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Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Something new in the shop!

 It's finally time to show off something new from Patterns By Jen!  This time it's not a pattern....



Introducing, what I call, "I sipped."



It's the perfect wine or water glass for those moments we all know so well.




Whether it's the first time you've had to rip out seams all day, or the tenth, taking a moment to close your eyes and sip a cold beverage is a great way to bounce back.




This 21 oz glass will serve you well, and while getting a good photograph of a clear glass of water (with or without cucumber slices, sigh) is apparently too hard for this novice, it is perfect for that as well. I don't know about you, but when I make myself drink water it always tastes better in a fancy glass.



It's a great gift for yourself or your best stitching buddy. Find it in the PBJ Etsy shop!


Happy Sipping!

Jen

New to Patterns By Jen?


Find paper and digital patterns in my Etsy shop.

Find fun PBJ merchandise at Teespring


Join the Quilt and Learn with Patterns By Jen Facebook page.


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Sunday, September 27, 2020

Getting to know Bernard

 Don't know who Bernard is? You can meet him in the post Meet Bernard.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains Affiliate Links. When purchases are made through these links I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your purchases help support my small business and keep my husband's head from exploding everytime a new quilting notion arrives in our mailbox. Thank you for that. Find out more about Affiliate Links Here.



Bernard and I have had a lot of sewing time to get to know each other the last month. (I can't believe it's been a month already!) I've learned a few things and I want to share them with you.



The quarter inch foot. What an amazing invention. I loved the one I had for Princess Lily and was happy that there was one included with Bernard. The difference with the feet is that the Baby Lock Brilliant foot has a guide that sticks out in front. This took a bit to get used to, but I think I've got it figured out.

By the way, the accuracy of the foot is ah-mazing!



The first time I experienced an issue was when I was making a square in a square unit. The first two seams sewed up beautifully. The problem began when I went to sew the third and forth seams.


The little bit of extra fabric at the end of the seam gets pushed and bunched up and doesn't feed under the needle well at all. It was frustrating to lift the presser foot and adjust. So, I went to Instagram. MaryMackMadeMine  shared a quick tip that changed how I use Bernard. The knee lift. What?!


I really thought I would only use the knee lift for quilting. I don't know why I had that thought, but it's not something I believed would be used a lot.

Now you're probably thinking, "Jen, you are still lifting up the presser foot." True, but I'm not reaching all the way around to the back to do it. This leaves my hand open to use the next tool to make this experience better.




That Purple Thang. I use this tool for so much. It's great for poking out corners (I've used it on every mask I've made) and, as it turns out, getting fabric to feed through nicely.



The next problem to solve was sewing Flying Geese and Half Square Triangle units. If you have followed the Monthly Color Challenge and watched the videos you know I like to mark one line and sew. The guide is actually very helpful in following the line. The biggest challenge is keeping that corner of fabric on the second square from flipping up.



Last, for the moment anyway, are the pins. Having the guide in front of the actual quarter inch foot means that it reaches the pin before the needle crosses the seam. Enter the knee lift. That thing is going to wear out. Ha!



I sew until I hit the pin, take one more stitch, then lift the presser foot. The pin goes under the guide and I can sew until my needle crosses the seam and I can take the pin out. Easy peasy and we're back in business.



Does you machine have a quarter inch foot with a guide and or a knee lift? Do you use the foot, or have you put it away because of the same issues, or different ones? What about the knee lift? Love it or hide it? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Stitching!

Jen

New to Patterns By Jen?





Find paper, digital patterns, and Studio 180 Design rulers in my Etsy shop.

Find fun PBJ merchandise at Teespring


Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for daily sneak peeks and updates.

Thursday, September 24, 2020

September Monthly Color Challenge Link Up

 It's Link Up Time!



What did you think of this month's block? Have you felt like the geese in the block, pulled in different directions? Did you straighten yours out and make them fly together?







Sponsors July thru September

Quilters Chic - PDF Pattern
For The Love of Geese - PDF Pattern
Carole Lyle Shaw - Pattern and Grunge bundle
Quilters Dream Batting - Dream 80/20 - 60" x 60"
The Fat Quarter Shop - Fabric Bundle








Warm Company - Warm 80/20 - 55" x 60"
Warm Company - 1 yard Insul-Bright
Make Modern Magazine - 6 month subscription
Patterns By Jen - Superior Thread S-Fine 50
Patterns By Jen - Magic Wand




Make sure to visit the new sponsors this month and see what awesomness they offer.




