janae king designs

Grumpy Face...Zipper Pouch

2012-02-24T07:01:00.001-08:00

do you ever have days when you wake up and feel like this...

i know i do...

i was snapping pictures in my studio and saw this little guy that i recently bought at a fabric shop and thought he needed his photo taken cause he looked like he was having a 'grumpy' day...taking his photo did not cheer him up...but, it cheered me up and that's what's important, right? :)

happy friday!

Pin Cushions (lots of them)

2012-02-23T07:48:00.005-08:00

in my 'messy' studio...i have been creating and having fun.

here is a peak at one of the things i've been working on.

ring pin cushions

these little cuties are adjustable to fit any finger.

and, of course, they wouldn't be complete without some bling..

here is the pin cushion tree

have a great day!

Messy Studio

2012-02-22T10:52:00.001-08:00

i will not beat around the bush...

my studio is a mess!

i'm under a deadline and this is what happens when 'work' is in progress and needs to get done

in a perfect world, my studio would be neat and tidy...

but today it is not...

at least my sewing machine is not covered with stuff...that would be a problem

enjoy your day!

"LOVE" Small Quilt PATTERN

2012-02-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

The last two weeks I have been spending every moment creating new patterns and I am really enjoying the process. Although I feel I've barely come up for a breath. Today I feel good about my progress because I have two new patterns in the quilt store in town...and soon they will go out to more stores.

This is my "LOVE" small quilt...it's finished size is 25" x 31" and has a prairie point border. The heart is made with a bias strip, and the letters are adhered with fusible web. The heart and letters are blanket stitched or zig-zagged.

Please click on picture to the right of the screen for more information.

Sewing Machine Apron PATTERN

2012-02-08T20:00:00.000-08:00

i'm so excited to be introducing to you my newest sewing pattern

it is a sewing machine apron and pin cushion

please email me if you would like to order a pattern or it will be in
my Etsy shop by Friday and you can order thru paypal

3 Times the Charm

2012-02-03T09:23:00.001-08:00

Okay...i admit, working in a fabric store is very dangerous for me. Every time a new book or fabric comes in I'm like a kid in a candy store. And we just got a new book "3 Times the Charm"! I love this book and would LOVE to make every little quilt in there.

The patterns are very easy and most are made with one little charm pack and some background fabric.

I love charm packs, but I am never quite sure how to use them...now I know.

charm pack

to order book online go to quiltedforest.com

Sunshine and Quilts

2012-02-01T13:50:00.000-08:00

today i felt inspired to take photos of the sun coming in the window at my house...sun coming in the window is rare here in Oregon especially this time of the year...it just so happened that my quilts happen to be in the photots as well - so fun!

this quilt is a Snowman Rag Edge Quilt (pattern by Karla Alexander)

do you see my kitty enjoying the sun?

here's my small collection of Jim Shore figurines

and a circle wall hanging...my design.

i love this snowman...he's just hangin out on the pie cabinet (made by my father-in-law)

this quilt hangs in the kitchen - it's quilted with hearts...appropriate for February

the quilt on the chair is a 9 patch/hourglass and the pillow is a photo transfer...my design

Karla Alexander's Curved Ruler Quilt

2012-01-24T19:49:00.000-08:00

Karla Alexander is one of my favorite quilt artists. I have gotten to know her thru Greenbaum's Quilted Forest. She does fabulous patterns and she has some wonderful rulers to go with her patterns. One of her patterns is called Inferno ...I've been waiting for just the right time to start this lovely quilt and last weekend was it. I went to a 3 day quilt retreat on the Oregon Coast...oh, what fun it was. I stayed up till the wee hours of the morning sewing and having great conversation with my friends.

I started the quilt...but I have to say that I ended up doing my own version of Karla's...I am not even close to being done with the blocks, but I couldn't wait to show you what I have been creating.

Karla's pattern is pretty easy: stack up 4 fabrics sized 9" x 13"

Isn't this Peacock Fabric just Beautiful! We just got the collection in our shop two weeks ago and it's just about gone.

Using Karla's really cool ruler that has HER name on it (lucky girl)...

Lay Karla's Ruler on top of the stack:

Do you see in the picture there are curved lines on the ruler? Those lines are split so that you can put your rotary cutter down thru the slits to cut the layers of fabric. I only cut 4 fabrics at a time, but stacked a total of 12.

After the strips are cut, I do a shuffle with the fabrics. I start with stack number 2 and take 1 fabric off the top and place it on the bottom of the stack. Then I go to stack number 3 and take 2 fabrics and place those at the bottom of the stack and so on. Now when I sew them together I will have a different block every time.

Now...let me be clear at this point! I don't have a picture of the strips sewn back together and I apologize. Maybe I will surprise you in the next week and sew one so you can see what it looks like.

After I sewed the strips back together I had a square. I then cut the sq. with my rotary cutter and sliced it diagonally. Then I sewed a skinny little strip of the green into the block. Then I took a 8" Triangle and cut 7 1/2" triangles from the square.

I've started to sew some of the triangles together to get a better idea of what it will look like as a quilt.

I am loving the look...it feels like ART in progress.

I highly recommend you check out Karla's quilt and website...she's so talented!

