Give Away Winner!!!

Good Morning!
     We have a winner of last Friday's blog post for the Splendid Sampler! It's sort of been like a whirlwind of days leading up to that and following it. The day after the Splendid Sampler block reveal, was the Crazy Seasons Mystery Quilt block 5 reveal! So if you can imagine...I had a mess to clean up today. On Wednesdays I have a group of friends who come and sew with me. They mostly all started out as customers of the Woolen Willow and quickly grew into wonderful friends. I'm writing this post as I wait for them to arrive.

I had to clean up the mess from kit making....here is my sofa covered with boxes of kits for future orders, and the quilts from the Summer and Fall 2019 issues of Primitive Quilts and projects! My design wall has the Splendid Sampler II blocks I have done so far, and the Crazy Seasons Mystery Quilt block #5! I'm very far behind on my Splendid Sampler blocks, so I think that is what I'll work on today!

The winner of the prize, which is my book "Primitive Style" and a one year subscription goes to..............................RenaC!!!!  Rena, I need you to email me at woolenwillowdesigns@gmail.com and give me your contact info so I can get your prizes to you! Congratulations!

Thank you so much, everyone for all the nice comments on the recent blog posts and on my facebook page posts! You were all included in the chance for the prize.....maybe next time!

Have a wonderful day to you all, and I'm hoping to do some video tutorials soon, when I can get my nerve up! Ha ha!
Jeni

Crazy Seasons Mystery Quilt block 5!

Good morning!
It's time again for a new block on this fun adventure! I am loving seeing everyone's beautiful work on the Facebook group for this project! If you don't know about it.....go check it out! Twice a month, a designer releases a beautiful Free Crazy block for you to download and make, or you may order a nice kit from each designer, so you don't have to work so hard choosing fabrics and making decisions! At the end of this fun project there will be a finishing kit as well, from Rhonda McCray of Farmhouse Threads, who organized this wonderful idea! Thank you Rhonda!

Okay.....the moment you have been waiting for...here is my block!

You will find the free downloadable pattern on my website, as well as the kit, should you chose to purchase one. You may also order the printed pattern, if you don't want to bother with the downloading and printing! Here is the link to my website....there is a button to click at the top of the home page. https://woolenwillowdesigns.com/

A couple things I found very helpful in making my block...

I hate to trace templates for Crazy quilts...what if I don't do it exact?  I found these wonderful printer friendly freezer paper sheets that you can just copy the templates to with your printer!
https://woolenwillowdesigns.com/collections/supplies
It saved a ton of time, and there are 50 sheets in the pack, so you can use them for the next blocks as well.  Once I copied the patch templates onto the freezer paper sheets in my printer, I cut them out on the drawn lines, pressed each one onto the corresponding fabric, and cut out using my rotary cutter and ruler, leaving a 1/4" seam allowance past the edge of the ruler. I didn't include the seam allowance, because I know some of you may be doing another method where you will need a larger seam allowance, so you can decide! I chose to sew my blocks together by machine. Here is a picture of my fabrics cut with the freezer paper still on them...the nice thing with the package of copier freezer papers, is that the numbers of each patch will automatically be there, and the placement diagrams of the applique as well! In my picture, you won't see that, because I didn't have the  pattern written yet when I did my block.

All the instructions are in the pattern, but I wanted to just show you a few things. After your patch pieces are sewn together, I found it really helpful to stitch around the edge of the block as Shawn from Rusty crow did. Then I fused the whole block onto Shape Flex fusible interfacing. This really helped the block to not stretch or fray, and it was so light and easy to stitch through!  

You will either do your crazy stitches next, or you will do your wool applique. That is all up to you. I did my wool applique first, but it may have been easier to handle the fabric for the crazy stitching, had I waited on the applique. I have some photos for you showing how I did the flag. I cut the red wool the whole size of the flag, and then appliqued the white strips and blue star field on top.

Here is how I did the stitching. I love using a chalk wheel to mark stitching lines on my wool. If needed I use a small ruler. Its just a nice guideline and I really believe that things don't have to be absolutely perfect to be beautiful!

Next I added colonial knots in the spaces.

Here are a few more photos showing how I made lines and did simple stitching....

On the sunflower, I drew the lines, made running stitches on the lines for texture, and then filled in the spaces with colonial or french knots.

I did the same thing for the Bee Skep...drew lines with the chalk wheel, followed on the lines with a running stitch. 

