I thought it was about time to have another pattern sale, and what better time than around Thanksgiving? The best part is, you don't even have to leave your house! You can take 25% off your entire order in my pattern shop using code THANKS25 at checkout this weekend! That includes paper patterns, PDF patterns and George Bunny Pillow Panels! Starting now through Monday!  Shop here!

Hope you all have a safe and happy weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Happy Thanksgiving! It wouldn't be a holiday without me embarrassing George by dressing him up and taking his picture! It's become quite a tradition, and I'm always looking forward to scheming his next adventure! Don't worry, he's well paid! Our turkey gets all the carrots today! :)

Happy Thanksgiving!, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

What are you looking at?

Happy Thanksgiving!, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

How do I get out of here?

Happy Thanksgiving!, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

It's not so bad in this bowl.

Happy Thanksgiving!, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Time for a carrot?

Happy Thanksgiving!, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Seriously, where are the carrots?

Happy Thanksgiving!

How to Put a Gusset on a Bag Video Tutorial

Happy Tuesday! Today I'm popping in quickly to share a video demonstration the Fat Quarter Shop taped of me at Quilt Market last month! Hands down the thing that gives people the most trouble when stitching up my Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern (and tutorial) is putting in the gussets.  It's not hard, but if you've never done it before it can definitely be tricky! I have looked far and wide for good videos on the subject but didn't have much luck.



So, I teamed up with Fat Quarter Shop to bring you this video! This is typically how you would add a gusset to simple tote bags, zipper pouches and of course, drawstring bags! Just adjust the length of the line you draw if you'd like a larger or smaller depth! I've added the video to the tutorials page for easy reference!


*For additional sizes and custom sizing check out the pattern version here.

Thanks Fat Quarter Shop!

Favorites

Favorites, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

1. FinalQuilt, 2. Beautiful miniquilt from Ginny, 3. Sunny Side Up Quilt, 4. Maman Boy Quilt, 5. I Love you so., 6. Burst of Colour, 7. The Plaid Baby eye spy love, 8. Untitled, 9. A Study in Quilting - Flat

Every week I go through my favorite photos on Flickr, and choose nine sewing/quilting related projects to showcase here. These photos and projects are not my own, you can find the original images and creators by clicking the coordinating links! If for any reason you do not want your project featured here, please email me and I'll remove it!

Happy Friday!

Magazine Features

Magazine Features, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Happy Thursday! I have a few fun magazine features to share with you today, a few that I've been meaning to chat about here for a while.  It's amazing how fast this last part of the year is flying by! Brace yourself for lots of photos!

Love, Patchwork & Quilting - Issue 1, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

The first magazine I want to talk about is the brand new Love, Patchwork & Quilting.  It recently went from a quarterly magazine to a month magazine, and I'm so happy to continue to be involved with this publication.  Jenny Fox-Proverbs, the editor, has such a great eye and the projects and designers she has pulled together for these first two issue have been awesome! They're a real joy to work with, and I'm honored to be a part of it all!

Love, Patchwork & Quilting - Issue 1, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

I have a project in this issue, but more importantly, I'm writing a monthly column! It's called Jeni Baker's Stitching Notes! I've really enjoyed working on it thus far, it's been such an interesting change of pace from my regular writing.  It's crazy how quickly 500 words slips by! In this first issue I'm sharing my thoughts on patchwork and a bit of get-to-know me.

Love, Patchwork & Quilting - Issue 1, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

My project for this first issue was the triangle baby quilt made from Nordika that I created for my Spring Quilt Market booth!

Love, Patchwork & Quilting - Issue 1, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

You'll also find a step-by-step technique tutorial for piecing equilateral triangles if you haven't done so before! This issue hit newstands in the UK in October, but is just now hitting newsstands in the US.  You can find it at your local Barnes & Noble and JoAnn Fabrics Stores!

You can also find issues and subscribe online, here.

Love, Patchwork & Quilting - Issue 2, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

The second issue of Love, Patchwork & Quilting is hitting newsstands in the UK right now! It should be available in the US in a few weeks!

Love, Patchwork & Quilting - Issue 2, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

This issue's column is all about quilting on a domestic machine!

