November family party

Because I started this blog as a journal for my own use, I want to document the way my home was decorated for a family party we had at my house over this past weekend, so you may want to ignore this post and move on.  Otherwise, I hope you enjoy some pics of my home, or at least my living room.

 We had a sit-down dinner for 19 people.  This table is at least 80 years old, maybe more.

 My husband inherited it from his grandfather.  It comes in quite handy when you have huge families like we both do.  Eight kids on his side, five girls and three boys, same as on my side:  eight kids, five girls and three boys.  Then add significant others, and you need a lot of room!

 My daughter made this bunting for us to hang.  Isn't it pretty?  It's made out of paper and ribbon.

 She gave me enough for two doorways.  I had to hand them high because we had some six-foot plus people in the house.  I think a good time was had by all.
~ Jodi ~

* I changed the comment moderator on my blog so hopefully you don't have to jump through hoops anymore to comment.  At least, I HOPE I did!  It can be very frustrating to try to figure out the symbols. 

Blue and white stars IS coming along...

You probably don't recognize this quilt, it's been so long since I've shown it, I think.  I made it eons ago (well, over a year anyway) but it does not seem to want to be completed.  I just finished ripping out some FMQg I did on a longarm rental - ONE WHOLE ROW - it's a king-sized quilt!  The woman at the shop said she wouldn't charge me for it.  I'm pretty sure that the shop owner should be responsible for making sure the bobbin tension is correct.  This was my first stint at the longarm machine. Your first 20 hours are considered a learning curve and you pay as a beginner, thereafter you pay a different price because then you're considered experienced.  The woman helping me kept checking the bobbin stitching and saying she was going to tweak it to get it "better."  Well, I finally said to myself, "you better take a look at the back to see for yourself."  Gah!  It was horrible in places!  I never saw such a mess!  You can imagine my dismay.  I went home sick, knowing I could not live with it this way, OR give it to a friend.  What a job ripping it out was but I'm glad I did.  Now one more trip to Mansfield, then I can do the binding and give it to her.

If you have some comment or insight into this experience I had, please feel free to educate me on the niceties of longarm rentals.  But be nice, please!

~ Jodi ~

Another autumn table runner

 This is for a friend who is turning 60 soon.  I did have an issue with the fabric in the top row, second from left.  It's a yellow and white gingham.

When I ironed the seam, it actually started to melt!  Maybe I should have replaced it, but I didn't.  Has anyone had that problem with any fabrics?  I'm not sure where I got it.   

I 

This is just the top.  I haven't backed it yet so stay tuned and I will show the finish soon.

The fabric in the middle bottom row with the large orange dots is actually a light-weight upholstery fabric.  You can't see it in the pic but it has silver lines in it and it's really pretty.  These pictures don't do the fabrics justice at all - very disappointing.  But, alas, some day I will get better at the photography aspect of blogging.

Take care, and God bless.

~ Jodi ~

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AUTUMN TABLE RUNNER

Wow!  The color on this pic is scary in the early morning hours.  My dining room is not this golden, trust me!  I want to show you the table runner closest to the bottom of the photo.  (The other one I posted about last year)

Moving into my sewing room, this is a bit better.  We're going to a dinner party at a friend's so I wanted to bring something.  Whipped up this narrow table runner last night.

I can't remember what the color scheme is in her house so I hope this works.  Is it possible for orange to clash with orange?  If so, the above pic portrays that!  But anything with Kaffe Fassett is okay in my book.  Love that guy's designs!

Cute little owls.

(Don't pay attention to my cornice above)  I made a drawstring bag out of this black, brown, reddish-orange flower fabric and I get tons of compliments on it.

And this is the backing fabric I used - a freebie from a curtain shop near my home.  They were going to throw out about three yards of it out!  A sin, in my book!  So I rescued it and love it.  It has a Moroccan look, I think.  I hope it comes out of the washer and dryer all right.  I have to do that lickety-split when I get home from work this afternoon.  I did simple quilting, just Xs in every block.  And I'm so proud of myself - I didn't even need to draw any lines, and they're 5" blocks.  Nice and straight.  Of course, the machine-sewn binding is a little wonky.  Unfortunately, I should have photographed the better side.  Most of it is very straight and even.  Someone told me once that a quilter should never reveal his or her boo-boos.  Oh, well.  Just keeping it real!  :-)  Have a wonderful weekend!
~ Jodi ~ 

Marimekko score

I visited the Marimekko web site and found that they were having a sale.  I've been curious about their fabric

and have liked a lot of things that Crate & Barrel has carried over the years with the Marimekko label.  This box is the way they came to my door.  The pic below shows two tissue-wrapped yards of fabric.  They wrap the fabric around cardboard forms, so, therefore, no creases, no wrinkles.  Yaaay!

This next picture shows a white fabric with flowers etched in (I'm sure that's not the correct term, though)

                                 Can you see the flowers?

And then this next one, another yard.  I do like this but I wish the colors were a bit more vibrant.

After your first order they give you a code to get free shipping on your next order.

AND there's a Marimekko store coming to Boston! Sounds like a field trip to me!

Anyone care to join me?

~ Jodi ~ 

Close ups of Sampler blocks

Debby and Linda, you are both geniuses advising me to use white sashing - thank you!  I LOVE it!  

There's only supposed to be cornerstones, but I goofed up cutting the white strips, so Mishka of Quilting Gallery gave me the idea and help with the little extra gray pieces to make up for my error.  I like that, too.

Gene, thanks for your encouragement in this quilt-along!  I can't believe you made TWO and they're both almost done!  Can't wait to see them completed!  I don't want mine to be a UFO for too long, so I think I'll set myself a goal of getting it completed by the end of November.
xo  ~ Jodi ~

Please vote for me...

maybe I will win some nice quilting gadget.  My quilt top is called "Jodi's Sampler."  You may vote for UP TO four quilts.  Here's the link:
http://quiltinggallery.com/2012/10/02/voting-time-beginners-quilt-along-quilts/
And here's my top that you can check out:

This was a fun quilt-along.  I learned a lot of new things, and ended up with something pretty!

My placement is off a bit, though.  I DID have that top right block in the middle because it's the brightest, but somehow it got moved and I didn't even notice till too late.  And I forgot all about putting borders on.  Maybe later.

So if you have the time and inclination, please check out all the pretty flimsies. 

And have a wonderful day!

~ Jodi ~