This is a cool variation of the feather stitch. By now, you have all made feather stitches on the previous blocks. For this stitch, you follow the seam line, and instead of going back and forth with each "arm" of the feather, you stay on each side for three stitches. Then I added a french or colonial knot at the tip of each one. here is an example with contrasting colors for you to see.

The regular stitch is on the left, and the variation on the right. I drew a seam line to follow with pencil, just so you could see. 

Just a few more pictures for you of the stitches close up that I used. They are all simple ones, as I'm not a proficient crazy stitcher! Well, I might be crazy...but I'm not proficient! Ha ha!  This one is just a simple cross stitch with a french or colonial knot inside each space.

This photo is just to show you the detail on the spool. I used the chalk wheel and free handed some zig zags, then stitched over with a back stitch.

In this photo I just wanted to show you the simple feather stitch with a french or colonial knot at the end of each stitch, and the star stitch. These are just long straight stitches caught up in the middle with a tack stitch! Very easy!

I hope you enjoy making this block and all the blocks! Keep posting them on the Facebook Group "Crazy Seasons Mystery Quilt." Below you will find the list of all the designers participating and the date when the blocks are all released on their websites! 

Happy Crazy Stitching!

Jeni

Splendid Sampler II, it's my turn!

Good morning!

It's time to share my block, Little Willow, on page 112 in the Splendid Sampler II.  For those of you new to my blog, I'm Jenifer Gaston, owner of Woolen Willow Designs, and Owner/Partner of Primitive Quilts and Projects Magazine. I've been quilting for 25 years and sewing since I was a little girl. 

The designers were to say what their happy place was, and that was hard to answer. I'm most happy with my Granddaughter and family! But I really do love being in my sewing room playing with my cotton and wool! When I was a little girl, I used to count willow trees, which I love, on car rides to see family that lived far away, and my parents planted one for me when I was 12. I tend to put a lot of them in my designs, and the name of my former quilt shop with my sister Gretchen was The Woolen Willow. Here is my block!

This block was adapted from a larger quilt I designed for our magazine back in 2011, with a 12" block. So to shrink it down, I needed to use paper piecing. I don't do much paper piecing, so I was happily surprised at how it turned out. The trick to making it work is to get that 1/4" seam perfect when you make the strip sets, and when you piece the sections together.  The block on the right was my trial block before I made the one for the book. the one on the left will go in my Splendid Sampler II quilt! I have several blocks made, and hope to get time to get more done in the weeks to come! 

Here are the blocks I have made so far!

This is such a fun project to be a part of, and I'm so thankful to have been asked to join the designer team, thanks Pat and Jane!  To celebrate, I would like to offer a giveaway prize of my book with Martingale, Primitive Style, and a one year subscription to Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine! Just comment once below, or on my Facebook posts about the Splendid Sampler, or you can follow me and comment on my Instagram post @Jenifer Gaston.  Be sure to check back, as there is a great Mystery Quilt post coming up tomorrow, and you just might see a sneak peak of it at the bottom of that last photo! Check out www.splendidsampler.com for more information on prizes and other blocks being released and join in the fun on the Facebook group as well! 

Have a Splendid day!

Jeni

www.woolenwillowdesigns.com, 

Week 7, Farmhouse Threads and Friends Garden Mystery Quilt!"

Happy Friday! I can't believe it's been almost a year since I posted on my blog. Gee wiz! Here is your free Pattern, and the link to my website, if you would like a kit!!!! The blocks sure have been pretty so far! Next Friday, you'll go to www.woodenspooldesigns.com!

 

 

http://www.woolenwillowdesigns.com/GardenMysteryQuiltblock7JG.pdf

http://www.woolenwillowdesigns.com/catalog.php?category=8

Have fun, and post your finished blocks on Facebook!

Jeni

 

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Block 6, Farmhouse Threads and Friends, Summer blog hop!

Good morning stitching friends!

Today is my turn on the hop, thanks to Joyce Weeks, and Rhonda, for switching dates with me. I also want to thank all of you who sent up prayers of comfort for my family.

 

I was really happy to hear that this would be a patriotic themed quilt hop, because my Husband and I are both Navy Veterans!

Look how young! That was about 34 years ago!

Okay, on to what you have been patiently waiting for! Here is your block #6! I love flowers, and flags......

