It seems like a really great thing and something that I want to be a part of. A way to find (”meet”) other quilters and bloggers and a way to get more people to my blog and Etsy shop.

The quilt I’ve decided to “enter” doesn’t really have a story that I can tell yet. I chose it, though, because it is the one baby/lap quilt that I’ve made so far that I am the most proud of.

Being a disabled quilter, in a wheelchair (I have Muscular Dystrophy), I am physically incapable of cutting fabric with a rotary cutter. I just simply don’t have a way to do it or enough strength to put the amount of pressure on it that it requires. Because of that fact, I have to have someone cut my fabric for me. Or do it myself by hand, with scissors. As all quilters know, using a rotary cutter makes cutting fabric much easier, faster, allows you to cut multiple layers at one time, cut a very straight, even line and have a nice, smooth edge after. Cutting by scissors is kind of difficult, takes a long time and doesn’t guarantee a clean, straight cut.

When I got the idea for this quilt, I decided I didn’t want to wait around for someone to cut my fabric for me. I was in a quilting mood and didn’t want it to pass me by. So far I don’t follow any patterns. My quilts have always started with an idea in my head, stemming from a fabric color and I draw the pattern or design out on paper with markers that I think will best showcase the fabrics. With this quilt, I had purchased some pre-cut, white squares with pink, purple and yellow polka dots off of eBay. It just so happened that I had some pink, purple and yellow fabric in my fabric collection that matched the polka dots perfectly. One day, while sitting in my bedroom watching TV, I cut more solid white squares and all the pink, purple and yellow strips. It was a lot of work and took me a while, but I did it myself and that was all that mattered to me. Some people don’t consider a quilt a quilt unless it’s “quilted” or has binding as a border. I know this quilt is kind of simple and plain compared to some more talented, experienced quilters work, but I like it. I don’t know how to do actual “quilting” and don’t have the machine for that.  I use ties with embroidering floss at each corner instead. I do love the quilted look and hope to learn how to do that some time in the near future.

Growing up disabled, I never liked having to depend on others for things. I have always prided myself on being independent and I try to do whatever I can with the least amount of help possible. I do realize though, that there are some things I just can’t do. But if I can, I will.

I love quilting and making things. I make baby and lap sized quilts, mainly because I can’t physically handle sewing anything larger than that. But I also love the thought of making things for babies.

Making quilts makes me realize that there is something in this world that I can do, and be good at. Just because you are disabled doesn’t mean you should let that keep you from doing what you love, even if it means you have to have a little help now and then. Just do what you can, try your best and be proud. While making this quilt, I was disappointed in my cutting job, was worried that the strips weren’t even, that it would make the sewing difficult and the corners not match up. I wanted to give up a couple of times, but I did the best I could and sewed very carefully and it came out fine! It’s now one of my favorites.

One day I hope that whoever either buys this quilt from me, or whoever I give or donate it to, will appreciate all the work and dedication that was put into this quilt and be grateful that it’s theirs. I’m sure they will create their very own story for it.

(Although, as other quilters probably know, it is difficult to choose one favorite out of all the quilts you’ve made. I fall in love with all of my quilts. Please check out my Etsy shop for more beautiful quilts and thank you for stopping by!)

My step sister, Ashley (www.fernanimals.etsy.com), had given me a bunch of baby fabrics last year and I fell in love them so much, I didn’t want to use them. Or waste them. So they’ve been sitting in my storage cabinet all this time. But since my quilts haven’t been selling, I didn’t want to use the fabrics on more quilts that won’t sell. I was thinking of other things to make and remembered the pattern for the bib.

Like I said, I started cutting the fabrics yesterday. And cut some more today. I was thinking of making them double sided, with a different fabric on each side, so it would be like having two bibs for the price of one. That way if the baby was to stain one side, you could just flip it around and use the other until it’s either worn out from washing, or stained too. I don’t have any children and don’t know anything about baby products but it seems like a good idea to me. At first I thought of using snaps for closure, but I don’t know how to apply those and was thinking ribbon would work better, so that it could be tied as tight or as loose as it needs to be. A snap and/or velcro would make it so it wouldn’t be adjustable at all. A coordinating ribbon will work, I think. I’ll try it and see and post photos of course along the way.

I also took new photos of my pot holders yesterday, on a little table by the window in my living room. Those will be to put them up for sale in my Etsy shop. I haven’t gotten around to uploading them onto my laptop yet though. I’ll do that sometime within the next few days. I have a doctors appointment tomorrow afternoon, so it most likely won’t be then. Probably Saturday, since I’ll be home alone all day while my boyfriend goes to his RC racing at the hobby store.

Well, I think that’s all I have to say for now. Just wanted to update everyone on what I’m working on right now. I got called “productive” by a fellow Etsy team member yesterday on Facebook. That made me laugh. I don’t feel productive very often. I think I’m lazy and wish I was way more motivated than I am!

Please leave me some comments  and  suggestions for the baby bibs or anything else you think I should make! Thanks!

More another day.

