Today is day two of three days of blog hops for the 2014 New Quilt Blogger Blog Hop. I'm so excited to be participating this year! If you missed out on day one you can find all the links here. If you aren't following along, you should be. There are lots of great new blogs to check out, blogging and quilting tips, and even some giveaways. So be there or be a half-square triangle!
Let me start by introducing myself. I'm Jennifer and I've been quilting for about 5 years. I'm a born and bread New England girl who loves the outdoors and bright colors. My husband and I live in northern New Hampshire with our two newly adopted cat, Martin and Agent Archer. I work as a Decision Support Analyst in Finance at our major area hospital. In addition to quilting, I've recently started running (and just finished my first 5K last weekend), enjoy cycling with my husband, and hiking and skiing the mountains near our home.
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| far left: visiting MQX 2014; top right: Color Vibe 5K; bottom right: Martin and Agent Archer |
I don't have many finishes to show right now. I've been busy participating in both the 2014 Sugar Block Club and the 2014 Aurifil Block of the Month. I'm doing them in the same color palette: a really lovely Peach, Coral, and Orange and I love how they are coming out. It's a really beautiful, soft color palette but it's still fun and colorful and lively, just how I like it.
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| left: 2014 Sugar block as of May; right: 2014 Auriful BOM as of May |
I also recently participated in the Triangle Quilt Along, hosted by The Sassy Quilter, Paula. I have very few of the quilts I've made currently in my possession. Most of them are made as gifts so when I started this one, I started it knowing that it would be mine!
With that in mind, I cut into some long horded fabrics from this one, using some up some cherished Heather Ross mermaid fabrics and fun Japanese prints. Right now I'm working on the backing using the wonderful homegrown bicycle fabric in cream. I think it captures the whimsy of the quilt and my personality perfectly. I can't wait to get this one finished up so I can cuddle up on the couch with it.
I really love participating in online quilting bee's and have at least 6 projects in various stages of completion at the moment. The variety of blocks, patterns, and fabrics that I receive through a swap like this is something that I could never achieve on my. It's also really forced me to improve my skills as a quilter. When I first started, I couldn't figure out why my blocks were all 3/4 to 1 inch too small. I was so frustrated!! But I soon discovered that the 1/4 inch foot that came with my machine, wasn't really a 1/4 inch! Once I knew, my blocks quickly improved and my time spent with the seam ripper decreased dramatically. If you've never done a swap like this before I highly recommend it. Some of the ones I've participated in include:
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| 1. Pink - Yellow - Grey Blocks, 2. Sew Pieceful Blocks Received, 3. Blocks Received - scrappy trip around the world., 4. Rocky Mtn. Puzzle, 5. Kitty/Robot Blocks in Aqua/Gold, 6. Sew Pieceful June Blocks |
Blogging Tip:
The best tip I can give you when it comes to blogging is to Use. Your. Resources. If you want to add a button to your page, or change the way something is formatted, or want to know how to do anything GOOGLE IT! There are hundreds of people out there with the same questions as you and chances are someone has already answered them. So before you give up in frustration because you don't know html code and therefore couldn't possible have a blog, try googling your question first. You'd be amazed at what you'll find.
Quilting Tip:
When it comes to quilting, there are so many good tips and tricks out there. What is there that I can possibly tell you that you haven't already heard somewhere else....? The thing that really helped me to improve my quilting was when I started sewing with other people. I joined my local quilt guild, got involved with online quilt bee's, and forced my non-quilting friends to make a quilt with me (we've now started our third one). And I learned more from those experiences than I ever did from a book. So if you really want to learn and improve your skills, look for people who have knowledge to share.
Just for Fun:
Dream Vacation Spot: Finland to see my many aunts, uncles, and cousins. My husband and I are hoping to honeymoon there later this year.
Favorite Book: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. DON'T PANIC, I've only read it thirteen times.
And for my random, fun fact, let's play a game of what's in your purse!
