautiful day through the kitchen window.

Have a Great Weekend!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQIjfC2R-0Ym6pNaYRWadcX6 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJpmA4NidbqpyuZukmJ4mr4
Happy Wednesday! Today I have a finished quilt to share, my Double Gauze Gingham Quilt!


I started this quilt in 2020 and finished it in June 2021. I really love to work with double gauze, and I was able to make this quilt just from my stash. Many of the prints in this quilt have shown up in my other two all double gauze quilts, which you can see more of here: Nani Iro Dreams Quilt and Double Gauze Plus Quilt

Most of the fabrics I used in this quilt were designed by Nani Iro*. There are also a few Kobayashi solids* and some that were given to me that I don't know the designer/manufacturer for. I had no reason for making this quilt, other than wanting to play with these fabrics again! They make me so happy and I do love the resulting texture and weight that they give a quilt.


Used with permission from Quilts and More™ magazine. ©2018 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.

For the quilt design, I wanted to revisit a design I published as a table runner in the Spring 2018 issue of Quilts and More Magazine. I realized while writing this post that I never shared that project, so I'm sharing a photo of it now! I've had it displayed in our dining room since then, but just never got around to sharing it!


This was one of those projects where partway through I decided to make it bigger! I really don't like finishing a quilt and wishing I had made it bigger. So I ended up cutting more fabrics halfway through and added more rows to it. Easy fix since I was just working with my stash!


I am not afraid to admit that I love how this quilt turned out! I had a vision for how it would look in double gauze and it turned out exactly how I though it would. Love when that happens! I held back on sharing it because I wasn't sure if I wanted to write up a full pattern for it or not. I decided to just go ahead and share it anyways. I could still do that if I want to in the future. In the mean time my stack of finished by unshared quilts is getting too big!


For the back I again used pieces from my stash. A few larger pieces to start with and then a bit of patchwork to get it to the proper size. For quilting, I sent it off to Melissa of Sew Shabby Quilting. I went with a loopy design called "scribble" for the stitching and paired it with wool batting. My favorite.


For binding I used a lawn print by Carolyn Friedlander*. I love using lawn or voile fabrics to bind quilts made with double gauze or flannel. The contrast in textures is really satisfying.


I hope to get through sharing my other finished quilts from the last year (yikes!), in the next month or so. After looking at photos of this quilt, I'm itching to make another double gauze quilt. If you are interested in quilting with double gauze, I'd recommend checking out this post: Tips for Quilting with Double Gauze


Pattern: Currently no pattern available for this quilt.
Fabrics: Nani Iro double gauze*, Kobayashi solid double gauze*, Carolyn Friedlander lawn*

Happy Quilting!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Wed, 27 Apr 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQJpmA4NidbqpyuZukmJ4mr4 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQL1EQAHzGG7ne9WSSr4-0sP
Happy Friday! It's time for another Friday Favorites post!

- I put on my walking foot to do some wavy quilting this week. I was reminded how fun it is to quilt this design!

- I'm really excited for this fabric collection* to arrive. I'm very tempted by a number of prints!

- Would love to wear this handmade jacket made by Biggie Handmade.

- This past weekend we made Falafel for the first time using this recipe from Spoon Fork Bacon. We cooked them in our air fryer and they got super crispy. We already made them again this week!


- The thrift stores finally delivered on vintage sheet front, and this one was new in the package. I haven't found a sheet at the thrift in months!

- I got one of these candle lighters* for Christmas and finally ordered a second one to keep upstairs. They're so convenient.

- I've been listening to the Creative Pep Talk Podcast by Andy J. Pizza quite a bit. It's really hitting the spot!

- My friend Jacey sent me a link to this amazing doormat* this week, I don't think I could bear to put it outside, it's so cute!

- I loved watching this short documentary on one of my favorite flower farms to follow (and buy dahlia tubers from), Fivefork Farms.


- Dusty found a box! :)

Have a Great Weekend!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.]]> Fri, 22 Apr 2022 11:30:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/h7XsnPnQvQL1EQAHzGG7ne9WSSr4-0sP