The Light at the End of the Tunnel

As you may be able to tell, I have been too busy to do much of anything except schoolwork. I love architecture, but architecture school is hard!! My friend Alex put it best, "it looks like this is one of those situations that what doesn't kill you is going to make you stronger." Fortunately I have a lot of people who are supporting me in the wings, I don't know what I would do if they weren't at the end of the phone line when I needed them! (thanks!) With about 7.5 days until the end of the first semester I thought I would take a small break from my Theory Final to post some pics of what I managed to finish craft-wise BEFORE I was too busy! This is the quilt I made for my friends now 4-month old, Helen. She is the most adorable, mellow, awesome baby and this quilt is perfect for her (if i do say so myself). I finally gave it to them on Thanksgiving (since I stayed in Chicago they invited me over) and even Helen's dad said "I love it! Grey and green is AWESOME!" = SUCCESS!!!

I'm going to make an identical one for myself over break and I can't wait to get back on the sewing machine ;)

Zig-Zag Quilt from CrazyMom Quilt tutorial, Erin McMorris Wildwood and Kona Cotton Solids

A long Time

Since I posted last almost two months ago things around here have been SUPER busy. First of all I had my last day of work, then headed off visit my grandparents and uncle, and cousin in Sacramento, then I moved to a gorgeous HUGE new apartment (WITHOUT a moving truck and only a little zip car, well and a few large guys to help), took another trip, this time with a few friends, up to the beautiful Rocky Mountains in Colorado, and finally, I started Architecture School!! Im now in week 5 as an architecture student and I'm exhausted!! I can't tell if I "like" it yet, mainly because my brain is going to be adjusting to the college life and architecture in general for awhile. I've spent several 10+ hour days in the studio, but its a good feeling to be busy and to be doing something that few have done before me, and even fewer have done well. Here are some pics of things I've seen and done in the past few weeks. Enjoy!!!

Love, Jenny
Sacramento, CA
Chicago, IL on the Chicago Architecture Boat Tour (amazing a must do in Chi)
Odessa Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
New Baby quilt in the work for a dear friend and baby Helen!!

Meet Me in St. Louis

Phew, I finally got the quilt top done for the wedding I am going to in June. My friend Jessie from Colgate is marrying her lovely fiancee Alex in St. Louis and obviously I couldn't show up with any old gift from the registry. After many months of searching for the right fabric I finally found some to use in the zig-zag quilt pattern shared by Crazy Mom Quilts. I should mention that I really struggled in the middle of this and couldn't seem to get the right squares in the right places. I blame my lack of space to lay the whole quilt out. Anyway, now I need to figure out how to get to Joann's to pick up some backing fabric so I can get this sucker quilted!! Maybe I can sneak away with the car this weekend when my girlfriends Anna and Ruthie are enjoying the sun by Gilbert Lake, WI. ;)

Spoiler Alert...

If your name is Jackie Canty, do NOT go to my flickr page.

Tonight I finished the baby quilt for my BFFL Jackie and her baby boy. He hasn't arrived yet, but I am pretty sure he will be here any day!! (Editors Note: Just found out I was off on the due date by 2 months, NO I am not a bad friend I swears). I have been working on this quilt for almost 3 months now and the first time around I started with a pattern I drew up. I was inspired by Jenny's quilt which I think is a version of a Denyse Schmidt pattern. It was a pretty great idea I thought, but using a fabric with directional images didn't work how I wanted it to.

So after I put it away for a few weeks I decided to scrap that idea and go with another Denyse Schmidt inspired pattern, the chinese coin quilt. I used the dimensions for the blocks based off of Handmade by Alissa's coin quilts (ps don't you just love her quilts?). I used what I had left of the David Walker Robots, picked up some basic colored prints from Joanns, and some sashing fabric there too. I have been hearing about the wonderful benefits of using linen for quilting, and I was very skeptical. I didn't like cutting it, and you should know that I am an iron, cut, iron, sew, iron, iron girl, and obviously linen isn't as conducive to that. But once I cut it, and sewed everything together, I began to appreciate how soft and cozy the linen is. I can't wait to see how it gets after washing again. The top came together really fast and then it was off to Joann's for some backing and batting. I decided to go with the coziness theme and found the perfect flannel for the back. Heather was worried it was a little busy and might make the baby sick (I could see what she meant, but it may have been the overtired state I was in at the time), but I thought it was too perfect color wise to pass up. I pieced a strip of fabrics from the front and sewed it off center with the flannel, and I might like the back just as much as the front!! I am definitely making myself a flannel quilt for next winter. Anyway, used some David Walker planets and the yellow stripes from Jo's for the binding (love using pieced and striped binding!) and slapped it all together. I did very little quilting to put it all together because I just didn't want to detract from the linen and the simplicity of the pattern. I hope it works out in the long run. I am still a newbie at machine quilting. So that is the basics.

Here is a sneak peek...

I can't wait for Jackie and her hubby Brian to get it, I really think and hope that they love it as much as me. I think all children should be taught to aim high and follow their dreams, and I think a planet and space robot quilt is perfect for that.