The link up is open through September 30th. If you have a problem linking up, please use the "question mark" button next to the log out button. If you are trying from your phone, try it from a laptop/tablet if you have one.




Good luck and thank you so much for stitching along with me!

Missed the block? Find it HERE!

Happy Stitching!
Jen


New to Patterns By Jen?


Find paper and digital patterns in my Etsy shop.

Find fun PBJ merchandise at Teespring


Join the Quilt and Learn with Patterns By Jen Facebook page.


Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for daily sneak peeks and updates. 


Please make sure to add your first name!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Friday, September 11, 2020

Introducing Scrap Packs in the PBJ Etsy shop!

 I'm excited to have a new addition to my Etsy shop; Scrap Packs!



To know me is to know I don't like to have a lot of fabric hanging around, I like to use what I have. However I am also not a scrappy quilter. I love the look of them, but my brain does not allow me to do anything other than a controlled scrappy.



How does one deal with scraps then? I don't want to recycle them when they are perfectly good pieces of fabric. I decided to offer them to you.


Each Scrap Pack contains 1 pound of fabric scraps. Scraps will vary from small 1" squares to a 1/8 yard cut. Each pack is different, and each pack is already packaged, so even I can't tell what you are getting. It's like a grab bag surprise, but with fabrics!

Get your Scrap Pack HERE.





Scrap Packs ship from my home which is smoke free, but pet friendly.


Happy Scrappy Stitching!

Jen

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

September 2020 Monthly Color Challenge

 🎜🎜School days, school days (insert record scratch sound)🗲🗲 Well, some sort of school days anyway. At least we have a new block to look forward, too. Plus, it's another easy, peasy block!




 Inspired by their gracious flight, unique and sometimes vibrant color, I chose birds to guide us in our challenge this year. To see the full year in preview read the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge Announcement.

This month our bird is a duck, the Cinnamon Teal. Ducks are awesome creatures. I love sitting at the lake and watching the families of ducks swim by, those ducklings are crazy little things. The ruddy color of the Cinnamon Teal is the perfect background for the touch of blue on the underside of it's wings.


https://macaulaylibrary.org/photo/157938171


We can get a few more facts about the Cinnamon Teal at All About Birds. Make sure to head over and listen to it's call. It sounds like an old man snoring to me, I'd love to hear what you think of it.

The Cinnamon Teal's beak is slightly longer and wider than most duck bills.

You can find the Cinnamon Teal in interior western North America.

The female Cinnamon Teal hides her nest so well you can't even see it from above, and gets to it through hidden trails.

Make sure to click on the link about to find out more about this fabulously colored duck and listen to see if you think it's sounds like a snoring man, too. 

Now for September's block. It's another easy block this month, and I think we all deserve it!




The instructions include a How To video, especially for the Color Challenge participants.

This year I am offering instructions for making the background the same throughout with a neutral. You can download the yardage amount and instructions HERE.




September Bloggers

Tammy - Tamarinis

Quarter 3 Sponsors


Have you heard?! We have sponsors for the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge! Meet all of them in THIS POST! 

Prizes will be given quarterly: April 1, July 1, Oct 1 and January 1 2021. To enter you must link up your block at the end of the month. Each month you enter gives you a chance to win. If you miss one month, don't despair, you can still enter the other months for a chance.I would truly appreciate if you would let these amazing sponsors know our appreciation in the comments below and/or on their social media pages.




Sponsors July thru September

Quilters Chic - PDF Pattern
For The Love of Geese - PDF Pattern
Carole Lyle Shaw - Pattern and Grunge bundle
Quilters Dream Batting - Dream 80/20 - 60" x 60"
The Fat Quarter Shop - Fabric Bundle








Warm Company - Warm 80/20 - 55" x 60"
Warm Company - 1 yard Insul-Bright
Make Modern Magazine - 6 month subscription
Patterns By Jen - Superior Thread S-Fine 50
Patterns By Jen - Magic Wand




I would truly appreciate if you would let these amazing sponsors know our appreciation in the comments below and/or on their social media pages.




Now it's time! Follow the Payhip Link to the September block and get stitching!

Thank you so much for sewing along with me and the amazing 2020 Monthly Color Challenge Bloggers!

Happy Stitching!
Jen

New to Patterns By Jen?





Find paper, digital patterns, and Studio 180 Design rulers in my Etsy shop.

Find fun PBJ merchandise at Teespring


Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for daily sneak peeks and updates.