Harry Potter Project of Doom

Are you a Harry Potter fan, do you know someone that is (I'm sure you do)?  Well Jennifer (AKA ofenjen) is doing a block of the week mystery quilt with paper piecing geared toward Harry Potter.  The Harry Potter Project of Doom started today and you have time to join in.  Jennifer is a major Harry Potter fan and through her I have learned more and more why my daughter loves Harry Potter.  My daughter hates that the books are over, however she has discovered Twilight, but as she says "there is nothing like Harry Potter".

Also, take a moment to check Jennifer out at her blog as well as on YouTube (she is the paper piecing queen).  She does so much for the Linus Connection and she teaches classes at Honey Bee Quilt Store.  When you check out her videos on YouTube you will be amazed at all she creates (she amazes me at the things she comes up with).  Not only are your quilts, crotchet projects, and revamping clothing awesome, but the costumes that she creates for her kids.  WOW, just WOW.

Also, she is a person you can talk to, just a regular person, I like that about her.

Quilt Projects In Process

Back in July, 2009, I took my first paper piece class from Jennifer Ofenstein where I learned to make a pineapple block.  I have been taking more of her classes and I currently have 2 of her paper piecing projects on my To-Do List.  She makes up her own patterns and she is currently doing a somewhat monthly project.  If you can't take her class at Honey Bee Quilt Store, then drop into Honey Bee (you may also run into Jen while you are there as she is their website guru) to see if her pattern is still there (as limited paper versions are made) or check out her site or her blog to purchase her patterns.  Believe me you will not be disappointed.  What I love about Jen is that she is always available to help if you don't understand something about her patterns and she is just an overall fun person to talk with.  She also has a class at Honey Bee Quilt Store where you can bring in any paper piece project and work on it (shhhh you will want to work on hers I am sure).

Intermediate Paper Piecing + Curves, 04/24/10

Book: Paper Piecing with Alex Anderson
New York Beauty Block

Floating Mariner, 09/25/10

In addition to the projects above, I also have this one that I came across and thought you have to give it a try.  I purchased and started on this project maybe at the end of 2009 or the beginning of 2010 and put it to the side. While I was organizing (or should say re-organizing then organizing again as I have to do frequently to find all of my TO-DO projects and put them in containers so they could be found easily) I found this one in the back of my fabric closet. This has been my first project with Batiks. The reason I put it down before is that you could not really use pins as the holes stay and when you sew incorrectly and have to "un-sew" those pin marks stay and is not real attractive.  Since I was new to quilting, I relied on pins heavily, but now I can sew some pieces without using pins.  I started work again on this project last weekend and I am more than halfway done piecing the blocks.  I hope I can finish piecing the top this weekend.  I have to figure out what baking I will use.  Also, I will have to research how you quilt with batiks  I don't think I will use batik fabric as all of the baking (too expensive, plus don't like that feel against my skin).  Click on the link below for the pattern.  I will surely make this quilt again using regular fabric.  I like it and it is fairly quick pattern.

Treasure Box Quilt

All of these quilts are so different and that is what I love about them. They encompass various styles and techniques.

Paper Piecing

I created my first paper piece item. I am so proud of myself (so that I have waited this long to post :). I took a class at Honey Bee Quilt Store in Austin and the teacher Jennifer Ofenstein/blog is truly amazing (you should see her Harry Potter piecing). She broke down the process so that I could understand and she was always checking on us to make sure we were not lost. I learned so much in just the one class, see first project made below:





I created these right after the class and I am really getting the hang of it.











Paper piecing is really not as scary as I thought and I will continue to add elements of it in my sewing/quilting. Thanks Jennifer & Honey Bee.