How to Sew A Jelly Roll Race Quilt

Jelly Roll
The jelly roll race quilt. Maybe you’ve heard of it? If you haven’t, you’re in for a treat, because it is, quite possibly, one of the fastest quilt tops you will ever make! I made mine in an hour once I cut my own strips. I was looking for a project to practice free motion quilting doodle flowers on (I’m still doodling flowers on everything), and this seemed perfect for that. I thought I’d share how I made mine in case you’d like to make one.
A “jelly roll” of fabric is literally a roll of 2 1/2″ x 44″ pre-cut strips of fabric, and a roll usually has 30-40 strips. These are usually created and sold to feature prints in a particular line (one or more strip of each print included) or groups of, say, coordinating solids. A lap or baby-sized quilt can be made from 1 jelly roll. Because I love to reuse and upcycle to create a more unique look, I used a combination of both new and repurposed fabrics. If you want to make your own jelly roll strips, just cut 2 1/2 inch wide strips across the width of any fabric. If you are reusing fabrics that aren’t 44 inches wide, still cut 2 1/2 inch wide strips, you’ll just need more of them.

 

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Altered Book Sketchbook

 
 
 

Not sure if I am much of an “art journal” person, but I thought it might be fun to try altering a book to create a sketchbook. I have been buying and using spiral bound sketchbooks for my daily sketches because they stay open, but I like the idea of having a full spread to work with too. A duplicate I-Spy book I found in our basement was perfect for this project… it’s large (10″ x 12″), stays open and flat, it will give me a surface to play with my carved rubber stamps, and another book to draw my daily sketches in.
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DIY Wood Burned Bark Valentines


Valentine DIY

I love using sheets of bark to make all kinds of things, and when I got a new wood burnishing tool, I wanted to make some tree carving-inspired Valentine “cards”. Valentine’s Day seems to whizz by, and I liked that this little DIY felt more long-lasting. Maybe your true love with hang it by his desk at our brand design office. Just a idea…

 

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DIY Clay Doodle Pendants

Clay Pendant
I decided to try a simple clay pendant project with all the doodling I was doing in my sketchbook. I have a bit of a necklace problem (meaning I have a large collection) and feel like something is missing when I’m not wearing one. These pendants are easy, easy enough for a kid to do in fact (the adult doing the baking part, of course).
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DIY Doodle Rock Craft

 
rock craft
When we were in New Mexico last week, we took a walk on the Paseo del Bosque Trail, which runs along the Rio Grande. I brought home a few rocks from there, because you know we love rocks! Later in the week, I spent some time in my father-in-law’s art studio, painting the rocks. It was so fun to do I thought I’d share.
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Gray Day Photo Lighting Trick

photo lighting
This is a simple trick to help to better photos in the natural light, without resorting to flash. Photo lighting in tricky in Seattle most of the year, but especially when it is as gray as it has been this season. I take almost all my photos in front of the sliding glass doors in our family room, it is almost the only place that works for photos in our dark house. During the darkest winter months, I may only have a couple of hours at midday that photos would work at all.  I could resort to turning on lamps or purchase a reflector, but I don’t like the yellowing of artificial light and this trick works just as well as a reflector. Using this homemade reflector  can bounce the light and soften the harsh shadows that show on the side of the object not facing the window.READ MORE

DIY Washi Tape Garland


DIY Washi Tape Garland

This may be the one and only Christmas holiday I’d like to do in neon, so I’m going to just go for it wherever I can. I pulled out my stash of washi tape and created a quick garland for my studio. I think I’ll get the kids to make some more while watching the Macy’s parade on Thanksgiving Day. It easy and bright, just the kind of project I like.
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Emma's DIY Desk

 
DIY Desk
Another project we did for Emma’s room redo was fill the need for a dressing table and chair. There is a bit more mirror time these days before school, and I thought it would be nice for her to have a place to keep all her earrings, lip gloss, and… slingshot.
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Emma’s DIY Headboard

DIY headboard

A budget- friendly, DIY headboard project Emma’s room. A little history first- Emma has slept in a great wooden sleigh bed since she moved out of crib (here’s a post from 2006 that shows this bed). It is well-made, really lovely, but the footboard definitely created a visual barrier in a room that stays pretty messy most of the time. I thought it would be fun to change her twin bed to a simple, metal bed frame and make an upholstered headboard ourselves, to give that corner a cozy feel.

 

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An Expensive Bird Cage Light DIY

 

birdcage light

These bird cage lights from the Conran Shop have been around for a while now and I’m completely obsessed with them. So gorgeous. The last time I was crazy for something like this, Atilla arrived, but La Voliere is way out of our budget. So, I gaze at them online.READ MORE

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