In this time when we all need to come together, and yet stay a part, quilters have begun to stitch up masks in amazing numbers. Donating time and supplies to try and help give a layer of protection to those who need it. Whether you have had the time and means to be a part of the mask making movement, or have supported humanity in any other number of ways, including taking care of yourself and those important to you, this week is for you.
Take a moment each day to visit the
Designers Virtual Quilt Show webpage to be introduced to new designers and vendors and see the class schedule. If you haven't yet, make sure to sign up for the newsletter so you don't miss anything.
Today is the first day and I'm thrilled to be one of four featured designers. If you are new to Patterns By Jen, let me introduce myself. I'm Jen, wife of almost 22 years, mom to four "children" ages 24, 21, 18, and 16, family child care provider for 17 years and quilt pattern designer. We live in SW Minnesota where we just had 2 inches of snow drop on Easter Day, must be spring! Our summers are gorgeous, hot, and mosquito filled, but the lakes make it worth it. Our falls are perfect days of color, crunching leaves and quilting weather, our winters are bone deep, burn your lungs cold with lots of snow, but they are also beautiful and crisp and perfect for quilting.
My quilty passion is beginner quilters. I love to introduce the art of quilting to those just stepping out into this amazing quilt journey. At the top of the blog you can find the
Beginners Unite Tab (or just click on those words), it will take you to a list of how to blog posts on everything from the quilt tools I love to how to hand stitch your binding and add a label.
Almost all of my patterns are beginner friendly, with a few advanced patterns thrown in, though even those are written with the beginner in mind. I want quilters to take my pattern, make it and be able to proudly show off their accomplishment, and the instructions are written to help quilters do that.
Each pattern is tested by multiple testers. These amazing quilters range from the Advanced Beginner to Advanced Quilter and they are not afraid to question my instructions or let me know if I've completely confused them. Ha! They check my math, fabric requirements and make the quilt so that each step is read, followed and verified, so you can feel confident that the quilt will come together as stated.
However, I am human, and even with the corrections I sometime miss something. You can always find known errors on the
Errata page. It's just one more step to make sure I am helping you as much as possible.
Make Modern
While my patterns tend towards the traditional I have wandered over to the modern side a few times. You can find my latest magazine quilt in
Issue 32 of
Make Modern, a virtual quilt magazine out of Australia. (These are affiliate links. I make small amount, at no extra cost to you, if you buy through these links.)
One of my favorite things is the Monthly Color Challenge I run. The
Color Challenge is a BOM that is in it's 3rd year. Each month you get free instructions for a block and at the end of the year free instructions for the setting. There are guest bloggers and sponsors for quarterly giveaways. It's worth checking out. (I'm kind of proud of it.)
I am available for trunk shows as well as classes on a few of my patterns. I enjoy getting hands on with fellow quilters, otherwise my days are only filled chit chatting with two year olds, which can be very eye opening, but sometimes Jen needs adult time.
Classes can be made beginner friendly or more challenging, dependent on the class needs. The trunk show can have over 40 quilts to gawk at, for those that include plane travel, the slide show brings even more.
Sneak Peek
Next week I am releasing my 26th quilt pattern. Braided Chain was tested for the first time almost 2 years ago, but it wasn't what I envisioned. It has now been tested a second time and this version I love! It has instructions for five different sizes and I'm so excited to show it to you. Make sure you come back next week for a look at how the testers made this pattern their own, the quilts are gorgeous!
Don't miss the other designers from Day 1 of the Quilt show.
There are classes all week long, including today's class that features Ebony Love and how to make the Olsen mask using dye cuts and a lunch break with Jen Frost and her favorite quilty tools. Find more
HERE.
Prizes
Did I mention prizes? Make sure you go to
THIS LINK to enter for prizes, you can do this all week long!
Last, but not least, I'm going to add a little plug for my upcoming quilt along that starts THIS WED! The Spinning Bow Ties Quilt Along starts Wednesday, but there is plenty of time to get your pattern and start thinking fabrics. PS this pattern is on sale until Wednesday! Find all of the information
HERE.
Thank you so much for stopping by during the
Designers Virtual Quilt Show. It was a pleasure to introduce myself and my patterns. I hope you enjoyed the time as well. Please make sure to visit the other designers and come back tomorrow for more Quilt Show Fun!
Happy Stitching!
Jen
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