- my wallet
- three cards waiting for stamps
- a computer mouse
- a box of sewing pins
- reading glasses, sun glasses, distance glasses, and a strip of contact lenses (I'm pretty much blind by the way)
- 3 bottles of ibuprofen
- 5 sticks of lip stick
- scraps of fabric from my most recent project
- scraps of fabric from my last 7 projects
- a real silver fork (no idea where this came from but it's been in there for months)
- iPhone
- Nikon DSL camera (I hate to go anywhere without it)
- a packet of oatmeal
- gluten-free pretzels
- cup of microwaveable rice
Well that's all, thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you'll join me on this crazy adventure I call life. In addition to this blog, you can find me on the following social media sites:
Be sure to check out all of the other amazing new bloggers posting as part of Day Two!
Carole @ Fresh Off The Frame
Camelia @ Camelia Elliott
Nurdan @ Hug a Bit Quilts
Paula @ Mud Pies and Pins
Lori @ Sew Psychd
Kitty @ Night Quilter
Jasmine @ Quilt Kisses
Diana @ Sew Crafty Chick
Marcia @ Cozy Capatiller
Beth @ Cooking Up Quilts
lol, i learned about that darn "scant" quarter inch the hard way too. i can't believe you've read that book 13 times! i am an avid reader but have never read a book twice. perhaps i should go back and reread some of my favorites. also, can you explain how you came up with the name of your blog? nice to meet you and i hope you'll stop by! :)
ReplyDeleteHello my fellow NH friend :) How close are you to the White Mountains (if not in them?) I always need hiking friends if you up for it? And I recently started running, too funny. So in my purse, which is a wallet with a strap, is small change, debit card, a joann's teacher discount card, and my insurance card. There is a pocket for my phone as well. Yep, I travel light.
ReplyDeleteWOW! Your purse must be massive! My contents are much less exciting, and include too many crumpled receipts, baby diapers, wipes packages, and probably a few half-eaten chocolate bars for emergencies. I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few screws (I'm always building stuff around our property--for the chickens, a new porch railing, etc.) and old hearing aid batteries (I'm a 30 year old with 80 year old hearing). Thank you for sharing that wild bit of info, and I'm looking forward to following more of your projects! Your sort of neighbor in Maine, Kitty
ReplyDeleteI love your triangle quilt. My purse is pretty simple: wallet, keys, cell phone, tissues. Everything else is in the diaper bag.
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you! Now that I know what's in your purse, I feel like I know you better. :-) My purse has a wallet, small change purse, tape measure (always handy), notebook, pen, extra medication for when I travel (a pill bottle) because I will often forget the dang stuff at home if it's not already in there, gum, tylenol, cell phone, business cards. Nothing weird like a fork, but that reminds me of my grandparents. My grandfather would slip random "found" items into my grandmother's purse so she would find it later and wonder how it got there! It was a source of endless amusement for him, and she was a good sport about it. I remember seeing her pull a ratty, muddy comb from an outside pocket one time, and wonder what the??? Too funny!
ReplyDeleteYour triangle quilt top is spectacular!! Congrats on your first 5K, it sounds like you might have been bitten by the running bug as well ;)
ReplyDeleteHi from Southern NH - Exeter. Great triangle quilt, and what an amazing collection of oranges in your sugar blocks! Love that you shared the contents of your purse. I laughed out loud. I travel fairly light but always have a tape measure, my favorite pen, notepad, quilted key fob that I made... and usually a few discarded string cheese wrappers, tissues and whatever other garbage the kids create while we're out and there's no trash can nearby! Congrats on finishing your first 5k!!
ReplyDeleteSo frustrating with the foot. I had that when switching between my mother's machine and mine. I realized one of us had a scant 1/4 inch and one of us had a generous one, and that's why everything was being difficult to get the right size and line up.