Quilt Challenge

2012-01-16T17:12:00.000-08:00

as you may have seen from a recent post of mine...i made a challenge quilt from Valerie Well's fabric and entered it at the Oregon Garden Quilt show.

i said i would keep you posted if i won...well, i don't know yet what place i am, but from their website they said "seeing as only 4 quilts were entered, all will get a prize"

yay!!!! a prize for me

InkScape Update

2012-01-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

i was thrilled to see so many of you read my blog about InkScape and i thought i would write again about the wonderful program.

i have floundered for years not knowing how to get diagrams into my purse patterns, and even with some research i couldn't find the perfect program to use, so i was painstakingly hand writing my diagrams in my patterns.

over Christmas break when i had a little extra time, my husband said "check out Inkscape and go thru the tutorial"...i did, and within a couple hours...i was making diagrams in Inkscape!

i was over the moon with joy.

it was so easy to learn...i'm sure i have so much more to learn about the program, but i was able to update a few patterns with neato diagrams.

here's an example of what i can do in Inkscape

after i create the diagram i can cut and paste into a Word document...it's so cool!

so...i'm pleading with you. if you want to create your own patterns and don't know where to start, start with Inkscape - go thru the tutorial that is offered in the program...it's so easy!

happy friday!

Aurora Colony, Oregon

2012-01-12T10:47:00.000-08:00

for the past few months i have been deeply engrossed in Jane Kirkpatrick's trilogy about the Aurora Colony here in Oregon in the 1800's.

it is a fasinating story and her books do not stray far from the truth of the colony that settled right here in Oregon.

i love the history of the story and i'm even more interested because i live only 30 minutes from where this story unfolded.

this website seems to have a lot of good information about the Colony and i look forward to visiting the museum very soon.

of course, it interests me because the woman of the Colony were quilters and i would love to gaze upon some of the quilts.

Oregon Garden Quilt Challenge

2012-01-08T19:46:00.000-08:00

on Friday i entered a quilt into a challenge at The Oregon Garden...there will be a quilt show there at the end of January.

i was giddy about the fact that on the day the quilts were due...mine was the 2nd one to be turned in and my friend's was the 3rd. seeing as there is 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, we may all place if no one else entered.

the challenge was to take Valerie Well's (Stitchin Post) fabric and use at least a fat quarter of it in the quilt. the quilt could not be over 36" x 36"

it was a challenge seeing as the fabric was a huge print and the quilt had to be small.

i used the challenge fabric as my background.

here is my quilt

in this little quilt that turned out to be 34" x 35", i used several techniques...the tummy of the kitty is reverse appliqué, i hand stitched the wording, the whiskers are a very fine wire, the strips around the kitty were made very scrappy then sliced and diced into the background fabric.

i had so much fun working on this challenge, but it WAS a challenge

close-up of the back

i will keep you posted...if i placed

My 'ONE WORD' for 2012

2012-01-02T12:58:00.000-08:00

for 2011 my 'one word' resolution was "reduce"...i accomplished that in many different areas of my life

for 2012 i have chosen "simple"... i know everyone has their own interpretation of what this might mean, but for me it means ...

to make do with less
use what i have on hand to create with
not running out to make a purchase every time i think i need something
for example...instead of setting the table for guests with two table cloths and special expensive napkins and a huge flower arrangement...going with pretty placemats, greenery and some candles....

i just always tend to go over the top and get completely stressed in the process...well, i'm changing my ways, i'm scaling back.

i've been inspired by Anne Marie at Na-Da Farms...her house is so simple, and beautiful. she has a great blog and a wonderful shop.

New Logo and Inkscape

2012-01-01T22:00:00.000-08:00

hi dear friends...happy new year!

i have to admit...i've struggled with what to name my blog, my patterns, my stuff and as some of you know i was convinced to change my name over to Apt5Studio...but, i've had a change of heart and i'm sticking with my name.

i already feel established under my name and at this point feel i better not make changes...as you can see from my new header. :)

i am so excited because i have learned a new program called INKSCAPE. learning this program has opened a whole new world for me with my patterns. i am giddy with joy over being able to do diagrams for my patterns in Inkscape.

so if you wander why i might not be reachable by phone, or why i won't leave my house for a coffee date, etc...i am probably sitting in front of my computer completely immersed in this wonderful program coming up with fun new patterns!

New Backpacks in my Etsy Shop

2011-12-28T15:52:00.000-08:00

good afternoon to you...

please check my blog sidebar.

i've added new BACKPACKS to my Etsy shop.

Holiday "Therapy"

2011-12-23T12:41:00.000-08:00

i have to admit...this time of year and especially this week alone has been hectic and crazy busy.

every day my "to do" list is long...

i decided the other day...in order to cope with this busy-ness i needed to sit down and therapy sew.

i was completely inspired by this new book by Rayna Gillman that came out...I LOVE THIS BOOK AND THE TECHNIQUES IT DESCRIBES...did it help for you to understand how much i love it by putting that in all caps ;)

the author describes how to 'therapy' sew all your lonely little scraps together to form blocks that are completely random, and not perfect...

i know for some this is a bizarre concept because for many years we have all spent a tremedous amount of hours perfecting our 1/4" and absolute perfect points.

here is what my 'therapy' looked like...

i had so much fun...i was able to use up a bunch of little scraps of fabric. i don't know where i'll go from here. maybe just make more squares and sew them into a quilt. but for now these random little squares make me happy and now i can get back to all the things i have to get done before Christmas.

aahhh....doughnuts!

2011-12-16T15:41:00.000-08:00

i have had so much fun today (when i actually should be sewing)...
making doughnuts for my family.

actually...i was experimenting the recipe so i could make these for Christmas.

i found the recipe for doughnuts in this cute little magazine that i love.

i made the dough...i'm a tornado in the kitchen...
can you tell from the flour all over the mixer? hee, hee

here are the little beauties taking a bath...

here they are done...so pretty! and better yet, they are delicious!

happy weekend!

Last Minute Gifts

2011-12-15T08:30:00.000-08:00

this is how i do things...