Click here for your downloadable pattern...http://www.woolenwillowdesigns.com/FTFblock6.pdf

And here is the link for a kit, if you would like one! http://www.woolenwillowdesigns.com/catalog.php?category=8

Don't forget to place your applique pieces on point! Here are your materials

2"x2" gold wool for star on vase

2 1/4" x 5 1/2" green wool for leaves

1/2" x 5" brown wool for flag pole

3 1/2" x 4 1/2" pumpkin wool for flowers

1 1/2" x 2" blue wool for flower centers

1 1/4" x 1 1/2" dark blue for star field

3" x 7" brown wool for vase

2 1/2" x 3 1/2" red wool for stripes

3 1/2" x 3 1/2" white wool for flag base and white star

3" x 5" green wool cut on bias for stems

 

Don't forget to reverse the pattern if you plan to fuse. You only need to cut red strips, and lay them on top of the white flag base.

When cutting the green stems....if you cut the whole piece on the bias, you can just cut strait stems, and then curve them as much as you need to, and pin in place. You can also still use a fusible web on this piece.....after you fuse, just cut the strips, peel off the paper and it will still curve to press in place!

Make sure to cut the stems long enough to tuck under the flowers and vase....for the leaves, I just butted them up close to the stems.

If you use a fusible, or want to try one...I love the "soft fuse" and do have some on my website! The next block will be at http://www.hearttohand.com with Kathi Cambell, next Friday!

 

Happy stitching, and Happy Easter,

Jeni

 

 

 

 

 

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Summer blog hop switch

Good morning stitching friends,

Due to a death in my family, my blog hop date has been switched with Joyce Weeks original date. If you go to Farmhouse threads blog, you can click on the link for Joyce's blog. I do have my block made....but it will be a week or so before I'm ready to make kits. Sorry for the inconvenience, and I'll see you all soon. Have fun blog hopping!

Jeni

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So much to share! A give away, a sew-a-long, and of course, a sweet picture!

Hello stitching friends! I have a few things to share with you today! Many of you have asked for a sew-a-long, so I'm starting a new one! It's not too large, and I'll try to post a block each week if I can! Here is the first block....

You can click here for the template....

http://www.woolenwillowdesigns.com/LittleWoolSamplerQuiltJG.pdf

And click here if you would like to order a kit of the background fabric and wool!.... http://www.woolenwillowdesigns.com/catalog.php?item=59

Also, I have created a Facebook group called "Primitive Stitchin' with Jeni Gaston" where all the templates will be as well! There will be several free patterns there, and you can share photos! I'm a little challenged with links and things, so the Facebook group will make it easy for me to share, without asking for help, as I usually do! Haha!

On the Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine newsletter that goes out tomorrow, there will be a give away! It's for the Martingales calendar with my table runner pattern inside! Go to www.primitivequiltsandprojects.com, and sign up for the newsletter and take the survey!

Here is the calendar....

 

Last, but most certainly not the least........sweet Henley is growing so fast! She started walking a week or so ago! Here she is yesterday wearing a sweet dress from our friend Kay Harmon! She was getting a book read to her!

Whew!

Please share your pictures of progress on the sew along on the Facebook page! Just ask to be added in!

Thank you and have a great evening!

Jeni

 

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Harvest Mystery Blog Hop!

Good morning friends!

Today is my turn for the..........

Farmhouse Threads and Friends

Harvest Mystery Quilt

Blog Hop!

Our Christmas Mystery Quilt Blog Hop was so popular last year - we are doing it again!! For 12 weeks, beginning June 17th we will share with you free patterns from some of our favorite designers to complete a Harvest Mystery Quilt just in time for the season. Each week, one designer will post the pattern to make a Harvest block using wool appliqué on cotton fabric. The patterns are free for you to download and print, and kits will be for sale by the designers. Week 12 will include the instructions to put all of these blocks together with some fun borders to complete your quilt. Finishing kits will be available from Farmhouse Threads. Make sure you sign up for each designer’s blog/website to receive the free patterns. Please share our blog hop with your friends and have them follow along!

Week 1, June 17 - Rhonda McCray, Farmhouse Threads

http://farmhousethreads.blogspot.com

Week 2, June 24 - Jeni Gaston, Woolen Willow Designs

http://jenifromthewillow.blogspot.com

Week 3, July 1- Lisa Bongean, Primitive Gatherings

http://lisabongean.com

Week 4, July 8 - Joan Grenke, Bits and Pieces by Joan

http://bitsandpiecesbyjoan.com

Week 5, July 15 - Joyce Weeks, Geoff’s Mom Pattern Co.