ReplyDeleteGreat question! I have a lunchbox and a mug for tea that needs bringing home for the dishwasher, a compact camera, 2 SD cards, wallet, keys, phone, 4 receipts, glasses case - no glasses!, passport, spare change, 3 hairclips and a scrunchie!
ReplyDeleteAre you Mary Poppins? You have so many wonderful things in your purse! :) Love the photo of you after the color run - those look like a lot of fun. I really like the color choices you make; the triangle quilt is lovely and I really look forward to seeing how the peach, coral, and orange blocks turn out as a finished quilt.
ReplyDeleteI'm visiting from the Plum & June Blog Hop... love the fabric/colour choices you made for your triangle QAL. So far I've resisted joining in on that one, but I keep seeing so many lovely projects from it!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea for your random, fun fact!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the inspiration for quilting bees. I am unsure why I have been intimidated about them, but no longer. Thanks for the few you have done as well! Great place to start! Do you have a specific location in which you are able to find out about them or is it with people you follow religiously?
ReplyDeleteLove the coral colors as well! I'm into that color almost too much right now.
Your triangle quilt is awesome! I loved the "what's in your purse" game...mine wouldn't hold nearly that much.
ReplyDeleteSo fun getting to know you Jennifer! and so brave to tell what's in your purse:) I have several bottles of ibuprofen too...can't stand a headache. That will catch up with me I think, haha. You have done some beautiful work so far....Triangles are my favorite, but I am a little biased:)
ReplyDelete'Life. Don't talk to me about life.' 'Here I am, brain the size of a planet ...'
ReplyDeleteTHREE bottles of ibuprofen? I am so lucky I rarely get headaches.
I love this post!! This is my first trip over to your blog. Like your spirit and the tone of your writing. I also had nightmares with my supposed 1/4" foot. Once that was fixed, life was better.
ReplyDelete3 bottles of ibuprofen???? That's not good. :-)
Love the colors in the triangle quilt. Very happy and bright. Also love the backing fabric. What is that? I would like to grab some if possible.
The colours on that triangle quilt are amazing! And the fork is obviously there for the rice, else how would you eat it ;)
ReplyDeleteHmm... maybe my non-quilty friends need a little motivation, too! And love the bicycle print, Jen. Your gorgeous Triangle QAL quilt is much further along than mine. Still hoping I might meet the very last of the last deadline ; )
ReplyDeleteWow, that triangle quilt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and your blocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ADORE them!!!! followin ya on bloglovin :)
ReplyDeleteAgent Archer, hahaha! And your story about the second story breakin, priceless :)
Proud of you for doing your first 5K, you go!!!!!!!!!!!!
XX!
Lori
I did the Triangle QAL as well :) Yours is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you. Since I started blogging the sew alongs have been a great resource to learn something new and meet other like minded people. I can't believe how much I am enjoying blogging. I did the Triangle quilt along as well and doing a scrappy version of the Aurifil block of the Month.
ReplyDeleteYay, another New Englander! :D I love your Rocky Mountain Puzzle and Scrappy Trip quilts. I'd play along with your game, but I'd have to actually find my purse... Someday I might become a grown up and use it. :D And hurray on your very own quilt!!!!
ReplyDeleteof course, there's microwavable rice! I mean, doesn't everyone? So nice to meet you! I love your work! I'm currently on an orange bender myself. So when I saw all the orange blocks, I was like, Yesssss! Plus, you had me at the half-square triangle joke. I mean, seriously. Officially. Following.
ReplyDeleteGreat pun to start off the post! I like how you included what's in your purse as your fun fact too! Just finished my own scrappy trip recently, it's such a fun quilt, and was probably more exciting doing through a bee (with different color choices!)
ReplyDeleteI love your blocks! I enjoyed the fun fact! We have to be gluten free in this house for my little boy. I need to find him some pretzels! He would LOVE that!
ReplyDeleteI love your orange and white BOM blocks. Thank you for sharing your lovely blocks!
