Jargon of the Week - Hexies

Not sure what hexies are?  Well, they seem to be the hip thing to be doing right now.  Hexies is a quiltie jargon short for hexagons. 

What does dictionary.com define a hexagon as?

hex·a·gon [hek-suh-gon, -guhn]

–noun

a polygon having six angles and six sides.

Origin: 1560–70; < Gk hexágōnon.

Duh!  A polygon with 6 sides is a hexagon.  In the quilting world, hexagons are made using English Paper Piecing to create a block pattern.  Here are a few examples of hexies from flickr:

1. Munki Munki hexies, 2. hexie Art??, 3. hexy flowers, 4. the pillow talk {swap} sneak peek, 5. Hexie Potholders!!, 6. Pillow Talk { Swap }...???

Plain Truth

While Jason and I were in Portland, we stopped at Powell's Books.  I picked up Jodi Picoult's book, Plain Truth.

I love Jodi Picoult's writing style. She includes so many twists and turns. It's always interesting to get to the end and see if I had it right.  Just like every other Jodi Picoult book I've read, I had a hard time putting this book down to do anything else. 
The book is about an Amish baby who is found dead in a barn.  The police assume Katie, an Amish teenager is the baby's mother and suspect she killed the baby.  It's a really interesting collision of the Plain and English communities. 

This book had a pretty big twist at the end, but I knew it was going to happen whole way through. Did you?



It's an older book, so you may have already read it.

Giveaway at Lily's Quilts

Lily's Quilts is having a super giveaway.  The prize being given away is 22 fat quarters of Kona Solids in the colors shown below.  

Head on over and enter yourself to win.  The winner will be drawn on July 2nd.

Quilts with a Twist

When Jason and I were in Portland, we stopped into the Undercover Quilts shop in Pike's Place Market.  One of the things that I love about visiting quilt shops in other parts of the country is you get a taste of the local flavor for art and design.  One of the things that this shop carried was kits and patterns by Quilts with a Twist.

Quilts with a Twist takes this style and makes some awesome looking quilt patterns.  Here are some of my favorites:

• Orca
• Bass
• Hungry for Halibut
• Raven Salmon

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it on here before, but I really love the native art of the Pacific Northwest.  It's such a simple, yet complex style.  The first linoleum print I ever did, I tried to imitate the style and use animals that had significance to my family.


To the Natives - 2006

Quilts with a Twist does some neat things in this style. You should check them out and give it a try.

Happy Father's Day!

Today, my favorite thing is my Dad.



Happy Father's Day, Dad! I love you!

Tweet, tweet!

I am now tweeting on twitter.  If you'd like, you can follow me at twitter.com/SewbotsLab

Craft Challenge Article in ink

ink is a free newspaper in Kansas City.  I don't read it all the time, but this week's cover story caught my eye.  It's titled Craft Challenge.

What ink did, was give local artisans everyday items.  The artisans that were part of the challenge were:

• Amanda Tholen Long
• Andrea and Bryan Ring
• Emily Jungden-Walters
• Jeanee Duval

The items handed out were:

• Necktie
• Wire coat hanger
• Toothbrush
• 3 sponges
• Lei
• VHS tape & case
• Record
• Plastic Tablecloth
• Drink carrier (like the kind when you buy multiple drinks from McDonald's)
• Panty hose

The challenge was to take the items and make something "stylish and useful". 

It's fun to see some of the things they came up with.  Napkin rings, bags, glasses, toothbrush jewelry, brooches, stuffed animals, headbands, belts, and garland are amongst some of the things created.

Click here to read the full article and see pictures of what they made.

Flynn Quilt Frame

Have you seen these things?  I saw an ad in a magazine for one a few days ago and am just in awe. 

It is a machine quilting frame that allows you to load on your quilt sandwich pieces separately.  That means no basting!  You can use it to hand or machine quilt.  It looks like such a simple thing to build, yet so effective. 

Does anyone out there have something like this?  If so, let me know what you think about it.  I'd love to hear what you think!

Dear partner,

I'm so excited to be a part of this swap with you!  I'm grateful to you for making something just for me.  I can't wait to see what you come up with and am sure I'll love it!