10 days before Christmas decide to make two large, lap size quilts for gifts...i know i'm crazy, but when i get the idea there's no stopping me.

so starting yesterday I got all the fabric cut out and i've been sewing ever since.

one quilt top done!

the black sashing is FLANNEL...so cozy

the squares are CORDUROY...most of the fabric is yardage i had, but some of it is corduroy pants that i got at the Goodwill and cut them up.

the quilt pattern comes from this book

the pattern is this one

needless to say...i will be in my sewing room until Christmas ;)

A Very Merry Christmas to you!

2011-12-09T07:25:00.001-08:00

...christmas picture to send out to family and friends...checked off 'to do list'...yay! Ordered the photos off of costco.com last night and they are ready for pic-up today...

Merry Christmas!

...for unto you a Savior has been born, he is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Appliqué Club at the Forest

2011-12-08T16:19:00.001-08:00

I LOVE my Appliqué Club at Greenbaum's Quilted Forest...my student's are the best. Not only do they do a fantastic job at their appliqués every month they also bring the BEST snacks to munch on too. Enjoy a few of this month's beauties...

This is a pattern by the Piece O Cake ladies...

made by Joan

This is "Bunnies Prefer Chocolate" Block of the Month by Bunny Hill Designs.

made by Nirvana

Pattern unknown

maker: anonymous

Good Times

2011-12-06T07:56:00.001-08:00

Last night at Greenbaum's Quilted Forest in Salem, Oregon we had 'good times'. Here is Donna, Beth, and me working the "Red Card" event. We had food, fabric, and fun!

Stop in and say 'hello' or visit our online store.

Pretty Little Ring Pin Cushions

2011-12-02T14:17:00.001-08:00

I have to confess that taking pictures for my blog is not easy for me...I have no patience really is what it comes down too. Basically, I want a fabulous picture, but I have no patience to go thru the process of taking the picture, photoshopping the picture, etc...

So...until I get better at the process, here is what I have for you today...two pictures that don't have the same color value to them (I'm sorry). Like I said I'm just not good at this part. I'm really good at creating things, just not good (yet) of getting the product into a good photo.

Anyhoo...here's what I've been working on.

I gathered some wool balls, adjustable ring bases, and beads.

Here is my finished product...Pretty Little Ring Pin Cushions.

I used E6000 glue to adhere the wool ball to the ring base, then hand sewed seed beads to the ball using thread.

I love wearing one when I sew...sew handy (hee, hee).

Painted Studio and New Name

2011-12-01T11:13:00.001-08:00

I'm really quite thrilled to share with you the new name of my studio...Apt5Studio!

Here's the scoop...

I've been dreaming and thinking about what to call my studio for quite some time and as a result I was coming up with nothing. Then...one day when I was sitting on the beach at the Oregon Coast...I looked down at a magazine that my husband had brought along and noticed that the address on the front was addressed to Apt 5...I found this quite amusing seeing as our real address does not have Apt 5 in it whatsoever. My husband said he had tried to correct the problem several times and the magazine company still couldn't get it right. In fact, another one of our magazines started coming with the same address. It was quite humorous.

So...a light bulb went on and I thought "it must be fate, I will use it".

Remember a few weeks ago I said I was painting my studio...well, I'm done. I'm not going to lie...it was tough...you will see from the pictures I had a TON of stuff to move before I could paint, but I did it. I'll admit...my studio is messy and full of stuff...but, I love it. It will never be perfect and uncluttered and that's okay with me. It's my happy place.

Here's my studio before:
Ugly wood paneling...

Do you see my kitty...she blends in with all my stuff :)

Here's the after shot...so much brighter with pretty cream paint on the walls.

Other side of room

Oh, don't worry...this isn't ALL the fabric I own...there's more tucked away in a closet.

Oh, and see those white boxes stacked up? Those ~~might~~ have fabric in them too ;)

A Thanksgiving Day Change of Plans

2011-11-24T09:15:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

I woke this morning to a change in the days plans...originally I was not hosting Thanksgiving at my house...and now I am. I'm putting on my roller skates and away I go to cook, prepare, and clean the house!

I'm hoping no one will laugh at me when I go to the grocery store to buy a Turkey ON Thanksgiving ;-/

It's going to be a great day. Hoping your day is a good one too.

New Etsy Items

2011-11-23T07:49:00.001-08:00

I'm really excited to show you some new Etsy items I have for sale. Visit my Etsy shop to see more about these great backpacks.

TREE DOWN!!!!

2011-11-13T17:00:00.001-08:00

At 2am last night, my husband and I awoke to glass breaking. My first thought was a window breaking and a burglar crawling into a window, but I just wasn't sure. My husband grabbed his flash light and walked thru the house not finding any windows broken or anything else askew. So while he was checking on the girls...I still had my head out our bedroom window listening for the burglar...I then spotted someone in our backyard with a flashlight and my heart just about stopped. I yelled at the person..."what's going on, and why are you in my yard?" He replied, "it's your neighbor and my tree fell in your yard". I was relieved, but felt like crying because I had no idea what damage had been done.

This is the sidewalk going into our back yard.

Bryan took this picture from the top of the roof looking down into the back yard.

So this morning we went out to assess the damage. Thank the Lord we have very little damage to the house or anything else. As you can see in the upper left corner, the beautiful swing set that my father made has been folded up to a small heap, but may be able to be fixed. The glass we heard breaking was a dish that was hanging on the wall in the dining room...the dish fell and broke when the tree fell. The very corner of the house at the roof line will also have to be fixed.

We are calling the mess "the monster", because in the dark it looks like a dead monster laying in our yard with it's long tentacles sprawling all over the yard.

The sad part is...it was a healthy tree that just decided to split in half so we are responsible for covering the damage to our yard...but despite having to pay for a tree mess to be fixed that wasn't mine...we are thankful that no one was hurt and we will end up with lots of firewood.

