Daisy Janie

Fall Quilt Market 2010.

If you're planning to attend the Fall Quilt Market in Houston, TX, I'd love for you to stop by the Daisy Janie booth ~ #1165. Hope you can make it!

new quilt pattern | Dance Floor by Jaybird Quilts.

Dance Floor is a brand new quilt pattern created by Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts, using Daisy Janie's Geo Grand collection of organic cotton fabrics. It's an intermediate quilt that goes together easily with careful cutting and accurate piecing. It really does remind me of a parquet dance floor!

The Dance Floor quilt will be on display in the Daisy Janie booth - #1165 - at International Quilt Market, Oct. 30th - Nov. 1st. If you're going to be attending, please stop by to see it in person.
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+ If you're a shop owner and would like to stock the Dance Floor pattern or any of Jaybird Quilts' other quilt patterns, contact Julie.
+ Also available individually in the Jaybird Quilts shop.
+ Looking for Geo Grand fabrics to make this quilt? Find a reseller on the DJ website.

Introduced by our mutual friend, Betz White, Julie and I worked together to come up with a quilt pattern that showcased the "geo" part of the Geo Grand collection while allowing her versatile quilt-designing skills to shine through. What was extra nice is that we were able to meet in person b/c we only live an hour from one another - oh, and the fact that she is a font of information (thank you for your awesome ideas, Julie!).

It's not often that we get to connect with our online friends in this way, so I really treasure these rare opportunities. That's also another reason I'm looking forward to Quilt Market: catching up with old friends and meeting some for the first time. Can't wait!

sneak peeks | quilt market catalog & next 2011 collection.

Geo Grand stacked shot taken by the talented Edyta Szyszlo.

Quick post today to share a peek at my catalog / sellsheet for Quilt Market. Just arrived!! It looks really sharp thanks to greenerprinter.com! I had all of my collateral materials done by them not only b/c they're real people who provide real print jobs but also b/c everything is eco-friendly! Very important to me to follow-through with these ideals whenever possible.

On the back cover, in a moment of sheer spontaneity, I added a sneak peek of my next collection for 2011: Pennsylvania Dutch! I am soooo out-of-my-mind excited about this one.

I live in the heart ~ The Heart ~ of Pennsylvania Dutch country. It is a very natural stepping off point for me with regard to inspiration b/c the references, traditions and imagery in my hometown are inescapable! I think I'm pretty lucky to see authentic folk art everywhere I go! More on the collection later ~ for now, enjoy this looksie!

(And disregard that eye-popping typo on the bottom....urgh....that's what you get when you work too late into the morning hours.)

I will be back tomorrow with a special project I've been working on for Quilt Market!

Thank  you so much for taking time to visit the Daisy Janie blog! I appreciate your comments and kind words more than you know!

sewing for quilt market - modern pillow completed.

Isn't this pillow gorgeous?! I couldn't be happier with how it turned out! Made from my Geo Grand organic fabrics and an organic cotton/hemp blend canvas, you can see the beginnings of it in my last post.

I finished it up last Friday, and it's been right beside my desk chair as a pretty and very nudgy reminder to keep my nose to the grindstone as I continue to prep for International Quilt Market. Getting there! Still much to be done: sewing, pressing, errand running and figuring-outing how to hang certain things!

Enjoy! Hope it gives sparks an idea or two your own modern quilting project!

 

sewing for quilt market - pillow in progress.

The hardscape for my booth (#1165) at Quilt Market is pretty much done and ready to pack into my crate. I've ordered the services & equipment I'll need on-site; I've ordered all my collateral materials, and I've made a gargantuan list of things to-do, to buy and to remember. Now I am moving onto the fun, fun, fun stuff...sewing!! I have bunch of small home and personal accessories to create, in addition to the Rec Room quilt I made and a really nice quilt someone else made (details coming soon).

Just in case I hit a bump in the road before my crate leaves next week, I'm starting with pillows b/c they're easy to make and offer maximum showcase impact for my efforts. Plus, I built them into my booth design - I don't know what else I'd place in these spaces if they're not there.

These little trapezoids will be sewn into strips, which will then be connected with a piece of solid cream sashing between each strip ~ a modern front for a big floor pillow. The cream fabric is the very same organic cotton/hemp blend canvas I use for the digitally printed fabrics sold only in my etsy shop. It's very soft and supple and pairs so nicely with the Geo Grandies.

P.S. My workspace is not even close to being as neat & tidy as it was in those pics I posted yesterday! They were taken over the summer when I had just completed a major straightening - it's been going south ever since!

a tiny tour of my tiny workspace.

~ view from doorway ~ 

- antique vanity table w/ marble top used for sewing table. ($45)
- vintage Good Form chair in perfect condition. ($18)
- wool PB area rug from J's old room.
- pale green (bleh) paint job remaining from former biz when I'd experiment w/ techniques.

This is where Daisy Janie magic happens - in my home within my home! I work from a 2nd floor bedroom in our 100-year-old house. It's about 12' x 12', and I've put every square inch to work. I arranged the space like a kitchen workstation triangle. Just replace the "kitchen - sink - stove" stations in the triangle with "computer - cutting table - sewing machine" and there you have it. This layout opens up the small space while allowing a nice flow for my daily activities.

I also repurpose whenever possible, which def gives the appearance of a shabby chic flair. That's not my go-to style, however, as long as the room is bright, clean, cozy and cheerful, I am able to look past the decor to get my work done!

~ in doorway, looking left toward cutting table ~

- white valances made from selvedges of organic sateen yardage sold in my etsy shop.
- cracked glass ball rods leftover from J's room as a tot, too.
- antique wooden cheeseboxes on cutting table hold glass honey jars, which hold pens, xactos, hole punches, et al.
- cutting table is worth its weight in gold. 30" deep by 74" long - with collapsible sides, on castors, and a huge storage compartment below. Made my parents' BFFs, one of which is an amazing seamstress and the other an amazing carpenter.