Love, Patchwork & Quilting - Issue 2, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Love, Patchwork & Quilting - Issue 2, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

You'll also find my coupon and business card envelopes in this issue, along with my Framed Quilt, a quilt I created using Color Me Retro for Fall Quilt Market last year!

Beyond my personal projects in these two issues, they are absolutely chock full of good stuff! I hope you'll check this magazine out!

Quilty - Sept/Oct 2013 Issue, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

I am totally late to the game about sharing this feature with you! It is an issue behind in terms of the newsstands, but you can find it on the Fons and Porter website here. This is the September/October 2013 issue!

Quilty - Sept/Oct 2013 Issue, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Pyramid Dance Quilt, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

My project in this issue is Pyramid Dance! I drew up this pattern way back.  Probably as far back as 2011.  I was in the process of making a couple other versions to be released as a regular pattern but it just didn't work out.  When Quilty approached me about designing a couple of quilts for them with Color Me Retro, this pattern resurfaced and I'm glad it did.  It's a healthy baby size, and is a lot of fun to stitch up! They have a kit available for this quilt too, you can find it here!

American Patchwork & Quilting - December 2013 Issue, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

American Patchwork & Quilting - December 2013 Issue, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Finally, in the December issue of American Patchwork & Quilting, you can find the scarf I made using the panel print from Nordika in their Gift Guide section! It's on newsstands now!

Thanks for letting me share my projects!

George Bunny Pillow Panels

George Bunny Pillow Panels, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

They're here, they're here! After many requests, I have something extra special to share today! George Bunny Pillow Panels! Now you can make your very own George pillow! You can take George on all kinds of adventures! And take photos of him! With your help he can be the next Travelocity gnome!

George Bunny Pillow Panels, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

George approves and has agreed to a two carrot per panel royalty payment! It's a fair deal for certain, he was firm about his terms!

George Bunny Pillow Panels, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

At first he was not sure about this imposter.  He actually attacked the first round of George bunny pillows last year!

George Bunny Pillow Panels, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

He did decide he could tolerate this "other" rabbit, since it didn't demand any carrots or my attention!

George Bunny Pillow Panels, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Never the less, he was not very interested. He hopes you will be though! There is really only room for one George in our house!

George Bunny Pillow Panels, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

You can find the George Bunny Pillow Panel in my shop.  It comes with instructions for finishing your pillow, it would make a fun and easy sewing project for kids and adults!

Happy Monday!

Knitting Update

The Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Happy Sunday! In between today's crazy weather, I managed to take some photos of my recent knits.  I've been knitting away the last few months, so I have a bit of a backlog to projects. Knitting has become the perfect craft for me right now.  It lets me relax but is still challenging.  It's so different from sewing and quilting, which is just what I need. It's leaving me more refreshed when I do sew, so it's a win win.

The Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

The Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

I'm really proud of my latest finish.  It's the Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief.  It really pushed me and I learned a LOT of new skills knitting this one.  I had to restart it quite a few times, but it was totally worth it.  I am looking forward to knitting a shawl now!

The Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

I used a pretty purple worsted weight yarn by Malabrigo. 

Pattern: Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief by Orange Flower Yarn. Find mine on Ravelry.

Gap-tastic Cowl, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Gap-tastic Cowl, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

This cowl has already been getting a lot of use, especially on the colder days we've had this month.  It's a simple seed stitch cowl, and I worked on it primarily while traveling the past few months. It was easy to pick up and put down, and didn't take much thought. It's nice and squishy and matches all my coats, which is great!

Pattern: Gap-tastic Cowl by Jen Geigley.  Find mine on Ravelry.

Hannah Hat, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Hannah Hat, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

About a month ago, my friend Lei and I got together for a bit of knitting and I started another Hannah Hat.  This hat knits up so quick, I got most of the way through it in just a couple hours.  Before I know it, it's going to be cold enough to wear it!

Pattern: Hannah by Shannon Cook. Find mine on Ravelry.

New Hat, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Now that I have two chunky hats, I thought it was time to knit myself something a little more delicate and lightweight.  I've cast on for Swift, a pattern from a new knit collaborative book Journey by Shannon Cook and Jane Richmond. More on that soon! :)

Happy Knitting!