http://geoffsmom.blogspot.com

Week 6, July 22 - Kathi and Taylor, The Cottage at Cardiff Farms

http://thecottageatcardifffarms.com/blog

Week 7 July 29 - Kathy Campbell, Heart to Hand

https://www.hearttohand.com

Week 8, August 5 – Shawn York, Rusty Crow Quilt Shop

http://shawn-rustycrow.blogspot.com

Week 9, August 12 - Debbie Busby, Wooden Spool Designs

http://woodenspooldesigns.blogspot.com

Week 10, August 19 - Gloria and Vicki, Olde Green Cupboard Designs

http://oldegreencupboard.blogspot.com

Week 11, August 26 - Linda and Donna, My Red Door Designs

http://myreddoordesignsblog.blogspot.com

Week 12, September 2 – Finishing Instructions from Farmhouse Threads

http://farmhousethreads.blogspot.com

I have made a cute pumpkin block! You can't have too many pumpkins can you? I know I love decorating my home with a lot of them come Fall! I think Fall themed projects might be one of my favorites to stitch! Here is my block......

Click here for the pattern templates...

http://www.woolenwillowdesigns.com/mysteryharvestblock2.pdf

Click here if you would like to purchase a kit! (I'll use the same fabrics, or a good substitute in kits!)

http://www.woolenwillowdesigns.com/catalog.php?item=58

To make the block you will need...

13"x13" olive green print for background

8" x 10 1/2" textured light tan wool for large pumpkin, moon and star

5 1/2" x 6" hand dyed pumpkin wool for medium pumpkin

4 1/2" x 5 1/4" red stripe or plaid wool for small pumpkin

3 1/2" x 4 1/2" medium brown plaid wool for the medium and large pumpkin

1 1/2" x 3 1/2" dark brown plaid for small pumpkin stem

Use your favorite method to prepare the wool pieces for applique, but don't forget to reverse the shapes if you plan to use a fusible web! I drew some dotted lines to help you with the placement of the shapes on the block! I like to use a whip stitch to applique, and I also used some wool threads to make curved detail lines on the pumpkins with a stem stitch!

Enjoy the hop, and visit Lisa Bongean next week! Check out all our Facebook pages as well, because some of the designers are posting their blocks there!

Happy stitching!

Jeni

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The winner of #Mystashmystyle!

 

The winner of #mystashmystyle contest is...................

Laura of slicofpielife!!!!! Congratulations Laura! You will recieve some great gifts... A 1 year subscription to Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine, a beautiful curated bundle of fabric from Tonya Alexander, author of "Stash Lab," a bundle of beautiful hand-dyed wools from me, and a $50 gift card from Publisher Martingale, to spend at their website! Yay!!

Thank you to the contestants, and to all the people who "liked" and followed along! We also had many really nice comments! Thank you sooooo much!

Laura, please email me with your contact information so we can get your prizes to you! Here is a picture of Laura's great project!

 

 

Now that we have our winner, don't be shy! If you make a project from either of our books, and make it "your way" please share it with us! You can follow us both on Instagram!

Have a great week everyone!

Jeni

 

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#mystashymystyle challenge is extended!

Hello! Good news! We have decided to give you a little more time to finish your #mystashmystyle projects! You have until Tuesday May 31! So get busy, and share them with us! I have one of the entry's posted below for you!!

 

 

This gal posted on Instagram.....so make sure and check out her post at #mystashmystyle! Thank you "sliceofpilife"

If you would like to get a refresher on the rules....look here...

http://jenifromthewillow.blogspot.com/2016/03/my-stash-my-style-contest-and-giveaway.html

When I was deciding on what to make from Tonya Alexander's book "Stash Lab" I wanted it to be something that I felt I could make my own, and that would go with the decor in my house. I chose her Dresden quilt project, because I thought It would be fun to do , and it had applique, which I love!

 

I had so much fun picking fabrics from my scrap bins and shelves, and decided on just doing three blocks. Sorting through my wool shelves, I found a lot of different colors and textures to make my leaves, and the vines are from an old army blanket. For the centers of the dresdens, I decided to do penny circles! After all the handwork, I felt a little hand quilting was in order as well!

You will want to go look at Tonya's blog, http://eyecandyquilts.blogspot.com/ to see what she made, just in case you missed it! I'm planning on doing another of the projects from "Stash Lab" myself, so keep watching, and don't forget to use the #mystashmystyle when you post your project! If you don't do Instagram, just email your picture to me at woolenwillowdesigns@gmail.com!

I finally had some time to lay out the "Churning Stars" blocks from my book...in hopes to get them all sewn together this weekend...no luck with that, but my sewing machine is still calling! Here it is up on the design wall...