Up at 5:15am!!!

2011-11-08T08:52:00.000-08:00

The Craft Faire I hosted was a complete success! Vendors sold lots and we had many, many customers.

Now that the Faire is over I have been tying in to complete my 'to do list'. And it is long...

The first thing I did was paint my sewing room...please check back with me and I will post some before and after shots. :)

In order to get the time to start accomplishing the tasks on my to do list I've decided to rise a bit earlier in the morning. 5:15 to be exact.

For 16 years now, as long as I've been married, I've gotten up at 6:15 to make my husband's lunch and then start my day. And it seems I don't really get my day started and work done until the girls are out of the house by 9. So I've committed to getting up earlier to get my day started and get tasks done before husband and children need me.

Let me say this is no easy task for me...I would be fine sleeping until at least 8 every day.

I was very inspired by reading Jane Kirkpatrick's book "Homestead"...I highly recommend reading it. She committed to getting up every morning at 4 so she could write her books. Wow! That's commitment. I'm so inspired. I don't know if I every will be able to get up at 4, but I will ease into it it I find 5:15 isn't working.

I must say...the last two days of getting up earlier has been wonderful! Yesterday, I quilted a quilt by 9am!

CRAFT FAIRE, salem oregon

2011-10-21T17:18:00.001-07:00

I am hosting a Craft Faire at Salem First Church of the Nazarene on Saturday, October 29, 10am - 3pm.

If you live near please come and visit, and shop, shop, shop! There will be 27 vendors. There will be Scentsy products, doll clothes, knitted hats, repurposed items, quilts, handbags, jewelry, and so much more.

I will have my own table set up with fabric pumpkins, backpacks, zippered pouches, and ornaments.

so........I will be busy this week with last minute stuff for the Faire and I don't anticipate posting any blogs until my big event is over.

Have a super good weekend!

The Prettiest Little Doll Clothes!

2011-10-19T08:13:00.000-07:00

My aunt is amazing...she sews 18" doll clothes that are unbelievable! These are not ordinary doll clothes by any means. They are unique, one-of-a-kind. She puts so much love into every little outfit. Not only does she make fabulous clothes she also has cute little shoes and accessories to go along with the outfits.

Please visit her blog and Etsy shop. Have fun shopping!

Tip of the Day

2011-10-16T05:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

How many times do you find yourself cutting fabric and OOPS! you've cut the wrong way and you come out short with yardage. Here's a little tip that might help in some of those times.

When cutting strips of fabric and turning them to cross-cut into squares or rectangles...always cut the selvage end first! This allows you to open up the folded end and get one more square or rectangle if needed. This will save you either cutting another strip and/or you will have a bigger piece of leftover fabric to work with for another project.

I trully believe cutting is the hardest part of the sewing process...don't be afraid of it...conquer it! Because you don't want anything to stop you from enjoying the sewing part.

Backpack

2011-10-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

This is a backpack I have been sewing for years now. Years ago, when a friend and I were sewing customized bags, we made backpacks and they were a hit. Since then I've worked to perfect the bag...I've made it a bit bigger, added zippered pockets, and perfected the straps.

It is made with vinyl on the outside and an Ikea printed fabric on the inside and straps. It has a big chunky zipper on the front pocket as well as a pocket on the inside. It can also be worn as a sling bag.

I have had so much fun making these backpacks for friends and family. Recently my mother-in-law was sporting one in Hemet, CA and was stopped by a lovely person who adored the backpack my mother-in-law was wearing...very much like the one in the picture, but in red vinyl.

This bag is available in my Etsy shop.

Diabetes Medical ID Charm

2011-10-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a little fact about me that many of you may not know. I am a Type 1 Diabetic. I was diagnosed at age 8.

I have always been on the search for a beautiful yet functional Medical ID Charm and have never found anything that I would really love to wear. The chunky, heavy, metal ones from the drugstore are ugly and yell to everyone that I have a medical issue, nothing discreet about them.

BUT...I'm so happy to show you the one my friend Sherie of SoShe made for me. It's pretty small, about the size of a nickel, and it will attach to a bracelet, I buy sparkly, stretchy bracelets and attach it around the elastic.

Please visit her Etsy shop. She makes beautiful handbags too.

Bias Tape

2011-10-10T07:36:00.000-07:00

At my favorite quilt shop - Greenbaum's Quilted Forest - I teach/facilitate an applique class. We have met for several months, once a month, and are having a blast together. Meeting with these ladies is such a delight to me. They each bring their own ideas, hints, and techniques to the table, and I learn so much from them.

When we met recently I gave them each a little treat for finishing their blocks that they worked on the month before. I had gone to a quilt show in town and bought a BIG bag of bias tape, rickrack, and assorted trims, all for $2.

I was thinking what could ya do with all that bias tape...you know the stuff that you find hiding in a drawer when you clean out your grandmother's sewing room. Bias tape is mostly used in garment making, but can be used for quilting as well.

A light bulb went off and I thought it would be fun to try and make words out of the bias tape...so I set off to do just that.

It was pretty easy...I used a hot iron and some steam to form the word. Then I used applique pins to hold it in place. I've started to blind stitch by hand the edges of the bias tape.

I'm really excited how it's turning out. My vision right now is to add some pieced borders and make it into a wall hanging for Valentine's Day.

Not bad for upcycling bias tape from 1986! ;)

Free Pillowcase Pattern

2011-10-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

I thought it was high time that I start posting some sewing blogs...seeing as it is my happy place. :)

Here's what I worked on today

I made three 'I Love Lucy' pillowcases.

