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August 2013 Fabric Feature Newsletter
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Now that the Royal Baby Quilt Sew-a-long has wrapped up, we are excited to announce a project that we've had in the works for quite some time: a Mystery Sew Red Sew-a-long!
Jimmy Beans Wool is hosting a "block of the month" style Mystery Sew Red Sew-a-long in which the finished product is a red-themed quilt to raise awareness of heart disease in women. Your favorite designers from the Sew Red book will will be submitting block designs of different shapes and sizes, and we'll be releasing block instructions every few weeks. Since the blocks won't all have the exact same dimensions, quilters who participate in this sew-a-long will likely choose to assemble them in different configurations. This is where the mystery comes in... no one will know what the finished quilt will look like until the very end!
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Every few weeks from now through April 2014, we will release the fabric requirements and the instructions for a block in the quilt. Some are really easy and a few are more advanced, with most blocks falling in the intermediate skill range. So, no matter your skill level, there are blocks for you! If you don't feel up to the task of the more advanced blocks, you can always repeat some of the easy ones so you still get a good sized quilt!
We will be kicking off the Mystery Sew Red Sew-a-long next week with a block from Jimmy Beans' own Kristen Ashbaugh-Helmreich on her personal blog, Marinade Designs. But don't worry! We'll be sure to post links to her blog (and each of the others) on our blog as well. Stayed tuned for blocks from Kay Whitt of Serendipity Studio, the talented sisters Barb and Mary from Me and My Sister, Amy Butler, David Butler (also known as Parson Gray), Kaari Meng of French General, SUEDE (of Project Runway fame), and many more! (We don't want to spoil the surprise!)
 | Once the Mystery Sew Red Sew-a-long ends in April 2014, we will assemble our quilt from the original blocks from the designers themselves. At this time, we will also start to accept donated, finished quilts from sew-a-long participants (that's you!). If you choose to donate your finished quilt to our cause, it will go on tour with our master quilt throughout the U.S. and will be featured at various quilt shows from June 2014 through February 2015. |
Once the quilts have finished touring the country and raising heart-disease awareness, they will be donated to a hospital or charity focusing on heart disease, and our master quilt will be auctioned off.
We sincerely hope you'll join us in crafting to help raise awareness of the number one killer of women in the U.S., heart disease, and the Stitch Red campaign! |
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When we received the Honeycomb Precuts in Moda Bella solid colors, I couldn't wait to make something with them. Huck and I decided to do the Hexagon Shuffle Quilt, a free pattern from Moda! For the background color we chose Moda Bella Solid - Off White and for the backing we spiced it up with BasicGrey's Grunge Basics - Maraschino Cherry. Both Huck and I are having a great time cutting, sewing together, cutting some more, and re-sewing together this surprisingly simple geometric quilt! Below are some pictures of our quilting adventure so far (we just finished the top!). |
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Whether you're new to the world of fabric or a seasoned veteran, it can be overwhelming trying to pick just one, two, or several prints for your next project -there are so many options! Precut fabrics are a great way to get a little bit of everything in a collection and discover what you love (or what you don't) without investing in a ton of yardage. Not familiar with precut fabrics? Here is the breakdown for three of the most common precut options available:
Charm Pack: These packs of 5"x5" squares generally contain 42 pieces. The number of squares per print in a collection depends on how many different prints are in the collection. This also means that there can be more of some prints than others, whatever it takes to get to that 42!
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Jelly Roll: Also called Design Rolls, these strips of fabric often come rolled in an attractive bundle of color. Measuring 2.5"x44" or 45" (the length depends on the width of the fabric on the bolt), there are normally 30 to 40 strips per roll. Like charm packs, the number of prints per pack will vary.
Fat Quarters: These bundles usually contain one of each print in a collection. For large or solid color collections, some companies will break those collections into different categories such as the Kaffe Fassett Shot Cotton Light and Dark. Rectangle measurements will vary from collection to collection, but in general these pieces measure about 18"x21".  | Precuts aren't only great for getting a little bit of everything, you can make some pretty sweet projects with them, too! Join Laura and Huck with the Hexagon Shuffle, or try other Free Patterns from Moda like the Jiffy Jelly Quilt using just one Jelly Roll. If you're short on time or attention span, be sure to check out Moda's Moda Candy booklet featuring 18 projects using Moda Mini Charm Packs. The Minis contain 42 2.5"x2.5" squares and come in collections like Me and My Sister's Shades of Black and Giggles, Mary Jane's Glamping, Urban Chiks' Boho and Tim and Beck's Apple Jack. Use these adorable squares to make fabric dishes to hold sewing notions or knick-knacks, a stacked pin cushion, necklaces, or a table runner, among many others! Please note - many projects will require other fabric in addition to the mini charm packs. |
As you can see, precuts have lots of creative potential, whether you're following a pattern or making it up as you're going along. If you're not exactly sure what the size of your finished result might be, Gus made up a simple guideline to help you gauge what you can make with a charm pack (you will need extra fabric for backing and binding)!
1 Charm Pack = a baby quilt top
2 Charm Packs = a crib quilt top
3 Charm Packs = a lap quilt top
5 Charm Packs = a twin quilt top
8 Charm Packs = a queen-sized quilt top
If you're leaning towards a jelly roll, the total yardage is 2 and ¾ yards. Never feel like you have to use an entire pack all at once. Fat Quarters especially are great for making coordinated accessories, and many smaller patterns are "fat quarter friendly", meaning if you have a couple of fat quarters lying around, you can use those instead of going out and adding to your fabric stash. Some of our favorites include the Atkinson Design's Reader Wrap and the Sonoma Purse from Sew Red!
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Fall is nearly upon us, and to help make room for all those new fall collections, we've put some of the oldies (but goodies) on sale! These are just some of our favorites:
Amy Butler Soul Blossom collection: 19% Off! Whimsically sophisticated, Amy Butler's Soul Blossom collection is inspiring with flowing floral prints in warm inviting hues.
Tina Givens Starflakes and Glitter collection: 19% Off! Winter and the holiday season may seem far off, but with September just around the corner and fall on its way, it will be last-minute gift-making time sooner than you think. Get the jump on holiday sewing projects with Tina Givens' Starflakes and Glitter collection. This classic assembly of unique holiday prints in an array of green, red, gold and silver sets the mood for baking sugar cookies and cuddling up by the fire. Joel Dewberry Heirloom collection: 19% Off! This timeless collection from Joel Dewberry combines contemporary motifs with classic colors and floral themes. Featuring a mix of bright bold hues and softer, warmer colors, the Heirloom collection can be used for all sorts of projects from apparel to home decor. |
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There are many ways to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings at Jimmy Beans Wool!
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Please let us know what you think of our newsletter or if you have problems reading it! Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email support@jimmybeanswool.com
And please don't forget to support your LYS. In addition to being an online outlet, we also have a retail location and therefore understand how important it is to be supported by our locals.
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Jimmy Beans Wool
891 Trademark Drive
Reno, NV 89521
Toll Free in U.S. and Canada (877)JBW-KNIT (529-5648)
Phone (775)827-9276
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