Favorites

Favorites, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

1. Autumn spin, 2. Star quilt, 3. pop pop pop, 4. Sawtooth stars, 5. Best Friend's Wedding Quilt, 6. [It's a Girl] Completed!, 7. Starry night Cactus Compass block, 8. urban chicken finished quilt top, 9. DUDQS

Every week I go through my favorite photos on Flickr, and choose nine sewing/quilting related projects to showcase here. These photos and projects are not my own, you can find the original images and creators by clicking the coordinating links! If for any reason you do not want your project featured here, please email me and I'll remove it!

Happy Friday!

Dreamin' Vintage

Dreamin' Vintage, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

I'm excited to finally formally introduce my third fabric collection with Art Gallery Fabrics, Dreamin' Vintage! This collection is very close to my heart. From the moment I considered designing fabric, I've been thinking about this collection. It took a couple collections to get here, but I'm glad I didn't try to design it right away. I wanted to be able to do it justice, and I wouldn't have been ready.

Vintage Sheets, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Vintage bed linens have been a huge part of my aesthetic and identity, especially in the online quilting community. I started collecting them in 2009, around the same time that I started this blog. I had picked up a sheet or two at flea markets years before, but hadn't collected them seriously. I've always been drawn to vintage fabrics, but quilting cottons and feed sacks are often difficult to find and/or expensive. Vintage sheets were perfect, in Northeast Ohio at the time, they were very easy to find and much more reasonably priced than purchasing vintage fabrics.

Vintage Sheet Quilt, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

I participated in a vintage sheet fat quarter swap on Flickr and after sending away and receiving 80 fat quarters, I was hooked. Shortly thereafter I opened up my shop and started selling vintage sheets. This was a decent stream of income for me throughout college, and more importantly helped me build up my personal sheet stash in a sustainable way. It was a lot of work, and I really enjoyed it for a long time. Once we moved to Madison and the availability of sheets went down drastically, I decided to work towards closing it. It was the right decision, and I still collect sheets for myself.

Vintage Fabric, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

When I was researching and planning Dreamin' Vintage, I knew it was the right time to pay homage to vintage sheets. I love vintage textiles and it pains me when I see fabrics in the industry that are straight reproductions of vintage prints without being labeled as such. I knew I wanted to draw inspiration from vintage prints, but in a respectful way, creating something fresh and new. I've never considered myself a natural illustrator, so this collection really pushed me to the limits! The central print of the collection took around a week from start to finish before final editing. I'm going to highlight that print in a future post, sharing the progression from inspiration to final print.

Dreamin' Vintage, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Dreamin' Vintage is a collection of twenty prints, split into two colorways: Tickled Pink and Merry Berry. The colors are somehow bright and soft at the same time, I think the final yardage is going to be so vintage looking, I'm so crazy excited to see it! Dreamin' Vintage ships in April 2014, so make sure and ask your favorite shops to carry it! Please and thanks! Looking forward to sharing more of this collection with you over the coming months! For now how about more photos?

Dreamin' Vintage by Jeni Baker, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Dreamin' Vintage by Jeni Baker, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Dreamin' Vintage by Jeni Baker, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

Dreamin' Vintage by Jeni Baker, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

My head is exploding with projects ideas for these prints. What would you make with Dreamin' Vintage?

Thanks for stopping by!

Favorites

Favorites, a photo by Jeni Baker on Flickr.

1. Wonky Zig Zag Baby Quilt, 2. Turning Leaves Quilt, 3. Sunset Quilt -- Road, 4. Log Cabin Quilt, 5. Swap°pen auf Deutsch, 6. Giant Dresden, 7. Quilt #9: Microscopic Telescopic, A Quilt of Beginnings, 8. IMG_0264, 9. Showstopper mini - all finished and on its way to its new owner

Every week I go through my favorite photos on Flickr, and choose nine sewing/quilting related projects to showcase here. These photos and projects are not my own, you can find the original images and creators by clicking the coordinating links! If for any reason you do not want your project featured here, please email me and I'll remove it!

Happy Friday!