Many thanks to my dear friend Lisa who was so sweet to provide me with these great 'I Love Lucy' prints.

You can find the free pattern right HERE - it's such an easy pattern and what I love most is there are no raw seams when you are done. The seams are all enclosed which looks so much better than having threads popping out after you wash it.

I made these for my two girls and one of their friends...they are having 'I Love Lucy' movie night tonight...as well as some chocolate.

Happy Friday

Salsa Days!

2011-10-03T10:01:00.000-07:00

Last Friday was Salsa making day at my house. I had so many tomatoes...many from my garden as well as my in-laws. So I gathered them all up...blanched off the skins and starting chopping.

Do you see the lovely chopper in the picture? It is an amazing machine. My mother bought it for me at Costco. I love it so much. It makes the job of making salsa so easy. All the ingredients in my salsa get run thru the chopper, then it's ready to be cooked and canned.

Here is what my dining room table looked like before I started the Salsa making process. It's a disaster!

Here is my beautiful Salsa AFTER!

I made three batches and gave away one batch already...so this is what I have left. These jars will be gone in a flash...my family practically drinks the stuff so I'm sure I will be making more pretty soon.

Fifteen Minutes of Fame

2011-09-30T08:45:00.000-07:00

What a Surprise to get a call this morning from my mother-in-law who said I was mentioned in the local newspaper today! I was afraid to ask what or why I was mentioned in the paper because I was scared it had something to do with me line judging a varsity Volleyball game last night and maybe people were mad at some of the calls I made....but I was pleasantly surprised to find out it had something to do with my favorite job of teaching quilting. Click HERE and read all about it.

Emily, the author of the article, was a student in my quilt class...enjoy reading her blog desperatelyseekingsalem.com/

Happy Friday!

New Years Resolution

2011-09-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the year...I didn't really make any New Year's Resolutions, but I was challenged to choose one word that I wanted to remember all year and strive to work towards...the word I chose in January was 'REDUCE'. Now that could mean many things, but for me it means to live with less, eat less, reduce the amount of 'stuff' in my house, reduce my waistline, etc... It even meant at some point I was going to work up enough courage to cut my hair and reduce the amount of hair on my head. I've gradually worked at reducing here and there...like going thru closets and drawers getting rid of stuff that I don't need that takes up space. I and my family are very bad about keeping way too much stuff because we are so sentimentally attached to everything. So...we are working on reducing. And today was the day that I 'reduced' my hair! :) If you know me, you know I've had pretty long hair for awhile and today I cut a good 10" off. It was scary, but I was ready.

Happy Friday!

Jelly Roll Magic

2011-09-15T14:08:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love a new fabric Jelly Roll that you've just brought home from your favorite shop, but

you think what am I going to do with it :) Well...I've found just the thing. Check this out!...it's the most amazing and fun quilt made out of a fabric Jelly Roll...it's a bit of magic.

Watch the video and sew one for yourself. That's what I am going to do.

Oregon Coast

2011-09-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

I just HAD to run off to the coast(my favorite place on earth, besides Disneyland, of course)last Tuesday, the last day before my girls went back to school. I took my mother-in-law with me. We had so much fun sitting and talking and watching the kids dig in the sand for hours. It's amazing how kids can play for hours moving sand from one location to another...or digging holes so they can jump in them.

Happy Friday to all...

Vintage Flea Market at Deepwood

2011-09-07T07:53:00.000-07:00

Here is an event you don't want to miss.

click on image to go to website

My friend over at Pink Postcard will have a vendor booth there. She has beautiful items for sale which include 'made-over' furniture pieces, handmade pillows, and much more.

New Etsy Items

2011-09-05T13:57:00.000-07:00

Today I posted some new Etsy Items...

This is one of my sewing patterns called "The Aimee Bag". It is a very simple, beginner pattern. It gives you the basic know-how of how to construct a bag and with a little adjustment it could be made wider and/or taller. It has a large outside pocket as well as many pockets on the inside.

This little bag is a "pencil pouch"...it will fit a 3 ring binder. My girls and I always searched for just the right pencil pouch and never could find one...so I created one that they love. My girls get orders from their friends at school who want them too. It's fun to create something that everyone loves and wants.

Vintage Cat Quilt

2011-08-19T12:34:00.000-07:00

Introducing my "Vintage Cat Quilt" to be displayed at the Oregon State Fair in a special exhibit for Greenbaum's Quilted Forest.

I dedicate this quilt to my mother-in-law Dorothy who gave me the "vintage" 70's lion fabric. When I heard the Fair Exhibit had a circus theme I knew this fabric had to be the star.

My favorite part of the quilt are the prairie points around the edge...so fun to make.

Love this Blog

2011-08-18T09:34:00.001-07:00

Love this Quote

2011-08-10T18:10:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel you own entirely too much fabric?......

Me Neither

quoted from a greeting card by Kim Cheeley

Custom Made Trendy Tote

2011-07-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

This is one of my patterns called "The Trendy Tote". I have so much fun making this bag and every time I tweak it just a little to make it even better. This time I made an inside pouch that is detachable. It's great for holding small items like money or makeup. This is a custom made bag for a friend's daughter-in-law. I hope she loves it. The outside fabric is made using an Anna Marie Horner vinyl print...I love her stuff - so cute.

Found Treasures Turned Wedding Gift Picnic Basket

2011-07-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

This entry is dedicated to my dear friend Denise at Pinkpostcard - we went treasure hunting together and she spotted a beautiful basket. After a few minutes of contemplating, I decided to purchase it. I figured I would keep it and store sewing stuff in it...but it had other plans. I felt like it was saying "I need to go on picnics". So I filled it with some "picnic" necessities and gave it to some friends for a wedding gift. I think it turned out so cute and fun...hopefully lots of "fun, picnic memories" will be made.