I hope I haven't made researching or stalking me too difficult for you.  I've added a lot of new favorites to my flickr account for you.  I've added a bit more information to my flickr profile.  You should be able to find things I like to make myself on my flickr photostream, but don't think you have to make something I would make or do something the way I would do it!

I've even made a mosaic of things I like just for you!

1. for Beth, 2. Bee Pieceful - September 09 Block, 3. dqs7 quilt, 4. mini quilt, 5. doll quilt swap received, 6. Sailboat Pillow, 7. black bird mini with frame, 8. "my favorite dress" quilt, 9. mini quilt from Knit One Quilt Too, 10. Swap til you Drop - January 2009 Theme: Sing It, Watch It, Read It, 11. robin, 12. september mini quilt for lucette, 13. 4 Roseanne, 14. 4 Roseanne, 15. STUD Quilt for Piece of Me, 16. birds_with_snail_detail2, 17. gnome quiltlet, 18. fish quilt, 19. DQS8 #1 "Think Spring", 20. 6-12 inch mini quilt swap, November sent, 21. DQS8 Received from Karen!!!, 22. DSQ8 Doll Quilt full view, 23. it's mine!, 24. DSC02795 Black & White deer with red bird quilt, 25. DQS5 - Another Peek

I tried to show you some of the things I love.  In case it isn't very obvious or I forgot to mention...

• I love color and texture.  Do not be afraid!  I really like odd colors together!  I like bold.  I like bright.  I like dark.  I like light.  I don't think you can go wrong here!
• I love creatures.  Birds and fish seem to be the most popular these days, but I love just about all of them (minus snakes and eels, eew!). 
• I love camping and being outside.  I think trees are some of the most beautiful things around.  The best nap you can take is in a hammock strung between two trees.
• I was an architecture major in school, thus I definitely have a soft spot for buildings. 
• I love small details.  Feel free to add lots!

Some of my favorite fabric designers are: Heather Ross, Anna Maria Horner, Kaffe Fassette, Amy Butler, Tula Pink, Michael Miller, Lizzy House, Joel Dewberry, and Heather Bailey.

Please, make something you'll have fun with.  I'll love anything you make for me and can't wait to see it.

Happy quilting!
Jessica

Partners are in!

I'm a teeny bit excited!  I got my partner for the Doll Quilt Swap.  I can't wait to start searching her out and coming up with something really fun to make.  It's a secret, so I can't share it with you just yet, but I'll be sure to post things as time goes on.

Vintage Sheet Fat Quarters from my Mom

I just realized I had yet to share these with you.  My mom gave me a bag of these fat quarters she had made from vintage sheets for me.  Aren't some of the colors she found awesome?  I love the mint green one on the far right. 

She had already washed them and the weirdest thing happened.... they smell just like my grandma's sheets!  It's not a bad smell. It's just a distinctive one. I wonder if there was maybe something different about the way sheets were made a while ago and that makes them smell different than brand new sheets.  So weird!   
Thanks for sharing these with me mom!  I'm sure I'll come up with something positively fabulous to do with them.

Sewbot's Favorites - June 13, 2010 - Free Stuff!

I love when people give me free things.  It could be their junk and I'll still probably love it. 

Cheryl was doing some cleaning in her craft space and brought in a bunch of stuff to pass along to the other guild members.  I was lucky enough to snag one of these cute little guys.

How adorable is this packaging?  Love it!  She divided some of her scraps by color and packaged them into these little guys. 


All this fun was packed inside.  I signed up to make several blocks in primary colors as a part of another charity project with the guild.  I think a few of these may come in handy for that project.  We'll see!

Thanks Cheryl, for sharing some of your scraps with me.  It's always fun to obtain somebody else's scraps.  :)

I can't believe I'm missing this...

Libby Lehman is coming to Kansas City.  She's going to be at the Overland Park Marriott today from 9-12.  It's only $20 to see her and have some yummy breakfast. 