If you missed my post about "primitive is not a color" click here!

http://jenifromthewillow.blogspot.com/2016_02_01_archive.html

And here is the runner from my book, made by one of my Wednesday stitching friends!

I love the fabrics she chose!

Today was my day to watch little Henley! Growing too fast, and on the move all day! Grammie is pooped, so have a good night and get those #mystashmystyle projects done and share them! We are very excited to give you a little more time, and see what you have made!

Good night!

Jeni

 

 

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Take along projects

Here I sit in the waiting room.......why didn't I get my take along project to bring with me? I brought my I-pad, so I could check and answer emails. I brought my planner and spreadsheet for upcoming issue designers. I brought my "things to do" notebook, my "bamboo Spark" in case I wanted to play with new designs. What am I doing? Wishing I had some hand sewing along! There is a lady in the corner of the waiting room knitting away on what looks to be a wonderful sweater! I'm getting jealous!

This sweet grand baby Henley is getting a tiny tube put in her tear duct today, so it will quit getting clogged and infected. Grammie is sitting in the waiting room.

I usually have some hexagons to sew, or some applique to work on, but for some odd reason, it never crossed my mind to bring something. What do you have for your take along project?

Share your take along project in the comments!

Have a wonderful day of stitching,

Jeni

 

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What does your stash look like?

Good morning stitching friends!

Last week my Sisters and I went to Quilt Festival in Chicago! We had a great time, met a lot of wonderful quilters, and worked out booth. Gretchen and I gave demonstrations on Rug Hooking, and Punch needle embroidery! It was a lot of fun, and I especially love roaming the isles, looking at all the beautiful quilts! I found some really pretty fabrics and patterns that are completely out of my comfort zone! But you know, now that I have little Henley in my life, all of the sudden, I'm wanting to make things she will love! Haha! This leads me to the title of my blog......What does your stash look like? Mine looks like this......

This isn't all of it, but as you can see, there isn't much contrast and there aren't bright and colorful fabrics! So you see, I really need to feed my fabric stash! One of these days I'll finish organizing my fabric and get it all folded nicely. My wonderful hubby built me a wonderful sewing room above our garage a year ago, and at first I was hog wild on re-folding my fabric.....then I just wanted to sew!

This is a little fun rolling cart I found to hold most of my scraps that I have organized by light and dark. I also trimmed them all to about 2 1/2" strips. When I want to just play and creat something, I pull it close to my machine and go! The shelves behind, hold fat quarters, and larger, that are too small to fold onto the comic boards for the larger shelves. Nice and handy!

Today, while my stitching group is with me, I plan on working on another idea for the #mystashmystyle contest! What will you be working on! Remember to follow on Instagram! And don't forget to check out what Tonya Alexander has made!

http://eyecandyquilts.blogspot.com/

Hurry and get those projects made and share them with us on Facebook or Instagram! If you don't do social media, email them to me at woolenwillowdesigns@gmail.com, and I will post them for you! Just one project will enter you in the contest!

 

If you need a refresher on the details of the contest, go here......

http://jenifromthewillow.blogspot.com/2016/03/my-stash-my-style-contest-and-giveaway.html

Have a wonderful day!!!

Jeni

 

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What are you making? #mystashmystyle Contest!

I'm so excited to see what you might be making! We had winners drawn last Wednesday on Tonya Alexander's blog, and on mine. The gal whose name I drew, hasn't responded yet to me though....you can check out all the details for the contest again for a refresher, if you haven't started yet on the post last Monday!

 

Tonya will be showing you what she has been working on over at her blog, http://eyecandyquilts.blogspot.com/

Here is her book...

Okay! Let's let the fun begin.....be sure to follow on Instagram, and share your photos at #mystashmystyle!

Here is what I have been working on from Tonya's book Stash Lab...

I decided to just make three blocks, and turn it into a table runner. I used wool for the border applique and the centers of the Dresden blocks.

It is so fun to see how different a project can look by just changing the colors!

 

After years of owning a quilt shop, I never had much time to hand quilt, even though I love to. Tonya inspired me to hand quilt this, because her quilt looked so wonderful hand quilted.

What projects from our books will you be making? We can't wait to see!

Here is my book...

If you didn't win the e-book, and would love to get started on one or more of the projects, go to http://www.shopmartingale.com/stash-lab.html

Or..... http://www.shopmartingale.com/primitive-style.html

Happy quilting, and watch for Tonya's post!

Jeni

 

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