Tiny Baby Booties

2011-07-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

I've had so much fun sewing this week...and this is what I finished today. Tiny baby booties for my cousin's sweet baby Kate.

T-Shirt Quilt made with Minkie

2011-07-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

This fun quilt is made from 1 T-Shirt and lots of Minkie (super-soft fuzzy fabric). It was so simple to put together. I guess you could call it a quilt as you go type method. It will be a shop sample at Greenbaum's Quilted Forest. I will be teaching the class this fall.

Quilt for Baby, Lap, or Doll

2011-06-22T13:52:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun making this little quilt out of my scrap basket. I made hourglass blocks and squared them at a little bit of an angle so they're a little wonky. I hand stitched utility stitches in the border and tacked the layers together with my machine. You can purchase this lovely little quilt thru my Etsy shop.

The Signs of Summer

2011-06-21T07:01:00.000-07:00

I feel like Summer has arrived when I'm making Strawberry Jam! It smells so divine...and tastes even better. Oregon Strawberries are so delicious and beautiful. We made 8 batches of freezer jam. Yay! Hopefully we can make it last until next June...

Greenbuam's Quilted Forest Applique Club

2011-06-13T10:48:00.001-07:00

I lOVE applique club at the "Forest". We have so much fun showing off our creations and getting new inspiration from others. We have met three times so far and plan to resume in September after summer break...

Here is a sneak peek at our project for the fall...Applique Club will start in September and meet thru June to work on the Bunnies.

Pattern by Bunny Hill Designs.

Here are a few pictures of my students beautiful work.

Leanne's

Karen's

Joan's

Friday Night Apron

2011-05-22T17:14:00.000-07:00

I love making gifts for my friends and I've had so much fun making the "Friday Night Apron" for a friend who is getting married.

Here is my project in pieces.

Here is my project done! Yay.

And here is the pattern that can be purchased at Greenbaum's Quilted Forest.

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

I was so blessed to be able to celebrate Mother's Day with my Mother and my two girls today. We enjoyed a meal together and took a picture together before the rain came.

Quilt Beginings

2011-05-04T20:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday!

In my last post I showed you a picture of Joan...well, let me tell you a story about her and I.

She came to my Applique Class and we started talking and she said "oh, let me show you some thimbles from Alaska". This peaked my curiousity because I used to live in Alaska. So I asked her where she had lived and she said Juneau. I said me too, well at least pretty close to Juneau! I lived about 60 miles from there in a little logging camp called Whitestone in the little town on Hoonah. She said "I used to go out to Whitestone and teach the woman quilting classes" "No Way..." I said, "that's where I first started to quilt."

I'm sure our paths crossed at some point because we shopped at the same little - and I mean little - quilt store and my friends all took quilting classes from Joan. I don't think I was in any of her classes, but I know a lot of my friends were. Anyway...super fun to be able to connect with Joan, to talk about old mutual friends, and realize we had been to the same little logging community, and rode in float planes to get there.

APPLIQUE CLUB AT GREENBAUM'S QUILTED FOREST

2011-05-01T17:38:00.000-07:00

I am having so much fun teaching an Applique Class at Greenbaum's Quilted Forest in Salem, OR. We are meeting once a month and showing off our beautiful handiwork.

The ladies have done a beautiful job on their projects and I will post more next month when we meet again.

Joan

Nirvana

Leanne's

My little chubby chickies!

Thread for Appliqué

2011-04-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

I found the most perfect thread for Hand Appliqué. It's by Superior Threads and it's called the Frosted Doughnut...it's filled with prewound bobbins of 50 weight cotton thread - perfect!. You will have all the colors you need to hand appliqué, perfect for on the go...never having to search for that perfect color again in your sea of spools at home.

PURSE PARTY

2011-03-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

I am excited to join PinkPostcard's Purse Party.

Here is my purse/backpack that I recently made. The fun poka-dot is a vinyl which makes my bag waterproof and easily cleaned.

Here is my trusty wallet...not too exciting, but it holds the essential cards and checkbook.

I carry some pens (not quite sure why there are 4 at the moment, because usually I can't even find one in my bag), a snack, and gum.

That's all for now...but I have to say my bag is usually much messier, but as of late I'm trying to keep it a bit more organized.

ETSY

2011-02-01T19:20:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,
I have managed to find some time to get some items on ETSY! Yay! I'm so excited. I've had items made for awhile now, but struggled with getting them photographed...so I asked a friend if she would help me and she did a wonderful job - I would love for you to stop in at my ETSY shop. I've had so much fun getting my product online.
janae

A 1975 ATLAS 'REPURPOSED'

2011-01-02T17:31:00.000-08:00

I love the whole idea of 'REPURPOSING' items and for 2011 I plan to do a lot of it. So to start my quest, I went to The Goodwill and found this treasure.

A 1975 Atlas.

I was so excited and it was only $1 - yay!

My mind was racing with all the fun stuff I could do with the pages.

One of the first ideas I had for the paper was to wrap Christmas presents in it. And that's just what I did! I think it turned out so cute and it was a hit with all those who received a gift wrapped in it. Everyone was facinated by the "State" they got - it was cute.

The ribbon I received for free and I was able to wrap all my presents using only the atlas - so I only spent $1 on gift wrap! - so cool, I love it...

So stayed tuned to see my next 'repurposing' project! I'm working on it right now and will post it soon.

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU

2010-12-14T21:48:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE KING FAMILY

from the Happiest Place on Earth - that's right folks, Disneyland!

We just absolutely love that place. This was taken at 1am right before we went out the gate. We like to get our money's worth, you know - no leaving early for us. It was decorated so beautifully for Christmas.

