Another Book Published!

The second book in the Ohio 4-H Quilt series is published!  I am proud to be lead author with my team of 4-H Volunteers Donna Arnold, Sarah Wensink, Rita Trumbull and Joanne Kessen.  "Quilting the Best Better"  takes beginning quilters to the next level.  It demonstrates to the reader hand quilting, working with triangles, exploring sewing machines and the many models available today...and best of all it emphasizes the importance of service learning and how quilters can make a difference to others.  I could not be more pleased with the quality of the book.  Thank you one and all who made this book possible.  I look forward to seeing all the 4-H'ers advance their quilting skills in Ohio and the nation.  Our last book "You Can Quilt!" has been requested nationwide.

I love to explore lots of mediums in quilting and art is definitely one of them.  The above picture is my dabbling in free motion quilting, fabric dying, creating free form flowers with bobbin work and rubber stamping on fabric.  I love being free and just playing with what comes to mind next.  I often times do not have a plan until I pull out the fabric and turn on the machine.  I am a little crazy like that:)  I hope this post finds everyone doing well and staying warm.  It has been a long winter and I think everyone is ready for Spring!

Stay Stitching,

Jenna Louise

Sew Much To Share!

I love Sew Somerset and I recently came across a lovely article by Donna Dowd.  She does wonderful art with vintage items.  Her work inspired me to make a mini art quilt for a good friend for her birthday.  I love to free motion quilt and write words with my machine so this project is right up my alley:)  Donna has a great Facebook page donnadowdart, like her page for lots of awesome sewing inspiration.

In the Fall of 2013 we helped some friends tear down an old barn and they let me keep all of the old siding.  I love to dabble in lots of creative mediums and I decided to make paintings for my front porch.  This is the winter snowman that is currently on display.  We also used some of the barn siding in our kitchen, will post those photos in the future.  I love rustic, country, vintage, and antiques especially when I can reuse something.

My full-time job is the 4-H Program Assistant in my county.  I have been there 23 years and everyday is rewarding in some way.  I recently did a sewing demonstration for a neighboring county and thought it would be fun to show the kids one of my old sewing projects from years ago.  Our Student Assistant Liz and I thought it would be fun if she put on my project and we encourage others to share their sewing projects from the past.  I hope to continue to teach 4-H'ers to sew! 

My husband and I love to snowmobile.  Yesterday we took my niece out for her first ride, I am pretty sure she did better than I did my first time on a sled.  Wintertime is always so beautiful.

SuperSnowSewSunday

We are having a lot of snow in Northwest Ohio today, so I decided to have SuperSnowSewSunday and make some pillows for my Mother-In-Law who just had some surgery done.  These little comfort pillows turned out pretty cute.  The heart pillow is nice a soft on the back and my family has a dairy farm so I thought the cows were appropriate.

I also made a co-worker of mine a pillow with some Rudolph fabric I found.  She lives in Rudolph, Ohio and has been helping me a lot these past few weeks.  Who cares if it is February, I was hoping to get this done before Christmas this last year but time got away from me.  I decided it is never to late to celebrate the holidays and Rudolph has the right color nose for Valentine's Day!

Looks like tomorrow is going to be a SuperSnowSew Monday, I hope to get a few more things checked off my list.  Blessings to you!

A Little Bit Of This...A Little Bit Of That...

Quilters are the most generous and caring people I know.  The President of our Quilt Guild "The Black Swamp Quilters" is having a challenge every month.  She has asked each of us to make a string block each month in memory of her sister who passed away last year of cancer.  January is blue and for February the color is pink.  I can only imagine how beautiful the quilts will be when they are completed.  Belonging to a quilt group has been the best thing for my quilting spirit.

Recently a kind lady brought me a box of fabric she has had for years from a good friend.   Some of these antique fabrics are at least 100 years old.   I am identifying the fabrics I can, preserving them, and sharing with friends.  What a joy I was given...I must give these fabrics a new life.

Winter was beautiful in our area recently. I try to take time to enjoy the natural beauty around me, even when work takes over and life gets so busy.  Winter provides some of the most stunning natural  artwork imaginable.  Last winter we rode our snowmobiles on Lake Superior to Grand Island and saw the most beautiful ice sculptures I have ever seen in my life.  I was so nervous to ride on the lake, but it was -19 below and the ice was 19 inches thick.  A sweet lady encouraged me to go, she said it was a rare opportunity to see such beauty and I should take a chance...I am so glad I did!

I will share more of this beautiful adventure in future posts.

Happy Winter!

Jenna Louise