Kris & Jae's Quilting All Nighter

More like an ALL DAY-ER, instead of all nighter.  And I am pretty sure I spelled extravaganza wrong on my white board too.  Oh well.  Jae arrived early in the day, sewing machine in hand, smile on her face, ready to turn her jelly roll into a quilt top.

For those of you who may not know what a jelly roll is, it is a package of pre cut fabric strips from a line of fabric.  This way, you get a small bit of every single fabric in the line.  It can be very expensive to purchase a whole line, and it is fun to purchase the pre cuts so you can sample each print.  Here is Jae's jelly roll, which is the one I got her a couple of weeks ago for her birthday for just this occasion.

Here is the jelly roll I used.

So with our readers at the ready, we began.  First cutting off all of the selvaged edges, then using a mitered seam, sewing each piece randomly together.  This gives you one VERY long piece.   We discovered that using a sort of fireman fold technique, we could manage the huge length of fabric easier, as we prepared the next step, which was repeated 5 times.  Taking each of the two ends of the long pieces right sides together, folding in half essentially, and sew another 1/4 inch seam down entire length, cut apart at the fold, finish seam, and repeat process, 5 times total to give you the finished quilt top.  And away we go!

We had our snacks, and drinks, and music going.  We were in heaven.

This is really such a fun technique for making up a scrappy quilt top.  A brand new sewer could do this with ease.  It is straight seams.  Easy-Peasy!

It does almost take two people to wrangle with the yards and yards of length of this quilt while making it.  Jae and I got pretty good at tag teaming it, and we whipped through pretty quick.  We broke about noon for lunch, leaving our piles on the floor.

We have a wonderful new place in town called Mediterranean Kitchen.  Jae treated me to lunch there since I hosted our sewathon.  We had chicken schwarma...and babaganoush!!  I know I slaughtered the spelling of that.  Sorry.  Back home to sew!

We didn't quite finish our quilt tops.  I am holding the one I already finished a couple weeks ago, and we both have our piles of strips in our hands.  Jae had to go to her daughter in law's birthday party, so we broke for the night.  We had a perfect day of sewing!!!

No we had not been drinking!  We were just happy to be spending the day together sewing!  Jae is teeny tiny, so I always feel like amazon woman in pictures with her!!!
Shortly after Jae left, my daughter Gennifer arrived, a bottle of wine in hand, tray of cheese and crackers, and even a No Pudge brownie for each of us.  She was needing some Mommy escape time.

So I put on my suit and fluffy spa robe, and since the spa wasn't quite to temp yet, we cozied up on the sofa with a bottle of red, some cheese and crackers, and  a no pudge brownie....and we talked, and laughed....and laughed!!!   Just me, Genny and Mr. Newman.

We sat in the spa a long time, and when we got out, I was ready for BED!!!!!   Gennifer left, and I went in to lay heady down, and was out in no time.
This morning I got up and finished my quilt top.

I love these soft browns and blues, and creams together!  On this one, I wound up doing something I did not do on the previous quilt top.  I had  YOU TUBED the jelly roll quilts, and read that after sewing your strips into one VERY long strip, to cut off 18 inches from one end of strip.   Then proceed with rest of pattern. This is supposed to randomize your miter breaks in the quilt top. In comparison to my first one, I do think that the cutting off one end, makes it more pleasing to the eye.  Jae hasn't finished hers yet, but she will tomorrow, and I will take a picture of it when she comes to show me.
After finishing the quilt top, I met Jae down at the movies to see Soul Surfer.  We both LOVED this movie.  What a feel good, inspirational story.  And a great way to spend a couple of hours.  Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt are great as the parents of the young surfer who loses her arm to a shark attack.  The movie is shot in Kauai and the footage is beautiful. Sure made us both want to go back to Hawaii!    I really recommend seeing this movie!
Mr.G got home this afternoon too.

And so did his dirty laundry!

He had a good time with the guys.  Although they had some pretty bad weather.   Wind and rain.  However, never at the same time, he said!  Yuck!!!
I did some more planting in my garden this afternoon.  Come on back with me.

I found a toss pillow for my yellow wicker settee.  It was at Bed, Bath & Beyond.  I just got one to make sure I liked it.  And I do, so I think I will get another one.  They are in the outdoor sunbrella fabric, so it should withstand the elements.

I planted some carrots, radishes, and butter bib lettuce today.  Hoping that the frost is behind us now.

Next weekend we will build two more boxes and plant the rest.

Til next time.......