~ view from window beside cutting table - doorway to right ~

- removed closet doors for easier access to fabric storage. I don't cover w/ curtain b/c I prefer to see my babies when I glance over. A good reminder to keep working as well!!
-  flower pots, mod pottery, rolled canvas selvedges, colorful threads and old fabric all mix-n-mingle in a colorful array on shelf above sewing table.
- bulletin board to left of table is a gathering spot for more inspirational items.

~ view from sewing machine ~

- J's flower artwork above shelves. 
- 3 Flourish quote prints from my etsy shop above my desk - blown-up.
    : Why push the envelope when you can shove it the hell through?
    : Make time. Don't kill time.
    : Talent may start it, but attitude will finish it.

- wood window trim holds rulers, yardsticks and hanging scissor canister.
- rigged up sturdy CD holders on clearance at office store and metal shelving to raise monitor 10" (neck and back saver).
- daisy canvas print behind printer hides wacom tablet (also easy to access).
- all 3 bulletin boards at each workstation are from different places, so I painted them to coordinate: white trim, whitewash on cork and white drybrush embellishing motifs.

I highlighted (highlit?) the items you might find most interesting or useful, but please let me know if you see something else you'd like to know more about!

What's the best tip / trick / arrangement you've adopted in your workspace?

drawing the line.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, someone very close to me mentioned yesterday. That same certain someone and I got to talking about what this means to us, how we can address it and how we need to be almost equal parts proactive and reactive surrounding this issue with J. In addition to the random and obscure things bullies see as fodder to further their mean, power-hungry agendas, we got on the topic of things WE do that might create a jumping off point for a bully....and that led to my blog: what I say, how I say it, etc.

The net-net: I will be pulling back on my content as it relates to my family. I've been guarded where this content is concerned anyway, and always tried to relate my personal posts back to creativity in art, craft & cooking, a zest for living life to the fullest and a passion for handmade products ~ things that define me and therefore tie my work / life together. However, this conversation was pivotal for me; I would never forgive myself if something I DID caused emotional or physical pain to my child, and that's the bottom line. I will have to find other ways to share my story with you, at least ways that aren't so sappy and gushy were my kid is concerned. I applaud and respect everyone for their choice regarding this; it's very subjective!

It goes without saying that we, as bloggers, loving parents and the only true advocates for our children, would never, ever want anything we effuse about on our blogs about our children to become ammunition for someone to use against them. And the truth is, we don't know who reads our blogs, possibly parents of classmates, who might feel like something is cute or funny, who might share it with their child, who might post or talk about it in a public forum, which might get into a bully's hands, who then turns that cuteness into a living nightmare for your child. Innocent as it seemed, that one image, nickname or blog post could become a devastating label for your child that defines many years of misery. We just don't know how mean kids can be and how they might twist something around. So that's where I'm at with that.

I suppose I didn't need to announce this in a post when I could just as easily have let my future posts speak for me instead. However, I know that you care about your kids as much as I care about my mine, and this might be something you haven't thought about. We strive like mad to protect our kids' privacy for the sake of a random predator, but that predator may take a different, more everyday form than we think.

there's a licensed sewer in the house.

Guess who?! (Not me ~ I don't even have a permit for what I do!)

"froggie" in hip squares and crystal ball



today | heart-to-heart #44 on scoutie girl is forest green.

 

This is a preview of my 44th heart-to-heart post on Scoutie Girl. Click on over to see who these fabulous makers are and where you can find them. And by all means, take your time perusing all of Scoutie Girl - you will not be disappointed with Tara's posts about mindful spending and creative living as well as the bounty of art and topics covered by her guest posters!

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"What's this 'heart-to-heart' post you speak of, Jan?" Well, I'll tell ya!

Each week, I hop from one etsy shop to another, following the hearted faves of each shop owner as I go. Wherever I leave off one week is where I start the next, which has created a progressive heart trail that is now 44 posts long.

I try to keep the look thematic - kinda seeing what develops as I click through the first 2-3 shops. It can be quite a challenge. Sometimes I get lucky at finding the perfect fit right away - other times, I am very bummed at hitting a dead-end when a shop owner makes their favorites private (esp when they had JUST the right item to feature!). I've learned to check each shop's favorites tab BEFORE getting too excited!

Here is a review of some recent h2h posts. These can all be viewed / read in full at Scoutie Girl. See the themes?

Rec Room quilt is complete!

Introducing the Rec Room quilt in Geo Grand organic fabrics - an original design by Daisy Janie. 38"w x 58"h. A free PDF pattern will be coming soon!

Named for the abundant use of rectangles within the design as well as the abundant lounging that is sure to take place with it once Quilt Market is over. Peanutman has already asked if he could have it when I return from Houston. Good boy!!

Everything is machine-pieced, machine-quilted and machine-finished. Since this was my first quilt ever, I wanted to put my sewing skills to the test. I survived and then some! I only ripped out 120" of seamage to correct an error in matching. I was going to leave the mistake, but it was early days in the process and I knew bigger, less correctable mistakes might happen. Why not fix the one you can?

I learned a lot along the way, thanks in part to great advice from my twitter friends (thank you!) - it's like having a quilt tech support 24/7!

Starting with scraps leftover from cutting swatches, I strip-pieced all 6 fabrics in the Geo Grand collection together, cut them into smaller sections and added chocolate brown sashing. The remainder of the quilt was designed around those foundational pieces. Really loving the earth, grass, sky, water feel to it. Soothing.

Thanks for stopping by to take a look - and thank you to those who left encouraging comments on my two process posts here and here.