LITTLE CITY ON MY PIANO

2010-12-01T09:04:00.000-08:00

Now that it is December 1st I finally am feeling the Christmas Spirit. It took me awhile to switch gears from playing at Disneyland last week in the sunshine to decorating for the holidays. But yesterday I got the bug to throw the pumpkins out and put the Christmas in...

Here is my little city on my piano...

And here is what happens when you give a teenage girl some Christmas lights and some tacks! Pretty cute!

FELT FLOWER HAIR PINS

2010-11-13T11:39:00.000-08:00

I am having so much fun making these felt flower hair pins. Can you believe they are made from plain ol' felt? So inexpensive and easy to make. If you scroll down in my postings I have linked with the gal who did a tuturiol on these - that's where I got the idea to make them.

CHUNKY ROPE BASKETS

2010-11-10T10:03:00.000-08:00

Ok...I've been told this basket making method was very popular about 20 years ago and now it's becoming popular again - funny how everything seems to come back around. I'm teaching this class at Greenbaum's Quilted Forest and have had so much fun making them. I love the process because it's all done by hand - no machine required - which means I can take it along on car trips. Supplies are x-large cotton piping rope and 2" strips of fabric.

The basic concept is wrapping the fabric around the rope and tieing the rope together to form a circle. As you wrap you will be connecting the previous wrapped rope with the new rope you are working with - when sides are desired lay new wrapped rope on top of the previous rope and build the sides.

The possibilities are endless...

My cat Margaret had to interrupt the photo shoot! :) She's such a FABRIC cat.

QUILT BINDING

2010-11-04T09:42:00.000-07:00

OK, how many of you say I will never make a quilt because I hate binding? I see hands raised every where. Well, I say to you - please try this method.

First you will start with 2 1/4" strips (not bias) and fold in half lengthwise (remember you will need enough strips to cover all 4 sides of quilt) and press with an iron, then follow the steps below.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO MAKE IT LARGER!

Rubies and Pearls: Felt Flower Bobby Pins

2010-10-18T21:32:00.000-07:00

Rubies and Pearls: Felt Flower Bobby Pins - These are super simple and very unique. You will enjoy seeing the process of how they are made.

The Pumpkin Pillow Process/Scrappy Block

2010-10-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

Start with a square of muslin as the base.

Use a small square of triangle as the center.

Sew strips of fabric (I use scraps) to top and bottom of center.

Sew strips to other sides of center.

Iron seams as you go, pressing strip away from center.

Continue adding strips of fabric to sides, making sure to extend

beyond edges by 1/4" - notice how the

stripe fabric entends beyond the orange fabric.

As you sew on strips, trim as needed.

Continue sewing on strips until the muslin sqaure is completely covered.

On back side of square, cut ragged edges off using the

muslin square as a guide.

Finished square! So fun to use up scraps this way.

I made my square into a pillow...I continued on in the same manner

just using black to make the pillow bigger.

Taking the Pledge

2010-10-14T09:16:00.001-07:00

Super Easy Chocolate Cookies from a Cake Mix

2010-10-12T18:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, you're probably asking yourself...what do chocolate cookies have to do with sewing? Well, there is a connection...Chocolate and Sewing just go hand in hand. You will find many a sewer with chocolate by there sewing machine. These are the easiet, fastest, chocolate cookies you will ever bake. Here's the recipe:

1 box of chocolate cake mix

2 eggs

2/3 cup butter

Blend all ingredients in mixer on medium speed for 1 minute

Drop onto greased cookie sheet using a cookie scoop

Bake at 350' for 12 minutes

After they cool, spread frosting between two cookies (I put a little orange food coloring in the frosting - I do pink for Valentine's Day)

Have fun making them and eating them too!

INSPIRED!

2010-10-12T09:18:00.000-07:00

My daughter and I have been very INSPIRED by the gal who is doing a newdressaday - she is amazing. So we thought we would try our hand at it. We went to the Goodwill and my daughter picked out an 80's style jumper and said here mom this is the one we are going to fix up. So I added some Anna Maria Horner fabric and Voila! here it is.

I added binding around the neck, a pocket, and a pieced ruffle (after I cut off about 12" on the length of the jumper).

For our first attempt at "remaking" an outfit I think we did okay - I'm sure with some practice we'll get better.

Tuesday's Thoughts

2010-09-21T08:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a shout out to visit my website www.janaeking.com - I've added some fun products to purchase including pencil pouches and ring pin cushions. Great for gifts...

My daughter started Orchestra today and needed a violin - we found the best place to get one...Henry Strobels www.henrystrobel.com in Aumsville, Oregon. He has a little shop out of his home. It was the best price in town, he and his son are so knowledgeable, and I love supporting a home-grown business.

Why am I dressed for Halloween Already?

2010-09-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

Extreme Home Makeover was in Salem, Oregon (my hometown) building a new building for our city's deaf school and redoing the Haunted House that was currently being used as a fund raiser for the school. So on the night of the unveiling of the Haunted House they said anyone who came in a costume could be an extra for the taping of the show. I arrived at the set at 6:15pm and at 9:15pm Ty Pennington had just come out to start taping. An organizer of the show then told us that we could possibly be there all night taping because they were a little behind schedule. So I made a tough desicion to go home rather than be up all night. I'm pretty sure I could have stuck in there, but I didn't think my daughter could - she was pretty tired. But I did get my picture in our local paper so that was fun.

Pencil Pouches

2010-09-15T09:32:00.001-07:00

I have had so much fun making these pencil pouches for my girls and their friends...

They're made with faux leather and grommets to be used in a binder.