Love Jessica Always

I met my boyfriend, Corey, at Presidential Oaks at about 8:30am. He had an RC (Remote Control Car) race today, so he had gone to the race track at 7am to set up his tent and table and then came back to drop off my craft stuff at the show for me afterward. He was mad at me at the time (Men!), so only helped me put my table cloth on the table before leaving me to do the rest by myself. Luckily, a fellow NH Etsy Team member was there as well and offered to let me borrow her thirteen year old nephew to help me set up my table. He was a really nice kid and I don’t know what I would have done without him helping me. (Thanks again Tina, if you’re reading this!)

I was all set up by the time the doors opened at 9am. I made sure to introduce myself to my “neighbor”, Aubrey (A man, by the way) who was there helping his mother sell her crafts. She lives right there at Presidential Oaks and makes these very beautiful bird feeders out of plastic soda bottles. After I had my table all set up the way I wanted it, I asked Aubrey to take a couple of photos of me behind my table. He was more than happy to and was also a very nice person. I took a few other photos of my set up too. I’ll post them all either later tonight or tomorrow.

I had gone to a craft show there around Christmas time last year and it didn’t have as good a turn out as this one did. Both crafter and customer wise. I remember seeing a lot of empty tables last year. I was talking to Sarah, the woman who organizes the craft shows for Presidential Oaks, and she said they sometimes get a few “no shows” at every show but only had two today. We had a steady flow of customers all morning, up until around noon and then it slowed down because of it being lunch time. That was around the time my grandparents showed up to visit and that made it so that I was able to go around and check out the other crafters, while my grandmother sat and watched my table for me.

I ended up trading one of my fish cat toys for one of Tina’s mouse cat toys. They are too cute. I gave it to my cats when I got home and they love it. I don’t know why I only got one though. They never share! My grandparents left around 1pm and around 1:30pm my great Aunt Carla stopped by. She was able to stay with me until the show ended at 2pm and helped me pack up my stuff and brought it back to my apartment for me. That worked out really well. I didn’t know what I was going to do to get my stuff home since Corey was busy. I thought I was either going to have to ask Tina to help me, or leave my stuff there for the night and have Corey go get it tomorrow. Luckily I didn’t have to do that, though.

All in all I think it was a good day. I enjoyed myself. I wasn’t nearly as tired, uncomfortable or bored as I thought I might be. Although it did hit me when I got home and ended up taking a two hour nap. It was a free show, so I only profited from doing it. I gave Sarah all of my contact information for her to let me know when their next show is. Apparently they have three a year. I didn’t know that. I also signed up to be a member of the NH Artisan’s group. As a member, you go to meetings and such to help plan the shows, among other things. That should be interesting.

I’ll post photos soon. That’s all for now.

Love Jessica Always

In the bag was a small piece of dark green felt. I have been wanting to start using felt to make different versions of my stuffed bears and bunnies, as well as start making new things like pillows and other various stuffed animals but haven’t yet. I made a fish shaped cat toy with that piece of felt and now I really want to start using it even more than I did before. It’s so easy to cut by hand (I am not physically able to use a rotary cutter, due to being disabled) and is pretty easy to sew and very easy to stuff. It’s so soft and holds a form really well once stuffed. I really like the way the toy came out. I like the way all of my toys come out, but there’s something about the felt that just makes it different. I’m disappointed that there was only that small piece of it in the bag and that I only had enough to make one toy out of it.

I think felt is pretty cheap to buy, but I guess I have to look into it more and find out.

If anyone reading this has any felt that they no longer need or want, I’d be more than happy to take it off of your hands as well.

I’ll post photos of the new toys and finished pot holders either tomorrow or Friday. I know I’m definitely taking photos of everything before Saturday, so I will make sure to post them here. And then I’ll take photos of my table, all set up for the craft show on Saturday and post those here too either  Saturday night or Sunday.

I have to go make dinner now, so… more another day. Take care.

Love Jessica Always.

Also I need to ask for some advise again, and I need it as soon as possible. I have been making new pot holders the past few days to sell at the aforementioned craft show next weekend, and don’t know which way I want them. When I first began making pot holders, I just tied a knot in the middle with embroidering floss instead of “quilting” them. I tried quilting a stitch around the inside of one the other day and like the way it looks. Now I’m not sure if I want to make all the new ones like that from now on, or like the ones I was making before. I sold all but three of the old version at my yard/craft sale last month, so I kind of know some people liked them the way they were, but they haven’t been selling in my etsy shop, so I don’t know if I should change them.

This is where you come in… Do you like the old one or the new one better? Please let me know.

Old One

New One (Please pay no attention to the bad stitching job, it was my very first time doing such a thing)

My messy desk, as it is today.

All of the thread and zippers that I've been wanting to sell.

My pile of almost finished pot holders.

My pile of completely unfinished pot holders.

A stack of my finished quilts. I've sold one since this photo was taken.

My cat, Gracie, being naughty on my desk. My desk isn't usually such a big mess, like it was that day!

Gracie's brother, Little Man, being naughty like his sister, on my desk and getting into my crafts. (I think his mouth is open in this photo!)

My desk, covered in finished and unfinished crafts, a few months ago.

My fabric stash, in my storage cabinet, after organizing it all.

Maybe I’ll take newer photos soon.

I hope you enjoy these for now.

If you would like, you can get even more information about me, keep up to date on my daily activities and thoughts, see photos and even add me as a friend on Facebook. I would love to get to know the people that are following my blog and are a fan of my crafts. New friends are always welcomed in my life.