Jackie is my oldest friend, from back in the third grade, and we had some great times growing up. One time, in 3rd grade, we wore the same clothes and no one could tell us apart. Well, she quickly grew several inches and the most beautiful hair and we didn't look anything alike anymore but we still LOVED watching Goonies, and singing along to Newsies, playing capture the flag, snowboarding, and of course playing soccer together. She was a soccer stud all the way through college and I don't know if she knows how much I admire her work ethic and dedication, as well as her compassion and love. I wish I knew Brian better, but I know that she is happy and they have the most beautiful daughter, Tillie, and I can't wait to see her all grown up.
Love, Jenny

Newest Additions to the Stash/Crafting

I haven't been very bloggish lately. Oops! I have to be better about that!! Anyway, last week I didn't make or do anything too thrilling. I finished up the quilt for my friend Jen, and I will be bringing it to her and her boyfriend this weekend. I can't wait to see them, and Roman (the "child" aka a pug), and their new house, and LA!! In the slim 1 in 1000000 chance that she might read my blog I won't post the final pics til after I get back.

So in the meantime, here is the next quilt I am working on. A baby quilt for Jackie's newest little one, just a small peek though!! I think she might in fact read this and I want it to be an amazing surprise when her and her hubby get it!!

And finally, to round out the Monday post, here is the package I got today from Fat Quarter World, all on Sale!! My favorite Amy Butler, Martini in Mustard, LOVE grey, LOVE yellow!! I scooped up a yard and a half! And some Anna Maria Horner Garden Party, I was getting worried I would miss out on snatching some up!!

I'm cut off from fabric buying at the moment, unless of course I can find an amazing deal on the entire line of Joel Dewberry Aviary in the Bark Colorway. I swoon, I want, I must have!!

My Therapy

I don't want to spend much time venting about things in my life that aren't going well. Thats not why I started this blog. But, I did start this blog and my etsy store and all my recent craft projects for the sole purpose of comfort, distraction, and confidence. I have had a pretty rough 12 months, yes a whole year, but this past summer I realized that I wanted to DO something about it. To start feeling better.

I started an Introduction to Drawing Class through the Continuing Education department at the SAIC in September. It was incredible. My professor, Ross, taught me to be confident enough to draw what I see in my head and all around me. I can't tell you how amazing it was. This helped to push me to apply to architecture school by getting one of the hardest parts of the application, the portfolio, on its way. I started Carson.J Designs around that time to give me a "reason" to make the jewelery I've been creating for forever. I rather quickly lost interest out of frustration and discouragement. I would still feel periods of sadness and loss, especially as I live alone, but the drawing and jewelery making really made me happy. It allowed me to focus on something outside of the pain in my heart and create something worthwhile.

Then in October I was given the perfect reason to bring out the sewing machine, a new baby on the way! My friends told me they were having their first child, a girl, in March and I quickly leaped to the cause and began work on the quilt. These friends, while far away now, mean alot to me, and I like to show people my gratitude, respect, and love by making things for them. What began as a smallish quilt project,quickly expanded into a full on fabric obsession (I have only recently discovered the amazing designer fabric out there) and a sewing project mission. This was it for me. I really began to pull myself out of the hole I had been in and get back into my groove.

I think about what to make, how to make it, all day, and even to put me to sleep and it soothes me. Relaxes, distracts, and comforts me. I am so grateful and fortunate to have the ability, or at least the desire to "create". It has been the most potent therapy, besides my nightly mug of Sleepytime or Tension Tamer tea. Thank you.
-love, j

Resurrgence of the blog

Hello, I don't know that anyone will ever read these posts. But I have been inspired by so many things recently that I need to share them. And since my friends, family, coworkers, random people I force into chatting with me, can only tolerate so much I thought I would try the blogosphere.

I haven't been making my jewelery for about 3 months now. I'm not sure why, I have a tendency to lose interest in my projects pretty quickly. I sold a total of two items to people I didn't know so I guess I got frustrated and gave up. But not to worry, because I have been crafty nevertheless.

First I was working on my architecture school applications. I LOVED putting together the portfolio!! I am obsessed with blurb and lulu and ended up making a book for my brother for Christmas. I now have dreams of making picture books for everyone in my life. In addition, I found out that my good friends, Simon and Lisa, were going to have their first baby in March. A girl!! So that gave me the perfect excuse to buy some of the awesome fabric Id been scoping on etsy and make a quilt.

Well that opened a HUGE can of worms. I finished the top and sent it along with the beautiful backing home to SLC with my mom to get quilted. I haven't jumped into machine quilting yet, mainly because my sewing machine might not make it through. And i might go crazy, so I sent it to the Quilting Bees, and they did a phenomenal job. I finished it up when I was home for Christmas and sent it off about a week ago. I got a message from Lisa and they loved it!! I can't wait for the little one to come and snuggle up in it. I always dream that my quilts will become their beloved comfort blanket forever.



During my week in Utah my mom and I went to the most amazing quilt store, Quilts, Etc. It is so huge and overwhelming if you don't have a project in mind. But Madre of course managed to find a project, and somehow it got passed along to me!!

So the first weekend I was home, I felt the itch in my pedal foot and sewed the whole top. I am a little nuts. So that got shipped off to mom for quilting, but she hasn't made the hand off yet to QB.



Since then, I've obsessively been stalking etsy for more fabric and bought ALOT to make goodness knows what. Laptop covers? but how many laptop covers does one girl, with one laptop need!?! Ive volunteered to make everyone I know one, but no one really leapt to the offer. Oh well, I'm just going to put together some more quilts. Namely a modern solid colored one for my BFFAEAE Jennifer and another one for my other BFF Jackie and her bun in the oven (a boy!!). I'm going to post things here to ponder, and also to see various images i find in a different light. I am always finding beautiful works of art in nature and in life so I will share them with anyone who reads this!!