I am selling them for $12 which includes (US) postage. Please visit my website http://www.janaeking.com/ to order one.

I'm linking up to

Crazy for Owls

2010-09-02T15:11:00.000-07:00

This is a super easy Sue Spargo pillow pattern - made out of wool for my sister's birthday.

The Fabulous Laundromat!

2010-08-30T21:10:00.000-07:00

Today on my "to do" list was "wash sleeping bags" which I knew would require a bigger washing machine that I don't have.

So with my quarters and sleeping bags in hand I trudged off to the laundromat dreading the whole experience. Well, was I wrong... I discovered that the laundromat is an amazing place and why didn't I go sooner. I know some of you will laugh and think I'm crazy, but hear me out.

Remember the days when a laundromat was filled with old, yellow, top loader washers that you put quarters in to make run? Well, not any more. Now they have really nice stainless steel front loader washers that can hold 2 sleeping bags at one time. Wow! - AND it's so handy because I didn't have to put my quarters into the machine - all I had to do was load money on a credit card type thing and use that at the washer/dryer, so slick.

I was so amazed (and yes, I am easily amused). So within 30 minutes my sleeping bags were washed and dried (oh, yeah, they also have these amazing huge dryers too) and it all cost me only $7.50 versus $40 I would have spent at the dry cleaners.

So that's my story for the day - signing off until next time...j

New Bag

2010-08-16T20:58:00.000-07:00

This bag is made from some really fun vinyl that I've been using on bags for quite some time now. The inside fabric is a decorator weight fabric, and the flower is made from wool scraps. I love it and can't wait to carry it tomorrow around town.

My Beautiful Girls

2010-08-14T11:42:00.000-07:00

Here are my beautiful girls enjoying summer in the pool!

Turtle Party

2010-08-11T09:58:00.000-07:00

This week I made turtles for a friend. They turned out super cute.

Pretty Little Pincushions

2010-08-04T14:20:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun creating this pretty little pincushion that I wear on my finger. It's constructed by using an adjustable ring base, scraps of wool, a plastic bottle cap, and some pearl beads. Please visit my website to purchase one.

A Diamond in the Rough

2010-07-28T11:52:00.000-07:00

I found this little diamond in the rough at a garage sale and really wanted to get it, but decided I didn't need it...well, after a week I was kicking myself that I didn't buy it. Did I happen to mention the garage sale was 2 hours from my house... It just so happens I was going that direction again this week and happened upon the same house where the garage sale was and so I stopped to inquire if the sewing machine was still there. It was! I was really excited to be able to get it (at a much lower price than what it had been the week before) and brought it home. I was told it had only been used six times, but it is old and needs some TLC...I just have such a hard time passing up sewing machines - love the turquoise color.

Beautiful Fabrics

2010-07-28T11:32:00.000-07:00

Isn't this fabric dreamy? On my last trip over the mountains to Eastern Oregon I stopped at one of my favorite quilt shops (Stitchin Post) and picked up these beautful fabrics. The minute I saw the red with white dots I was in love so then I picked another coordinating fabric to go with it. I then dreamed of the possibilities...and finally decided it will be a handbag.

Black Cabinet

2010-07-28T11:27:00.000-07:00

For a long time now I've been wanting a home for all my quilts and was so excited when I found it. This black cabinet came from a second hand shop called Aunt Bee's House here in Salem. It was a fantastic price and it's Ethan Allan - two things I couldn't pass up. So I brought it home and my quilts are stacked inside. So fun...

Fabric Recycling

2010-07-28T11:17:00.000-07:00

One of my most favorite things to do is take fabric that no one wants and turn it into something useful. It's a challenge I love to take on. So when someone gave me a big box of upholstery fabric samples I quickly got to work... I made 2 huge (100"x100") quilts that are now used as picnic and camping quilts. They're tied quilts with cotton batting and a flannel sheet for the backing. *Tip - Flannel sheets make great quilt backs. I buy them when they're on clearance at great prices. I also made the little hanging pillow dog out of a pattern I found. It's mouth is a zipper. I made a bunch last Christmas and put gift cards in their mouths. So in the end I won the challenge and wowed my friend who thought the fabric was just for throw away! I love it when I can prove them wrong.

Fabric Boxes

2010-07-23T14:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a project I made for a store sample at Greenbaum's Quilted Forest. It turned out super cute - I do have to say it was a bit time consuming, but I love the finished product. It's made with cotton cording and 2 1/2" fabric strips.

Sew Fun Skirt

2010-07-23T13:57:00.000-07:00

I recently made 4 skirts for a friend going on a trip - but do you think I remembered to take pictures of them? So I made one for my daughter and here it is... I had so much fun using fabric that my parents brought me from Hawaii. The pattern is Simplicity #2606 - so quick and easy with pockets too.

Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch

2010-07-22T22:30:00.000-07:00

My mother gave me a book and said "you must read this, you will not be able to put it down", and she was right. The book is Hope Rising by Kim Meeder from Bend, Oregon. It's a book full of incredible true stories of horses rescued from bad situations, but what's even more amazing is the transformation of lives that come from Kim and Troy Meeder's little horse ranch called http://crystalpeaksyouthranch.org/. I was so moved by the book I just had to go visit the ranch. I was there last Monday. It was so amazing - like a little bit of heaven on earth. The ranch is a beautiful place with so many wonderful people there. I highly recommend visiting their website and reading Kim's books.

Crater Lake in Oregon

2010-07-22T22:21:00.000-07:00

This last weekend I took a drive with my family to Crater Lake for the very first time - and yes, that is sad seeing as I am a native Oregonian. The lake was amazing. I don't describe very many things as majestic - but I would certainly describe Crater Lake as majestic! Absolutely amazing.