ReplyDeletelove your BOM pieces, but that triangle quilt is simply beautiful. If you need someplace to store it, send it to Texas.
ReplyDeleteYour triangle quilt is gorgeous, so glad you're getting to keep it for yourself. The colours look great together and I love that bicycle fabric for the backing. 3 bottles of ibuprofen sounds worrying though!
ReplyDeleteYour triangle quilt turned out really nice.
ReplyDeleteGidday Jennifer, it's nice to meet you. Thanks for sharing a bit about yourself in this introductory post. I really like your triangle quilt and the Heather Ross mermaid fabric colours. It's looks very pretty!
ReplyDeleteYour blocks and quilts are lovely. It was lovely reading more about you. Thank you for sharing and happy stitching.
ReplyDeletehello and nice to meet you! Your triangle quilt is going to be amazing, love the way you've placed the colours. I too have a random selection of crap in my enormous hand bag and I too love Hitchhikers. I've also got a cassette of the original radio play which I love! My last car had a cassette player, unfortunately it got scrapped and so I have no way of playing the cassette, but I'm keeping it!
ReplyDeleteWoot for NH Quilters!! I love your Rocky Mountain Puzzle quilt. I think I need to get into a one or two more bee groups. I fizzled on a few before starting with do. Good Stitches, but now I have the itch to make random blocks again.
ReplyDeleteI just switched bags, so there's only my wallet, knitting, and chapstick. But luckily I never cleaned out my last purse, so here's a summary: Makeup, tissues, infinite chapstick, lotion, SMQG nametag, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, The Hobbit, knitting supply kit, coupons, cooking magazine, sketchbook, pens, two bottles of water, tennis ball, dog treats, three pairs of kids undies (potty training), kid's shorts, random socks, at least three packs of gum, and a thousand hair ties.
Great post Jennifer! Gotta say, I'm a mom of a preschooler and you still managed to have more in your purse than mine! Now that's impressive. Love the colors you chose for the blocks! I'm partial to oranges and corals. Also, your triangle quilt turned out beautifully! I love how you did the color progression. That's something that I need to work on.
ReplyDeleteHa ha. How big is your purse? Nice to meet you. I like the colorway of your blocks and your triangle quilt is looking great too. Awesome colors!
ReplyDeleteHi not just Jennifer, nice to meet you! I love a good game of what's in your purse. I used to be so good, then forced myself to downsize so I'd stop carrying around a bunch of junk I don't need. I really like the colors/fabrics you used in your triangle quilt!
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you! I love your triangle quilt colours. Afraid my purse is not nearly as exciting as yours :-)
ReplyDeleteThat triangle quilt is amazing. Absolutely love the colours! Have added you to my reader and looking forward to seeing more.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Carmit
www.quiltingrainbows.com
I love your triangle quilt! Good one to keep for yourself
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to meet you, Never Just Jennifer. Your quilts are beautiful. And of course, how could I not love something with a cat in it. My purse has some similarities and some, not so much. How about my 4 Dunkin Donuts debit cards? I am a drive by coffee and ice tea drinker. And somehow misplace those cards, and then the all turn up. I also have a miniature measuring tape that serves as a key chain. And I can't forget my ridiculously long to do list. I'm down to 20 things as of tonight. That's pretty good for me. Anyway, I'm glad I stopped by to visit. I was in the first group of bloggers. I hope to see more of you soon on the hop.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer! Nice to meet you! I enjoyed reading your post! You're very active person! Your triangle quilt is gorgeous, it really makes me feel like I should be bolder with my colors choice. Also I wanna thank you for stopping by my blog and leaving your sincere opinion about my blog's name during the first week of New Quilt Blogger blog hop! You're very welcome to stop by again, anytime! BTW, I'm following you with Bloglovin.
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you! Your purse must be huge! Very pretty quilts.
ReplyDeleteYour purse list made me laugh out loud. It's amazing how scraps of fabric find their way everywhere!
ReplyDelete