If you're not familiar with Libby, check out her website or her book, Threadplay With Libby Lehman: Mastering Machine Embroidery Techniques

I can't go because we're on our way up to Nebraska for a family reunion.  If you're in town, you should definitely check her out.  I'll enjoy the reunion, but it's a bit of a bum deal that it falls on this weekend. 

KCMQG June 2010 Potholder Swap

It worked like this:
Bring 2 potholders to the June meeting, you get to draw a number from a bag to take 2 other potholders home. 

Here's what I brought to the meeting:


They're made out of 3 different Lizzy Dish fabrics.

Here's what I got to take home:





Aren't the two I got to take home awesome?

I'm in!

I was given a spot in the latest and greatest Doll Quilt Swap.  This is round #9 and my first time playing in this swap.

I'm so excited to be a part of this round.  From the conversations I've been reading on the flickr discussions, it seems like I'll be swapping with a fun bunch.  If you're not familiar with the swap, check out the blog here or see the flickr group here.

The basic rules are:

1. Make a quilt for your partner that is between 12x12 and 24x24.
2. It's a secret!  Don't tell your partner that you are making their quilt.
3. You can't send out the quilt before August 15th. 
4. You have to have it in the mail by September 1st (if international) or September 8th (if domestic).

We have some time to familiarize ourselves with our partners by researching their blogs, flickr favorites, or anything else we can find about them before getting started on our doll quilts.

I can't wait to find out who my partner is and get crackin' on making something really fun for them.

Bonus Quilt

I've mentioned on here before that I'm part of the KC Scrappy Bee. One suggestion from one of the other bee members was to make a second quilt as we go along.  I decided this sounded like fun. 

In order to make a second quilt as we go along, each month I will make at least 2 blocks: 1 block for the hostess + 1 block for me.  The hostess's block will be from whatever focus fabric she provides.  The second block for me will be from this fabric that Jason picked out.  Both will be made using the same pattern, so the fabric will be the only change. 



The first block I've made for this quilt I made using the same pattern Nikki gave out for the Quilt of Valor block. 

Here it is.  Here's the first block for Jason's robot quilt.


Here's a detail shot of the block. I love how perfectly the points come together on this pattern.


Jason is pretty excited and I must say that I'm loving the robots, too.

Portland, Oregon - Portland Saturday Market

Portland Saturday Market was a lot of fun.  According to their website, "the market is the largest continually operating outdoor arts and crafts market in the nation."  It's been around since 1974!

It was pretty awesome.  There were booths of all sorts of handmade goodies.  Jewelry, planters, toys, clothes, bags, and tons of food!  I came home with a new skirt.  :)

They even have musicians playing on stage.

It was really cool to think that this happens all the time. Growing up, we only had the summer arts festival once a year, not something even bigger every Saturday!

I love that just about anything goes up in the Pacific Northwest.  Want to tote around your kitten?  Sure!

maggie makes

Remember these guys?





















Karen at maggie makes wrote a post about the two little quilts I made for my grandparents' birthdays a while back. 

Head on over and check out the nice things she has to say about my little quilts. 

Portland, Oregon - Crafty PDX

Crafty PDX was a little craft fair Jason and I visited.  It took place on Saturday, May 22nd at the Urban Grind East in Portland. 

I snapped just a few photos while were were there.

They had terrariums, jewelry, letterpress, hula hoops, and more.  It was quite the variety for being such a little show.  To see a list of vendors, go here.

Portland, Oregon - Fabric Depot

I was able to convince Jason that we needed to spend some time in the Fabric Depot.  Turns out, 2 hours & $40 later, I was right.  :)

Portland, Oregon - Porch Light

Porch light was also in the Mississippi District of Portland.  It was an adorable little shop that had a lot of crafty things mixed in with vintage things.  Loved it!

Check out their website above to see some of what they carry.

Portland, Oregon - land

land is a "gallery and retail space in Portland, Oregon."  You can find it in the Mississippi District.

They carry all sorts of fun t-shirts, prints, cards, and other miscellaneous goodies. They also have an art gallery on their upper floor.

When we visited, Sarah Utter's work was the current display.

We came home with two prints by Nikki McClure.  Extend & Return.  Unfortunately, land doesn't have an online shop, but you can find all of their products at buyolympia.com.